Source: PakFactory

Creating a lasting impression on your target market involves having attractive product packaging with a distinct “wow” factor. In that regard, the print coating is one of the most critical packaging elements you need to be aware of if you want your packaging to look its best despite multiple individuals touching and handling your products.

Whether used for packaging boxes, calendars, manuals, or other applications, the coating impacts the final look and appeal of the product.

And while each company has its own set of needs, to get you started, let’s look at one of the most popular coatings available: Aqueous (AQ) coating. But before we delve deeper into this excellent finishing method, you might wonder why you should apply a print coating to your project.

When to Coat?

Regardless of which coating you’re considering, in most cases, it will help protect and enhance your final product. If you intend to mail your piece, a print coating is necessary. And if you predict many hands will handle your print like a business card or brochure, a print coating is highly recommended for its added protection.

Source: Unsplash

However, sometimes your printed piece might be hindered by a print coating. Greeting cards, for example, do not need a coat, as applying one would make writing on the card challenging, defeating the intended purpose of your greeting cards! Still, if you wish to add a print coating to these items, you must specify with your service provider the areas where a coat should not be applied to avoid this problem.

But now that you know when is a good time to use coatings, let’s get back to the main topic at hand.

What is Aqueous (AQ) Coating?

Unlike UV coating and varnish, AQ coating is water-based and is known as the “default” coating for printing and packaging. It features fast-drying capabilities when used during the printing process, which makes it possible to achieve different appearances, allowing various application methods.

In addition to this versatility, AQ coating is known for being environmentally friendly with its non-toxic, water-based solvent that makes it perfect for applications such as:

• Foods
• Household products
• Fast-moving consumer products

Source: PakFactory

AQ coatings are also resistant to fingerprints and other impurities during handling, and it is also possible to enhance surface durability with a combination of different coat layers. However, the product type will largely determine the suitability of AQ coating for your packaging. 

Remember that though this coating is water-based, it does not mean it is waterproof!

Cosmetic products and perfumes, for instance, contain chemicals that may make AQ coating challenging to maintain on the exterior or interior of the packaging due to the risk of leaking, so always consider the product and your needs when deciding on the best print coating for you.

To help you better determine this, we have included some key differences and features between the popular options of AQ coating, UV and varnish.

	AQ Coating	UV Coating	Varnish
Coating Area	Flood coating only	Flood or spot coating	Flood or spot coating
Drying Speed	Fast drying	Instant drying	Longest drying time
Solution Base	Non-toxic water based	Chemical based solvent	Water or chemical based solvent
Yellowing	Less likely to yellow	Do not yellow	Yellowing may occur
Finishing	Matte, satin, gloss	Matte, gloss	Matte, satin, gloss

1. Aqueous Coating

• It is only available as a flood coating that covers the entire printed material.

• It uses a fast-drying water-based solvent, typically making it the most cost-effective option.
• The non-toxic water-based solvent also makes it environmentally friendlier.
• AQ is durable and provides excellent protection from scratches, fingerprints and scuffs. It is also less likely to yellow than varnish and more flexible than UV coating, which can crack when folded or creased.
• Can have a matte, satin, or glossy finish.

2. UV Coating

• Available as a flood or spot coating, which allows highlighting of specific parts of your printing project.
• It uses a chemical-based solvent containing polyethylene (plastic) or calcium carbonate, which is less environmentally friendly than AQ coatings.
• As the name suggests, this option uses ultraviolet light to dry and harden the finish near instantly.
• Like AQ coating, UV can have a matte to glossy finish, but overall, UV coating results in a shinier finish than AQ. Some find the finish too shiny, but this shine can really make images pop.
• UV Coatings are chemical and water-resistant and do not yellow over time. They offer the most protection over the other options.

3. Varnish

• Varnish is available to flood or spot coat. However, they are heavier-bodied, meaning they can only be applied to specific areas via press-plate, and detailed artwork must be sent to the service provider prior to the job.
• Uses a clear liquid that can be UV or aqueous-based to cover the surface of printed material in a manner similar to an ink printing press.
• Varnish uses UV light or heat to dry but takes much longer than the other options.
• Varnish is also available in matte, satin, or gloss finishes.
• Varnishes protect your printed piece very well, but yellowing may occur. Areas not varnished are more susceptible to yellowing over time.

If the other options seem more appealing to your printing project needs, please visit our UV coating or varnish articles to learn more. If not, then let’s continue our journey into aqueous coatings!

The Benefits of Aqueous Coating

We’ve briefly mentioned the benefits AQ coating has over the other popular finishing methods, but let’s look at the four main benefits in more detail to understand why so many companies choose this option.

• Non-toxic & environmentally friendly: The treated paper is easily recyclable and does not produce harmful by-products. After applying the aqueous coating, there is minimum solid waste, and the cleaning process does not require toxic cleaning agents.
• Versatile: It is a no-hassle solution when additional finishing is necessary to the print and works well with various printing processes. The coating also makes it very easy to write and print over the coating for more variety in finishes.
• Cost-effective: This water-based coating is mainly used in line with the printing process, delivering significant cost savings.
• Durable and long-lasting: By sealing the ink against exposure to air, the coating maintains the fidelity of metallic inks. Aqueous coating is also less susceptible to yellowing, making it a better alternative to varnish.

Types of AQ Coatings

As mentioned previously, aqueous coatings are available in matte, satin or gloss finishes, but other unique coating types are also available to fit your printing needs! Let’s have a look.

Gloss: A gloss aqueous coating is ideal if you’re looking for a less showy and more muted finish. As mentioned above, UV coating or film laminates are better options if you are looking for a flashier shine.

Dry erase: An alternative to laminate, dry-erase AQ coating achieves a high gloss effect at a low price.

Satin: With an appearance between gloss and matte, a satin aqueous coating offers medium shine and excellent scuff resistance.

Matte: A matte aqueous coating offers minimal shine and depth but a high degree of color intensity.

Soft Touch: Soft touch aqueous coating creates a velvety texture with a soft appearance compared to a glossy finish. Similar to matte coating, it gives a subtle finish with little to no shine.

The Aqueous Coating Process

Now that we know the different coating types of this popular print coating method, what is the application process? 

Put simply, special machines apply the aqueous coating immediately before printing ink on the sheets. Special care is taken to ensure no wrap, wrinkles, or curls occur on the paper during this process and after the application of the coating, the sheet passes through a heated air system for quick drying.

The video below is a great visual example of how this process is done.

The Final Coat for AQ

Although AQ coating provides several benefits, the chances of chemical burning with aqueous coating and UV coating are higher than other finishes such as varnish.

The solvent resistance of the aqueous coating is lower than that of UV coating and thermal lamination.

Nevertheless, AQ coating is still the most popular choice for print finish options thanks to its reliable and brilliant results.

Looking to learn more about your coating options for packaging?

Contact our product specialists today and get expert advice on finishing and printing options tailored to your product!

The post What is Aqueous Coating for Printing and Packaging? first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post What is Aqueous Coating for Printing and Packaging? appeared first on PakFactory Blog.

Are you considering a folding carton for your product packaging? If you are, you’ve come to the right place to learn everything you need to know about this option! These foldable paper boxes are a trendy and versatile choice for many industries. Though these boxes are commonly seen as a paper packaging option for food, it is viable for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and electronics.

Source: HRBLS by Pharmakon Supernatural – PakFactory

The paperboard material is excellent for customizing your package’s size, shape and structure to accommodate any product.

So in this article, we will delve deep into what makes a folding carton tick starting with its definition, the common materials used, styles available, production method,  and some pros and cons of this type of packaging. By the end of this master guide, we hope to have provided you with sufficient knowledge to decide whether this paper carton packaging option suits your product.

What is a Folding Carton?

Before we take a closer look into this versatile packaging option, what exactly is it? Well, folding cartons are a type of paperboard packaging popular among consumer products for their low weight and versatility.

It is commonly used as secondary packaging, and as the name suggested, these foldable paper boxes are designed for easy assembly from a single flat sheet into a three-dimensional package, making them cost-effective to transport because they are shipped flat before being assembled while maintaining a high level of customizability.

Folding Cartons vs Rigid vs Corrugated

But what are the differences between the similar and equally popular packaging options of rigid and corrugated boxes? To get a better understanding of the key differences between each option, we’ve provided a simple chart below:

	Rigid Boxes	Folded Carton Boxes	Corrugated Boxes
Set up	None if not foldable	Needed	Needed
Sturdiness	High	Low	High
Product Safety	High	High with the aid of inserts	High
Cost	Generally High	Depends on printing & finish	Depends on printing & finish
Appeal	Generally High	Depends on printing & finish	Depends on printing & finish
Reusable	Yes	Usually not	Yes

Folding Carton Packaging Materials, Types & Styles

In terms of materials, the most common materials used for manufacturing standard folding cartons are paperboard made from wood pulp, a renewable and environmentally friendly resource. However, higher-grade, certified paperboard options that meet food and even medical standards are also available!

Alternatively, to increase eco-friendliness, kraft paperboard made from 100% post-consumer recycled material or reclaimed paper stock is also a popular option. And if you thought the material options offered a lot to consider, a wide selection of styles and different types of boxes are also available. In this master guide, we have provided you with the seven most popular options; let’s have a look!

The tuck end auto-lock bottom box, or crash bottom box, has a bottom design that automatically locks in place during assembly with a simple tuck flap. This box style is recommended for heavier products, like wine and beer, as it is the strongest among all paper box packaging options listed below.

Alternatively, the snap bottom or lock bottom box is another strong option suitable for heavier objects like wine or electronics. Also known as the 1-2-3 bottom box, this box style has flaps that push into each other and lock in place.

Straight tuck end boxes are stored flat and do not require additional assembly. They are identified by having both the top and bottom closures on the same side of the box and slits on the ends to keep the tucks locked. This style is ideal for light or medium-weight products like cosmetics or essential oils.

Reverse tuck end boxes are the same as straight tuck but have the end closures on the opposite sides of the box. Since they are nearly identical, reverse tuck boxes are also ideal for light or medium-weight products.

Paper sleeve packaging is a carton style designed to slip over another, typically undecorated box. This option is a very popular choice due to being the least expensive option and can instantly create fantastic customization for a plain box.

Double wall tray and lid boxes, or two-piece boxes are separated with a top and bottom half. The tray and lid fit snuggly together to create a sturdy double wall ideal for luxury products like jewelry and clothing or serve as food packaging for products like confectionery.

Customized folding carton boxes are the final popular option. Who said foldable cartons needed to be a certain way? Custom cutouts and inserts for the above options are limited only to the imagination. A well-placed cutout or insert can add a unique flare to your packaging, differentiating itself from competitors!

Whether using folding carton boxes as a paper food packaging solution or for other items like cosmetics and electronics, the styling options are limitless. From choosing kraft paper packaging for eco-friendliness or utilizing a two-piece box for added luxury, these foldable paper boxes are an excellent option for any product!

Manufacturing Processes

Regardless of the materials or style you choose for your carton packaging project, the process of making folding cartons remains the same. Once you’ve finalized your design choices for your box, it is time to let your packaging supplier get to work with the below list of elaborate processes known collectively as converting:

1. Die-Lines and Sheet Layout: Die-lines are flat versions of the box showing what the final 3D box will look like. It shows the locations for die-cutting, folding and gluing while also showing the position of the artwork on the final package.
2. Sheeting and Printing: Large rolls of paperboard must first be cut into sheets before running through the printing press. Manufacturers will ensure that the grain is running in the direction that will be most efficient and effective for this step. When the sheet enters the press, any imagery and artwork you designed will be inked and coated onto the sheet via offset, digital or flexographic printing.
3. Post-Press Finishes: Further optional customizations like hot-foil stamping or embossing and debossing are done via specialized machines during this stage to enhance the look of your box.
4. Die-Cutting: This stage is where many duplicates of your carton are cut from the paperboard sheet. The die is a specialized, elaborate cutter akin to a cookie cutter that will cut the paperboard while minimizing waste and allowing for easy folding where necessary. The manufacturer recycles excess scraps of paper made from this stage to form new paperboards.
5. Folding and Gluing: The final stage of the converting process is where your box’s flat, die-cut pieces are fed through the machine for folding, pre-breaking and gluing. Some cartons that include transparent windows in the design are applied in-line during this stage. The manufacturer will aim to complete these processes in the fewest passes possible.

Pros & Cons of Folding Cartons

Now that we’ve gone over the intricate details of what makes a folding carton a popular and excellent choice for your packaging needs, what are the pros and cons of this option? Like the other popular options, there will always be benefits and downsides. Weighing these options is critical in deciding which packaging is best for you.

For starters, this packaging option can be cost-effective, sustainable and versatile. Carton boxes can come in many different shapes and sizes while being cheap to manufacture in large quantities. The materials used in this manufacturing process are also 100% recyclable, making them better for the environment.

Folding cartons also have a plethora of printing and unique finishing options available to choose from. As mentioned in this guide, printing options include offset, digital and flexographic printing, allowing excellent colors, unique textures and visual effects. For special finishes, this packaging option offers things such as:

• UV Coating
• Spot UV Coating
• Lamination
• Embossing/Debossing
• Die Cutting/Scoring
• Glitter/Pigment Sprinkles
• Foil Stamping

Even options for certified grades of paperboard material are available to accommodate food and medical industry standards!

But though these many benefits are heavily in favor of folding cartons, there are still a few minor disadvantages compared to other options. The strength and durability, for example, can be a disadvantage, but foldable cartons can still be solid and reliable with additional inserts. However, compared to the more sturdy rigid and corrugated boxes, they may not be as protective of the product inside.

Additionally, due to the limitations of cutting machinery, thickness is limited to 0.81 mm, which makes it difficult for this packaging option to hold significantly weighty products.

And though we did mention that folding cartons are sustainable, on the other hand, some packages tend to be challenging to assemble and are often improperly thrown away after a single use, increasing waste and counterbalancing the fact that this option should be eco-friendly.

Overall, this packaging option is excellent for many products, but always consider the pros and cons to ensure this option is right for you. That being said, what industries are these foldable boxes best for?

Suitable For Many, Best for Some

Source: PakFactory

The food and medical industries are the first thing that comes to mind when considering the industry that best suits foldable cartons. We mentioned earlier that this packaging option offers different grades of paperboard suitable to specific industry standards, and this is where that advantage shines through.

To learn more about paperboard grades, click here!

But to briefly summarize, with more expensive and highly durable paperboard grades available, like Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) and Folding Box Board (FBB), it’s no question why medical and food companies prefer the folding carton. Options such as various paper grades help protect sensitive products from dust and damage while keeping the product fresh longer.

Source: PakFactory

Other industries that greatly benefit from foldable box cartons include the cosmetics industry for its lightweight and attractive packaging designs and the electronic industry for its ability to protect from physical damage, dust and moisture.

But though these industries benefit the most from this packaging option, that doesn’t mean folding cartons are unsuitable for other products outside these industries!

Need help finding the right custom packaging for your industry? Browse here!

So Let’s Get Packing!

Even if you have a product outside of the industries mentioned above, the folding carton can still offer great benefits for your product. If you are still unsure if this packaging option is right for you or if you are ready to take the next step in your packaging project journey, contact one of our packaging specialists for more information!

The post Folding Carton Box Packaging – The Master Guide first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post Folding Carton Box Packaging – The Master Guide appeared first on PakFactory Blog.

So without further delay, let’s start with the basics; what is it?

What are Rigid Boxes or Set-up Boxes?

Source: PakFactory

Custom rigid boxes are sturdy paper-based packaging comprising high-thickness (often 2-3mm) chipboard wrapped in decorative specialty paper. As mentioned earlier, they are commonly referred to as set-up boxes or premium packaging due to their luxurious look and feel, which goes perfectly with items such as board games, luxury products like jewelry, or gifts.

Furthermore, these custom boxes offer a premium feel that enhances your customer’s unboxing experience allowing for more opportunities to establish a strong brand narrative. It provides many branding capabilities through printing and finishing options, including;

• Hot stamping
• Embossing/debossing
• Coatings
• Decorative elements

The Difference Between Flexible, Corrugated, Folding Cartons and Custom Rigid Boxes

Now if you have researched and read up on the other different types of packaging that may suit your product, you likely have heard of other options, such as flexible packaging, corrugated boxes and folding cartons. You can probably guess how flexible and rigid diverges by their names, but corrugated and folding cartons may be harder to distinguish. However, to cover all our bases, let’s briefly review each option and how they differ. 

For starters, rigid boxes feature sturdy construction and support and are comparatively more luxurious in their look and feel. They are a trending packaging option consisting of thick chipboard and refer to solid packaging that won’t change shape, contrary to flexible packaging, which bends easily. 

However, differentiation becomes a little more challenging when looking at the other options, as they are very similar. While rigid boxes are often viewed in a league of their own when it comes to presentation, popular alternatives include folding carton boxes and high-end corrugated packaging because of their cost efficiency and versatility in high-quality printing and finishing capabilities. Let’s look at the differences;

	Rigid Boxes	Folded Carton Boxes	Corrugated Boxes
Set up	None if not foldable	Needed	Needed
Sturdiness	High	Low	High
Product Safety	High	High with the aid of inserts	High
Cost	Generally High	Depends on printing & finish	Depends on printing & finish
Appeal	Generally High	Depends on printing & finish	Depends on printing & finish
Reusable	Yes	Usually not	Yes

Source: PakFactory

As you can see from the above chart, the options are very similar and deciding which packaging solution to use is entirely up to you! So if you want to know more about the other options available, please read more about folding cartons or corrugated packaging. But if you are confident that this option suits your needs, let’s continue.

Types of Rigid Packaging

There are two different types of custom rigid boxes: partial finish and full finish.

A partial finish is where the wrapping and chipboard are only somewhat complete. The wrapping finishes the box’s outer surfaces, while the chipboard is left visible and bare. Partial finish boxes use a single piece of chipboard with perforated crease lines for folding and wrapping without the additional exterior layer that exposes the kraft or grey chipboard material. 

This option is used because it takes much less time to produce due to the fewer materials needed in the construction process.

Source: PakFactory

On the other hand, a full finish leaves no chipboard exposed; the wrapping covers the entire box. This option uses a thicker 2-3 mm chipboard, and the inner chipboard is separated into pieces for each side of the box. Lamination is also possible with various finishing options depending on needs.

Full finish packaging also has an additional layer of wrapping, which is white by default or printed.

Source: PakFactory

So, in Summary:

Partial Finish:

• Wrapped only to finish the inner edge of a box
• Chipboard inside is unfinished and visible
• The internal chipboard is one piece with perforated crease lines and folds
• Tape is optional to secure the chipboard before wrapping
• Chipboard finish can come coated on one side using white or kraft

Full Finish:

• Wrapped entirely. No chipboard exposed
• The inner chipboard is in separate pieces for each face of the box
• No tape before wrapping boxes
• Thicker chipboard (or greyboard) at 2 – 3 mm thicknesses
• Laminated with different finishing options

How Is It Made?

But how do rigid boxes reach this finished state? To keep things simple, we have split up the process of constructing one of these high-end boxes into four simple steps that apply to both options:

1. Sizing – The box starts as a flat paperboard that is first cut and scored to the correct size.

2. Folding – The paperboard is then folded and secured to form the base of your box.

3. Printing – A design is printed onto the wrap and laminated. Other add-ons can be included as you desire. The wrap is then glued to the shape of your box.

4. Wrapping – The wrap tightly covers your box, and we are done!

If you are still unsure of the process to complete your box, the below figures should help paint a clearer picture:

Source: PakFactory

Various High-End Packaging Styles

Not only do custom rigid boxes have two different types available to choose from, but there are also many style options as well! Let’s have a look at some popular options.

Tube or rolled-edge tube packaging is a cylindrical packaging option. It comes in telescopic or shoulder-neck opening styles, making it ideal for drinks, cosmetics, accessories, and snack containers like Pringle’s cans.

Magnetic closure boxes boast two sturdy magnets that effortlessly seal the box shut, adding a touch of luxury to jewelry and retail products. With their tactile closure, these versatile boxes can also be collapsible for convenient and friendly storage.

Drawer Style Boxes, as the name suggests, open up like a drawer. They are also known as slipcases, slides or matchboxes.

Book Style Boxes open like a hardcover book, adding creativity and innovation. With a straight or rounded spine, they provide a genuine book-like feel. Magnetic attachments can also be combined, creating a luxurious packaging option.

Shoulder Neck Boxes have multiple layers, including a distinct inner layer for the lid to rest on. Perfect for a unique unboxing experience, these boxes can be customized to match your brand’s colors and style.

Browse our full catalog of rigid box packaging here!

Inserts To Compliment Styles

The choices are limitless when it comes to styles of rigid boxes, but once you have decided on the type you prefer, the next step is to think about what inserts will go inside. 

Additional packaging materials like box inserts are very popular when designing rigid packaging. Packaging inserts are highly recommended when you’re looking to get the ultimate unboxing experience.

Source: PakFactory

A custom packaging insert is made specifically for your product, helping it stay in place to provide an elevated presentation while offering a high degree of shock protection, even against drops and rough handling.

Custom inserts most commonly come in;

• Paperboard
• Corrugated
• Molded pulp
• Foam
• Plastic

Is It Right For You? The Pros and Cons of Rigid Boxes

So now that we’ve finally covered all the available design choices, why should you choose this option? Well, besides its solid and protective construction, rigid packaging offers an elusive, luxurious and robust look and feel that is unmatched by most other packaging types.

Often paired with a custom insert, this packaging solution keeps products well-protected to withstand harsh handling. It is even made to be reusable and kept by the customer rather than just thrown away after unboxing a product.

With these benefits in mind, rigid packaging boxes build an embedded element to accompany your product, adding significant value to your brand. Customers will no longer view your product as just an individual item but rather consider the package and product as a set when your product is elegantly encased in a rigid box. 

It is human nature to enjoy gifts, and rigid gift boxes are currently the gold standard of gift-type packaging. But with any type of packaging option, there are bound to be drawbacks.

While this packaging option is excellent for small to medium product sizes, they can become surprisingly less resilient at extra-large sizes. They are more prone to ripped edges at larger sizes due to increased load on the outer layer of wrapping paper, so it is always recommended to use thicker paper with a laminated finish to increase durability at larger sizes.

But the biggest con for high-end, custom rigid boxes is their price. To be blunt, making one of these boxes is expensive.

The construction of these high-end packages is unlike any other packaging style. Similar to wrapping a gift, custom rigid boxes are made by precisely wrapping paper around solid boards. Each chipboard is individually glued together, and producing these boxes involves an extended process that can take 1-2 weeks longer than other packaging options.

Currently, most production processes for this type of packaging involve some degree of manual assembly and more detailed quality checks to inspect for defects and ensure quality standards are required, making it up to 3 times more costly than folding carton and corrugated packaging.

Source: PakFactory

And though the higher price can be readily justifiable to more prominent brands as luxury packaging adds tremendous amounts of perceived value to both the product and brand, we understand that many smaller companies are under budget constraints. For that reason, please check out our other article on how to create affordable luxury packaging and learn the many ways you can cut costs for rigid boxes and other options!

Rigid Box Solutions For Brands Across All Industries

With imagination comes courage, and with courage comes new and exciting ideas. Rigid packaging offers endless options for customization, personalization and luxury to fit any brand in any industry.

Don’t believe us? Check out some more cool rigid box ideas from different brands we’ve worked with!

Coca-Cola: The Taste of Celebration – Telescope Rigid Box with Custom Insert

Contender Brands: Combining Simplicity, Joy, and Laughter – Rolled-edge Rigid Tube Packaging with Custom Insert and Game Cards

Avec La Vie: Healing in a Package – Telescopic shoulder neck rigid box with game cards

Beda Beads: Inspiring the Next Generation of Creators – Magnetic Closure Rigid Box with Custom Insert

The post Rigid Box Packaging – The Master Guide first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post Rigid Box Packaging – The Master Guide appeared first on PakFactory Blog.

The adaptability to different product types, sizes, and use cases has all contributed to this growing trend that is even more significant in the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries. Due to the convenience of usage, storage, extended shelf life and sustainability, flexible packaging solutions have greatly benefited these industries by providing a versatile option preferred by both businesses and consumers. 

In fact, a study by Harris Poll found that 71% of respondents expressed an apparent inclination toward flexible packaging over rigid box counterparts. Of that percentage, 79% were knowledgeable about the packaging alternative and were willing to pay up to 14% more for this convenient and hygienic option.

So with the rapidly growing market share and business and consumer preference in mind, it is evident that this packaging solution will continue solidifying its position as a superior option across many industries.

Source: PakFactory

That being said, if you are considering using a flexible packaging solution for your product, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about this excellent packaging option to ensure you have all the necessary knowledge to make this critical decision.

What is Flexible Packaging, and Why is it Better?

Before deep diving into the many small details that make this packaging option great, it is essential to establish a broader, foundational knowledge to build from. So the first question to always ask is, what exactly is it?

As the name suggests, flexible packaging is a versatile solution made from pliable packaging materials like plastics, paper, films, foils or a combination of all of them. It is any type of packaging capable of changing shape when filled or used, making it a preferred choice for businesses and consumers with its ability to remain lightweight, cost-effective, reduce carbon footprint, extend product shelf life, and take on endless customization.

Compared to traditional packaging types like rigid boxes, flexible packaging is more lightweight and cost-effective. The films and barriers that produce the pliable materials require fewer resources and energy to manufacture while offering a more cost-effective approach to shipping, warehousing, and logistics. Businesses gain the opportunity to save across the entire supply chain while maintaining a high-quality standard, but the benefits don’t end here.

The fewer resources and energy requirements to manufacture saves money and cuts the quantities of greenhouse gases produced compared to traditional packaging. Even during disposal, the efficient use of materials results in less overall waste sent to landfills, minimizing the negative environmental impact of this packaging option and making it an excellent step toward sustainability and a reduced carbon footprint.

Source: PakFactory

Flexible packaging solutions even offer an extended shelf life and increased protection against contaminants. According to ePac Flexibles, this packaging option creates a barrier against oxygen, moisture, light, and microorganisms, which can cause oxidation, spoilage, discoloration, and contamination. This increased protection benefits the product’s shelf life and reduces the risk of product waste created from spoilage.

Finally, endless customization and options for branding are available. The possibilities are truly limitless, from choosing vibrant colors and captivating graphics, incorporating your logo and brand messaging, or selecting the type of package you want with a wide range of options, such as spouted, flat, or stand-up pouch packages. By leveraging these customization options, you can create packaging that protects your products and is a powerful marketing tool, leaving a lasting impression on consumers. 

Browse our full catalog of flexible pouches here!

Key Considerations When Planning the Design of Your Flexible Package

Now with all the benefits of flexible packaging fresh in your mind, are you convinced to use this packaging solution for your products? If so, let’s look closely into the key considerations before beginning your planning.

Designing effective and successful packaging requires careful consideration of several vital factors. Packaging is the first point of contact between your product and the consumer, so creating a design that captures attention and communicates your brand’s value is crucial. Elements such as color, typography, and graphics are integral to conveying your desired message and attracting the target audience.

Source: PakFactory

Understanding your product’s requirements is also important for selecting the appropriate packaging materials and formats. Product freshness, shelf life, and transportation considerations are all crucial factors you must consider but do not exclude sustainability. Incorporating sustainability and eco-friendly practices are becoming increasingly important in today’s market as more consumers seek environmentally conscious businesses. And though many crucial factors like those mentioned above require careful consideration, you don’t have to do it alone.

Consulting packaging design and manufacturing experts is highly recommended, as they possess the expertise and industry knowledge to help you make informed decisions regarding materials, structural design, and user-friendly features. Conjunctively, you may look to the consumers too. By analyzing consumer behavior, conducting surveys, and studying market trends, brands can gain insights into consumer preferences which helps packaging designers make informed decisions regarding the visual aesthetics, functionality, and features of the packaging.

Successful packaging design is a collaborative effort to balance aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability to create a memorable, impactful solution. And with flexible packaging, finding this balance has never been easier.

Flexible packaging is adaptable and practical, enabling an enhanced user experience and adding value to your product through easy reusability, convenience and sustainability. It even allows creative design elements that captivate potential buyers with its pliable nature allowing for imaginative, innovative shapes, colors, and textures that make products stand out on the shelves. 

Even for branding, which is crucial in differentiating products in a competitive market, flexible packaging provides ample space to effectively use creative graphics, logos, and brand messages, ensuring that the packaging design aligns with your brand’s identity and establishes a strong visual connection with consumers.

But even when all of these creative branding and customization options are available for your experimentation, it is essential to remember that structure, protection, and functionality are equally, if not more, important considerations.

Source: PakFactory

The package should prioritize the protection of the product but maintain convenience, ensuring its freshness and integrity while catering to a user-friendly experience that all consumers want. You can do this by carefully selecting suitable materials and considering factors like barrier properties, puncture resistance, and shelf life. Striking the right balance between convenience and protection in your package’s design is critical to meeting consumer expectations and differentiating yourself from the competition.

So what materials should you use to find the balance? Professional packaging designers and manufacturers will help you find the best material for your product, but let’s look into some of the popular materials used in flexible packaging to better understand what’s available.

Selecting the Right Packaging Materials

The choice of materials significantly impacts the overall performance and suitability of any packaging solution, especially for flexible packages. Factors such as product compatibility, barrier properties, and sustainability considerations are pivotal in selecting the appropriate materials that complement and enhance your product.

Regarding flexible packaging materials, several options have gained popularity due to their performance and suitability for different industries:

• Bioplastics, such as plant-based bottles made from biodegradable plastics, effectively prevent air, grease, and oils from permeating the product, making them standard for flexible plastic packaging in the food and snack industry. 

• Polymer films, particularly plastics, dominate the market due to their flexibility and durability, making them widely used in the food industry. 

• Corrugated cardboard, though not strictly categorized as flexible packaging, offers protection against moisture and damage and serves as an excellent cushion during transportation. 

• Aluminum foil is an effective barrier against oils, moisture, and light while pliable enough to be shaped into various forms like trays and lids. 

• Kraft paper, known for its elasticity and strength, is commonly used for durable packaging of chemicals, food, and consumer goods. 

• UV protective films help preserve product quality by shielding against harmful UV radiation, commonly used in the food industry for storage and transportation.

And though the above materials are all popular and excellent choices for flexible packaging, in a bid for increased sustainability, let’s also look at a few alternate material choices that align with eco-conscious goals. 

Using fewer materials or incorporating Post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials is possible for brands looking for an eco-friendly initiative. Another avenue to consider is renewable resources, such as plant-based resins and paper, offering a greener alternative to plastic. Polylactic acid (PLA) film can also be incorporated, providing an industrially compostable option. 

Sustainable material options are crucial in reducing the environmental impact, so take note of these options! As more consumers demand eco-friendly initiatives from companies, you will only be limiting yourself if you do not carefully consider all avenues of possible materials in your packaging, including sustainable alternatives.

A circular, sustainable economy is crucial for eco-conscious practices as it minimizes waste and maximizes resource efficiency throughout the product lifecycle. Unlike the traditional linear economic system, a circular economy focuses on reducing waste and pollution, utilizing renewable energy and resources, promoting material circulation and recycling, and aligning supply chains with nature-centric principles. 

For flexible packaging, in particular, these practices ensure that it has a minimal environmental impact. Flexible packaging plays a crucial role in the circular economy by using fewer raw materials, facilitating easy recycling and reuse, and enabling composting for biodegradable packaging. By embracing the circular economy, businesses can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of packaging and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Printing Techniques and Graphic Design

But now that you’ve got a better understanding of the plethora of available materials at your disposal, both popular and sustainable, it’s time to dive into the possible printing techniques and graphic designs you can apply to them.

With the many different materials available and various forms of flexible packaging like stand-up pouches, you’ll be pleased to know that you have as many printing options too! You can choose from multiple printing and curing technologies to add colors, text, and graphics to your packaging design, like:

• Flexography is a popular method for pliable materials with excellent print quality and color vibrancy. It is capable of printing intricate designs and patterns on various flexible substrates. 

• Digital printing provides precise and detailed graphics with customizable elements. With digital printing, brands can create vibrant and eye-catching packaging while maintaining cost-efficiency for shorter print runs.

• Rotogravure printing is known for its exceptional image reproduction and is suitable for applications that require rich and detailed graphics.

By utilizing these advanced printing techniques and incorporating high-quality images, fonts, and colors that align with your product and brand identity, you can create visually appealing and impactful designs that effectively convey your brand’s message and resonate with your target audience.

Safety, Compliance and Quality for Flexible Packaging

So now that you’ve planned the packaging design, have chosen the materials and looked at the printing methods, what’s next? The next step is to meet the industry standards and regulations for this type of packaging. Quality control for flexible packaging involves various tests and measures to ensure its integrity and performance. These tests include:

• The Pressure Decay Test measures the package’s ability to hold pressure and detects any leaks or defects.

• The Instron Test evaluates the seal strength of the packaging, ensuring it can withstand the turbulence of handling and transportation without compromising integrity. 

• The Bell Jar Test assesses the barrier properties of the packaging materials, determining their effectiveness in protecting the contents from external factors such as moisture and oxygen.

Source: Unsplash

These quality control processes are necessary to provide manufacturers with valuable insights into the quality and performance of the flexible package. By conducting these tests, manufacturers can identify any weaknesses or deficiencies in the design or materials, allowing them to make necessary adjustments and improvements. Moreover, adhering to recognized industry standards ensures the package meets the required specifications and consistently delivers reliable performance and compliance.

But quality control is for more than just controlled environments. The global supply chain faces increasing challenges in ensuring product safety. Food recalls have increased, with microbial contamination and unsanitary handling significant contributors. Rigorous testing is necessary throughout the entire supply chain to protect consumers and minimize health risks.

Compliance with regulations and certifications across the board is crucial to ensure the health and safety of consumers by meeting stringent standards for material safety, hygiene, and product quality. Certifications such as FDA, CFIA, and EU compliance demonstrate adherence to specific regulatory frameworks and allow brands to provide assurance to consumers, build trust, and contribute to responsible and ethical packaging. 

Industry Insight: Nestle’s Sustainable Initiative with Flexible Packages

If you are still unsure whether to use flexible packaging for a safer convenient, and more sustainable alternative to traditional packaging, let’s look at a quick example of a big company, Nestle, and how they actively incorporate this type of packaging.

Source: Unsplash

Nestle has implemented a comprehensive sustainability initiative that embraces flexible packaging as a key product element. This initiative revolves around the three core principles of better packaging, less packaging, and better systems.

In pursuing better packaging, Nestle aims to reduce its reliance on virgin plastic by actively seeking alternatives and exploring innovative solutions. This includes piloting reuse and refill systems, increasing the utilization of paper and flexible packaging, and supporting the development of efficient collection, sorting, and recycling systems in the countries where the company operates.

To create a better system for packaging waste management, Nestle collaborates with partners globally to address the infrastructure challenges associated with collection, sorting, and recycling. Through joint projects and activities, Nestle seeks to model successful collection schemes and promote establishing well-functioning systems.

Through its dedication to sustainable packaging practices, Nestle actively contributes to the transition towards a circular economy, where resources are managed efficiently, waste is minimized, and environmental sustainability is prioritized.

Looking to The Future and Beyond for the Flexible Packaging Market

Flexible Packaging is relatively new. With this being said, innovation and evolution are constantly occurring, and this alternative solution to traditional packaging is only getting better and more advanced with time.

Innovations in smart packaging are beginning to coalesce and merge with flexible packaging. Advanced sensors and indicators can now monitor product condition, ensuring freshness and safety throughout the supply chain by detecting spoilage and filtering out harmful agents that might invade the package. And with the recent introduction of QR codes, RFID tags, and NFC, vital information is now provided to consumers, which helps prevent theft and counterfeits. Smart packaging solutions specifically designed for flexible packaging only improve product quality further, empower consumers with information, enhance brand relevance and ensure food safety.

Source: Unsplash

Flexible packaging is rapidly gaining popularity due to its convenience, lightweight nature and positive environmental impact. This is only further enhanced when combined with smart packaging and its advanced innovative technologies. Soon, this type of packaging will no longer be the alternative. It will become the standard across many industries with its versatility and ability to adapt to consumer preferences for sustainability and user-friendliness.

So if you want to start with a flexible packaging solution, discuss your options with one of our product specialists and get expert advice on the packaging solution that is right for you!

The post Flexible Packaging – The Master Guide first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post Flexible Packaging – The Master Guide appeared first on PakFactory Blog.

The future of e-commerce and e-commerce packaging has never been brighter, as smartphones and the internet are becoming more readily available to a broader audience worldwide.

Still, your business must be ready to quickly adapt and adopt innovations and trends to be successful in a rapidly growing market saturated with competitors.

As it stands now, projections for the e-commerce industry show a growing market value of $61.55 billion by 2025.

And though the market is growing and more opportunities are presenting themselves to prospecting e-commerce businesses, so are the constant changes in trends and technological evolutions that companies need to keep up with to survive.

More and more consumers are deciding who they shop from not based solely on the product but also on external factors like package eco-friendliness, interactiveness, personalization and innovation.

In e-commerce, the package is just as important as the product, and companies shouldn’t be afraid to adopt new alternatives and innovations!

So in this article, we will cover the emerging trends you need to know that are shaping the future of e-commerce packaging.

But before we get into that, what is e-commerce packaging?

Defining eCommerce Packaging

E-commerce packaging is the packaging used to ship products to the consumer after it has been purchased in an online store.

This packaging includes elements such as the outer box or mailer, infill materials, and any other inserts companies might add.

And though packaging originally came from the need to protect a product during shipping and handling, focusing solely on function is not the way to go in the current and future market of the e-commerce industry.

Marketing your brand through your packaging is crucial in e-commerce. 

If done well, it can significantly increase your consumer’s unboxing experience, creating something memorable and worth sharing with others!

But what is the unboxing experience, and why is it so vital to an e-commerce business?

Packaging for eCommerce and the Unboxing Experience

On its own, unpacking a regular box is bland; there is nothing special about opening an unmarked box with no creativity or added surprises to go along with it.

However, in the current e-commerce market, many companies are starting — and should continue — to implement creative ways to enhance this typically boring activity of unboxing a product.

Yes, a package’s primary function is to protect the product, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be used as a tool to enhance the customer’s experience too.

We mentioned earlier that packaging is just as important as the product in e-commerce, and this is why!

Safety & Brand Reputation

First and foremost, e-commerce packaging is essential for brand reputation and product safety.

Product protection is the most basic function required for all e-commerce packaging, and this fact will not change.

Customers are easily put off if receiving damaged packages, so ensuring your e-commerce packaging is strong enough to withstand shipping and arrive at your customer’s doorstep undamaged is a must.

Damaged packaging affects your brand’s reputation, so we cannot emphasize enough the importance of this point.

Product Promotion, Custom Packaging & Customer Attraction

A unique package that proficiently showcases a company’s brand image and personality will increase your product’s perceived value and the probability that prospective customers will purchase from you over other competitors.

In addition, the added experience and excitement created when unboxing a customized e-commerce package will encourage customers to share this unique experience with their family and friends on social media, further increasing your brand’s marketing reach.

Online influencers may even create social media content for your package and product by posting unboxing videos or pictures, enticing even more customers to your brand!

But if you are still not sure of the importance of the unboxing experience in the e-commerce industry, the below statistics should fully convince you:

1. 72% of American consumers say their purchasing decisions are influenced by packaging design.
2. 61% are likely to repeat a luxury product purchase if it comes in luxury packaging.
3. 35% of consumers report viewing unboxing videos; of this percentage, 55% were convinced to buy the product after watching said videos.
4. 40% of consumers will post a picture of your package on social media if it is unique or branded.
5. Finally, 50% of consumers would recommend your product if it comes in gift-like or branded packaging.

The statistics don’t lie, consumers love unique packaging, and the e-commerce market is going in a direction where plain boxes do not cut it anymore.

Customers now look for more than just a good product but also a company that shows its uniqueness and values through actions instead of written mission statements.

In the e-commerce market, shipping and fulfillment of orders are the most direct connection and touch point online retail companies have with their consumers, so it only makes sense that their e-commerce package needs to put their best face forward.

Companies must carefully consider many factors regarding their e-commerce packaging, leading us to our next topic.

Current State of eCommerce Packaging

With the market for e-commerce goods changing drastically and growing faster than ever, so too are the packaging methods and the customers’ values.

E-commerce websites have become a prevalent choice for purchasing goods due to their convenience, which includes direct-to-home delivery and easy product searching.

This factor was only amplified by the global pandemic lockdown beginning in 2019. Many countries established restrictions on gatherings and the movement of people and goods, further increasing demand for e-commerce solutions.

As of 2021, an estimate of over 2.14 billion people now shop online, and that number is only growing.

However, alongside a rapidly growing e-commerce industry comes the increased waste produced and the logistical requirements needed for the millions of packaging transported to customers regularly.

Standard Packaging Materials Used for eCommerce Packaging

Currently, there are a few options commonly used among e-commerce businesses.

Corrugated shipping boxes and padded mailers have become staples in the e-commerce market.

Corrugated boxes are the most typical e-commerce packaging used by online retailers as they are sturdy, don’t add weight to your packages, and can be thoroughly customized to enhance the unboxing experience for your customers.

Additional packaging materials, such as air pillows, tissue paper, packing peanuts and bubble wrap, are also commonly added inside the exterior packaging to fill void spaces and prevent products from shifting during transport.

Corrugated boxes are also recyclable, but whether they are correctly disposed of is another problem; more on this issue soon.

The other most common e-commerce packaging is the padded mailer.

Padded mailers are best for shipping smaller, flat or delicate items such as jewelry, books, handcraft items or electronics.

And like the corrugated box, added filler like paper and bubble wrap are also commonly used for added protection.

But though both options are great for protecting the product and customizing your package to cater to the unboxing experience for customers, the same is only partially true regarding sustainability and eco-friendliness.

Thankfully, we will discuss many new and innovative sustainable packaging options later in this article, but first, we must cover the challenges.

The Challenges with Online Shopping and Packaging

Shipping and Logistics

Before we dive more into detail about the negative environmental impact of e-commerce packaging, it is also essential to note the mounting challenges with shipping and logistics, as this section of the industry plays an irreplaceable role in e-commerce.

With the increasing demand for more and more products, shipping and logistics poses its own challenges, which also need to be addressed by e-commerce businesses.

E-commerce businesses need to take into consideration the following as the e-commerce market grows and expectations rise:

1. Tracking – Customers need to know where their package is at all times, even if there is a delay. E-commerce companies must ensure their customers can track their packages with regular updates to ensure a smooth experience.
2. Shipping Costs – Shipping accounts for massive costs when running an e-commerce business. Companies must balance pleasing the customer without affecting profit margins and raising prices, which may deter customers.
3. Product Returns – 56% of online shoppers make purchasing decisions based on return policies. Businesses need to consider a good return policy for their company to avoid missing out on potential business.
4. Scalable Logistic Operations – This factor is double true with the growing e-commerce market. Businesses need to plan dynamic scaling solutions to accommodate spikes and drops in sales without overextending their resources.
5. International Shipping – With global reach as easy to access as ever, e-commerce businesses must be aware of additional fees like customs, import fees and taxes to avoid surprise costs on international customers.
6. Warehousing – Knowing where to store your merchandise can significantly help e-commerce businesses save money. Companies must consider the size and location of their warehouses to optimize and prevent unnecessary costs.
7. Shipping Errors – Wrong shipping addresses, lost tracking numbers, and incorrect package weight can be a significant headache for e-commerce businesses and consumers. Thankfully, new technologies in packaging can help mitigate this, which we will cover later.
8. Delivery Security – Unfortunately, package theft is common. Ensuring packages get delivered to their rightful owner is challenging, but notification alerts, designated delivery points and many other options can be considered to mitigate this issue.
9. Environmental Concerns – Finally, coming back to environmental concerns, it is not only e-commerce packages that can harm the environment, but transportation as well. Companies should consider consolidated packaging and weight to mitigate the need for additional trips.

Whether you are a new or established e-commerce business, shipping and logistics will always be challenging.

However, with proper planning and implementation, these challenges can be mitigated, allowing you to focus on the next major challenge: environmental impact.

Environmental Impact of eCommerce Packaging

Yes, recycling standard e-commerce packaging is possible, but whether it is being recycled is a different matter.

To make the environmental situation worse, the future of e-commerce is on a meteoric rise, and the need for packaging is rising along with it.

Statistics show that global consumption of paper and paperboard totalled 408 million tons in 2021, and is projected to reach 476 million tons by 2032.

And of these 408 million tons of paperboard and paper consumption, packaging accounts for the majority.

Along with this massive amount of consumption of paper resources, the e-commerce industry also accounted for approximately 2.1 billion pounds of plastic packaging in 2019, with a projected growth of 4.5 billion pounds by 2025.

But while both plastic and paperboard can be recycled, the fact is that this is not always the case.

Packaging waste is often improperly disposed of and ends up in landfills or as litter on our streets or oceans.

The American Forest & Paper Association reported that corrugated recycling was 91% in 2022, but only 13.3% for plastic.

The amount of waste the e-commerce industry produces is staggeringly high, but many companies still hesitate to switch to more sustainable methods.

This hesitation stems from various factors, such as the relatively new innovations in packaging, reluctance to accept the risks of being an early adopter, and the higher setup cost and resources to adopt these innovations.

Many e-commerce businesses adopt a “wait-and-see” approach and prefer to maintain the status quo instead of taking the first step.

And though many package carriers and manufacturers are beginning to provide solutions and eco-friendly alternatives to standard packaging, consumers ultimately have the most influential voice to push for sustainability.

At the forefront of this change is the need for consumers to push for sustainable e-commerce packaging, and this is what is starting to happen!

Future Trends in eCommerce Packaging

The future of e-commerce packaging is moving in a direction that favors sustainability, personalization and technology.

Though we’ve mentioned that many companies are hesitant to move to innovative creations and sustainable options, consumers are speaking with their choices on who they do business with.

More and more consumers are looking for companies that offer sustainable, personalized and eco-friendly options, proving effective in shaping the future of the e-commerce landscape.

Businesses are taking notice of this demand and are now adopting such practices to the benefit of everybody.

Technology and innovation are not something that should be feared but embraced. Innovation is done to advance society and make everything easier for businesses and for consumers.

This notion applies to both the e-commerce industry and society.

Embracing change and innovation will only prove beneficial and make for smoother and easier operations.

With that being said, let’s now get into the future trends in the e-commerce industry.

Sustainability and Eco-Friendliness

Consumers are becoming more vocal about the materials and sources used when manufacturing packaging as the awareness about ecommerce waste, particularly plastic, grows.

To keep up with this trend, e-commerce businesses must dedicate time and resources to improving their processes, which may cost significant money, but the benefits are worth the price!

Starting with sustainable sourcing and manufacturing, companies can begin by changing who they source raw materials for their packaging.

Sustainable sourcing and manufacturing integrate social, ethical and environmental considerations when choosing suppliers of raw materials and manufacturers of e-commerce packaging.

By carefully selecting suppliers who ethically source renewable resources and choosing manufacturers that strive to reduce waste, energy consumption and pollution, e-commerce businesses can take the first steps in creating a more eco-friendly initiative.

The next step businesses should take to keep up with this trend is to consider sustainable materials in their packaging.

Biodegradable and compostable materials are becoming more popular in e-commerce packaging, and for a good reason.

Unlike plastic, biodegradable packaging materials are designed to break down without leaving any harmful compounds and can also break down anywhere between several days to a year.

Compared to 450 years for some plastics that will also leave behind toxic compounds, it’s a vast improvement in eco-friendliness!

And on the other hand, compostable packaging is also on the rise as a popular e-commerce packaging option. 

Like biodegradable packaging, compostable packaging can break down without leaving any toxic traces and provides valuable nutrients to the soil, but the proper conditions are required. 

Some compostable packaging can be disposed of in the home, but many compostable options currently require an industrial composting facility to achieve these environmental benefits.

Regardless of the steps businesses take to improve sustainability, eco-friendliness among consumers is becoming an increasingly important factor, and companies need to cater to this demand.

However, this does not mean being eco-friendly doesn’t benefit your business!

Dedicating your company to an eco-friendly initiative not only strengthens your brand image in the eyes of the consumer but will also lead to reduced costs and increased profits in the future.

By promoting and pushing a sustainable initiative for your business, you are protecting the planet and reaching out to the rapidly growing “conscious consumer” base.

Furthermore, finding ways to streamline your processes and reduce waste will inherently save costs in many facets like sourcing raw materials, manufacturing your e-commerce packaging and transportation.

Overall, with the positive brand image and the streamlined processes, switching to sustainable means may be costly to set up, but it is well worth the investment in the long run.

Personalization and Customization

However, sustainability and eco-friendliness isn’t the only trend growing in the e-commerce market.

We thoroughly discussed how the unboxing experience plays an essential role in customer satisfaction, which is still the trending case in the future of the e-commerce market.

In fact, the unboxing experience has become even more important than before!

With an ever-growing e-commerce market and competitors vying for the consumer’s attention, e-commerce businesses must do more than offer a good product.

To retain customer loyalty, businesses also have to engage with their audience.

And one of the best ways to do that in an online retail environment is to provide a personalized packaging experience.

Consumer expectations for e-commerce businesses are at an all-time high, and consumers expect brands to recognize them.

80% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands offering personalized experiences, while 66% say that a lack of customized experience hampers their likeliness to buy.

To provide this customization and personalization to your e-commerce packaging, consider the demographic of the audience you are trying to reach. Think of things like their age, gender and even the product they’ve ordered.

Consider including custom inserts with your e-commerce package, like coupons, samples or gifts in line with your targeted audience and the product they ordered.

In such a saturated e-commerce landscape, personalization can mean the difference between buying from your brand or choosing another brand over yours!

Technology and Innovation

The final trend in the e-commerce market we will discuss is new and innovative technology.

Just under a decade ago, virtual reality and augmented reality were science fiction ideas. Now in the present day, it is no longer the case.

Technology has been rapidly improving, and with innovations come new trends in all markets, including e-commerce.

Smart Packaging and Internet of Things Technology

Smart packaging is one such trend that has made the e-commerce industry more transparent and interactive.

Using technology, smart packaging aims to enhance customer experience and make the challenges e-commerce businesses might encounter easier to manage.

And in a similar vein, Internet of Things (IoT) technology also aims to do this.

We’ve already discussed the importance of personalizing and customizing the consumer’s experience to make it an enjoyable and memorable one, but IoT technology and smart packaging further help with this.

We mentioned earlier that new technologies have become available to help mitigate shipping and logistics challenges, and this is it!

The Internet of Things describes devices with software, sensors and other technology able to interact with other devices over the Internet.

Devices with IoT applications and smart packaging help e-commerce companies with the following:

1. Inventory Management – RFID tag technology allows e-commerce businesses to keep track of their inventory, potential expiration dates and type of product quickly and efficiently without involving a human.
2. Supply Chain Management – RFID tags also allow businesses and consumers to keep track of their packages throughout the transportation journey and receive real-time information about package conditions, weather and arrival times to prevent wrong or missing deliveries.
3. Customized Information for Individuals – IoT technology also allows consumer data collection to further enhance personalized online shopping experiences.
4. Customer Experience – Similar to customized information for individuals, IoT allows e-commerce businesses to stand out from competitors. IoT can track social media and shopping trends so companies can tailor advertisements specifically for the consumer.
5. Troubleshooting – IoT can also discover potential issues like cart abandonment, missing shipments, low engagement and return rates and implement changes through data collection, strengthening the supply chain and improving customer experience.
6. Performance Analytics – In a similar vein to troubleshooting issues, IoT can also do performance analytics to allow e-commerce businesses to determine key areas that require improvement.
7. Warranty and Maintenance – Finally, devices integrated with IoT allow businesses to assess, forecast maintenance and examine performance remotely. If a product is malfunctioning, companies can pre-emptively contact the consumer to offer repairs or replacements.

Smart packaging and IoT have significantly improved the experience for consumers and e-commerce businesses by creating more transparency and connecting us more than we ever have been connected before.

But the innovation doesn’t end there!

Augmented and Virtual Reality

We also briefly mentioned augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

AR and VR are still relatively new technology but have been progressing and evolving at a breathtaking pace.

Just a couple of years ago, VR was limited to expensive headsets and shoddy interfaces, but no longer.

Now, there is no shortage of AR or VR application e-commerce businesses can use to enhance a customer’s online shopping experience!

Some applications include the following:

1. Virtual Try-Ons (VTOs) – Currently, the most well-known AR usage is with VTOs, where consumers can utilize their phones or other devices to try on products virtually. This allows consumers to make more informed decisions before making purchases.
2. Recreating the In-Store Experience – Creating a VR store to showcase your products is another fun and interactive way to engage consumers.
3. Building Brand Awareness – AR and VR don’t solely have to be about sales. Combining IoT technology like QR codes and a fun interactive AR or VR experience for the customer is a great way to build brand awareness and improve customer experience.
4. Interactive User Manual – If businesses are looking for more reserved methods to utilize AR and VR, interactive manuals are also an option. Consumers can scan the product and get an interactive tutorial on the product’s features and functions.

The Future of eCommerce is Technology and Innovation

With new technologies and innovations, the possibilities for growth in the e-commerce industry are endless.

Though e-commerce businesses might be hesitant about these changes, implementing and adopting these innovations early will only prove beneficial for your business.

The world is changing, and e-commerce is at the forefront, so businesses need to adapt and evolve alongside the industry.

E-commerce is mainly an online experience and, therefore, is very susceptible to innovations and new technologies, but it’s not something to be wary about!

The challenges to running a successful e-commerce business will only lessen as technology advances!

And as more smart packaging, IoT technology, and sustainable options become available, consumers will continue to lean into these innovations, so companies should follow suit.

Ultimately, technology and innovation are here to make life easier, more efficient and hassle-free; it is not something to be wary about and hesitant to adopt.

So instead of a “wait-and-see” approach, e-commerce businesses should embrace technology and innovation.

After all, evolution is the process of adapting and changing to accommodate the environment. So if the environment call for sustainable packaging, personalized customer experiences and integrated technology, then so be it!

The post The Future of eCommerce Packaging first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post The Future of eCommerce Packaging appeared first on PakFactory Blog.

The durability of packaging materials are vital to ensure that products arrive at their destination in good condition and retain their freshness. One critical factor that affects packaging quality is the choice of paper grade.

Different paper types have different characteristics that can affect packaging strength, durability, and cost.

Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each option in the paper industry is crucial for businesses to choose the right type of packaging for their products.

In this article, we will explore four different types of popular of paper grade for packaging: kraft paper, corrugated board, solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboard, and coated paper.

We will discuss the advantages of each paper grade, as well as compare their strength, durability, and cost to help businesses make informed decisions when selecting packaging materials.

Before we delve into the different types of paper grade for packaging, it’s important to note that choosing the right packaging material can have a significant impact on a company’s environmental footprint.

Sustainable packaging materials like paper can help reduce carbon emissions, waste, and energy consumption compared to plastic or other non-renewable materials.

As such, many companies are increasingly adopting plant-based packaging solutions as part of their sustainability initiatives.

With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the most popular paper types!

What is Paperboard?

Paperboard is a versatile and durable type of paper-based material commonly used in packaging. It is made by compressing layers of paper pulp fibers together to create a dense and rigid board.

Paperboard can be customized to suit various packaging needs, such as food packaging, cosmetics packaging, and retail packaging, among others.

It comes in different grades, thicknesses, and finishes, ranging from uncoated to coated, and from matte to glossy.

Paperboard is also eco-friendly and recyclable, making it an ideal material for sustainable packaging solutions.

Paperboard vs Cardboard

Paperboard and cardboard are two types of packaging materials commonly used in various industries. While they may appear similar, there are some key differences between the two.

Paperboard is a thick, lightweight, and durable material made of compressed paper fibers. It is commonly used for food packaging, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Cardboard, on the other hand, is a thicker and stiffer material made of multiple layers of paper and sometimes includes additional materials like plastics. The multiple layers commonly will feature 2 liners boards and one corrugated board,

It is commonly used for shipping boxes, product displays, and other applications that require greater structural strength.

While both paperboard and cardboard offer numerous benefits, businesses need to consider factors such as product weight, shipping distance, and durability when choosing between the two.

Ultimately, the choice of packaging material will depend on the specific needs and requirements of each application.

To further understand the differences between paperboard and cardboard, it’s essential to explore their individual characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.

Both materials offer unique advantages depending on the intended use and product type. For example, while paperboard is a more eco-friendly option and commonly used for food packaging, cardboard’s superior structural strength makes it a popular choice for shipping and transportation.

Comparing The Four Paper Grades

In this section, we will explore four popular types of paper grade for packaging.

Each type of paper grade offers unique advantages in terms of strength, durability, and cost-effectiveness, making them suitable for different packaging applications.

Understanding the characteristics and benefits of each type of paper grade is crucial for businesses to choose the right packaging material for their products.

Clay Coated News Backboard (CCNB)

Clay Coated News Backboard (CCNB) is a type of paperboard that is made from a blend of recycled newsprint, mixed secondary paper, and old corrugated containers.

Due to its lower tensile strength and lower printing output, it is commonly used for low-cost folding carton packaging for products such as dry food, pet food, laundry detergent, and other non-food items.

However, the main disadvantage of CCNB boxes is their tendency to absorb large amounts of water when exposed to wet conditions.

As a result, they may not be suitable for products that require higher levels of moisture resistance or weight capacity.

Despite this, CCNB remains a cost-effective option and is frequently used by budget cereal brands for cereal boxes.

CCNB is also an eco-friendly choice for businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact.

Since it is made from recycled materials, CCNB reduces the need for new virgin paperboard production, which can lead to deforestation and other environmental issues.

Additionally, using recycled materials in CCNB reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, contributing to a more circular economy.

However, it is important to note that while CCNB is a recycled material, the clay coating can make it difficult to recycle.

Some recycling facilities may not have the capability to separate the clay from the paperboard, leading to the contamination of other recycled materials.

Nevertheless, businesses can still make a positive impact on the environment by using CCNB and other recycled paperboard grades, while also exploring alternative sustainable packaging materials and practices.

Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS)

Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) is a high-quality paperboard grade that is widely used in the packaging industry.

According to Statista, 71% of the world’s supply of SBS comes from North America and is used for packaging retail products. 

The process of making SBS involves chemically pulping fibers and then bleaching them to achieve a pure white color.

The bleached wood pulp is then refined and formed into boxes.

SBS is considered the finest for product packaging, thanks to its superior strength, durability, and white surfaces on both the inside and outside of the box, making it optimal for printing.

SBS can be coated on one side (C1S) or both sides (C2S), offering businesses flexibility in terms of their packaging design and printing needs.

The quality of SBS also allows for special processes such as embossing and debossing, hot foil stamping, or spot UV printing.

These types of boxes are popular with most industries and are used to package food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, confectionery, baked items, tobacco, and more.

SBS boxes are particularly popular for personal care items due to their elegant and high-end appearance.

However, one major disadvantage of SBS is that it is not an eco-friendly option. The production of SBS involves a significant amount of bleaching, which can result in the release of harmful chemicals into the environment.

Additionally, SBS is typically made from virgin fibers, which means that trees are being cut down to produce it. This can contribute to deforestation, which is a major environmental issue.

Another disadvantage of SBS is its relatively high cost compared to other paperboard grades. This can make it less accessible to small businesses or those on a tight budget.

SBS is also not suitable for packaging products that are exposed to moisture or wet conditions, as it has poor water resistance.

Finally, while SBS is a high-quality option for packaging, it may not be the best choice for products that require a very strong, heavy-duty box.

In such cases, other grades like corrugated board may be a better choice.

Folding Box Board (FBB)

Folding Box Board (FBB) is a high-quality paperboard grade that is chemically and mechanically manufactured using multi ply paper pulp materials, making it strong and durable.

The smooth surface of multi ply FBB provides optimal opportunities for high-quality printing using offset technology. Unlike SBS, which is entirely made from chemical pulp, the mechanical pulp composition of FBB provides a stiffer composition.

Both SBS and FBB are produced from virgin fibers and are suitable for all types of product packaging.

These boxes are excellent for packaging foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals and are widely used in India as the primary packaging substrate by businesses.

The durability and stiffness of FBB make it a popular choice for businesses that require packaging that can withstand wear and tear during transportation and storage.

Furthermore, many FBB manufacturers use sustainable forest management practices and offer recycled paper content options, making it an eco-friendly choice for businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact.

While Folding Box Board (FBB) is an excellent choice for product packaging due to its durability and smooth printing surface, it does come with a few disadvantages. Firstly, FBB is more expensive than other paper grades, such as CCNB, due to its high-quality production process and use of virgin fibers.

Additionally, FBB is not as environmentally friendly as other paper grades, such as recycled paper, as it requires the use of virgin fibers.

However, FBB manufacturers are beginning to use sustainable forest management practices and offer recycled content options, which can help reduce the environmental impact of this paper grade.

Another disadvantage of FBB is that it can be challenging to recycle due to the multi-layered composition.

While many recycling facilities can handle FBB, it may require more energy to recycle compared to other paper grades, which can impact its overall environmental footprint. Despite these disadvantages, many businesses continue to use FBB for their product packaging due to its strength, durability, and high-quality printing capabilities for custom printed paper.

Natural Kraft (SUS) and Coated Unbleached Kraft (CUK)

Natural Kraft (SUS) and Coated Unbleached Kraft (CUK) are becoming increasingly popular in the packaging industry as eco-friendly paperboard grades that offer a more natural look and feel.

These paperboard grades are manufactured from recyclable materials, such as unbleached wood pulp, which makes them an ideal choice for companies looking for sustainable packaging solutions. The uncoated papers also make this material very convenient to recycle.

One of the key features of these paperboard grades is their natural brown color, which gives a distinct aesthetic appeal.

However, the natural color can be a limitation, as it may not be suitable for products that require more vibrant colors.

Despite this, SUS and CUK offer many advantages that make them the preferred choice for many packaging applications.

SUS is often coated with a naturally occurring clay coating that provides a smooth surface ideal for printing.

This coating also offers some level of water resistance, which makes it an ideal choice for packaging products that may be exposed to moisture.

In contrast, CUK is usually coated with a layer of polyethylene (PE) resin, which offers the paperboard some tear resistance, durability, and water/grease resistance.

While these paperboard grades offer some level of tear resistance, they are not as strong as other grades such as SBS or FBB.

Additionally, the more natural and textured appearance of these paperboard grades may not be suitable for special processes such as embossing, debossing, or foil stamping.

However, these paperboard grades are still a great choice for companies that require food-safe packaging or those looking to promote a more natural look and feel.

In conclusion, Natural Kraft and Coated Unbleached Kraft are eco-friendly paperboard grades that offer a unique natural aesthetic appeal.

Popular Finishes for Paper Packaging

When it comes to paper packaging, finishes play an important role in creating the desired look and feel of the packaging. Here are some of the popular finishes used in paper packaging:

Matte Finish: Matte finish paper packaging has a non-glossy and soft appearance, providing a sophisticated and premium look. It is often used in luxury packaging, including cosmetics, perfumes, and high-end food products.

Gloss Finish: Gloss finish paper packaging has a shiny and reflective surface, providing a sleek and modern appearance. It is commonly used in advertising, magazine covers, and retail packaging.

Embossed Finish: Embossed finish paper packaging features a raised or recessed texture, creating a three-dimensional effect. It is used to add depth and texture to packaging, making it more eye-catching and memorable.

Foil Stamping: Foil stamping involves applying metallic or colored foil to paper packaging, creating a luxurious and elegant look. It is often used in premium packaging for chocolates, wines, and other high-end products.

Spot UV Coating: Spot UV coating involves applying a high-gloss finish to specific areas of the paper packaging, creating a contrast between the glossy and matte finish. It is used to highlight specific areas of the packaging, such as logos, text, or images.

It Doesn’t End There…

To further understand the ideal paper grade for your packaging, it is important to understand the durability, strength and thickness of the material.

This will help create a suitable box based on the product’s weight and the structural design of the packaging.

Measuring the thickness of the paperboard is by determining the PT/GSM of the material.

Essentially, the higher the GSM/PT Unit, the thicker the material and the more weight it can carry.

Not sure what material best fits your packaging and product?

The post 4 Popular Types of Paper Grade For Packaging first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post 4 Popular Types of Paper Grade For Packaging appeared first on PakFactory Blog.

There is no doubt that kraft paper packaging solutions have gained popularity in the packaging industry, and the capabilities of this material continues to grow. 

But why? 

Let’s jump right into what kraft paper is and why it has gained so much popularity! 

What is Kraft Paper? 

Kraft comes from the german word “strong”, and kraft paper is just that! 

Raw kraft is durable, tear resistant and brown in color thanks to the kraft pulp process. 

Ideal for creating durable wrapping kraft paper and sturdy carton and rigid boxes, kraft paper board is actually also available in a range of colors and shades making it extremely versatile for branded packaging solutions. 

The surface of raw kraft paper is textured and porous allowing for high quality printing and finishing for a premium rustic look. 

The Kraft Paper Production Process

Kraft paper is a packaging material that gets its name from the Kraft pulping process, pioneered by Carl F. Dahl of Germany in the 1880s.

Normally, in the manufacturing of paper, wood is ‘pulped’ (ground to a pulp) first, but Dahl found that treating the cellulose pulp with certain chemicals (sulfates) increased the strength of the kraft paper. 

Initially used as wrapping material, the durable and sturdy nature of kraft paper made it popular for producing packaging solutions like the classic brown kraft paper cardboard box we all recognize today. 

Kraft vs Regular Paper

Some people may say, “it’s just paper, what makes it so special? 

Well, to put it simply, kraft paper is stronger. 

Thanks to the kraft process mentioned previously, more lignin is stripped from kraft wood pulp leaving more cellulose which gives paper its tear resistant and durable characteristics. 

Raw kraft paper tends to be more porous than regular paper too, making it a little less effective for printing but extremely susceptible to special finishing processes such as:

• Embossing/debossing

• Foil stamping

How is Kraft Paper Used in Packaging?

Today, kraft paper is primarily used for corrugated boxes and recently have become very popular for carton boxes too!

Thanks to kraft paper’s durable nature the e-commerce industry benefits from corrugated boxes to protect products and ensure they withstand harsh shipping conditions. 

Brown kraft paper carton boxes are also commonly used by businesses to achieve sustainability goals and clearly portray eco-friendly initiatives through the rustic and raw look of brown kraft paper. 

Kraft paper is very versatile and allows for a wide range of innovative packaging options in today’s packaging industry. 

Types of Kraft Paper

Coated Unbleached Kraft (CUK)

This material is considered to be the most basic version. 

There is no ‘bleaching’ or further addition of chemicals other than those patented by the kraft process. 

For this reason, it is also called Solid Unbleached Sulfate or SUS, and consists of 80% virgin fiber wood pulp/cellulose kraft pulp.

This has great tear-resistance and a high degree of stiffness, all without being too thick. 

In fact, it is the thinnest of all kraft paper based packaging substrates. 

It has a naturally occurring kaolin clay-titanium dioxide coating on its surfaces to improve smoothness and make printing easier.

Solid Bleached Kraft Paper (SBS)

While unbleached Kraft paper is considered more eco-friendly due to its natural color and lack of chemical processing, it may not always be the optimal choice for certain applications, such as packaging for luxury or high-end products.

In these cases, bleached Kraft paper may be preferred, as it offers a smoother surface and brighter appearance that can enhance the printing quality and provide a more premium look and feel.

However, it’s important to note that the bleaching process can have environmental impacts, and businesses should carefully consider the trade-offs between aesthetics and sustainability when choosing between bleached and unbleached Kraft paper.

Ultimately, the choice will depend on the specific needs of the business and the product being packaged, as well as their commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Coated Recycled Board (CRB)

CRB is 100% recycled kraft paper. 

Because it is not made from virgin fiber, its specifications/tolerances are less than that of SBS. 

However, recycled kraft paper is also a low-cost packaging substrate that is ideal for instances where high tear-resistance/strength is not necessary, such as in the case of cereal boxes. 

This also makes it easy for product manufacturers to pass on the cost savings to their consumers and gain a competitive advantage in the market.

The materials mentioned above refer to what we commonly see as folding carton. 

For corrugated boxes, more strength is derived by adding layers of kraft paper

This is called ‘fluting’.

Read more about corrugated packaging 

The Benefits of Kraft Paper

Apart from its superior strength and protection, it is 100% eco-friendly. 

It degrades naturally within a few weeks, decomposing just like leaves that fall off a tree. 

It leaves no impact on the environment, but no one needs to wait that long. 

In fact, kraft paper can be recycled for use in new packaging.

Being eco-friendly and having the FSC certified recycled packaging can help increase sales of your product as the world is now realizing the importance of the environment and why it must be protected.

Customization Options for Kraft Paper

Customization options for kraft paper are vast, and they can add a personal touch to your packaging while also promoting your brand.

Many printing companies offer custom kraft paper printing options, allowing you to add your branding or design to your packaging.

This can include adding your company logo, tagline, or other artwork to your kraft paper packaging. You can also choose from a range of finishes, such as matte or gloss, to give your packaging a unique look and feel.

Additionally, you can experiment with different colors and patterns to create a packaging design that reflects your brand personality.

By customizing your kraft paper packaging, you can create a memorable unboxing experience for your customers, which can help increase brand awareness and customer loyalty.

The Environmental Impact of Kraft Paper

The environmental impact of kraft paper is an important consideration when choosing it as a packaging material.

Kraft paper is made from wood pulp, a renewable resource, which makes it more sustainable than other packaging materials.

Additionally, kraft paper is biodegradable and can be recycled, which means it has a lower impact on the environment than plastic or Styrofoam packaging.

When considering the environmental impact of kraft paper, it is also important to consider the manufacturing process.

The kraft process involves using a mixture of chemicals to break down the wood chips, which can have negative environmental impacts if not managed properly.

However, many kraft paper manufacturers have implemented sustainable practices to minimize their environmental impact, such as using renewable energy sources and minimizing chemical waste.

Overall, kraft paper is a more environmentally friendly packaging option than many other materials available on the market today.

Sonhab Chocolate: A Quick Case Study

Sonhab Chocolate, a small-batch chocolatier, was facing a challenge to remain sustainable while creating a unified branding experience for their customers.

They wanted to ensure that their packaging aligned with their values, their commitment to sustainability and their operational needs.

To address this issue, PakFactory recommended Kraft paper boxes as a solution.

By using Kraft paper, Sonhab Chocolate was able to create a reliable and durable package that could house their hand-crafted chocolates and allowed for an absorbent kraft paper surface for hand written notes.

The Kraft paper paired with foil stamped details also provided a rustic look and feel that aligned with their branding and commitment to sustainability.

By choosing Kraft paper, Sonhab Chocolate was able to create a unified branding experience while remaining true to their values and commitment to sustainability.

The use of Kraft paper not only enhanced the customer experience but also helped them to reduce their carbon footprint and minimize waste, making it a win-win solution for both the business and the environment.

Read more about Sonhab Chocolate’s Packaging

Looking for more sustainable packaging solutions?

The post What is Kraft Paper and Why is it a Popular Packaging Choice? first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post What is Kraft Paper and Why is it a Popular Packaging Choice? appeared first on PakFactory Blog.

This year is no different!

While 2021 and 2o22 saw an emergence of minimalist product packaging designs, 2023 will further build on this concept through a variety of design considerations.

Typically when you think of high-value luxury packaging, the first thing that comes to mind is a rigid gift box. This article is not limited to that one type of box.

By utilizing these packaging design trends, you can create a premium experience whether you are producing a folding carton or corrugated box for your e-commerce business.

Remember, these are suggestions.

Be creative and take risks with your designs. It may be the impetus for success your company has been looking for!

Throwing it Back 

Bringing The 60’s Back

Have the 60’s ever really gone out of style? 

Some design trends are simply timeless. 

1960’s psychedelic designs have made a huge comeback over the last few months of 2022, so expect to see many more designs inspired by this time period in 2023!

1960’s designs remind us of a more care-free and fun loving time, which is just what consumers are looking for. 

With symbols of peace and vibrant colors, brands have the opportunity to shed new light on their products and address current social issues in a high spirited way. 

Wavy typefaces, funky designs and pops of color are being used to enhance contemporary products such as clean beauty and vegan foods, making this design trend incredibly versatile across many different industries! 

Carrying on the Y2K Trend

Although most of us remember the 2000s quite vividly, the Y2K aesthetic has once again weaved its way into pop culture, and the same goes for packaging design in 2023. 

The 2000s were obsessed with the future and technology and this was heavily reflected across nearly every industry during this time. 

So, it’s no surprise that the Y2K aesthetic has made an emergence in the 2020s, where once again the focus on innovation and the future of technological advancement is prominent. 

We are now slowly turning our attention to more nostalgic designs that remind us of care-free and easier times. 

With the use of metallic and holographic finishes paired with kitschy artwork designs, brands are capturing the controversial (and often laughable) essence of Y2K and sparking lots of nostalgia in all of our 90’s babies. 

Repopularizing the 1920s

Playing further into the trends of nostalgia, the 1920s make a huge emergence with Betty Boop and Popeye inspired characters (rubber hose characters). 

Rubber hose characters gained popularity in the USA during the 1920s thanks to the emergence of Walt Disney and have since evolved into more modern characters and illustrations that are gaining popularity in 2023. 

With the character’s playful and mischievous smiles and elevated artwork designs, rubber hose characters once again bring a sense of lightheartedness during a time that feels quite heavy. 

This trend extends beyond packaging into fashion and apparel with many designs featuring Mickey Mouse and other original disney characters! 

Exciting Typography Designs

Typography can define a design on its own, and this concept is not something to be looked over in 2023!

Text centric packaging designs have been an emerging trend over the last few years, but it’s safe to say it has made its way into the mainstream for 2023. 

With the majority of shopping being done online nowadays, consumer behaviour has shifted to much more fast paced decision making. 

Initially popularized by brands like no name, text is used to communicate the product’s intent without decorating it with unnecessary elements. 

This meets consumer fast paced demands in quite a simple and effective way. 

Rather than focusing on eccentric artwork, brands are utilizing contrasting colors to bring text to the forefront of their designs. 

Typography is a delicate and refreshing way to reinvent packaging on oversaturated shelves featuring abstract and complex designs. 

Minimalism Stays Strong

Further playing into simplicity, minimalism has been a key trend for custom packaging design. 

Let’s face it, minimalism is classy and timeless. 

Muted and monochromatic color schemes continue to dominate in 2023.

It adds a sense of luxury and peace to your branding while offering customers a high end unboxing experience. 

Minimalist typefaces paired with matte finishes emulate a timeless feel, which consumers enjoy time and time again across any and all industries. 

Flexible Packaging Design

Flexible custom packaging design is expected to be a key trend in the packaging industry for 2023.

This type of custom packaging design offers several benefits over traditional rigid packaging, including improved sustainability, product protection, and convenience for consumers.

One of the primary advantages of flexible packaging is its reduced waste.

Flexible packaging typically uses less material than rigid packaging, resulting in fewer resources required for production and transportation.

Flexible packaging is also often a more easily recyclable packaging type, and can be made from renewable materials such as paper or bioplastics.

This makes flexible packaging design an attractive option for brands looking to improve their sustainability practices.

Flexible packaging is also known for its superior product protection, which is especially important for food and beverage products.

Flexible packaging can help to extend product shelf life, reduce spoilage, and prevent contamination.

Additionally, it can be designed to offer a wide range of features, such as reclosable seals, tear notches, and easy-open options, which can increase convenience and improve the overall user experience.

Moreover, flexible packaging can be more efficient in terms of logistics and transportation.

The lightweight and compact nature of flexible packaging reduces the overall weight and volume of shipments, which can result in lower transportation costs and reduced carbon emissions.

Overall, flexible packaging design is a trend that offers many benefits for brands and consumers alike.

By reducing waste, improving product protection, and increasing convenience, flexible product packaging can improve sustainability practices while also improving the user experience.

As such, it is expected that this trend will continue to gain popularity in 2023 and beyond as brands increasingly seek to prioritize sustainability and enhance their packaging designs.

Bringing Artwork To Life

3D illustrations adding depth to designs is an innovative trend we can expect to see more of this year. 

This innovative trend brings your packaging design to life and adds extra shelf appeal. 

It’s definitely eye catching and will easily turn consumer’s heads when passing by. All in all, 3D designs may only be effective for certain industries. 

Drinks and beverage product packaging has been the most dominant industry to encounter packaging design trends in the past, with many wineries using 3D illustrations on their bottle labels. 

However, the need to differentiate on shelf as well as online now a days will likely push packaging design trends across the food, beauty and apparel industries. 

Interactive Packaging

Interactive packaging is a trend that leverages technology to offer consumers a more immersive and engaging experience through packaging design.

With the help of features such as augmented reality or QR codes, interactive packaging allows brands to communicate with their audience in a more interactive and dynamic way.

By scanning a QR code or using an app to access augmented reality content, consumers can unlock additional information about the product or brand.

This type of engagement can help to create a stronger emotional connection between the consumer and the brand by providing a unique and memorable experience.

Moreover, interactive packaging also enables brands to collect valuable data on consumer behavior and preferences.

With the help of tracking tools, brands can learn more about how consumers are interacting with their products, which features they are most interested in, and how they are responding to marketing messages.

This data can be used to improve packaging design and marketing strategies, resulting in more effective campaigns and better product development.

Overall, interactive product packaging is an innovative way for brands to stand out in a crowded marketplace and connect with consumers in a meaningful way.

By offering interactive experiences and collecting valuable data, brands can strengthen their relationship with customers and increase the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.

As a result, interactive packaging is expected to become more prevalent in 2023 as more brands seek to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.

Interior Packaging Designs

With product packaging, it’s really what’s inside that counts. 

Designs in 2023 will likely embrace this concept in a more literal way and feature the bulk of their artwork designs on the interior of their product packaging. 

This is especially true for the e-commerce industry. 

While it is true that we’re seeing more exterior printing on mailer boxes and regular slotted boxes, this is not a maintainable expense for many businesses as artwork designs are often compromised in transit. 

Beautifully crafted interiors provide customers with a sense of anticipation during the unboxing experience, adding to the impact of your branding. 

Shopping for many, has meant picking up that boring brown box from your shared mailroom or front porch. 

With interior artwork designs, businesses offer an element of surprise which becomes sharable content for their brand.  

Unboxing videos have gained a lot of attention over the years and continues to boom on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Brands will take more advantage of their unboxing experience to create sharable and unique packaging designs featuring interior printing. 

Sustainable Packaging

Sustainability and eco-friendly shopping has been a major focal point for a while now, but this concept will get taken to the next level in 2023. 

The use of raw materials has made an appearance in 2023, but we can expect this to be more dominant as product packaging design trends in 2023. 

Textured materials lets consumers know more about what materials are being used and how they are being sourced. 

With the great shift of consumer behavior to eco-friendly products, brands are working hard to meet sustainable packaging demands in their industry niche. 

It’s becoming pretty clear that sustainable packaging is a must in almost every industry, and what better way to showcase your initiative by offering customers an eco-friendly feel right from the beginning. 

Coatings and laminations were used in the past on otherwise eco-friendly packaging materials. However, this compromised the recyclability/compostability of far too many packaging solutions. 

Consumers are becoming more educated on the subject of eco-friendly materials, and the issue of coatings and laminations quickly gained traction forcing many businesses to re-evaluate their sustainable packaging. 

With raw materials, coatings are not required, in fact, it is encouraged not to use coatings or laminations at all in order to preserve the natural textures of sustainable kraft packaging solutions! 

Mono Material Product Packaging

Mono materials have become increasingly popular in recent years as more consumers and brands prioritize sustainability.

These packaging design trends are expected to continue to gain momentum in 2023 as brands continue to look for ways to reduce their environmental footprint.

Mono materials are often made from a single type of material, such as paper or plastic packaging, that can be easily recycled or disposed of.

This approach to packaging design offers several benefits over traditional multi-material packaging, including reduced waste and increased recycling rates.

In addition to being more environmentally friendly, mono materials can also offer a simpler and more cost-effective solution for packaging design.

By using a single material, brands can streamline their production processes, reduce their product packaging costs, and simplify their supply chain.

This can result in more efficient and sustainable packaging operations, which can be beneficial for both the brand and the environment.

Overall, mono materials are a trend to watch in 2023 as brands continue to prioritize sustainability and look for ways to reduce their impact on the environment.

By adopting mono material product packaging designs, brands can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability while also reaping the benefits of simpler and more cost-effective packaging solutions.

While 2023 continues to bring uncertainty, we can look forward to some fun loving and entertaining packaging designs across a wide range of industries. 

With nostalgic caricatures, bursts of colors and strong influences by easier and more fun time period, designs will progress into exciting and innovative packaging solutions for maximal shelf impact and minimal environmental impact. 

Looking for the perfect packaging solution to hold your products this year? We’ve got your back!

Browse our website and request a quote today to make an impact in 2023!

The post Packaging Design Trends to Look Out for in 2023 first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post Packaging Design Trends to Look Out for in 2023 appeared first on PakFactory Blog.

Whenever we open a box, deep down we understand that the experience is sometimes more important than the product itself

If there is an overload of packaging materials to cover an insignificant object, what would that say about the company?

In our generation, climate change is the hottest topic to discuss from the political scene to even at the dinner table.

Industries are investing more in sustainable practices and environmentally friendly products.

The packaging of a product has become so important that it can determine your bottom line.

According to Recycling Magazine 74 percent of consumers said they would pay more for sustainable packaging, and nearly one-fourth are willing to pay for an increased cost of 10 percent or more!

Some companies need unique eco friendly packaging ideas. While others continue to use the everyday cardboard box.

Either way, companies have now become even more aware of how they pack their products.

The following eco-friendly packaging materials apply to a wide array of industries. These include;

• rigid
• corrugated boxes
• displays
• inserts
• labels

These trends are a testament to the consumer’s increasing need for eco friendly packaging materials and manufacturing processes.

Furthermore, they communicate a strong signal that the balance between consuming and waste is completely in our hands and well within our reach.

Gift Wrapping

You thought you had time, but it’s arrived sooner than you thought.

A very short deadline for gift wrapping. One that involves meticulously and flawlessly cutting, folding, plastering, and tying a piece of paper around a highly complex surface: the box.

Being the reverse engineering enthusiasts that we are, let’s start with some garnish and present you with the tree sprig:

There’s no better way to let your enviro-conscious loved ones know that you support their lifestyle than grabbing a few broken branches from your local tree store or on your walk of the day, to spruce up your gift.

It’s easy on your strained pockets, prolongs the usefulness of the cut tree, and allows you to stand out amongst a sea of ribbon bows.

Furoshiki

Furoshiki, the Japanese art of gift wrapping, illustrates the concept of reusability in masterful fashion by favoring cloth fabric in place of traditional wrapping paper.

Although you have the option of purchasing more elegant designs, you can construct your own Furoshiki cloth with leftovers from previous projects or simply a blouse you don’t fit into anymore.

Either way, the gifted cloth can be passed on and re-wrapped indefinitely, eliminating waste and serving as eco-friendly packaging options.

Furoshiki lifts the burden of having to measure and cut your wrapping paper so that it covers your gift completely.

The cloth simply assumes the form of its resident, whether it’s an article of clothing or something more rigid.

Also, the Furoshiki method can turn cloth into a handbag or a scarf.

In essence, it is more of a school of thought; it teaches us humbleness, the importance of tradition, courtesy, and consideration for our eco friendly packaging.

Marie Kondo, the sweetheart of de-cluttering, provides us with a useful how-to guide on Furoshiki:

Remember the milkman who used to deliver fresh farm milk to your beloved grandmother’s door when you were little?

No one dared to throw away the glass bottle container once the milk had been consumed, for there was a sizable refund upon returning the jug.

Today, companies such as TerraCycle’s Loop are revolutionizing this traditional process by operating as a re-usability platform open to consumer goods companies that are eager to contribute to sustainability initiatives

Loop offers its B2B clients, which include the likes of Haagen-Daz and Tide, the opportunity to sell its products to consumers in a container that could be easily returned upon use, sanitized, and automatically refilled.

The tote bags in which the orders arrive are also reusable.

An Economically Attractive Arrangement

The business model benefits everyone involved. Businesses reduce their packaging material costs, gain positive community exposure, re-brand themselves as environmentally mindful, and reap actionable data on an emerging subset of their target demographic.

Furthermore, the platform itself receives partner fees and invaluable consumer and vendor data analytics, amounting to substantial, massively scalable revenue.

The monetization of sustainability propagates further sustainability efforts by incentivizing the participation of the most powerful players in the community and industry.

Additionally, we can see that there are no sacrifices made to aesthetics when custom boxes and containers are made sustainably.

This sustainable wine carton boasts half the carbon footprint of your conventional glass wine bottle.

Unocups, seen below, is another product of sustainable thinking, breathtaking because of it’s sheer simplicity.

They’ve managed to cut out the coffee lid altogether by designing the cup so that it folds into a lid, as seen below.

Given the millions of cups of coffee and tea consumed every year, it’s easy to see the phenomenal reduction in the total carbon footprint this innovation could bring in the next few years.

Upcycling

Many have become this person; taking up DIY projects, upcycling home decor, creating art pieces.

Our generation seems to have become much more creative with the amount of extra time on their hands.

If you’re still a bit unsure on the distinction between recycling and its artsy cousin, upcycling e-commerce store hipcycle provides us with two useful infographics that provide clarity:

Upcycling using custom eco friendly packaging is a trendy, idea and doesn’t leave you scrambling for last-minute gifts on Amazon.

Minimalist Eco Friendly Packaging Ideas

Minimalist eco friendly packaging designs save on storage space and material costs.

The potential reductions in emissions are evident, but it’s not easy. Simplicity requires great thought.

Eco friendly packaging needs to offer certain protective elements and the supply chain may sometimes be inflexible in accommodating logistics for contemporary, eco-friendly designs.

Furthermore, minimalist packages may sometimes need to be pleasing to the eye, especially if the package is just as crucial of a feature as its contents.

With a lower surface area to work with, minimalist packages need to thrive within the limited space they have, and that requires talent and a forward-thinking mindset.

There’s nothing to hide behind with minimalism. There are no decorative elements that can mask and compensate for flaws.

Everything is laid bare, which poses both a challenge and an opportunity to flourish.

There’s a Bottom Line to Minimalism

There’s a pay-off with minimalist packaging strategies; increasing skepticism and shortening attention spans have created a consumer demographic that hates confusing inundations of information

The modern need for clarity and transparency rewards minimalist packaging solutions through increased loyalty and trust.

To top it off, minimalist packaging can become a part of a highly successful differentiation strategy in a world where brands and SKUs abound in retail stores.

Furthermore, with e-commerce becoming the main means for shopping, there is no need to embellish and plaster your eco friendly packaging if it’s going to be sitting in someone’s shared mail room rather than on the shelves of a retail store.

It’s the unboxing experience that counts!

The abundant white space of minimalist package design works to accentuate the message (sustainability) and branding, emboldening the product’s visibility.

Marian Obando knows how to work with white space and – no space.

With her revamped custom egg carton design show below, she craftily employs the sustainability principles of re-usability, minimalism, and post-consumer recycling.

Minimalist Eco Friendly Packaging Materials

Minimalism can also imply the minimal use of materials.

Have you heard of the circular economy?

It aims to minimize plastic waste by continuously circulating resources through the entire product life cycle as it pertains to the environment: use, reuse, recycle, process, design, and produce.

The goal is to prolong the use of a product by transforming it into a resource input for another product.

Hence, the circular cycle increases the productivity and efficiency of goods, which delays or eliminates the polluting disposal process.

Mono-Materials

Mono-materials are a positive contributor to the circular economy because they facilitate recyclability and reusability.

Mono-material or single material sustainable packaging makes recycling easier for both the buyer and the facility.

The recycling plant reduces emissions by eliminating the material separation process.

An example of a mono-material solution is Ecolam, a 100% polyethylene-based set of laminated eco friendly packaging products that signal a greater alignment between the Indian production sector and new government sustainability regulations.

Packsize, a high-tech custom packaging solutions company, reduces the size of its boxes to its minimum using sophisticated measurement technology that assesses the dimensions of the product.

Suppliers who use Packsize save on shipment and logistics costs, and that inevitably translates to what the vendor pays.

Also, minimal box sizes reduce the inventory costs of the vendor.

Packsize eliminates the need for custom box fillers, allowing for further reductions in carbon footprint.

Bioplastics

Bioplastics feel like plastic but are based on naturally available and replenishable biomass sources such as milk, wheat, and meat protein.

However, not all bioplastics are biodegradable.

This design studio in Iceland was able to manufacture meat packaging from animal skin.

The eco friendly packaging is minimalist and reflects sustainable consumption practices that use the whole animal, reducing plastic waste.

The boiling process used to produce the eco friendly packaging skin minimizes air pollution. Most importantly, the absence of synthetic plastics alleviates the heavy burden caused by rising greenhouse emissions.

Saving Ink

Despite what you may think about soy, it does wonders for the environment when used as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based ink.

Soy and vegetable-based inks don’t release harmful organic compounds that can have negative environmental and human health effects.

It makes recycling easier too, as soy ink is easier to de-ink.

The environmental benefits don’t stop there: soy ink is also four times more biodegradable. Last but not least, soy ink spreads further, reducing ink costs and waste.

Edible Eco Packaging

The best form of recycling is the one that happens in your gut.

No recycling plants are involved.

Complete biodegradability that starts and ends with you. If you’ve ever had aspirations of being able to eat your way through house cleaning, now’s your chance with edible eco friendly packaging.

For example, you can now drink your favorite eggnog by the mistletoe in a Loliware cup, makers of multi-flavored cups you can eat.

The seaweed-based technology is now being emulated by several brands, including Evoware, which manufactures sandwich wrappers from edible seaweed.

Cupffee, the name behind the scrumptiously edible coffee cup, has recently won the hearts of millions of java aficionados with its grain-based, non-GMO, heat resistant, and non-leaking product.

The potential impact of their technology is effectively summarized by their website headline: Recyclable at 7 billion stations around the world. Including you!

Rosa Janusz produces sustainable packaging from the slimy product responsible for kombucha’s crispy taste known as SCOBY.

No, we aren’t talking about Scooby.

SCOBY is a mix of yeast and bacteria that allows the kombucha to ferment.

You can cook the package along with its contents, make a new brew of kombucha, or simply compost it.

In any case, it’s a great talking point and will surely fuel your plant-based interactions.

Besides, consumers love and reward organizations that push boundaries across several verticals.

Plantable Packaging

Bloom Chocolate pioneered the first plantable chocolate wrapper that could grow into orange and mint, among other flavors.

Similarly, Botanical Paperworks strives to honor the legacy of the paper tree by offering plantable seed paper that can grow into all kinds of wildflowers, herbs, and vegetables.

Specifically, they offer plantable wedding cards, gift cards, confetti, and plantable packaging components such as coffee sleeves and candle covers.

With so much extra time on our hands nowadays this is a great way to make a step towards sustainability from the comfort of our own backyards!

The designs are endless with plantable packaging.

The structure of seed paper is sturdy by essence and can allow for anything from kraft paper to custom gift boxes in a variety of box dimensions.

With regards to plantable and eco friendly packaging solutions, I would personally suggest following the edibles market as competitors in that industry are still rather fragmented and few.

This leaves room for healthy market penetration with plantable chocolate boxes or tea boxes that can re-grow the matcha that powers your 6 AM spin class.

Getting Everyone Involved

Engagement is a highly contagious sustainability promotion strategy.

Plantable packaging provides the receiver of the gift with a strong imperative to recycle the package.

Friends and family generally tend to offer their help in the planting process, thus strengthening the participatory result of plantable gifting.

Now with few being able to do so in person, it’s still a great activity to do with your loved ones over facetime!

Moreover, the fact that you get to see your efforts sprout into something organic and living is powerfully motivating.

Multinational companies invest millions of dollars per year into research and development efforts in hopes of creating the ultimate connection between the brand and the customer.

Plantable custom packaging can accomplish what name brands take years to establish by offering the user an involved, cerebral, multi-sensory experience.

There is no better opportunity than now to have yourself and others become a part of the plantable packaging trend.

Sustainability: An Expectation

Soap. It smells great and we love the creative custom boxes in which they’re displayed at your local farmers market or your nearest Whole Foods.

However, in this day and age, a great product doesn’t absolve the manufacturer of environmental responsibility.

The vast majority of specialty product customers have transitioned from the product demand stage to an expectation that their product boxes and containers possess some degree of sustainability.

This push has driven one of the highest organizational consumers of aluminum, Coca-Cola, to completely change their plastic-based shrink wrap into paperboard packaging by this coming year!

The new technology, KeelClip, is due to reduce plastic waste by 2000 tonnes and CO2 emissions by 3000 tonnes every year.

InBev’s name-brand beer giants – Bud Light, Budweiser, and Stella Artois – are also due to follow suit by the end of 2022.

KeelClip sets a strong example to aspirants, especially when we consider the fact that 1.9 billion Coca-Cola drinks are consumed each day.

Although the sustainable packaging market is becoming progressively crowded with disruptive incumbents, there’s still great potential to wildly scale with reduced material solutions that may potentially generate astronomical revenue figures.

Considering statistics that show consumers are willing to pay more for increased sustainability, eco-friendly packaging is a great way to reduce material costs and increase sales revenue.

That additional profit margin can be re-invested into continued eco-friendly endeavors.

Compostable Packaging

Compostable bags epitomize sustainability.

The addition of the term to any product gives the potential buyer the assurance that what he or she consumes will become one with Earth upon disposal.

Biodegradability really is the end game, the pinnacle of sustainability success. We really wish everything could be biodegradable.

That includes that old beater car that’s been faithful to you since college but now requires a carburetor repair that costs more than its current market value.

Regardless, compostability isn’t a trend that’s bound to disappear anytime soon.

British beauty retailer Boots acknowledges its widespread importance and also aims to remove all its plastic pharmacy bags, replacing them with a completely compostable solution by mid 2024.

One of the last places to come to one’s mind when thinking of compostable packaging is your bathroom cupboard.

Seed Phytonutrients uses recycled plastics and materials to create a fully paper-based recyclable and compostable bottle.

And if you’re the type who loves holiday Kinder Eggs, the plantable lining of seeds nudged into the bottle exterior should also give you a pleasant surprise.

Fascinatingly, the parts of the outer shell have been connected through corrugated locks, rather than glue as was the case with the previous version.

This highlights parent company L’Oreal’s commitment to continuous and sustainable improvement.

Corrugated Packaging

Corrugated boxes and eco friendly packaging components hold an environmental advantage over other constructions.

They’re mostly made from recycled paper, are reusable, and can be recycled again. The re-usability stems from the strength of corrugation.

The end-user can sleep in peace knowing that orders arriving in corrugated boxes can be used as document holders and insulation.

The strength of corrugated boxes also protects sensitive package contents, such as produce and healthcare products.

Corrugated boxes are also a dream come true for packaging providers because of their versatility.

They can be molded into any shape and size, reducing material costs and increasing economies of scale.

One can see why corrugated product packaging is such an outstanding contributor to sustainability.

As if its aforementioned benefits weren’t enough, corrugated boxing also keeps fruit fresh for three days longer due to its antimicrobial properties.

If you’ve been keeping these eco friendly packaging options on the back burner, now is the time to bring it into the spotlight.

Corrugated box’s flexibility can allow suppliers to meet high and erratic demand in December.

Be wary, many suppliers tend to offer corrugated boxes through a rather transactional process.

However, PakFactory’s Freedom Corrugated proprietary packaging solution gives its customers the comfort and assurance they seek in knowing that they’ll achieve the corrugated custom sustainable packaging of their dreams through one-on-one consultations.

Commitment

Actions speak louder than words.

Customers want to see packaging companies that commit to sustainability efforts in the long term.

Commitment can take the form of continuously actionable goals, and signal a form of authenticity that millennials love.

PakFactory embeds sustainable practice into the materials it sources for its custom;

• cardboard boxes
• labels
• bags
• inserts
• displays

Furthermore, PakFactory is proud to be part of the One Order One Tree initiative, where one tree is planted for every order received.

If you’re a business looking to communicate your dedication to environmental sourcing and production, make sure you position that content at the forefront of your master pages and social media platforms, highly visible and adjacent to your calls to action.

Forbes lists over 101 companies – many of them part of major Fortune lists – that commit to sustainable practices and packaging.

Some of the names may surprise you, but this just shows how pervasive and vital this trend is to your company’s bottom line.

If you’re determined to make a difference but might not possess the capabilities of a Fortune 500 giant, you can still effectively commit to sustainability efforts.

James Feistner, the owner of the chic Mercury Espresso Bar in downtown Toronto, absorbed a few cents per cup in additional costs to provide his customers with completely biodegradable cups.

This was 10 years ago.

Although the initiative failed due to the municipal mishandling of compostable goods, Mr. Feistner demonstrates an unwavering commitment to sustainability by continuing his search for more scalable methods.

Other independent small businesses such as bakeries and clothing stores can reduce their footprint by pushing for sleeker packages.

Manufacturers can follow the path of Dark Horse and offer significant packaging discounts if the customer opts for a small container or box.

As a result, the supplier saves on material expenses while the vendor lowers their distribution costs.

Who said sustainability wasn’t a win-win situation?

Anti-Microbial Packaging

The perishable nature of food has sparked numerous discussions as to how we can extend the shelf life of this basic human necessity, especially in the developed world where the amount of food waste is at significant odds with the hunger crises experienced in developing nations.

The global harms of food waste amplify in severity due to greater consumption behaviors. Hence, the need for anti-microbial ‘active’ packaging reaches an all-time high towards the New Year.

Current research suggests that essential oils and polymeric structures manufactured from shellfish have demonstrated high efficacy in the eradication of degrading organisms.

British grocer Morrisons utilizes technology that prevents bacterial growth in the linings of their reusable bags.

Additionally, with the rise of supermarkets willing to deliver your grocery right to your door, the need for customized anti-perish packaging has never been greater.

In fact, the antimicrobial packaging market is forecasted to grow by approximately half a billion US dollars per year until 2024, to reach a whopping 11.88 billion dollars.

Communicating Sustainability

Sustainability is considerably more difficult to convey when the consumer is unable to touch and feel the product off the store shelf, which has become a norm of the 2020s.

Custom packaging suppliers, designers, and manufacturers have the heavy responsibility of convincing their vendor that the product will feel and look a certain way even before a sample is sent.

Remember, your goal as a supplier is to persuade the retailer, brand, or distributor at the very first touchpoint, which is usually the website landing page.

Without a proper visually immersive depiction of your packaging solution, your sustainable sourcing and design mantra will fall on deaf ears.

Interactivity is Everything

With cost considerations kept in mind, the key is to immediately and prominently offer an interface through which the potential buyer can scroll through all physical attributes of the package, including its sustainable facets.

A great example of a packaging company that achieves this goal is Packlane, a global powerhouse in the custom design packaging sector.

By offering customers with 3D visualizations of their customizations, Packlane empowers the customer with a real sense of control over the ‘product in progress’.

On a similar note, Pakfactory takes the customer’s initial request and turns it into an intimate conversation with the sales, design, and procurement team in order to provide that customer with exactly what it wants.

During this thorough collaborative process, the team at Pakfactory shares insights and recommendations that leave the customer delighted with a product that exceeds their expectations at every fold.

We’re highly transparent with our clients.

As an example, if we discover that a requested custom box prototype may cause the end-user to face folding or opening issues, we always make sure that is known.

At PakFactory we’re just as much of a partner as we are a supplier. If we’ve captured your curiosity, you can delve into the ‘why’ that lies behind PakFactory’s 1000+ client base here. Or check our customer stories here.

The fundamental reason why interactivity is crucial in e-commerce can be explained through our general discontentment with the physical shopping experience.

Although we may miss this now, historically we hate the logistics, the traffic, the crowd, the change rooms, missing price labels, and being hot and cold at the same time.

If we could we would eliminate these negatives, whilst retaining the ability to feel and assess our personal compatibility with the product.

We would keep the interactive elements of a regular brick and mortar shop and digitize it to eliminate the elements that we dread.

Cappasity, the technology that powers the interactive 3D visualizations of numerous large retail chains across the globe, takes your product and digitizes it so that it becomes completely interactive.

Eastern European luxury goods retailer TSUM reports that it increased its conversions by 40% on products that were digitized through the Cappasity platform.

Take into consideration the fact that over 80% of users that land on a 3D view interacts with it, and virtually 100% prefer 3D over video, one can easily visualize how profitable enhanced interactivity could be.

If there’s one product that really fits the bill for 3D-view digitization, it’s custom packaging.

Distributors, transporters, delivery firms, and even Uncle Jim who lives in that cute red house down the street would love to see how their customized boxes will appear in their respective contexts.

Think of the wide array of possibilities. With animated views and augmented reality, you could morph your packaging site into a full-fledged retail experience.

The benefits don’t end there.

As the end-user fiddles with the product’s visuals, they spend a considerably greater amount of time on your website.

The 3D experience trickles down and across to your e-commerce platform’s other pages, thereby enhancing their visibility and conversions.

The resultant increase in session duration and decrease in bounce rates sends a strong signal to Google that your site should appear more often when a user searches for what you offer.

QR Codes

Enabling your packaging with technology is almost always a win-win scenario.

QR codes can tell a story that needs a little bit more space than the surface area of your regular package.

QR codes can communicate the source of the product, its ingredients, and whether it’s been sourced from a sustainable location.

Unfortunately, QR codes have been facing a decline in usage by consumers over the last half-decade, mainly due to poor positioning.

However, QR codes have been well received in 2019, and are expected to see a full revival in 2022.

Pepsi recently partnered up with Cardi B to launch its Gift it Forward campaign, which features a QR code directing the user to cash awards that can be payed forward.

The campaign brilliantly wraps societal values, Christmas narratives, and packaging tech into a powerful incentive to consume.

The renewed increase in QR code usage can be attributed to a concurrent incline in the frequency of climate change and sustainability centered dialogue.

Nevertheless, QR codes should be implemented with desirable incentives. If the consumer perceives that their use of the QR code could either win them an award or have the brand contribute a certain donation to an eco-friendly initiative, then they would be more willing to read the sustainability story behind the product.

Smart Packaging

If you think QR codes are game-changing, feel free to check out the freshness indicating smart label video below.

These prevent food poisoning and waste by displaying the level of freshness of a packaged food item.

Freshness is determined through the intricate measurement of temperature, acidity, and the level of bacterial growth.

The custom labels can also be applied to cosmetics boxes and pharmaceutical items.

The applications are universal, making smart packaging a hot market for entrepreneurial packaging companies.

Heres 10 things you should know about smart packaging

Cultural Transformation

The 2020s have been a time of drastic change. Marginalized voices are being loudened like they never have been before from the comfort of our own homes.

Talk of cultural change can be heard audibly on social media, digital media, and through traditional mediums.

As a result, heading into 2022, the talk of change surrounding product packaging will inevitably be under the proverbial magnifying glass.

All suppliers and vendors will need to adhere to the trend of sustainable solutions in custom box design and manufacturing.

Value propositions and corporate manifestos will need to reflect the principles of sustainable thinking. Sustainable execution will require absolute consistency, as there is little room in today’s digitally connected world for failures in adherence.

Top-down and bottom-up corporate education campaigns will need to be deployed across all functions.

Operations managers and public relations will need to unite to assure that printed cardboard boxes contain messaging that aligns with the rigid ecological standards of today.

With consistent execution, your organization will garner the buy-in of the greater community.

Whether you’re a supplier, a vendor, or a customer, our top eco friendly packaging trends should leave you with actionable insights that will propel your ventures to greener pastures and bluer horizons despite the drastic changes all industries have had to face this year.

The post 18 Sustainable Packaging Ideas of 2023 first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post 18 Sustainable Packaging Ideas of 2023 appeared first on PakFactory Blog.

After all, the inside is what really matters.

If this is your approach to packaging as a business owner, you might be setting yourself up for failure.

Packaging plays a vital role in marketing not only your products, but your brand too.

How important is packaging in Marketing a product?

According to an infographic by The Paperworker, 52% of consumers say they would likely return to a business for another purchase if they receive products in premium packaging.

90% of consumers reuse their product packaging boxes and bags after purchase and 40% would share a photo of packaging if it is interesting.

With these numbers, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of packaging when it comes to marketing.

Not only does it offer your products the protection it needs during the distribution and sales process, but it also plays a vital role in attracting new potential customers.

With unboxing videos experiencing a sort of renaissance online, packaging has become your brand’s very own portable billboard.

For many customers, the unboxing experience is arguably the most exciting thing about purchasing a new product.

Your product packaging design should never be an afterthought. It should be treated as a key component in your marketing strategy throughout.

Ask yourself; how do you want your customer to feel when they open your product? Packaging plays a large role in answering that question.

Here are 4 reasons why packaging is important in marketing a product:

Creating Shelf Impact

There are thousands of products on the market and chances are there are thousands of products similar to yours.

According to The Arka, one-third of customers’ decision making is based solely on the product packaging. This is why your packaging will make the biggest impact on driving sales.

It’s all about first impressions. Your packaging is the first thing customers interact with both instore and online.

That’s why differentiating your product from the rest starts with your packaging.

It’s there to dress up your products for the shelves. With generic packaging, you may run the risk of not appealing to new customers.

These are often seen as bad quality products since the packaging doesn’t fit your product perfectly and looks boring and unoriginal.

Using quality custom packaging for your products is the way to go.

You’re able to communicate the brand narrative, speak directly to your customers, and it lets your product shine bright in the rows and rows of your competitors’ products.

Employing a strategic package design is important in creating brand awareness.

Again, your package becomes your portable billboard. So, use this to highlight your logo and communicate meaningful information through graphics and typography.

Let your creativity run free on the front of your packaging and appeal to your target market.

Your brand’s packaging should be easily remembered amongst all the noise of your competitors through your package design choices and be interactive for your customers.

This works the same way for e-commerce.

While your customers cannot interact with your products first hand before purchasing, your package should still be shining bright in their shared mailrooms with premium packaging and designs.

Make your package easy to find, memorable, and user friendly.

While the benefits of using packaging that isn’t visually appealing or eye-catching are not having it stolen from your front door or your mailroom.

It also decreases the chance of it being purchased, to begin with.

You kind of want your package to be so appealing that people’s curiosity gets the best of them.

Communicating a Message

While your packaging can act as a portable billboard for your brand, it’s also a great way to speak directly to your customers.

The front of packaging is called the ‘facing’.

This is where your portable billboard comes into play, it’s function is to showcase your brand and draw attention to your product, while setting your brand apart from competitors.

The message you are trying to convey on the front should be short and impactful.

In other words, make it simple and easy to memorize.

The back of the packaging acts as an information zone for your product. It establishes the dialogue between your product and the customer. Due to consumer demands, the back of the packaging can be quite clustered with information, so make sure to make it clear, concise, and organized.

Your packaging can communicate key information such as;

• Price 
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Warnings
• Government regulatory information

While this may seem mundane and unimportant to marketing, keeping full transparency with your customer base actually builds strong brand credibility and shields your customers from any disappointments, while making them feel safe.

This also means being fully transparent and proud about your product’s benefits.

For example; Does consuming or using your product save your customer time or money? Tell them that on the packaging!

This way you’re directly speaking to and engaging with your target market while differentiating from any other competitors your customers may be seeing on the shelves.

If your packaging is missing information that your competitors are providing on their packaging, then this can put your product at a disadvantage, so stay well informed on your competitors’ packaging designs too.

Give your customers the full story, and answer any questions on your packaging before they even have time to ask them.

Creating a Better Customer Experience

While many companies spend a lot of time on the design and conceptualization of their product, packaging often comes as an afterthought rather than a priority.

The fact is, packaging is an important part of the customer experience today.

Especially with e-commerce taking the throne in the retail world, customers are more likely to turn to online reviews by other customers who have already purchased your product.

When a customer unboxes your product, it should evoke a positive emotional response or sentiment.

This is highlighted through unboxing videos on YouTube that showcase people’s obsession with experiencing and interacting with not only the product but mostly the packaging.

According to The Packaging Company 40% of online shoppers say they are more likely to share a product image or video on social media if the packaging is branded and interesting.

60% are more likely to share a photo of a product on social media if it has gift-like packaging rather than your traditional brown box.

This means tailoring your packaging designs to your online customers can further drive sales of your product.

Premium packaging communicates the quality of your product to your customer.

While rigid packaging can get damaged quite easily, it offers a luxurious look and feel to your products that will make your customers feel spoiled.

However, this can also be achieved by using folding carton too, due to its versatility in options for prints and finishes.

Furthermore, using foam inserts also adds to the luxurious feel of your packaging and adds another level to the customer experience as well as protection to your products.

Indirectly communicating with your customers through your packaging materials tells them more about the quality of your product, brand and narrative.

This heavily plays into the overall experience – and the experience begins with your packaging.

If your packaging creates a memorable experience for users, your customers may even want to hold onto the packaging and start a collection!

Discover how PakFactory’s Anfield Shop Subscription box made a lasting impression on customers who even started collecting the subscription boxes.

Building a Brand Narrative

We’ve moved away from more traditional marketing techniques like ‘our product is the best, that’s why you need it’.

Marketing has become more intricate with Millennials and Generation Z taking on bigger roles in the marketplace.

Just telling your customers your product is the best is no longer enough. Your customers want to know;

• Why is your product the best?
• Who created the product?
• How was the product created?
• Why was the product created?
• Where was the product created? 

Why do customers want to know? Because everyone loves a good story.

Brand storytelling is important to evoke an emotional reaction while also informing your customers about your product and business.

While it may seem beneficial to be as descriptive as possible about your brand’s story, it’s best to keep it simple and meaningful.

People love a narrative that captures their attention, and the best way to do that is through a portable billboard, your packaging.

Brands should be striving for authenticity and building a genuine connection with their customers to enhance their brand narrative and outreach.

Speaking directly to your customers through your package design plays into your marketing and sales pitch for your customers.

Using copy, typography and design elements on your packaging can reflect your brand narrative while also making a memorable impact on your customers, both online and offline.

There is a lot of unnecessary noise in the online world.

Therefore, it can be difficult for brands to really showcase their brand narrative, especially in the day and age of e-commerce.

This is why your packaging materials are very important in telling your brand story.

Custom packaging allows you to personalize your products and really speak directly to your customers to enhance your brand story.

Consider using thank you cards, customers’ names, stickers, and labels to really personalize not only your packaging but your product too.

This plays a crucial role in building a brand narrative amongst your customers and allows you to build a loyal customer base.

Technology has constantly been developing and changing the way industries work; the marketing and packaging industries are no exception.

Technology has enabled packaging to become more interactive for customers and more convenient in brand storytelling.

Through the use of QR codes on smart packaging, you are now able to tell your brand’s story in even more detail by the simple click of a button.

Your customers are able to scan the packaging and discover additional information about not only your product but your brand’s mission, values, and story.

This is a great engagement tool for your packaging as you’re able to keep it sweet and simple on your physical packaging but go above and beyond through your QR code.

Furthermore, augmented reality is starting to gain a lot of attention in the marketing and packaging world.

Using imagery and movement, your customers are able to get a better feel for your product and brand by simply viewing it through their phone cameras.

A great example of this is Jack Daniels’ Augmented Reality.

Through a simple download, customers are able to view different Jack Daniels bottles in a whole new world that plays into their brand narrative and tells a compelling story.

This is a great way to add to the feel of your product and brand beyond just your packaging designs.

Packaging plays a key role in marketing today, customizing and adding personalizations are crucial to telling your brand story!

The post How Important is Packaging in Marketing a Product? first appeared on PakFactory Blog.

The post How Important is Packaging in Marketing a Product? appeared first on PakFactory Blog.