The Complete Guide to Custom Product Packaging
The packaging is considered a brand ambassador of the product. Products become more valuable with effective packaging. This article covers critical points clients must consider before ordering their custom product packaging. So, let's get started.
The manufacturing and printing of custom product boxes is a planned decision that clients take according to their needs related to product packaging, retail exposure, product visibility, marketing, etc. As a custom packaging manufacturer, we explore unique, alluring, and cost-effective styles and designs.
Pre-Packaging Planning of Custom Product Packaging
It is not an impulse decision as it requires investing a considerable amount, and the resulting boxes can make or break the products causing significant losses at both ends. In other words, before ordering these custom product boxes, the clients that wish to place packaging boxes orders must consider;
Specific Needs for Cardboard-Based Packaging
There are various types of packaging choices available for products. Despite most companies switching to cardboard and custom product packaging, some products require plastic-based or other materials for secure and efficient packaging. Therefore, the clients must prevent the order from getting wasted before making this decision.
Evaluating the Needs Associated with Packaging
The modern packaging tools take care of the product and do a lot more for their marketing and safety at the same time. Moreover, these tools add convenience to accessing the product, its reuse, and educating the target audience about the product without product or sales representatives. However, the clients must identify these needs to communicate with their selected printing and packaging company for optimal results.
How Heavy or Light is the Packaging Requirement?
Some products are light but may still require heavier material for packaging as overseas shipping is involved or the product might be fragile. In other cases, bulkier, stricter products might require folding carton-based packaging.
Budgeting Printed Packaging Boxes
The order volume directly impacts the cost of custom product packaging. Therefore, the clients get advised to remain mindful of their actual needs by contacting the sales department, which will also encourage an efficient supply chain.
When allocating the budgets, clients must also consider costs related to shipping and fluctuating taxes rates. Here are a few tips to reduce costs;
- Explore other material options that offer a solid structural support
- Opt for minimal measurement to minimize wastage
- Reduce shipping costs using custom tissue paper fillers
- Revamp old packaging custom product boxes by adding new custom printed sleeves
- Explore the benefits of customizable stickers and labels, etc.
Last but not least, timelines are of utter importance when it comes to successful packaging. It is better to complete planning and place orders in the prior season before packaging launch in the next season. The packaging orders will be received on time to package the product stock inside these boxes and ship them.
What is The Science Behind the Measurement of Custom Product Boxes
Cardboard-based packaging depends on boxes of varying sizes. The appropriate size of these custom product boxes is crucial for product safety, cost, the quantity of material, shipping costs, etc. When noting the size, clients must remember to measure from the box's inside for the length (the longest side), breadth, and height (side at a right angle to height and width).
A minor mistake of even half a centimeter can significantly impact packaging and make it useless for the clients. Moreover, as a cost-saving technique, the packaging companies try to minimize wastage by reducing the size as much as possible. A compact packaging has many benefits;
- It spares the cost of void fillers.
- It curbs movement inside the box during transport and shipping
- Prevents damages
- Controls over packaging
- It reduces overall packaging costs
The packaging companies' primary focus is on the internal box measurement as it provides the right fit for the products and prevents product movement. Whereas the external size can vary based on various factors like;
- Material used
- Box thickness required
- The layouts and shapes specified, etc.
The clients must differentiate between the inner and external box measurements in communicating the measurements with the packaging company.
Product Packaging Types
Packaging with respect to products varies by size and design. One of the significant factors in product packaging is the material of the boxes, and it can be rigid, cardboard, kraft, and corrugated. Additional packaging types are explained below.
Also Read About: 3 Most Common Types of Packaging Materials
Fundamental to Regular Cardboard Material
The basic to common cardboard types vary based on their grammage and width. This custom product packaging is feasible for small to medium products that need display in retail. In addition, custom product boxes like these provide an ideal tool for small and medium businesses to successfully promote their products in mainstream markets while using pocket-friendly packaging options that do not lack attraction.
Some popular styles in these boxes include;
- Cardboard gable boxes
- Auto bottom tuck boxes
- Display retail boxes
Shipping Boxes
The material for shipping boxes is different from the material used in retail. These boxes get crafted from heavier cardboard like corrugated boards. According to the order specification, this material has several layers of liners and fillers.
But the corrugated material is sometimes also used as printed packaging boxes by e-commerce businesses. They use clever printing techniques to personalize the looks of these custom product boxes with a logo, which protects against bumps and other damaging elements. Some trending layouts in corrugated material include;
- Custom pizza boxes
- Printed beverage carriers
- Even certain display boxes get made from this material.
The filler in this material is called a flute, which varies as per clients' requirements and commercial and shipping usage.
High-End Cardboard Packaging
Clients who require premium boxes for their luxury products can place wholesale rigid box orders with the packaging companies. These boxes are composed of chipboard that offers the best structural support and can bear the weight of the finished accessories for several years without losing their shape. The popular layouts in these boxes include;
- Custom shoulder boxes
- Custom book-style boxes
- Magnetic closure boxes, etc.
Sustainable Packaging
When it comes to green and recyclable packaging, the printing and packaging companies have options like Kraft that check all boxes. This material is biodegradable and helps curb the issue of overpackaging. In addition, it is flexible enough to shape innovative custom product packaging and is a popular choice for shipping, displaying, and marketing products.
The modern packaging companies urge their clients who do not have box needs to take advantage of other packaging options like paper bags, customized sleeves, wraps, polymers, etc.
Fillers vs Inserts in Custom Cardboard Packaging
Products of all sorts require custom product packaging for shipping, displaying, and marketing. Some of these are delicate and need additional packaging elements to keep them safe and deliver them in mint condition to the final destination. These different elements are added inside the packaging boxes and referred to as fillers.
However, fillers are frowned upon in the packaging and retail industry as it adds to the material that sits in landfills, causing pollution and toxic fumes that harm the planet. Some typical fillers used in the past by the packaging industry include;
- Packaging peanuts
- Bubble wraps
- Styrofoam, etc.
Materials like these take hundreds of years to decompose and choke our water bodies threatening marine life. In the modern world of packaging, seasoned companies are coming up with newer options to handle product packaging.
Also Read About: An Ultimate Guide for Seasonal Packaging in the US
Instead of void fillers, these companies are relying more on inserts utilizing materials like;
- Folding carton
- Kraft
- Corrugated board
- Molded pulp
- Regular cardboard, etc.
Despite discouraging the usage of traditional materials, there are occasions when the packaging companies have to provide;
- Foam inserts (for luxurious inner display or protection of products like medical devices, etc.)
- Customized plastic trays, etc.
Apart from these materials, the professional custom product packaging suppliers also offer customized paper filler, shredded paper filler, fences, and separators made from a sustainable material and other related items. These inserts do not threaten the planet with pollution and overpackaging as they can decompose on their own under specific conditions.
Explore The Benefits of Different Printing Techniques
The custom product packaging suppliers often offer their clients three basic categories of printing. Here, we will help them understand its technicalities for their clarity and knowledge to help them make an objective decision. However, when selecting the printing option, the clients must remain mindful of the material they have finalized for their custom product packaging.
Offset Printing
This commercial printing technique delivers;
- More vivid
- High-end quality content
However, clients with lesser order quality may find this premium printing service well beyond their budgets for their custom printed product boxes. This printing type works best for large volume orders as the setup has its running, maintenance, operating costs, and additional fees. But with large order quantities, we cover them efficiently and allow the clients to enjoy reasonable rates. This technique's most significant advantage is special processing while printing, saving time and money.
Digital Printing
Clients who require instant job completion against their orders of less quantity can benefit the most from this printing technique. Though this technique does not apply to a wide range of material types like the offset technique, it works well with folding cartons and corrugated boxes.
Also Read About: Custom Packaging for Small Business
The packaging companies are investing in research and development to develop better customization options in printing that can transform the corrugated board looks into beautiful custom printed product boxes.
Flexography Printing
It is considered the contemporary letterpress printing technique of the present world, which offers economies of scale against large production print orders. This printing technique works best with a limited color print order that requires one or two colors. Moreover, the orders which do not require definition and detailing (as in images) can benefit from this technique and print quickly.
Add-Ons Used on Custom Retail Boxes
Several add-ons are available for clients who want to transform their custom cardboard boxes into beautiful packaging and marketing tools. Some of these include;
- Laminations: They comprise thin, transparent plastic sheets that cover the entire box or the selected areas on the box. The option of biodegradable lamination is also available in matte and gloss appeals.
- Soft-touch coating: This eco-friendly coating has the most impressive gloss and a velvet-like feel. One primary use of this lamination is in the luxurious cardboard box packaging options. The soft-touch layer does not turn yellow with age.
- Aqueous coating: A water-based coating dries within a brief span and adds gloss or matte looks to the box or content.
- Embossing: Gives the selected area a 3D-like feature by raising it slightly to highlight the branding elements and other details. Sometimes the chosen area is engraved, which is the reverse of embossing for highlighting print content. The common name of this technique is debossing.
- Foil stamping: This technique adds metallic touches to the selected print content on the custom product boxes with the logo, elevating these packaging boxes' attraction.
The above-Discussed add-ons are the most trending in the packaging industry. Window patching, Matte Lamination, UV Coating, etc., are also very much in demand for the product packaging.
Also Read About: Benefits of Add-Ons in Custom Packaging
Available Custom Product Packaging Layouts
There are many layouts for custom product packaging, and we have explained the most demanded layouts below:
One-piece Product Boxes
These boxes do not have removable box lids and trays attached as a single unit. These boxes are available in regular and premium cardboard material, and their uses are according to the client's demands and product requirements. When used as a single unit, the popular choice for retail remains Straight tuck end boxes or reverse tuck boxes with window patching or cut-outs that highlight the products.
Like book-style rigid boxes, the premium one-piece boxes make beautiful gift boxes targeted at niche customers. There are many styles available in one-piece boxes. There are many styles available in one-piece boxes.
Two-Piece Product Boxes
These custom product boxes have removable lids and trays and are available in regular and premium materials. Most times, the packaging companies and the clients manipulate the sizes of the side panels to make them overlap.
This strategy helps provide a secure fit for the delicate products inside. Like in the case of telescope boxes when the lid completely wraps the tray. Another style in these boxes includes sleeve and tray boxes.
Three-Piece Product Boxes
The partial telescope boxes include an inside tray that forms the neck of the box. When we close the box, the lids of the boxes sit on this tray.
The remaining gap between the tray and the top provides ample space for the creativity of the packaging companies.
- Additional handles
We add handles, made from cardboard, ribbons, rope, etc., to any box type and style.
- Interlocking flaps
The packaging companies creatively use the box flaps and tabs to create a locking mechanism that helps control shoplifting and product damage occurrences in custom product packaging.
- Extended panels
Sometimes we extend a box panel and punch it with a hole, as in the case of a five-panel-hanger box, to make it easier to display on wall counters.
Prototyping, Production, and Shipping
The clients can request a prototype from their selected custom product packaging suppliers if they are uncertain about the final custom product boxes with logo look. However, sometimes they might need to pay for this sample depending on the company policy.
Every seasoned packaging company in the USA assigns a representative to their confirmed clients, who responds to their queries and provides them with updates about production and shipping until the order successfully reaches the final destination. However, the clients must remain aware of their selected packaging companies' updated shipping rates and modes.
