Tag Archives: custom-branded

Laminate Vs. Varnish 

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When you’re planning custom materials and labels, you may get asked if you want a varnish or laminated topcoat, and here, we’ll go over this.

What a Topcoat Does 

The product labels that you have come with a variety of label layers, and it’s something that you’ll want to keep in mind. Usually, your face stock, or the label image, is not the top layer.  This is because it’ll help with protecting the label, and also enhances this performance.

There is a layer that’s above this, and it does impact the lifespan and the look of the labels there. This top portion is called the topcoat, and it offers proper protection against both damage and scuffing. It does also impact the way that the label looks as well. 

The two most common are laminate and varnish. Now, do you need this? Well, it’s not mandatory, but there is a protection there. without your topcoat, the ink will rub off this, or it’ll get scratched on the face stock. It also won’t be protected from liquids, moisture, or even oils that might be there too.

Varnish topcoats 

This is a type of coating that’s on a silicone-based sort of liquid. It’s used for labels that are indoor usage, and they’re not super resistant to the presence of moisture, and it offers only minimal amounts of protection when you’re trying to protect this from scuffing, or even smudging too.

Varnish is usually used in a gloss, satin, or matte finish. There are some common usages for this. There is the flood coat that goes over the entire label. There is the spot varnish, which is used to offer specific contrast for these surfaces too. Then, there are dimensional varnish layers, offering that 3-D dimensional effect that comes with this.

What about Laminate 

This is a type of film that’s made with polyester that offers a barrier of plastic, which is one that’s used to protect everything. They offer more texture and sheen to your label. This offers a protection that’s robust when you’re protecting from scuffing, smudging, oil, moisture and the exposure of UV rays that are here too.

Many laminates are made for specific types of applications. They come in gloss and matte, and there is also the thermal transfer, along with secondary types of printing, which is known to be serialization.

Now, you do need to choose these in a couple of different ways, based on the needs that you have.

For starters, if you need something that’s going to be used in temperatures that are extreme, or in the outdoors, you’ll want to make sure that the topcoat is made with this. Typically, lamination is better for this.

But, if you’re going to be using this for ecommerce labels, you’re better off with just using a varnish sort of topcoat, as this can definitely be cheaper in the long haul.

Finally, you’ll want to also look at the lifespan of the label. How long do you need this to exist? For the labels that are applied to plastic and glass jars, or boxes that are corrugated, varnish is going to suffice.

If you need something that is used for longer kinds of packaging, or making it almost permanent, then lamination I’ll be the best way to help boost the appearance of this, and it usually lasts as long as the product. That means, industrial and automotive industries should just use lamination.

Both are good topcoats, but they do have different needs, and you should focus on the needs that you have, before choosing the correct product. 

All About Packaging Design 

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While we hear a lot about the products, we don’t hear a lot about packaging. One element of this that people don’t talk much about, is packaging design.  What is it exactly? Well, we see it in practically everything that we have. from boxes for foods we eat, for the phones we use, even for clothing, it all comes down to the design of the packaging.

This can also look either really good, or really bad, and whether you’re a pro designer, or someone who is new to this, you can change the way that the packaging looks, making this even better than before. 

Designing Packaging 

The designing of packaging for these products tends to be a bit more complex than just throwing stickers onto boxes made of cardboard. You need to first figure out the packaging medium to choose from. Do you want rigid boxes, or do you want cardboard boxes that are custom printed.

The medium is very overlooked, but once you’ve figured it out, you can also determine the other parts of this. These are the graphic design and the packaging, the physical packaging and the design of such, and finally, the design and marketing of the product that’s there. Remember, all of these get designed differently, so understanding these points is important. 

Graphic design 

This is basically the graphics and other information that attracts the attention of different customers, offering product information. The graphics of the packaging usually take the design of the brand, along with the motives, and then displays this directly onto the box. Getting a graphic designer that’s professional is a great way to ensure that the process is done correctly. 

The physical packaging 

This is something else that you must consider, especially when you’re designing for packaging.

You can have a big, elaborate box, but the thing is, it may not offer security to the product inside.

While you may want to make custom packaging that’s “out there” for people to like, it also needs some sort of purpose, and it needs to ensure that the security of the packaging is in place.

The limitations of the manufacturing also needs to be focused on too.

You need to also consider whether or not someone can even do this. you might have an amazing idea, and when you look at the designs that are offered, you should look for something that works, and outshines the competitors..

The best thing to do, is to use packaging that fits the foundation of the industry, but then further works to innovate.

Also, consider the following: 

  • The printing types 
  • The materials for the needs that you have
  • How heavy and durable the packaging is.
  • Hot stamping, embossing, UV finishes, and other add-ons that you can get. 

Design and marketing 

Finally, you need to make a box or packaging that is good for marketing reasons. Sometimes, people overlook this one, but you want something that’s good for form reasons, structural reasons, material design, even the imagery and colors that make it good to market on. 

This is good because it allows you to appeal to a buyer’s persona, promotes this, and finally, communicates the identity of the brand.

Designing a packaging that fits all of these criteria that works well for many people is great, because when you design it well, you’ll be able to not only improve the marketing, but also improve the means that people are able to create the proper connection with such and make it even better, and it’ll create the marketing that you want. 

Packaging Inserts for Brand Loyalty 

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One good way to make a really great move into building a better, more loyal fanbase of customers, is to actually use packaging inserts. This is a chance for you to make customers smile, and there isn’t a better way to do it than this. Inserts are great, because you can use them to protect the packaging, but also, it allows you to write tiny messages to people. 

What should be Included 

This is basically a must for everyone, especially if you’ve got gratitude towards customers that buy from you. It also is great for marketing brands, and also for promoting social media channels so they can talk about the package that they got. You also might want to look into including the logo of a company, a tiny message, and the like to really personalize this.  This is great too because you can thank people, let them know what’s coming, and also provide some discounts and deals that’ll benefit them. 

Why use Inserts? 

Well, there are actually a lot of benefits that go into inserts, and they include the following: 

  • They’re effective on the costs 
  • They offer a targeted advertisement as well. You’re sending this specifically to people who are interested, so that they can get some more items. 
  • They also boost the unboxing that goes into this, especially if you’re someone who is going to give this to other customers. 
  • They also include endorsements and sponsorships. If you’re looking to get more people involved, then this can work too.
  • They also are great for establishing a brand identity. They’re the perfect opportunity to do this, especially if you’re someone who would like to establish this. 

Examples of such 

What are good examples of this? Well, you want something that does provide value to other people, but below, here are some of the creative packaging inserts, and what you can do to boost the experiences of customers. 

First, you’ve got the product discounts. These are small discounts that you can put into there, little offers that incentivize the customers to buy this, and also leaves them hungry to buy a whole lot more. This is great for first-time customers, as this offers loyalty from the get-go and also gets you to get new people as well. 

Then there are packaging free samples. These are small samples that incentivize customers to try out products. These are especially great for customers who are in cosmetics or other industries that involve consumables. They are great for new products that are there and what you can offer. If you’re dealing with existing customers that want to get to buy more stuff, this is a good example, because this will allow them to try it before they buy it, and they’re going to definitely get the right products for this.

Finally, there are messages that you can get.  This is a small, but sweet thing that everyone can let you do. These short notes and other recommendations are perfect, and they also show the perfect satisfaction too. 

For a lot of people, packaging inserts are a good way to get started in the world of packaging, and if you’re looking to boost your customer base, and want to offer the right supplies that you can, these custom inserts are the way to go. They offer high-quality results, and are perfect for boosting your customer service with others, no matter what world you’re in.

For a lot of people, boosting their own repute with the use of inserts is the way to go, and the future. 

Shopping guides for Shipping Products in 2022 

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If you’re looking to get your orders and holiday shopping done early, you’re not alone. Due to the disruption of logistics and supply chains, it’s better to be prepared early on than too late. Here are some of the best ways to ship items, and the best things to look for when you begin to ship items this year and beyond. 

Types of shipping 

There are three popular ways for you to choose the shipping that you’d like.They are: 

  • Air,
  • Ground 
  • Sea 

These are all basically efficient ways to do this, but some are faster than others, and you’ll probably use one or more of these for each shipping.  Usually, you have to use ground for shipping to ports anyways for example. 

Air Shipping 

First, let’s go over the different types of air shipping. Express air is the best way, and they can take as little as three days to get to the customer. DHL is a good one, as they usually get customs clearance real fast.  It’s also pretty time efficient.

However, that doesn’t mean I’s perfect. It’s pretty expensive, but if you do this at fulfillment centers, there are ways to help with offsetting the costs. You’ve also got the standard air forms of shipping, which usually take about 18 days at most to get to. They’re also pretty fast and are very reliable. 

This is great too if you still want to use air shipping but want something a bit more cost effective. 

Sea Shipping 

Sea shipping takes a lot longer, but it also is one of the bests for reducing costs, and when you do this right, it’s reliable. It’s great for delivery times that have a bit more leniency, and for bigger orders, this is the best way to do this.

However, when ordering this during the holidays, this is one you’ve got to manage the logistics for the most, especially if you need stuff to get there at the right time, as this does take a lot longer. 

Standard sea shipping usually can take about 50 days or more sometimes, but it’s also the cheapest way, especially for super big orders. One thing to consider, is for super large orders, this is actually the best for the price. But expect to also add in another week for those huge orders, as they usually don’t fit everywhere.

One thing about this, is that it doesn’t really work well during the holidays, as while it is reliable, it’s not ideal for this time of the year. 

How to Plan this better 

This is important to plan early on.

Ground shipping usually takes about a week or so, but for other kinds of shipping, it can take a whole lot longer. Not to mention, we’re still feeling the effects of the pandemic, so if you’re going to launch a product that’s seasonal, plan this pretty well in advance. 

When you’re planning to ship for the holidays, you should plan about two months beforehand. That means, if you’re planning for Christmas, you should have everything ready to ship out with sea shipping by late October at the very latest, or early November if you’re going to use express shipping.

For the air shipping, you have a bit more leniency, but not a ton.

You should make sure that if you’re going to use specific types of ordering and different means, that you always let the customers know about this, so that they’re able to make purchase decisions beforehand, and aren’t caught holding the bag and frustrated as well. 

Sustainability in Packaging Stats 

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Sustainability is becoming the main focus for packaging. However, there is no solution that’s one size that’ll fit everything. The preferences that people have on these trends, and the different technologies that come up because of this offer solutions that are beneficial overall, and hit the needs that customers might have as well. 

Sustainability is becoming one of the major trends, and it’s what a lot of industries are trying to put together. Both Kellogg and Coca-Cola have both put together better processes for being sustainable, making sure that the packaging that they have by 2025 is totally recyclable, and that the packaging is as sustainable as it can be in the next ten years. 

The Rise of Mono Materials 

The biggest, most driving force for sustainability is the mono materials. This is one of the best ways to promote recyclability. There are many solutions that packagers are trying to deliver. Packagers are looking at these mono materials.

These are all made from the polymer grades, and they’re recycled both as one singular substance, but then utilize far less energy to create the circular loop that’s there. It’s lightweight, more flexible, and resistant to moisture. That’s why polyethylene is gaining a lot of traction.  This is starting to become a major strategy for brands. 

There are brands that are moving to 100% recyclability by the time 2025 rolls forward, and polyethylene will be an innovative packaging measure that is great for allowing closures and pouches to work. This is great for boosting the experience of a consumer, in both a product, functionality, and a security type of thinking.

This is great for offering better reclosability as well, and with the seal being nice and tight to offer a lock to prevent product spillage, this is working in great ways that offer immediate functionalities in place.

The closures of this are also offering convenience, and great recyclability and easy opening to meet the needs of consumers, and offering the best pouch solutions for programs so that they’re recycle-ready too. 

Multiple solutions 

Another big thing to look t, are the different solutions. While recycling is still the biggest factor, here is another part of this. The composability that happens, and also, a very attractive solution or those chances when you can’t recycle.  As more and more consumers are changing this, companies are noticing this. 

More companies are using sugar cane, oil, corn, hemp, and other compostable materials and films, creating a more circular type of economy. This type of compostable packaging does offer the product lifestyle that’s there, and offers you a chance to get the full benefits of compostable packaging. Walmart and other major retail giants are currently moving towards recyclability, and at least 17% of these private brands are trying to move towards post-consumer content. 

Target as well is moving towards this too, with the plan to be more sustainable, and is sourced directly from post consumer, stopping the production of virgin plastics.

But there are other trends that are happening too, with the current child-resistant packaging growing by up to 5.4% in the last couple of years, and it’s slated to continue growing.

The need to have packaging that’s safer for kids is vital, so that they don’t accidentally eat it and then choke on this.

We also will see more and more QR code packaging, as this is something that’s already been taking off, with brands including Pepsi offering a chance to boost cost-effective QR code packaging that works for the brand’s needs.

These are the major trends, and hopefully what’ll change in the future too.