Tag Archives: custom boxes

Why You Should Get a Sample Box 

If you’re someone who has a specific type of packaging, you might want to consider sample boxes. While it might seem like a good idea on paper, when you get a box and attempt to put it together, it may require a bit of tweaking. We’ll go over here, why you should get a sample box for your packaging needs.

Test the fit

Another thing to check before you ship it out is to test the fit. It’s hard to determine those dimensions that are exact, especially for products that are shaped weirdly. A sample box is a great way to evaluate the design and the structure, and also ensure that the packaging fits the product in a secure manner. When a box leaves room to move around, there is a chance that it will break. Plus customers will see that as a waste of space.

If it’s too small, then you risk product damage because you can’t offer any sort of cushion. You want to test this early, so that you can accommodate this product, so that it fits the needs that are there in a comfortable manner, and to help you get the best results that you can.

Check Quality 

You want to make sure that the printing, the finishes, and the like look good. While it might be good on paper to have some kind of finish, when you get the finished product, it might not look good. This is important, because a good printing output helps to showcase the brand to others better.

If your artwork wasn’t actively converted correctly, you can work with the designer to help with this. You may need to fine tune the details, and produce samples so that it’s good, and appealing to the customers. Checking quality early on, before you order boxes, will help you spend less down the line, and improve the way that the box communicates to others.

Add Finishing Touches

Finishing touches are good, because they let you find the flaws you didn’t see within the proofs. Sometimes, the proofs might look good, but when you get the sample box, you may want to tweak the fonts, adding some minor modifications to ensure that the product that you get at the end does look good. A lot of businesses blind themselves to the errors, and they may not care about it. but you know who will care about it?

The customer. A lot of times, customers have eyes like hawks, and they will notice those design flaws. When you get a box, make sure that all finalized tweaks are done so that you’re not getting customers upset. Plus, if you do have a good box, but a customer has a suggestion, you can add it down the line.

First impressions matter, and it’s vital to have a box that looks good, and one that showcases the best work possible. A sample box allows you to properly judge the box before it’s shipped out to customers.

There are tons of options for samples too, and you can ask for existing samples, which are there to help you determine if the thickness, the stock, and the printing or cutting is best for this. You can also test the package durability as well with existing samples.

You can also get custom ones from certain retailers, and these are made with you in mind, giving you an idea of what this will look like when it’s produced, giving you a feel for the quality, and it can also help you  determine whether you need to change things or not. Overall, get a sample, and make the changes now before it’s too late. 

Considerations for laminated standup pouch types 

Pouches that stand up and are laminated are a unique way to both display and also store the products of your choice. You can choose the size of the packaging, the color, even the lamination you wish to add to make it creative and fun. What should you determine when you’re choosing this kind of packaging? Here is what you need to know. 

How it’ll Show off the brand 

Being able to recognize the brand is super important. If the product justifies purchases that are repeated, it’s important to make sure that you offer pouches that are customized, in a manner that offers a packaging that customers can see, and then choose the product that you have. 

How you want to Sell and Promote It 

The biggest focus of a pouch is making sure that you use it in the manner that you want to. There are smaller pouches which we call sample or promo pouches, which are basically a way to get people to try out the product before they decide to buy it. Your ultimate goal with this, is to get customer favor, and usually, this alone will sell the products that are there.

The Way they’re displayed 

Pouches are used for display reasons that show the products that are there.

Sometimes, pouches that are made in smaller, simplistic ways earn the favor of others, because instead of something huge and obnoxious crowding the shelf, this can stand neatly on its own, making it easier for you to showcase the product, allowing you to improve the makeup of this. 

It also prevents packaging that’s distracting too, since they usually are made in ways that are simpler, so customers can see those, and there is ultimately far less demand. There is now more emphasis on the way that the products work, and the actual item inside. 

Preserve and Protect 

The main goal here is to protect this pouch, preserving it. 

This gauge is the main factor for ensuring that the product protects everything in a way.

If you have objects that are sharp, or even big and bulky, you might want to choose the gauge that’s bigger for this.

You also might want to consider this factor when you’re looking to freeze the items.

The right gauge and the features of the bad, and also materials and additives are great for ensuring that everything that’s frozen is preserved and protected over time as well, ensuring the proper freshness for the item, no matter how long it’s on the shelf. 

You may want to consider this factor for those products that do need freshness. One example of this is coffee. Some of these pouches offer what’s called degassing valves, so that all of the excess gas that’s in there, and it offers a chance to keep the beans nice and fresh.

There are a lot of great ways to use this, not just with coffee, but other means too. If you’re choosing a product that’s good for you to enjoy, and one that’s important to sell, you should always make sure that you start with the needs that are important, and you should also focus on these features that are custom as well.

A lot of people can benefit from this, and the cool thing about these pouches is how easy they are to use. With these standup pouches, the future is here, and you’ll be able to, with this, offer the top experience that you can to customers of all types. 

Pouches are the future of packaging, and something to keep in mind as well. 

What Freeze Drying Food Is 

If you’ve heard about freeze drying food and packaging, and have been curious about this, you’re not the only one. Many people want foods that are shelf-stable, and according to the current reports, this trend has grown. A lot of customers are moving towards items that aren’t perishable, and they want to have foods that are freeze-dried, making this immensely popular. 

For those just learning about this, you might wonder what it is, and here, we’ll go over this newfound technology, and why people are jumping on this. 

What is It? 

This is basically called lyophilization, which is basically the dehydration of food, where the moisture is then taken out, and it prevents the spoilage of items, building a better shelf life. 

Normal dehydration gets rid of a bit of the heat, but freeze drying is done on super cold levels of temperatures. 

This is actually considered to be the ultimate method to dry things, since this preserves various nutrients, the compounds, the texture, the color, even food flavor. But the downside to this, is that it can cost a lot, which is why this wasn’t limited to food production for those who are in space, specialty foods, and some sports foods that athletes eat.

Nowadays though, there is more freeze dried foods than ever before, including convenience store foods and the like, and there are many companies getting onto this as well. 

How this works 

It’s a process, and it uses something called sublimation, which is basically a process of changing the water that’s free within foods from solid into glasses, such as water vapor, without hitting the liquid levels either. It’s complicated, and it requires three parts.

The first, is the freezing part, which is the most important. It gets below triple point, which is another word for past the different phases, and is usually done with atmospheric pressure.

Then, after that you get sublimation, the drying part of this, lowering your pressures, and adding the heat to make this start to sublimate. This creates a vacuum that controls some pressures, speeding up the process of this as well. 

Finally, you’ve got absorption, and this is the process that’s the second part of the phase of drying, where it gets rid of the water that’s not frozen in there, and it usually increases this temperature to slightly past 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

The foods to Try 

There are tons of foods that can be freeze dried, but some of the most common ones are as follows: \–  veggies and fruits 

  • Grains and some legumes 
  • Teas, coffee, and juices 
  • Whole meals 
  • Legumes and grains 
  • Meats, eggs and seafood 
  • Sweeteners and some spices in liquid form 

Some of the most popular freeze-dried foods that people like to have are strawberries, bananas, milk, coffee that’s instant, chili con carne, syrup, and also pad Thai. 

These are usually stored and packaged within different spaces, and when it’s done correctly, this can last up to 25 years.  How does it make it necessary? Well, usually the environment protects this. 

It needs to be in areas that are cool, before 70 degrees, are nice and dry so that they’re not humid, don’t have oxygen in there, since it can reduce the oxidation from happening, and finally, it has to be dark, since some of the antioxidants will decrease when the sunlight hits them 

If you’re interested in these foods, consider adding these to your lists of foods to package, and also some of the other great foods that you can have as well. Try it today to see if you like it. 

Finding Food Packaging Vendors 

If you’re someone who is looking to package and carry food, you have to look at some different aspects of this to get the most that you can out of this. For some people, contract packaging might be the answer, and usually, they offer an infrastructure that’s specialized to make the correct options for food. You don’t want to choose between different vendors that you discover with google, you should definitely have certain criteria.  What are they though? What’s the ideal criteria for the job? You’re going to find out here. 

What’s the Food you’re Packaging 

First thing is you’ve got to determine the food that you’re packaging. This is pretty obvious, but some foods require you to have different machinery, service, and materials too. For frozen foods for instance, you’ve got some different requirements than powders and liquids. If you have different types of foods and multiple variants, you want to find a vendor that’s able to manage this. 

You want to make sure the food vendor you choose has everything that you’re looking for. 

What Else to Look For? 

You should look through different keywords, such as frozen food, or maybe powdered food. Look as well at different materials that help with this, the machinery, and also some of their resources. 

If you notice that the same company appears when you search for different keywords, that’s something good, because they have the materials that you need.

You also want one that offers the needs that you have. you want to make sure that the company is able to package everything that you need to.

You want to make sure that you have different co-packers too with different abilities, such as cold storage for example. You want to look at their websites, the identity that they have, and any knowledge that’s proper to fix the packaging solutions that are there too, in order to help you make the correct decision.  Don’t be afraid as well to look at the sales team through a LinkedIn search too. 

Find a Couple of Them 

Don’t settle for one and done. Choose between two or three of them, compare the capabilities that they offer, the machinery, the services, and the materials that they offer. 

When you search this, you want to choose one that offers good customer service too, and one with decent reviews. 

What next 

Okay, so you’ve settled on a couple of vendors, and they look reliable. Next, you want to get references. If they can’t provide that, that’s a red flag.  You can also ask for their qualifications and how they can prove to handle this project. 

You want to make sure that it offers the correct certifications as well, and make sure that there are some requirements for capabilities there too, and that they can handle other aspects.  And also see if they’re able to manage the project. Do they have stretch film to make this work? Do they have representatives that can show which vendor is necessary for your needs? 

If this is all there is, you’re definitely on the right path to a good packaging vendor, for it lets you see the vendors that are suited to the needs that you have, and also makes you choose the correct vendor for the job, and one that can help you get the most out of this. 

Finally, make sure that you talk to the customers, as you can see this from the training, testimonials, and the reviews. Ask for references, contact them, that way you can make the correct decision for the right types of aspects that you should focus on. 

Ways Small businesses can Save Money 

A lot of businesses are struggling because of many challenges they now have, including inflation, and a whole lot more.How can you prevent the rising inflation costs from destroying the business? Here are a few ways for you to do this, and also fight against the ever-rising cost of such.,

Consolidate your Suppliers 

You’re probably spending way too much on the packaging partners. Having someone who can handle all of the aspects that packaging creates will save you a boatload of money. That way, you’re not paying a ton of people to get the job done. It also takes a lot less time, and exposes a lot of great things. 

Process and Audit Packaging 

If you’re having issues with packaging, consider auditing the packaging and the processes to get the best kind there. This includes how the packages get handled with the supply chain, moving faster with a lot less touches, and getting the products to the market much sooner. You may also want to look at places where the packaging might be done off site, or through third-party suppliers that are there improving the efficiency of this. 

A lot of times, doing this as well will help to identify the opportunities to save costs, and a lot of times, this can be revamped to make it a lot better. You also might want to see if there is a LEAN type of operation going on there, helping to make sure that the processes that are used are ideal, and so they’re saving you a boatload of money. 

Redesign the packaging to evaluate this 

You also might want to look at how you’re packaging the products. There are times when you may have packaging that’s too over packaged, which is a fancy name for way too much filler or something else that’s not making it necessary.

You can redesign this, saving you a lot of costs and also reducing the costs of shipping due to eliminating the weight. There is also the possibility of SKU  consolidations, which actually save you some money because you’re not leaving the items all over the floor, preventing it from possibly getting harmed as well.

Sometimes, there are also types of packaging that get run on different equipment, offering a leaner packaging process that’s automated to save on the labor and the materials.  There are definitely benefits to this, especially since labor costs are rising, and if you can, automating the packaging process will save you a ton of money. You should also look at product samples, offering better labor costs, rates for shipping, and lowers the returns that are there too.

Sometimes as well, “tweaking” your product dimensions of some cartons, or even changing the flaps will change the costs that are there, and even eliminate the unnecessary costs that sit there too. 

Review It 

Finally, review the techniques for printing. This is something that a lot of ecommerce brands will realize, especially as they start to make this work. You should look at the printing and cutting and see if there is a way to possibly get digital printing. You also want to make sure that you’re not using too much of this, but instead, you want to make sure that you send them out with the right kind of printing that looks good.

At the end of the day, getting a packaging partner can help with this, and if you’re someone who is struggling to hit the margins with the product packaging, consider these techniques, and use them today to improve your packaging experience as well too

How to Make the Perfect Holiday Packaging 

Looking to create the ideal packaging this holiday season?  You’re not alone. Packaging is made to make the thing look better for customers and increase their interest. There are tons of packaging that you can look at too, including paperboard, boxes, mailers, tubes, and a whole lot more. Packaging is a way to look different for companies during the holiday season, communicating the package contents, the volume of this, and really get the festive feelings going. The right packaging is great, and there are a lot of great printed kinds of packaging that’ll help to celebrate the season and impress those around you. 

First, find the Prints and the Budget 

Your first step, when designing holiday packaging, is to find the ideal image for your product, and how you’d like to print it. Some packaging looks good with it on there, others may look better with the packaging being more holiday themed.

You also need to look at the budget too. Your budget may include the amount allocated to the custom packaging, the cost for a unit of this, how complex it is, and the like. Make sure that you fully clarify all of these before you set the number and order anything, as it’ll help you get the most that you can from this. 

Look at Your Products 

You also need to look at the types of products that you’re selling and consider their packaging too. We mean any sorts of small items that you are going to be selling. For instance, let’s take cosmetics.You can sell these in the normal packaging, but if you’re looking to create sleeves that do fit over this, it can help to boost the way that this looks. You may want to consider different kinds of packaging though, and unique boxes and the like. 

This is a great way to improve the exclusivity of the product. If you’ve got holiday collections, you need to have exclusive packaging for this. 

Types of Boxes 

So you’ve also got the boxes to factor in as well. Mailer boxes are a good base point if you’re someone who doesn’t want to spend too much, but also would like something that looks good. Have a bit more money in the budget? Consider rigid boxes. They even come with lids too, and they also come in unique kinds. This is much more premium, compared to the other kinds of packaging, so it’s best if you make sure that you consider this for any luxury products. 

You can also look at different additives that you want on this. For instance, do you want something that’s got a unique shape? Maybe some magnetic locking on this? Or maybe, inserts that are made of foam.

These are much more high-end, but for the big tag products, you’ll want this. 

Finally, create it 

Finally, you want to just create the box. Follow the composition basics that go into this. You’ll want to balance images with figures to create better symmetry within the designs, and also, you’ll want to look at colors too. Contrasting colors make it look better. For different colors, this is much more appealing visually.

Artwork and designs are some of the biggest parts of this, especially when creating the holiday packaging. To make stuff stand out and offer the right connection, make sure that you mix all of these together in a unique way.

Master this, and you’ll create holiday packaging that really shines, and you’ll get customers who will want more and more from you, and want to get extra packages, even outside of the holidays. 

The Little Differences that Make Packaging Shine 

With more and more people opting for custom packaging, and innovative along with creative packaging designs, you have to remember that it does take a bit of money and time to master the quality of this. Offering consistent designs for the boxes are really good, and there are certain things that can make your packaging massively stand out. 

Multiple Uses for Boxes 

If you’re going to have packaging that’s on display in stores, you want to make sure that the customers utilize the products without taking time to move this to other kinds of containers, and also make sure that you find packaging that fits this. 

This makes the life of a customer a lot easier. For example, nutrition bar packaging works like this. They have a box that is used to ship out the bars, but that same box is opened up, and then put on display. 

Saves you time, money, and saves the employees time opening it too. 

Stop with the Void Fillers 

While it may be good to protect the items, the thing is, it can be really bad for packaging. Part of it is due to too many void fillers, which end up taking up too much space and it also is work for the customer to dispose of this. 

But not only that, the type of void fillers matter too.  Bubble wrap and foam pellets are not going to be recyclable, and they’re not biodegradable, so it’s seen as wasteful. 

If you’re going to use it, you should go for Kraft paper. 

Or, if you’re ready to say goodbye to these, consider custom box inserts. You can build these inserts out of cardboard or foam, and everything fits well in there. the customer can take it out, and then there they go, they have the product! 

Make it Personal 

If you’re looking to make your custom packaging stand out, you want to personalize this. A small note, thanking them in the box, even a branded message makes a huge difference. Little notes are personal though, and it’s something that gives it a humanlike touch in a transaction that’s otherwise done over the internet. 

It can build returns, and also produce loyal customers, so make sure that you do include this. Messages, notes and the like are exactly what customers may do, and it’s something that benefits the brand. 

Use Creative Stickers 

This is something that definitely is great for making a big impact on the brand. Plus, it can be fun. But the problem is, these get pricey over time, and they take a while to design. The best way to overcome this, are stickers that are custom, as they improve the branding without changing the way that the box looks, and they’re simple, but effective. This is great for when you want to use holiday packaging and other means. 

Go Green 

Green initiatives are something that you should work on. This is one of the best and easiest ways to change the packaging. Giving them tips on how to dispose of this in ways that are environmentally friendly shows that you care about the planet, and you can even include this on your website. 

You can change the designs that are on there to signs that are green, and you should make sure to incorporate these too. 

The small changes that are there offer a major impact on the packaging that’s otherwise not really different from others. Change your packaging just a little bit, and you’ll notice that this creates a magical packaging that customers will love and want to buy once again. 

Why You should Use a Tape Dispenser 

Tape dispensers are a godsend for packaging for various reasons. They improve how efficient you are in all sorts of areas, and for a lot of businesses that are still growing, tape dispensers are the answer. Here, we’ll go over why you should invest in a tape dispenser now. 

The types 

There are tons of different types of tape dispensers, and each of them have a variety of functions. They include: 

  • A handheld tape dispenser which saves you money and literally just requires you to use your hand to dispense the tape. 
  • Pistol grip, which is great for wider tape rolls, and they can be up to a couple inches wide. 
  • Carton sealing dispensers, which are made from high-impact steel and plastic, which uses heat-treated blades and a roll-on sort of mechanism to seal your packaging. 
  • Definite length, which is one that’s good for accurate tape measurements, and this is great for ones that want something super accurate, as this is equipped with different controls, and it can dispense multiple rolls. 
  • Semi-automatic applicators, which are some of the most advanced, and they can dispense up to enough tape for 40 boxes a minute 

Obviously, there are a ton of different kinds, and there’s  a reason why you have a lot of different options for dispensing the tape that you have. 

Why Use a Tape Dispenser 

There are tons of benefits that come to this whenever you do use a tape dispenser. 

First and foremost, it increases your packaging speed, letting you get through a lot more packages in less time.  regardless of whether the dispenser is semi-automatic or automatic, this is one that’s definitely efficient for the packaging that you have. 

It also reduces the product waste that’s there.  Anyone who has used tape and scissors before knows that there is waste when you do it like this. But with a tape dispenser, this is one that also gets rid of the excess waste, and tape dispensers are great for higher packaging volumes. 

It’s also much more consistent. Regardless of the efficiency of an employee, they aren’t able to get it correct and consistent each time. with a tape dispenser, you’re able to be consistent, and really be able to hit the margins that you’re going for with each dispenser, making it easier for you. 

It’s also much better in the long haul too. 

Think about it, if you have consistent, accurate, and simple results on the regular, you’ll be able to save yourself some money over time. a tape dispenser offers you a chance, especially with the high-quality ones, to be consistent with it every single time. 

Instead of messing up the amount of tape that you use for this, a tape dispenser takes out the guesswork, and it takes out the inconsistency, and instead it will help you be able to easily and effectively create the perfect tape dispensers that’ll aid you and your business. 

With that said, not all tape dispensers are created equal. Some people may like to use tape dispensers that are big and bulky, which is fine if you have a lot of projects. If your projects are few and far between, you don’t need a big ol’ tape dispenser for this. 

With that said, look at all of the options that you have for tape dispensers, and see for yourself just what kind of tape dispenser you might need, and what will provide you with the exact needs that you have for this sort of product packaging as well, and help you seal your boxes too. 

How to Choose the right box for stuff 

Choosing the correct box for packages is becoming more and more popular, and it’s something that’s great for a lot of stores, and online shopping is using this too. Choosing the correct box can be overwhelming though, and the key to figuring out the best types of boxes for your product is based on these questions. 

The size 

One of the biggest and most obvious is the size. Too big, and you put the product at risk, or you have to use a bunch of void fill to fix this. You also are going to pay a whole lot more for shipping too in that regard. Too small, and it tends to be too stiff, and you end up messing up the product within. Custom boxes are the best way to go with something like that, and you never have to worry about the dimensions being too off. 

Product Flexibility 

There are a few types of factors to consider. Some products can handle a bit of the force used against them, so they tend to get folded, bent up, and otherwise used in ways that usually would possibly mess up a product, but they remain not damaged. 

Other products are not so much. Some of them might end up getting broken by even the smallest of motions. You need to make sure you choose a product that can handle this, and then, make sure that you don’t have to repay for new replacements, because that does happen. 

Slotted kraft boxes are great for heavier items, as they offer support flaps, and they are sealed through the use of tape to ensure a product stays where it belongs. 

Consider the adaptability 

The adaptability of your product is also a huge factor when you’re going to choose a box. If the product is going to be shipped out to a variety of environments, you need to make sure that the package isn’t going to be thrown or unloaded too hard either.  Or if it is, you also make sure that there is enough packaging protecting this, since it can lead to reduced breakages of the packages. 

The Aesthetics 

The way your box looks and stands out to customers does matter. Both customers and handlers like to see packages that look unique, so if you want to, set it apart with a design that’s funky, or a color that’s nice and vibrant as well. 

The Brand Identity 

If you’re struggling to make sure that the packaging is really seen, also look to question your brand identity. You should try to ensure a logo is printed on the box directory. You need to make sure that customers feel some kind of joy when they see the product. Having your image on there tells them directly “oh, this is my product, my packaging. Time to open it!” This improves the brand consistency, and it can make it better for you, especially if you’re struggling to get the most that you can out of this. 

For a lot of brands the box does play a huge part in this. Without a box that’s fitting for this, you do put the returns and the exchanges at risk, and lots of times, you also put at risk the fact that you may have customers upset. 

The key to this is to choose a box that fits the needs, and make sure that you have products and packaging that are fitting to the needs that you have, and also fits the way you want your packaging to stand out for your business as well.