The top 10 items US consumers are embarrassed to buy at physical shops include condoms (29%), emergency contraceptives (26%), bed bug spray (26%), head lice treatment (25%), hemorrhoid cream (24%), diarrhea medication (24%), pregnancy kit (23%), bladder leak or incontinence products (23%), menstrual products (23%), and cold sore medicine (23%).

More good news: brands can ship your order without any product identification or company name to prevent couriers or nosy neighbors from discovering what you bought from their store.

And that’s what discreet packaging is all about. 

Discreet packaging uses plain—no conspicuous design or imagery—shipment boxes or mailers with minimal labeling to avoid drawing attention and ensure its contents remain confidential.

Ambiguous Exterior: “Masking” What’s Inside

Discreet packaging uses the following to keep its contents a secret:

1. Plain boxes or bags

You can use plain white, Kraft, or neutral-colored carton mailers, shipping boxes (full overlap or slotted), or bags with little to no branding.

2. Generic/White labels

Discreet shipping labels can feature only a tracking number, recipient’s address, and any legally required descriptions, depending on your product. You don’t have to include your company name or business logo.

3. Stealth packaging

Packaging materials with tamper-proof features aren’t easy to rip open, securing the quality—and quantity—of its contents. They may use special seals and tapes that need scissors or blades to open. This makes it obvious if others besides the recipient attempted to look inside.

Product Categories Requiring Discreet Packaging

Customers are most likely to request or expect discreet shipping for the following categories:

1. Medication and healthcare products

Some health conditions are considered too embarrassing or sensitive that your customers are secretive about them and may prefer discreet packaging for their medicine. Examples include:

• Digestive and urinary problems (diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, incontinence)
• Personal hygiene troubles (body odor, foul breath, excessive sweating)
• Hair and skin trouble (balding and acne)
• Snoring or sleep apnea
• Fungal or viral infection (toes, nails, reproductive organs)
• Pregnancy

Take InControl Diapers, for example. A YouTube video from InControl shows that the adult urine and bowel incontinence diaper brand delivers orders in plain packaging. The box only has a label with your shipment number, name, and address.

2. Vapes

The amended Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT Act) prohibits the shipment of vaping products, e-cigarettes, and similar devices with or without “aerosolized solutions” via the US Postal Service (USPS). 

It also specifies the wording for packaging labels. “Permitted [cigarette/smokeless tobacco/ENDS] mailing—delivery only upon age verification” must appear in all caps on the mailpiece’s address side, based on its mailing guidelines. 

VapeA1 boasts “extra discreet plain box shipping.” The company ships customers’ packages from any of its four warehouses with available supplies that are closest to them.

3. Cannabidiol (CBD)

CBD regulations vary by state but have common features. For instance, New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management and California’s Department of Cannabis Control require CBD retailers to use child-resistant and tamper-evident packaging that encloses the entire product.

CBD packaging shouldn’t contain elements—such as cartoonish or bubble-like fonts and bright colors—that can be confused with candies or snacks and may attract people aged 20 and below. 

Also, the state expects CBD retailers to use packaging material that will protect the content from light and other contaminants that can lead to product deterioration during storage. Both states require graphic markers on the CBD boxes and packaging.

Overall, vendors should accurately indicate CBD levels on product labels to avoid getting warning letters from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

One recent agency study showed that only 31% of 84 CBD extracts sold online bore labels accurately listing the CBD content of their goods. The FDA has issued warnings to 12 firms marketing CBD-related products as of July 26, 2023.

Meanwhile, six companies received cease and desist letters from the Federal Trade Commission for using deceptive marketing for their edible goods containing Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, another compound from cannabis sativa. The packaging resembled the designs of popular snacks, such as Doritos, Cheetos, and Nerds Rope Candy.

Utah-based WholesomeCo shows a discreet but not plain-looking packaging for its medical cannabis.

4. Adult products

Adult products include alcoholic drinks, lingerie, and sexual wellness products or sex toys.

New Zealand-based company Elusive Lingerie tells its customers to specify in the shipping “Notes” section that they want discreet shipping. Otherwise, they’ll get their order in a plain white but branded box.

Standard shipping procedures apply for sexy sleepwear, but for liquor and pleasure toys, consider the following:

Liquor

Like in CBD, state governments set rules for shipping liquor directly to consumers, including the allowable types, maximum amount, and required permit or license. In general, brands can’t send them through the USPS.

Eight states and territories accept D2C shipments of all spirits, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures website, which lists the details of each state’s requirements:

• Hawaii
• Nebraska
• Kentucky
• West Virginia
• New Hampshire
• Rhode Island
• Florida
• District of Columbia

In most states, shipments must be conspicuously labeled with these wordings: “Contains alcohol: Signature of person age 21 or older required for delivery.” 

Labels on alcohol shipments for New York residents must also have the same words but must end with “Not for Resale.” Meanwhile, the labels on North Dakota-bound shipments don’t require the phrase “Contains alcohol.”

Pleasure toys

Brands should check state laws on shipping sex toys, the sale of which is banned in Alabama (due to its Anti-Obscenity Enforcement Act of 1998), Texas, and Georgia. In Texas, these adult products should be identified as “novelties.” You’ll find them sold at local novelty stores.

Bonjibon uploaded a video on TikTok showing its “super boring” white label-plain packaging for its sexual wellness products.

Expensive or luxury goods

Luxury or high-end products include:

• Fashion items: watches, jewelry, precious stones, expensive perfume, designer clothing, bags, and shoes
• High-tech gadgets: headphones, tablets, laptops, electronics, drones, video or film production devices, medical equipment
• Artwork: prints, paintings, sculptures, collectibles

6. Political items

You can ship individual candidate campaign products to thank donors and supporters or send them in bulk ahead of mass rallies and sorties. These items can include:

• Pins
• Magnets
• Bumper stickers
• Doorknob hanger tags
• Pens
• Notepads
• Stress balls
• Hand fans
• Sunglasses
• Wristbands
• Lanyards
• Keychains
• Umbrellas
• Caps and hats
• Banners
• Balloons
• Table throws
• Mugs
• Tote bags
• Shirts
• Yard signs
  

3 Steps for Memorable Unboxing with Discreet Packaging

In customizing your discreet packaging’s interior, you can go all-out on box design, colors, and messaging. Get as creative as you want to provide a unique unboxing experience by trying these steps:

1. Greet your customer

Print “Thank you,” “Hello,” or any other catchy and personalized message at the back of your box’s cover or lid to acknowledge your client’s purchase and to introduce your brand further.

Your business name, logo, and other particulars can also fill this spot.

2. Wrap their order in custom tissue paper and a brand sticker

Use tissue paper and stickers bearing your logo, brand name, colors, and patterns to make your customers remember your business even after they’ve used up your product.

3. Include promotional inserts

Add custom promotional inserts based on your engagement and customer acquisition goals:

• Thank buyers with a customized insert instead of printing a message on the back of your box’s lid.
• Get client feedback on their purchase and connect with them online through social share inserts.
• Include a referral card to the package encouraging current customers to refer their friends to your company with a purchase discount.

You can also use these inserts for instructions on using the product or to share your company history, online or offline events, and upsell opportunities. 

How Discreet Packaging Boosts Your Business

You can reap the following benefits when you offer discreet packaging:

Privacy

Confidentiality works two ways—by concealing your business name and the specifics of your customer’s order, you guard your reputation and your buyer’s privacy.

Some frustrated clients take videos of discreet shipping failures. Prospects who come across such videos are likely to get turned off when they discover your brand doesn’t ship as discreetly as you claim.

Meanwhile, contented customers can polish your image when they leave positive feedback on your review forms and social channels for your expert handling of their sensitive orders.

Security

Discreet packaging isn’t just for embarrassing body-related products but also for high-end items. Generic-looking packaging can prevent theft, damage, or destruction.

Box interior optimization

Although you must be unobtrusive on the outside, your box can bear all your branding elements on the inside. 

Optimize your packaging box’s interior by printing your brand colors, logo, slogan, or personalized message on it. You can also wrap your product with custom tissue and seal it with a custom label or sticker. 

Be intentional with your packaging inserts—use eco-friendly materials for dividers or holders, and include thank you and social share request cards to promote extended engagement with your shoppers.

Available Courier Services for Your Discreet Packages

The country’s top couriers treat various product categories differently. Below is a summary of their services:

You can also opt to work with a fulfillment center, which offers discreet labeling along with shipping services.

Future-Proof Your Business with Discreet Packaging

With 24% of retail purchases expected to happen online by 2026, offering delivery options to your customers—including discreet shipping—can prevent you from being pushed aside by fierce competitors. Over two million retailers operate in the country according to the Census Bureau.

Surprise your customers—or at least don’t make them regret shopping with you—by working with seasoned packaging suppliers that provide white-glove treatment from box type selection to prototyping.

Refine Packaging specializes in customized mailers and shipping boxes, including packaging for brands that seek a balance between a discreet exterior and an impressive interior box design.

We can work with a print-ready design that aligns with our artwork guidelines to ensure a smooth and speedy production process. At the same time, our packaging design specialists can provide expert advice, from box structure to packaging inserts and inside printing. These accomplished graphic artists and engineers can apply their expertise and skills to make your packaging a trust-building vehicle for your brand.

Your journey with us includes 2D and 3D mockup development, which allows you to examine and test your box in its folded-up form before production. Contact us today to discuss your discreet packaging needs.

The post Discreet Packaging: The Ultimate Retail Embarrassment Cure appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Your target market’s initial impression of the packaging powerfully sways their buying decision. Shoppers can get your item from the shelf and examine it more closely (or click your product image online and read more about it) before adding it to their cart. Or they can pass you up for another item.

Packaging’s marketing role is undeniable in a world increasingly focused on online engagement. Tangibility still matters, with an enticing physical presence improving your company’s brand recognition and recall more than digital communications.

How can packaging support your branding and marketing strategy? 

It all starts with understanding your buyer’s behavior. So let’s dive in and discover what makes packaging a potent conversion tool. Also, we’ll tackle how you can track your packaging’s performance.

It’s Not What They Look at But What They “See”

In packaging design, you must plan with the end in mind. For brands, this entails balancing two primary goals—product safety and customer appeal. The box or container must protect the product until it reaches the customer. At the same time, the packaging should make the buyer feel happy about the purchase and transacting with the company.

Factors Influencing Consumer Perception

Let’s admit it: despite humanity’s great strides in knowledge—including sales tactics, we’re still prone to the bias from positive first impressions, also known as the halo effect.

This bias applies in shopping and packaging—consumers are inclined to choose products based on appearance. The following factors can affect how they perceive your brand:

Color

Color can create emotions leading to desire, disgust, or indifference. Researchers and market analysts reported that 85% of consumers selected products based on color.

Thus, knowing the psychology of colors—the messages they convey—is necessary for your color choice in packaging design. Your selection should be consistent with your brand’s mission and personality. 

Although culture, life experiences, and socialization affect color preferences, graphic designers and marketers refer to guides and charts like the one above when designing their branding assets, including packaging designers looking for inspiration.

Meanwhile, recent research shows that blue currently holds the record as the most-liked color (preferred by 57% of men and 35% of women).

Shape and size

Factors such as the size of your box can depend on your target market’s demographics. For instance, children view product sizes and shapes differently than adults. Grown-ups may lean toward easy-to-carry products with minimal excess weight, but large-size or uniquely shaped packaging may excite younger consumers.

Texture

Although product packaging should look attractive even from a distance, it’s meant to be touched. Glossy and smooth packaging can give products a premium look and feel. Meanwhile, eco-conscious consumers might appreciate Kraft paperboard or molded pulp boxes, which may feel rough and barely have any design. One forecast shows a growing demand for barrier coating—for paper and board packaging—as a plastic substitute and will hit $11 billion by 2028, based on 2022 prices.

Layout, fonts, and graphics

A well-laid-out packaging box with a clear and sharp logo and images plus readable typography for your product name, description, and instructions make it easy for shoppers to know how your product can benefit them. 

Packaging Reveals What Consumers Want to Know About a Brand

Effectively designed packaging can answer your target market’s questions about you and your product. Shoppers typically want to know:

• What company produced this product?
• Why did they develop this product?
• What process did the business use to create the product?
• Where was this product made?
• What makes this product the best or better than others in the same category?

Including the following information in your custom packaging can convince consumers that buying your products is worth their money:

• Nutritional and health facts
• Ingredients
• Eco-friendly information
• Brand name
• Reasons for choosing your brand
• Certifications and awards
• Detailed instructions
• Cautionary notes
• Government regulations

Moreover, your packaging material and structure can reveal how much care you put into ensuring your product’s usability and consumer safety. In a video from The Packaging School, founder Dr. Andrew Hurley emphasizes that thoroughly knowing your product is crucial in developing packaging that hits safety targets for both your item and those who’ll use it. He says clarifying these aspects about your product can help you nail your packaging design:

1. Form and nature of your product

Your product’s state (solid, liquid, or gas) will determine what material you need to package it. 

Beyond dimensions and weight, you must also consider what’s required to prevent leakage and adverse chemical reaction due to temperature, moisture, and the packaging material itself.

2. Needed protection at each level of the sales cycle

Your packaging must keep your product safe from the stockroom or warehouse to its transfer to couriers or fulfillment centers that will transport and deliver it to your retailer or customer.

3. Product’s end user and expected interaction with the product

Customers may have unique preferences, but convenience is universal across your demographics. For instance, a resealable package is advisable for a kid’s beverage, while gable top carton boxes are handy for adults.

4. Presentation

Your packaging must differentiate your product from other players in your niche or industry. Moreover, it should include a surprise element, particularly an unboxing experience better than they expected.

5. Sustainability beliefs and regulations

Research your target market’s beliefs on sustainability in packaging and the laws at the locations where you distribute or sell your goods. Six US states currently uphold Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies on the disposal of hard-to-recycle materials: Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, New Jersey, and Maine. Use your packaging to communicate how your company adheres to EPR laws.

How to Use Packaging as a Marketing Tool

Packaging is now at the forefront of brand awareness and promotions after some marketers renamed their seventh marketing P from the overarching “physical evidence” to packaging.

Here are seven ways you can optimize packaging as your “silent salesperson”:

1. Include customized packaging in your branding

You can use packaging to reinforce your brand identity because it receives the highest engagement with your consumers next to your product. For consistency, your packaging should include these brand elements according to your style guidelines:

Name

The brand-to-product association is so strong at times that some names have undergone genericization—the trademark becomes synonymous with that class of products. 

Examples include Kleenex for tissue paper, Band-Aid for adhesive bandages, and Xerox for copying machines. Other genericized brands include Velcro, Lego, Google (“Let’s Google it.”), and Photoshop (“I think that was photoshopped.”).

Logo and brand graphics

Your logo is your visual trademark, which must be recognizable as your brand name—if not more memorable. Graphics separate from your logo must use your brand color palette.

Color palette

Your packaging should ideally use your brand colors, which should’ve been chosen after analyzing your target audience and competitors. Some designers advise using up to three colors for maximum memory retention.

Slogan

Slogans are simple and catchy phrases representing your brand’s personality. They’re also crafted to function as mini-mission statements.

M&M: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.”

FedEx: “Where now meets next.”

Nokia: “Connecting People.”

Typography

Your fonts should be easy to read and express product information. Their look must also fit the style of your other branding elements.

Images

Images or visual elements must be crisp and attractive enough to tug at your target market’s heartstrings. They should also represent your brand message and the product’s unique value.

2. Think out of the box for higher shelf impact

Does your packaging seem to blend with other products on retailers’ shelves? Although shoppers have subconscious packaging expectations for different product categories, your brand must have unique elements that will help you stand out in a sea of other competing products. Two steps can help you achieve this:

Audience research

Conduct a simple online poll (try Twitter or LinkedIn) and ask your target buyers what they consider to be typical packaging in your product category.

Competitor research

Look through store shelves and compare the designs of your rival products. You might notice similarities in color and typography—these are the core design elements of your category. Doing something different but still in tune with your audience’s survey results is worth the risk.

Finnish company Sitko’s artisan pizza box is one example of unconventional design. It only uses black and white and shows off its sourdough balls—described as the “heart and soul” of its business—in various irregularly rounded shapes.

Meanwhile, Norway’s Freja did quite the opposite, playing up Nordic geometric shapes and a bright—although still limited—color palette for its rebranded bone broth line.

Below, this unique nature-based concept by Vu Digital encases bottles like flower petals.

Meanwhile, one designer used insect-themed window boxes for lightbulb packaging. 

3.   Incorporate packaging in your marketing campaigns

Although packaging can promote your product on its own, it’s most influential when used in tandem with the rest of your marketing arsenal. You can feature them in your digital (social media and website or Google ads) or offline (billboards, print, and TV) ad campaigns.

Aligning your packaging with your ad strategies may be as simple as using custom tape, labels, and sleeves on stock packaging boxes.

4.   Make it functional

Packaging should be durable and user-friendly in that storing, opening, resealing, and displaying them shouldn’t be a struggle. New packaging trends, such as smart packaging features, offer tamper detection and counterfeiting technologies such as QR codes and RFID tags.

Functional packaging can also refer to ergonomic handling and dual-purpose design. For instance, Motorola’s Razr 5G comes in a box that doubles as a phone holder-stand.

The Botanist Gin’s functional liquor boxes also double as a reusable planter. When you can repurpose your packaging, you get plus points for sustainability.

5.   Personalize through promotional elements

Add a personal touch through packaging inserts, such as thank-you cards, coupons, or customer-specific samples. You can follow the STP model to determine the most appropriate personalization add-ons. The acronym stands for segmentation, targeting, and positioning. 

Segmentation is dividing your customers into groups based on shared traits. Targeting is determining each segment’s buying power and identifying those most likely to convert. Finally, positioning is developing a marketing mix for each group.

To illustrate how the model works, small business owners can apply STP by including handwritten thank you messages in the package of first-time buyers, addressing them by their names. They can add freebies—stickers, trinkets, or a product sample—that complement their purchase to encourage repeat business.

Meanwhile, for returning customers, a referral card (offering discounts to the customer and a friend) or loyalty program invite can help expand your client base and deepen engagement.

McKinsey reported that 71% of consumers expect brands to personalize their interactions. Meanwhile, 88% of shoppers surveyed by Salesforce said their experience with a company is as important as the product or services they offer. McKinsey adds that personalization can increase revenues by five percent to 15%.

6.   List all the ways they can reach you online

Use social share inserts or print your social channels directly on your custom box and labels to encourage clients to connect with you online for feedback and queries. Be upfront about requesting a review and include a link that directs them to your corresponding webpage.

Also, include your main hashtags to encourage customers to look them up online and use them in their posts and tweets.

7.   Provide themed or limited edition packaging

Holidays and occasions such as your subscriber’s birthday and anniversary of their loyalty program membership or first order offer opportune moments for you to produce variations of your packaging. Themed packaging instantly turns your products into giftable items—something not-so-crafty buyers warmly welcome.

Moreover, you can roll out limited-edition packaging for specific products. Doing so can entice shoppers to buy before supplies run out and give them a sense of exclusivity because they acquired something unique to your brand and not available to the rest of the public. 

Grow with the Packaging Industry’s Marketing Thought Leaders

Once your packaging design is done, finding a capable packaging and printing company can make or break your marketing dreams. Choosing a printer with established thought leadership in this area can give you peace of mind. Besides being masters of the technical process, such service providers are aware of what makes a design arresting and professional-looking.

Refine Packaging is more than just dependable—we’re committed to ensuring your custom packaging becomes a profitable growth driver. And our dedication to your marketing success isn’t just lip service. Check out our blog section where we discuss the essentials of design, printing, and distribution. We’re serious about what we do, but always aim to keep simplicity and lightheartedness at the center of it all.

No matter what stage in the business you’re going through, we’re here for you. Our team includes in-house designers so you can get answers to any marketing concerns. Contact us today for a free consultation or more information about our process.

The post Optimizing Packaging for Marketing: 7 Client Engagement Keys appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Packvertising had intended to be a separate and more cost-effective alternative to traditional ad placements. Brands included flyers, vouchers, and promotional stickers in the box for added ways to connect and engage with consumers.

When COVID-19 struck, social media became flooded with at-home unboxing videos. The trend elevated the packaging box as an extension of every product, coming under the same scrutiny as its content in vlogs and influencer videos. Many brands now compete by showing off their product’s primary and secondary packaging in paid advertisements.

In light of this development, you may wonder: is it really worth investing in not just branded packaging but ads that include your product boxes? How can you make your packaging ad-ready?

This article answers these questions as we discuss improving your packaging ROI through ad placements that feature your custom branded packaging.

What Is Packaging ROI?

Your investment in packaging includes payments for design, packaging material, printing, distribution, and promotional activities.

How to calculate packaging ROI

You can apply the basic formula for ROI in calculating your product packaging ROI. That is, divide your net profit—the amount you earned from an investment or the investment cost minus its present value—by the investment cost and multiply the result by 100.

ROI =  (Net profit / Investment Cost) x 100

However, other factors contribute to packaging ROI. They include the following:

Damage reduction

A solid, structural packaging design results in savings for shipping and replacement of goods returned due to dents, breakage, or other damage. By protecting fragile goods, you can avoid processing returns, which can run up to 59% of the item’s original price.

Improved environmental profile

A quarter of consumers prefer buying from brands that use sustainable packaging, which Statista lists as the second top consideration among American shoppers after coupons and discounts.

Higher sales

Consumers have become more careful about how brands influence their buying decisions. 82% of shoppers in a Razorfish poll said they favor brands that stand for a greater societal purpose, which brands can achieve through packaging that conveys their intended contributions to the community. Your sales performance after your new packaging design’s launch is a good indicator of your ROI.

Recurring customers

When shoppers are delightfully surprised or satisfied with their initial purchase, their positive experience leads to what is called a “brand halo” effect. As a result, they’re likely to buy again and tell others about the product. American subscription box companies combine the power of packaging’s visual appeal with anticipation in keeping and growing their client base, which stands at 61 million. 

Top 3 Reasons to Include Custom Packaging in Your Ad Campaigns

You can double the influence of packaging over your target audience in the following ways when you incorporate them in your ads:

1. Packaging enhances your social media presence

Before the pandemic lockdowns, businesses used packvertising as a standalone marketing channel. They relied on extra features such as multi-page labeling and inserts containing rebates, discount coupons, and product information to attract buyers and engage customers.

When self-isolation mandates took effect, brands didn’t only ramp up their shipping and delivery procedures. They also ensured that their packaging would make up for the excitement and pleasure derived from in-store shopping. Their strategy included packaging in their content marketing and advertisements, mainly on their target market’s preferred social platforms. You can apply the same tactic to your online promotions. 62% of consumers tend to buy products a purchaser features in an image or video post.

Although unboxing videos reportedly started as early as 2006 (featuring a Nokia E61 phone), the contemporary content creators’ commentary covers the entire package—literally—from the box to its contents and fillers.

2. Packaging helps manage your customer’s expectations about a product

Advertisements featuring your product with its packaging promote transparency. Such ads can promote trust if you’re selling high-end products. As they say: the higher the price, the higher the customer’s expectations.

Potential buyers discover the item’s dimension and how large—or small—it is compared to its box. These visuals are more mentally digestible and retainable than a written description.

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3. Packaging allows you to receive immediate feedback

Why not hit two birds with one stone by asking your followers to comment on your packaging when you publish your social media ad?

How to Optimize Packaging for Advertising Success

You can succeed at including customized packaging in your advertising strategy by taking these steps:

1. Conduct market research and analysis

Market research and analysis help you discover more about your target market, competitors, and the packaging industry. Your study should ideally give insights about:

• Who belongs to your target market and their pain points
• Where your target and existing buyers research to discover and learn more about products and services
• Which of your rivals does your target audience turn to for options and information
• What influences conversions and purchases among your target audience
• What aspects of your competitors’ packaging are working for them
• Whether there’s a demand for your business initiatives
• Underserved or unaddressed consumer needs your business can turn into a selling opportunity
• What’s trending in your industry in the buyer’s eyes
• Consumer attitudes toward a particular topic or consumer issue, a brand or product, and pricing
  

2. Identify your goals and metrics

Surveying your target audience and industry helps you define or clarify the objectives and success indicators for your packaging.

Goals should reflect what your brand identity wishes to convey—a message (such as your unique selling point) and emotion (your brand personality)—besides growth objectives, such as increasing awareness, loyalty, and referrals. Meanwhile, success metrics include brand recall, conversion, retention, and word-of-mouth.

3. Pick the appropriate design, packaging materials, and box style (Proceed to points 4 or 5 if you have existing packaging)

Your design, paper stock, custom box style, and coatings must suit your product type and function. For premium products, you may want to use luxury materials and extra features.

4. Design, test, and evaluate your packaging’s performance

You can use prototypes when testing your product packaging with small markets or focus groups. Gather people’s opinions through surveys or interviews so you can determine your packaging’s strengths and areas for improvement. Here are some tips to follow:

• Limit the number of questions to ask, as they are open-ended ones.
• Provide participants with a demo or prototype.
• Ask them how they feel about your pricing.
• Ask for their views about your competition.
• Give them a chance to air any questions, concerns, or other comments at the end of the questionnaire or feedback session.

5. Adapt your packaging-related ad materials to the requirements and expectations of each advertising method

Around 55% of B2B and B2C product suppliers’ marketing budgets go to digital campaigns. However, traditional channels like print, TV, and billboards continue to be viable options.

If you’re allotting a large chunk of your budget to online marketing as well, familiarize yourself with the image sizes for product photography and video lengths required for website or social media ads. Our cheat sheet below is a handy reference.

Besides great visuals, the best social media ads have a clear call to action so your followers know what to do next, such as “Buy now” “Add to shopping cart,” “Sign up,” and “Learn more.”

6. Include your social media icons on your packaging

Invite ongoing engagement with your customers by including your social media handles on your company info. Doing so can raise your chances of upselling opportunities and referrals. 

Social Media Ad Specs Cheat Sheet

Here’s our cheat sheet for social media ad specifications. Aspect ratio (x:y) refers to the ratio of an image’s width to its height.

Social Media Examples Featuring Product Packaging

Here’s how some businesses featured their personalized packaging in social media ads:

ThreadBeast

Streetwear brand ThreadBeast showcases their subscription boxes directly in their Facebook advertising campaigns.

Jam Cellars

Jam Cellars’ Butter Chardonnay brings on some “better beach time” based on the brand’s YouTube video featuring the wine with its bright yellow-labeled bottle, can, and packaging box.

Crest

This Instagram image ad of Crest 3D White Strips directs the platform’s users to Amazon.

Corkcicle

A TikTok subscriber included the packaging in the unboxing video of the insulated tumbler by Corkcicle, which she received on Mother’s Day.

Purolator Inc.

Purolator made a LinkedIn post to announce its limited-edition holiday boxes. Like the Canadian courier, you can end your written ad with hashtags to widen your reach. Although you can use up to 30 hashtags, marketers advise using only a few of them. Three to five are enough according to the Instagram Creators account.

Know Your Other Advertising Channels

Through market research, you can focus your ad budget on your target audience’s preferred channels. Nevertheless, knowing the various advertising channels below makes you aware of additional venues for sourcing product promotion ideas.

Moreover, consider that although the average American broadband-connected household has 13 connected devices, 28 million households can’t afford the fees for internet access.

Television

Advertisers forecast a 10.4% growth in ad revenues amid an expected increase of connected TV (CTV)—or traditional TV connected to the internet that allows video streaming and web browsing—adoption from 2023 to 2028. Moreover, 50% of Americans connect their smart TV or CTV sets through their in-built mechanism.

Minimum CTV ad costs range from $20,000 to $50,000.

Print

Newspaper and magazine ads, flyers, and posters are all part of print advertising. Their tangibility gives them an edge over online adverts, the oversupply of which has taught netizens to ignore their presence, resulting in so-called “ad blindness.” Moreover, internet users can use ad blockers for privacy. Top Media Advertising reported that a digital ad’s effectiveness rises 400% when combined with print ads. 

Newspaper ads can cost between $50 and $2,700 and up for full-page ads.

Outdoor advertising

Billboards and public transportation ads are examples of outdoor advertising. Billboard fees—which cover four weeks—are worth $850 (for static) or $2,100 (for digital) on average. Meanwhile, transit advertising shares the same average cost as static billboards.

Email ads

Your brand can place an ad on a third-party email newsletter in exchange for an endorsement. The sponsorship cost depends on the newsletter’s industry, subscriber count, and audience engagement. Advertising charges can start at around $15 to $30 per sponsored email. 

Make Your Custom Box Packaging Ad-Ready

Selecting an expert custom box manufacturer with an eye for design is crucial when you decide to make product packaging design a part of your advertising projects. Your box provider should help deliver what you promised consumers in your image or video ads in whatever medium.

Refine Packaging can print branded boxes that will delight your customers beyond what they see in traditional or digital ads. Our happy customers can tell you all about it.

Moreover, our seasoned in-house design team can ensure that every step in your packaging development journey with us targets optimal client satisfaction from discovery to conversion. Contact us today to request a free consultation about your ad-ready packaging requirements.

The post How to Increase Your Ad Campaign’s ROI By Showcasing Custom Packaging (6 Steps) appeared first on Refine Packaging.

When you think about packaging and branding, it’s likely that logos, typography, colors, and photographs come to mind first. But as you’ll discover in this article, you can also use patterns to further connect with and influence your target market.

So stick around to learn about pattern design basics, where to source ideas, and how to use patterns for standout product packaging.

Elements of Pattern Design

Before we go deeper into the use of patterns, let’s examine the customizable parts that make them suitable for your packaging purposes:

1. Motifs

Motifs refer to the individual elements in a design, such as geometric shapes, lines, florals, and so on.

2. Color palette

Your pattern’s color combination should match your official brand colors.

3. Spacing

Patterns involve motifs with spaces—typically precise distances—between each other.

4. Layout

You can lay out motifs in the following ways:

Layout Pattern	Example
Directional: one-way (you can view the pattern only one way) or two-way (the pattern looks the same if you turn it 180 degrees or upside down)	One-way directional pattern Two-way directional pattern
Non- or multi-directional: the pattern repeats from any angle	Non- or multi-directional pattern
Tossed: random placement of motifs	Tossed pattern

5. Repeat

The various repeat patterns include:

Why Use Patterns in Packaging Design

The repetition of symbols and colors in a harmonious order is relatable, often producing a pleasurable experience. You can harness this characteristic of patterns in the following ways:

Enliven your design

Minimalism is appealing, but pattern and repetition also draw attention by adding texture, depth, and movement to your primary business symbols.

Improve brand recognition

Choosing a pattern that aligns with your brand story and color palette—considering that color boosts recognition by 87%—can give the public something to remember about your company besides your logo and the product’s name.

Besides being more memorable, patterns can distinguish your product from others in the same category.

Reinforce your brand values

Your pattern’s shapes and colors communicate what your business stands for—whether it’s elegance, playfulness, or sustainability—and the personality you wish to project. Research shows that such brand consistency can increase business revenues by 20%.

12 Websites to Find Stunning Patterns

While you can hire a packaging designer to create a pattern customized for your brand, you can start searching online for the most prevalent styles and see what you can adopt for your packaging. Get ready for a pattern overload from these websites:

1. The Pattern Library

Graphic designer Claudio Guglieri and creative developer Tim Holman set up The Pattern Library as an ongoing project, where creatives can share and derive tileable patterns. The site allows you to download the tile image in gif format.

2. Vecteezy

Over 1.6 million free and Pro (subscription-based) vector graphics await you when you click “Vectors” from Vecteezy’s main menu and choose “Pattern.” Some of its categories include seamless, line, wave, retro, kids, camouflage, geometric, and abstract patterns.

3. Canva

Typing “patterns” on Canva’s search bar will display templates you can freely use or purchase to tailor-fit your business and serve as a box template that can help frame your packaging artwork.

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4. Spoonflower

Spoonflower is an online print-on-demand company that customizes design prints for fabric, home decor, and wallpaper. Its community includes 25,000 independent artists, interior designers, small business owners, and DIY hobbyists.

5. Patterncooler

Graphic artist Harvey Rayner is behind PatternCooler, another online resource for editable patterns (300 by 300 pixels). The website’s color and theme generator tabs have sliding tools for customizing the pattern’s colors, saturation, and motif randomness. License plans are available if you wish to use any of his patterns commercially.

6. Patternbank

Patternbank is a surface pattern and textile design website with a filter system for searching ideas—over 75,000 of them. Surface design refers to images showing artwork patterns for decorating various surfaces.

Under its “Giftware/Stationery” link, you’ll find options such as ethnic, conversationals (novelty print featuring recognizable objects), camouflage, texture, tribal, and border.

7. Artlandia

Artlandia’s Pattern Central has a collection of patterns from various categories, including naturalistic, abstract, and geometric. It also developed plug-ins for making repeat patterns in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

8. Dinpattern

Dinpattern describes itself as an “ever-growing” seamless pattern library maintained and updated by designer Evan Eckard. Image files containing the motifs are free to download, but they’re for screen use only.

9. Pinterest

Because you can pin almost everything on Pinterest, the visual discovery engine has a wealth of pattern design inspiration, pattern art, and pattern illustration. On its search bar, type “surface design” then bookmark or save your favorite image pins for future reference. 85% of Pinners use the platform to start a new project.

10. Dribbble

Graphic, web, and UX designers have portfolios on Dribbble. Because designers retain rights to their work, you must get permission from the pattern’s designer before using their artwork.

11. Behance

An Adobe platform, Behance provides another online community for creative professionals, including surface designers.

12. Eye on Design

This website—run by the American Institute of Graphic Arts—has several sections on everything about design from the professional community, including the latest updates about branding and patterns.

2023 Top Trending Patterns in Packaging Design

The websites above showcase talent from across America and the world. However, as a business owner, you may be wondering if there are specific patterns currently enjoying widespread adoption. Packaging design circles say these three patterns are gaining popularity among brands:

Wrap-around pattern

Health, beverage, cosmetics, and personal care brands are leading the pack in using this pattern, which features lines and waves that cover the entire surface of the product’s retail packaging. Curiosity motivates shoppers to pick up the item and explore the design 360 degrees or from every side of the container. You can apply this pattern using custom labels or print the wrap-around pattern design directly on sleeves, custom paper bags, and other box types.

Memphis pattern

Making a comeback is the 1980s Memphis pattern style characterized by bright and multiple colors and oversized geometric shapes, curves, and lines. A group led by Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass a.k.a. Memphis Milano developed this retro aesthetic to oppose the 1960s minimalist design and 1970s modernism. Fashion brands and interior designers were behind its resurgence to evoke nostalgia, cheer, and individualism.

Folk botanical pattern

Current designs feature flowers, fruits, leaves, and vines drawn in unrefined, shaky doodles with rough textures and unexpected color combinations.

How to Choose a Pattern for Business Branding

How can you find the right pattern to improve your existing packaging design? These four steps can get you started:

1. Establish your brand’s visual identity

What needs does your product or business fulfill for your consumers? Understand your brand identity thoroughly, then choose a motif that aligns with your branding.

2. Research

Visit the websites and platforms we listed above to discover trends. Also, observe what’s around your home, your favorite hangout (diner or coffee shop), and your neighborhood—your surroundings can be rich sources of ideas.

Most importantly, check out your competitors’ product packaging to ensure you come up with a distinct pattern design.

3. Choose a concept or theme

Once you’re done with research, choose a motif, pattern layout, and repeat type.

4. Experiment and refine

Try different shapes, layouts, and color combinations. Designers use software such as Adobe Illustrator and Procreate for their digital sketches. Meanwhile, you can create a mood board (a physical or digital one) where you can compile illustrations, photography, color swatches, stationery pieces, or even fabrics representing what you want to incorporate in your pattern.

Although you should ideally use your brand’s color palette, you can experiment with shades other than your official colors when using patterns. However, your chosen hues should still be relevant and enticing to your target audience. For instance, bright-colored stripes would be more pleasing to younger (or young at heart) and fun-loving consumers, while a more mature or high-end crowd would prefer muted colors or even a monochrome color scheme.

Another color contrast tip: you can render older brand motifs or symbols in their opposite tone (a duller tone of your original bright pattern and vice versa). With 75% of companies rebranding since 2020, your business may want to consider this idea when adding patterns or revitalizing your visual identity.

Also, examine your negative space or background and see if you can add something new, such as texture or smaller motifs.

Then create a mock-up and test the pattern, getting feedback from colleagues or clients.

Pattern Generators for Experimenting

Besides visiting the sites we recommended above, you can use online tools to create your patterns, even without design experience. Try these user-friendly platforms and let your creative side run free.

Patternizer

Are you planning to feature stripes on your packaging? Patternizer lets you play with two colors and its slider controls to manipulate opacity, width, gap (distance between stripes), and offset.

Pattern Monster

Pattern Monster is your go-to site if you want to discover and experiment with patterns featuring lines and geometric shapes.

Tabbied

To explore ideas using Tabbied, browse their gallery, then choose an artwork to “redraw” using their tools to change the color palette, motif size, and repeat style. You can then download your final pattern design as a .png file.

Repper

Repper is a pattern creator that lets you create patterns using tile images from the website or your collection. You can select from various effects and color adjustment options.

WowPatterns Pattern Maker

WowPatterns has 27 categories of over 2,500 handcrafted patterns and a pattern maker with tools that allow you to alter the tiling style, rotation (angle), and color adjustments of the motifs, whether from the site or your files. You can download the pattern’s tile or surface image in .png or .jpg format with a maximum resolution of 5,000 pixels.

How to Use a Pattern Design Effectively

For your chosen pattern to work on your packaging design, remember these tips:

Balance it with other details

Pick a pattern that doesn’t overwhelm your other packaging design elements, such as your logo, product name, or product description. This way, the written text and visuals can still be easy to read and understand.

Let patterns highlight other elements

While you can use patterns to bring together various shapes and other symbols of your design or offer aesthetic comfort (because repetition creates familiarity and consistency), patterns can also direct the consumer’s vision toward portions of the package you want to emphasize, such as text describing your product’s top features or its ingredients.

Differentiate product variants using pattern designs

Do you have several variations of your product? Choose colors and textures to represent or signify variants of goods, such as chocolate, coffee, soap, and fragrances.

Make your pattern scalable

Ensure your motifs, colors, and layout stay sharp when applied on a larger scale. Designers typically render patterns and line art in vector format to retain their high quality regardless of resizing. 

Pick an Expert for Your Packaging’s Pattern Design 

Businesses will continue to compete against each other through packaging, with recent data showing that budgets are set to rise 5.4% between 2022 and 2024 after a 3% rise from 2020 to 2022. Brands can expect patterns to stay influential as a design element in the years to come amid the thriving surface design industry. While US-based statistics aren’t available, over 3,000 designers worldwide belong to the Surface Design Association.

By following our tips, you can also use patterns to boost your branded packaging. Whether your idea is just germinating or a designer has developed a pattern design for you, Refine Packaging can make your motifs and colors come alive with our custom boxes and high-quality printing.

Our team can discuss your project given your artwork and preferred materials. We also have in-house designers ready to assist you if you haven’t finalized your desired pattern yet. Moreover, Refine Packaging can produce a mockup of your packaging box to ensure that the outcome fulfills your purpose. 

Refine Packaging is the top choice for the world’s Inc 5000 and Fortune 500 companies. With super fast production times, affordable pricing, and a sky’s the limit attitude, we’ll help you turn your custom packaging into a competitive differentiator. Contact us today and a dedicated packaging specialist will guide you through every step of the custom packaging process without breaking a sweat.

The post Where to Find Remarkable Patterns for Packaging Design appeared first on Refine Packaging.

At a time when thousands of new companies—and, therefore, new products—enter the market annually, businesses rely on these experts to see their products enjoy their day in the sun. The food industry alone welcomes 15,000 new products every year.

But with so many freelancers and agencies offering their design services, how would you know who can translate your unique selling proposition (USP) onto your brand’s visual identity?

This article will discuss how you can prepare for your collaboration with a packaging designer, including the factors to consider in selecting the one who can support your goals.

Before we dive in, allow us to show you some stats for insights on the consumer market from a wider angle. The figures below show how important it is to take product packaging seriously and seek the right path toward customer-centric packaging.

Impact of Packaging on Sales

Attractive packaging design remains at the heart of the unboxing experience. According to a Macfarlane poll, branded packaging made up 59% of all boxes shipped by merchants in 2022. Moreover, 41% of respondents said that printed packaging produced memorable moments, which made them want to buy again.

The outcome of this UK-based survey reflected similar sentiments of American shoppers in Dotcom Distribution’s study. 47% of participants who bought luxury shoppers over the past year said that “visually appealing/gift-like” boxes (32%) and personalized packaging parts (15%) made them share photos or videos of a purchase. Meanwhile, 24% valued sustainable packaging that is eco-friendly and paper-based.

Project Brief: Clarifying Your Vision

Packaging designers would ask you to share the details of your project in a project brief (also called a design or packaging brief). It lays the foundation of understanding between you and the designer or design agency by establishing your project’s purpose, scope, timeline, and budget.

The brief can take time to write, but it’s the most effective way to organize your thoughts and make the most of your meeting with your chosen designer. The document will serve as your playbook and prevent your designer from saying, “We didn’t realize or know you needed that” midway through the project.

Here are the sections to include in your project brief:

Project overview

Start the document with a short project description to help your designer envision what they need to deliver. Include the name of your brand and product, its back story, your USP, and how you want to communicate with customers through packaging.

Describe your product’s physical qualities, including its fragility, its appearance, smell, and so on.

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Company profile

This section describes what your company does, its values, and general objectives.

Goals

Discuss your reason for getting the designer’s services. If you’re launching a new product, your goals may include brand awareness, ensuring shelf appeal, and providing a pleasurable unboxing experience. 

However, if you’re hiring a designer to improve your existing packaging, identify your current problems—for instance, high production or transport costs, weak box structure, too simplistic design compared to rivals, or poor print quality. 

Share your competitor’s design or packaging to help your designer or agency grasp how you want to carve a unique presence in your market or niche.

Providing your designer with the above information will deepen their insight into your needs, possibly giving them a list of factors to eliminate when they start brainstorming your design.

Target audience

Define your target buyers—their demographics, preferences, and buying behavior. Be specific: trying to reach senior citizens who want to safely use their home bathtubs is different from trying to reach bathtub owners of any age.

Scope (design, material, and dimensions)

The scope covers your project’s technical details. Specify the style (box type), shape, measurements, preferred material (including any sustainable aspects or methods you wish to apply), and finish or texture. Remember to provide your brand style guide: logo, color palette, and proprietary artwork. Also, include all legal or mandatory copy you want to appear, such as ingredients, manufacturing information, warnings, and barcode.

Are there any elements that you don’t want your packaging to have? Incorporate them in the brief to help reduce revisions in the future.

If you’re changing your existing packaging, tell them about its shortcomings and get their feedback on how to improve it. Also, tell your designer about your shipping, distribution, and display methods so they can recommend suitable materials.

Timeline

Set your target dates, from when you want to see the design studies or samples to your expected delivery date of the printed boxes. Divide the timeline into stages depending on the urgency and output volume.

Budget

State your budget, but be open to discussions with your agency so you can balance quality with cost-effectiveness.

Deliverables

List the items you expect your designer to produce: mockups, digital files of the design, quantity of boxes, and any extras you may need. Discuss and agree on the approval process—ask how you expect them to deliver their output for your approval for each stage.

Contact information

Your project’s success will depend on regular communication between you or your team and the design agency. Include phone numbers and messaging contact details where your designer can reach you.

After your initial discussion, you may need to review the brief with your designer again to explore any changes. Amend as necessary and work together to ensure both sides share the same understanding of the brief. 

Where to Find Designers or Design Agencies

There are several places you can search to find a designer or design agency:

• Google (type “top or best packaging design agencies/firms” or “top or best packaging designers” + your location)
• Freelance networks, such as Fiverr and Upwork
• Portfolio sites feature designers’ past works, such as Behance and Dribbble
• Crowdsourcing sites, such as DesignCrowd and 99designs, operate like a design contest—you can post your project and receive proposals from around the world. Clients only pay for submissions they like. Refine Packaging has partnered with 99designs to provide brands an easy way to match with design experts to create world-class product packaging at an affordable price.

Which Is Better: A Freelancer or Design Agency? 

Freelance designers are experts in their niche and work independently—typically on a contract basis. Being a one-person team and their own boss, freelancers communicate directly with you or your marketing head. Meanwhile, design companies typically have several members, such as graphic designers, brand strategists, and market research specialists. Agencies can offer an array of services given the diverse skill set of their team.

How do you choose between the two? Your funds, project scope, and sense of urgency are top considerations.

Hire a freelancer if you have a small, lower-budget project that you need to complete fast. Meanwhile, choose a design agency for larger projects requiring more strategic planning to go into your packaging design, such as market research and mockup development. 

Agencies charge higher and assign you to an account manager. However, they have access to more resources and follow an established process, enabling them to finish your project within your deadline and scale when necessary.

Factors to Consider When Selecting Your Agency or Designer

To determine the designer or agency most suitable for your needs, evaluate your prospects with these criteria:

1. Track record

Designers can have various specializations—select the one who specializes in packaging. Not all graphic designers work with dielines. Research the person or company online to verify their track record. Read their case studies and what reviews say about them. Ask for references from past clients if possible.

Seasoned designers can recommend the packaging type that will work best with your product. They can also suggest the design and imagery, which will make your package eye-catching, given your preferred box size, shape, and material. Moreover, such designers know government compliance requirements on labeling (origin claim, FDA guidelines, and others).

Whenever possible, pick a designer who has package manufacturing experience. Those who do can go alongside you from design concept to production and box delivery. They are also familiar with the average production time for different box types.

2. Portfolio

Does the designer or agency have experience working in your industry or niche? Check their online portfolios for past work related to your sector and see if their output aligns with your taste. You can also request them to show you samples of their past projects.

3. Connection with printers

Designers or agencies typically have printing partners. Past collaborations hasten the process due to the agency’s familiarity with the latter’s quality and speed. They can also ask the printer about the minimum volume requirement for your preferred packaging.

Choose an agency that can liaise with the printer and follow your timeframe. Alternatively, you can recommend that your designer use a leading packaging manufacturer such as Refine Packaging for your printing needs.

4. Prototyping and testing

Can the agency supply you with a sample or mockup for review before mass production? Find one that offers prototypes as part of their service. Testing services—especially boxes for fragile products—will be a great plus.

5. Other services

Ask the designer if they can render your design onto other items in your product range. Consider specifying this in your project brief, as your other goods might have different dimensions and packaging materials.

Moreover, verify whether your designer or agency can offer copywriting and editing services for the text on your box.

You can also inquire if they’re knowledgeable about trademark and copyright issues. Otherwise, you might have to hire a lawyer to avoid legal issues.

Limitations of a DIY Approach to Packaging Design

New technologies allow entrepreneurs to design and print basic marketing materials by themselves faster and at a lower cost. However, if you want your product to stand up to the competition, you’ll need some professional help.

A DIY approach lets you practice your freedom of expression besides being in full control of the creative process. Immersing yourself in production can also educate you in graphic design, printing, and the box manufacturing sector.

But that said, handling packaging design yourself has some limitations, which a professional designer can help overcome:

1. Your design can be authentic but out of touch with your market

You may choose symbols, colors, and copy for your packaging representing your style and beliefs, which are close to your heart as a business owner. However, the design may not click with your target audience. For 63% of consumers, a product’s packaging is equally important as the brand itself.

Working with a packaging designer widens your perspective to include the factors involved in buying decisions. Designers translate their consumer knowledge, awareness of trends, and artistry into a unique design containing your preferred elements.

2. The hours you spend on package design can take time off your core tasks

You may also act as your company’s accountant, driver, legal liaison, and purchaser when you’re starting your business. Designing your package might get you stuck in an ever-deepening hole as you discover its intricacies.

A packaging designer can handle market research, competitor analysis, ideation, the creation of various design samples, prototyping, and more.

3. Your software may offer editable templates, but your final design can still look generic

The Internet offers a wealth of free and paid tools that design logos and stylize pictures, which you can print as labels or directly on paper packages. However, you risk finding a similar box template design on other products and appearing amateurish. Designers use more specialized software, which can generate an original design for you from scratch.

4. The quality of your home printer’s output can suffer with bulk printing

If you print your stickers and sleeves using your home printer, the output may eventually fade on some printed material over time. Quality printing is essential since more than 70% of consumers state that packaging design influences their buying decisions.

A professional designer works with commercial-grade printers to provide consistent print quality, which is crucial in branding.

5. Stock boxes may not be as sturdy and cost-efficient as custom boxes

Using stock boxes is more economical if you’re on a tight budget. Moreover, restocking won’t be a problem, unlike custom boxes, which your printer must replenish.

However, made-to-order boxes can be more financially sustainable in the long run if you sell luxury items or uniquely shaped items. Designers can develop the most suitable structure and choose the correct materials to hold up your product and preserve the box’s visual appeal until they reach their destination.

Well-designed boxes can make you spend less on padding (within or outside the box) and shipping. Moreover, it reduces damages, which lower product returns, which will also cost you. 80% of consumers also state that solid and sturdy packaging impacts their satisfaction with a product.

6.   Designing on your own can stretch your budget

Unless you’ve had previous experience with design, packaging, and printing, you might end up buying materials you might have to replace later on due to their low quality, inaccurate dimension, or incompatibility with your product. Meanwhile, you might stock up on expensive supplies only to discover later that more reasonably priced packaging is available.

Packaging designers consider your budget and apply their know-how and experience to ensure these issues don’t become your own during your partnership. 

Ensure Your Packaging Design Translates Beautifully on Your Custom Box

Any packaging design is only as good as its final version—the physical box. While it can look great from your designer’s study sample, your product can only have a fighting chance in the market through high-quality print packaging, which has the look and feel you envisioned from the start.

Refine Packaging has in-house designers who can assist you to this end. You can view our product gallery to learn about our capabilities. At the same time, you can get assurance from our testimonials that our team will be with you every step of the way in your packaging design journey. 

Contact us today to discuss your custom box project, whether you already have a basic concept, want to change your existing packaging, or need help from scratch.

The post How to Find an Incredible Packaging Designer (5 Critical Factors) appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Before the subscription model, businesses offered club memberships to introduce their latest offerings without pushing for physical store visits. With subscription boxes, various items from beauty or grooming products and pet food to clothing, books, and “loot crates” for gamers conveniently arrive at one’s doorsteps monthly, quarterly, or other recurring timeframes.

But life is now returning to the “old normal.” In-store shopping is in high gear – with 61% of consumers preferring to shop in person to view or try on the items they’re purchasing – and inflationary costs are rising. Consequently, subscription boxes are no longer the obsession they used to be, but are still widely used. How can your product offerings stay relevant and attract new customers? By understanding this business model’s success drivers and packaging basics, it’s still possible to plan and launch your themed box idea.

Subscription Box Categories

The three subscription box categories explain the appeal of this shopping model.

Access

Membership subscriptions boost the idea of being special, as certain items are only exclusive or limited to subscribers. A recent survey showed that being able to “try something new” is the top reason why up to 51% of U.S. shoppers get subscription boxes. Retailers sometimes include their latest offering in their monthly boxes for members to test, which could mean pre-launch access and a chance to purchase earlier than commercial distribution.

Curation

Who wouldn’t want to receive a “mystery gift” every month for the rest of the year? The surprise factor is the idea behind curated subscriptions, which offer something new in every shipment. This option builds up the anticipation to unravel and discover something novel and personalized, making it a wonderful gift idea for friends or oneself.

Replenishment

Also known as the “subscribe and save” category, replenishment subscriptions provide consumers with a fresh supply of their chosen product once it runs out (vitamins, soap, beverages, and so on). Shoppers gain peace of mind knowing they won’t run out of stock of their favorite items. They also skip the hassle of placing a new order because subscriptions are recurring.

Moreover, buyers can also save on costs, as some—if not all—products are on discount as part of the subscription.

Factors to Consider in Choosing Your Subscription Box Packaging

You can tailor-fit your subscription box to match your brand’s marketing goals and keep your product intact during transit. Here are the factors you must consider when selecting your packaging:

1. Style

You can choose from various box types to ship your product:

• Folding carton boxes are for single-item, lightweight products.
• Mailer boxes are heavier and sturdier than paperboard boxes.
• Shipping boxes made of corrugated cardboard are heavier than mailer boxes. In many cases,  customized shipping boxes are your best option if you’re going for an original look and feel that suits your product protection and budget goals.
• Rigid boxes for heavy and premium or luxury products.
  

Choose a type robust enough that it won’t tear under your item’s weight.

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2. Size

You must know what items will go into your subscription box to determine the appropriate size. Take the dimension of your box’s contents: weight, length (side-to-side), width (front-to-back), and depth (top-to-bottom). Also, consider how fragile or durable they are.

A box slightly larger than your product is better than one in which your product barely fits. You can put fillers in the space around your item, particularly for breakable and easily deformed or punctured contents. However, the box shouldn’t be too big that products would jiggle inside.  Furthermore, consider that larger boxes can add to shipping costs.

3. Packaging Extras

People love unboxing. On Instagram, when you search for #unboxing, over 4 million posts will show up. To enhance your subscribers’ unboxing experience, you can choose to enhance the interior of your subscription box with the following:

Inlays 

Inserts provide perfect-fitting holders for your products, reducing the chances of items breaking or getting tossed around during shipment.

Dividers

Create compartments inside your box to improve the presentation of various products, especially to keep several small items of the same kind in separate spaces.

Padding 

Such as bubble wrap, air pillows, and crumpled kraft paper prevent dents and other damage on your item.

Custom Tissue Paper

Acts like a gift wrap that covers your product inside the box.

Custom Stickers, Labels, or Tape

Help heighten brand awareness and can prevent tampering if you use them to seal the lid onto the rest of the box. They’re also a cost-effective decor if you opt for plain packaging.

Custom Sleeves

Also known as belly band packaging, custom sleeves serve as 360-degree wrap-around labels for similar items—like a chocolate bar set or egg tray—or boxes, whether plain or printed.

4. Printing Method

The three most common printing methods that packaging service providers currently use are:

• Flexographic printing: Features printing plates containing your design—one plate for each color. They spin on rotating cylinders and “stamp” or transfer the image onto the packaging material. Most corrugated box projects with simple designs use flexographic printing due to speed and clarity, even on corrugated boxes.
• Digital printing: Involves machines that can apply the colored or monochrome design directly on the box’s surfaces. Although more highly recommended for smaller orders, some printing providers can offer this service for large-quantity jobs.
• Lithographic printing: Also known as litho-lamination or offset printing—can be compared to wallpapering. It produces high-resolution designs onto a paper sheet laminated on the packaging box using adhesive. We recommend this method for more intricate designs and photo-quality imagery. Offset printing is also suitable for printing boxes with a metallic finish and Pantone colors.
  

5. Packaging Designer and Supplier

A designer can help you determine the box structure that can best protect your product from breaking or shifting while at the same time representing your brand and delighting your subscribers. Some packaging suppliers have transit safety (ISTA) certification and offer rigorous box performance testing.

Before deciding to outsource your product box design and printing, be sure to:

• Determine your budget: This will help set the quantity you can order.
• Set your timeline: when you need to get your boxes to provide time for packing and shipping.
  

Meanwhile, examine the following when choosing a packaging supplier:

• Industry experience
• Range of services and customization (Can it design, print, and ship the boxes you require?)
• Reviews about the supplier’s output quality and customer service (If possible, ask and compare samples from your shortlisted candidates.)
• Response or delivery time
• Pricing, minimum requirement, and if they can keep up with demand
• Use of sustainable kraft and eco-friendly box materials
• Shipping service (warehousing and logistics)

A custom packaging manufacturer such as Refine Packaging can create a unique design, provide prototyping and testing, handle your printing needs, and scale high-quality production as your business grows.

6. Shipping

Handling subscription box deliveries can be time-consuming. Find out your options, including working with a fulfillment center if your orders are mounting and you don’t have enough staff to help you with shipping.

Branding Essentials You Should Know

Familiarize yourself with the following design elements to help you work better with your subscription box packaging designer:

Typography

Typography refers to the font your brand uses. It should be readable enough to catch your prospect’s and client’s eye. Besides using an attractive font, your tagline should include catchy words that reflect your brand values.

Copy

Copy refers to descriptions, instructions, and other written information you will include in your packaging.

Logo and Colors

It’s logical to use your logo and brand colors to reinforce your business identity. However, you can play around with your color palette. Check if your designer can draft multiple designs featuring variations of your brand colors. Good designers consider your target audience and market trends (including the competitor’s packaging type or style) when crafting and presenting studies for your review and approval.

Other Visuals

You can include photos of the product inside your box and other details such as vector graphics (that retain their smooth look even if you enlarge them) and patterns (lines, curves, shapes) to help manage subscribers’ expectations about the contents.

Negative Space

Negative spaces are the blank or white spaces around and between images. They add sophistication to packaging and can direct people’s gaze to significant elements like your logo or tagline.

Dieline

The dieline is the flat diagram showing all the cut lines and folds of your packaging box.

Subscription Box Packaging Checklist

Here’s a summary of the packaging details to remember from concept design to shipping:

Examples of Subscription Boxes

The most sought-after subscription boxes are visually appealing and structurally sound. Although the following examples mainly received good reviews for their content, their designs are also worth studying:

Universal Yums

Universal Yums’ subscription box—a custom end-open mailer box—features a set of various snack packets from a different country each month. The exterior design features blue-colored sweet treats set on a white background, building on the same colors as the Universal Yums logo. The two-toned design provides a good balance to its multi-colored contents, which include a country map and a guidebook about the featured nation’s top destinations, culture, fun trivia, and a local recipe. The box is available in three sizes: Yum Box with five to seven snacks, Yum Yum Box with 10 to 12 snacks, and Super Yum Box with 15 to 18 snacks. Shoppers can subscribe annually or send it as gifts (once or monthly for three, six, or 12 months).

Jot Coffee

Only Jot Ultra Coffee’s rabbit logo in gold foil appears outside the box in solid black. Inlays secure the bottles and a silver spoon. Newer subscription boxes contain dividers to separate the bottles and drinking glasses, which are among the welcome gift options for first-time subscribers. 

Unlike Universal Yums, Jot uses two-sided printing, which gives the box a luxurious feel, although it doesn’t use a rigid box. Subscriptions provide 25% savings on its 200-ml bottles of concentrated liquid coffee.

Gardyn

Gardyn claims you don’t need to have a green thumb to succeed at indoor gardening when you sign up for its monthly kit of salad vegetables you can grow using its proprietary hydroponic system. 

The company uses one rigid box to deliver ABS plastic columns, which hold several “yCubes” or pods with seeds and rockwool—”a natural, rock-based growing medium”—inside (packed in their own box), a six-gallon water reservoir that serves as the base, and other accessories. 

A separate narrower rigid box contains poles that provide simulated lighting for the plants. The Gardyn app guides subscribers through their gardening journey with the help of AI assistant Kelby, which monitors the plant’s health using the cameras on the light poles. 

Subscription Box: History and Forecast

The subscription box trend began at the heels of Netflix’s 2007 launch of its streaming service when Harvard Business School fellow grads Katia Beauchamp and Hayley Barna launched Birchbox in 2009. Subscribers received designer beauty products—mostly in miniature size—for a $10 monthly fee. By mid-2010 onwards, more sellers adopted the concept, offering consumers more product-type subscription options. Ipsy and Dollar Shave became Birchbox’s top rivals.

The COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 boosted the industry as followers of Instagram and YouTube influencers became captive audiences for unboxing videos. Large companies such as Walmart, Target, and Amazon and niche retailers like Wayfair, which hopped on the trend before the pandemic, drew more subscribers as people turned to safe and reliable shipping of home staples and hobby items when stay-at-home orders were in force.

The International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group’s latest report shows that the global subscription box market was worth $28.1 billion in 2022 and may hit $73.6 billion by 2028. The report adds that the top challenges facing current and incoming players are fierce competition amid market saturation and a lack of long-term agreements with vendors, which could threaten standardization and spike prices.

How to Sustain Your Subscription Box Business

High prices are making 60% of Americans abandon the subscription box habit. Thus, you must make your target market feel they’re getting more value for their money by signing up or staying subscribed. Here are some ways you can activate or reignite the addiction for your recurring box:

1. Reward subscribers

You can integrate a loyalty program into your subscription by providing subscribers with access to free merchandise or priority customer support besides early access to new offers and discounts.

2. Collect and analyze feedback

Focus on the first box and what recipients felt upon receiving it. The American Marketing Association advises subscription box providers to combine “concrete” and “emotion”-related questions: “What did you feel when you saw the box’s contents?” (emotional) and “What were your top three thoughts when you tried the products?” (concrete). Avoid seeking extensive comments about their second box. Instead, build up interest for the next box.

3. Offer a preview about the next box without making them lose excitement

You can inform subscribers in advance about a specific product in the upcoming box but not the entire kit. Rotate the product category or any aspect of the box that you’d like to preview every month.

4. Diversify

If you’re not a brand owner but depend on suppliers for your subscription box’s contents, you may consider diversifying your offers just like what leading providers are doing. For instance, Blue Apron has launched one-off party boxes for Thanksgiving and special occasions and an online cookware and wine shop.

5. Keep a tab on trends

Hyper-personalization, higher demand for men’s boxes, and influencer marketing will continue to prevail in the subscription box sector in the short term. Stay abreast with new developments, including smart packaging technology. Examples include QR codes to access digital content describing the product or augmented reality, active (shelf life-extension) packaging, as well as radio frequency identification, and embedded barcodes to prevent tampering and counterfeiting.

Create FOMO with Unforgettable Custom Subscription Boxes

Consumers can fear missing out on your subscription box with the help of targeted messages and customized packaging. But since the unboxing experience is the main draw of your subscription offer, getting your packaging right becomes the top priority.

Refine Packaging can assist from conceptualization to mass box production. We aim to provide as many options as possible and simplify the process so you can see your idea materialize in the shortest time possible.

Select from our array of custom box industries and products, or let us know your concept so our designers can work with you. We use various printing techniques and offer 2D and 3D mockups of your packaging. Our team can send you a sample so you can verify if the prototype matches your vision.

But don’t just take our word for it—discover how the Refine Packaging process has delivered successful customer stories for 1,000s of satisfied brands and their clientele. Contact us for a free quote today, and our packaging specialist will connect with you shortly.

The post Subscription Box Packaging Design Essentials You Need to Know appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Her unboxing experience—spread over three videos—amassed millions of views and over 1 million likes. The reason why she bought these cotton pads and posted them on social media? She wanted to see if they came in Chanel’s premium, luxurious packaging. And they did. 

Le Coton comes in the classic cream Chanel box, tied in a signature black bow. Not only that, but the box includes free samples of Chanel mascara and perfume, delicately placed in a cream bag. As The New York Times and Washington Post noted in their coverage of the bizarre viral trend, “the purchase is more for the packaging and the aesthetic of having a Chanel box than anything else.”

This is the power that packaging can hold: a customer buying your product for the sheer experience of opening it. It’s fair to say that, if you play your packaging cards right, your packaging can become more than just a safety vessel, it can become a communication tool, a marketing powerhouse and, even, a lifestyle. 

The Value of Packaging

@theerinmarie video wasn’t a one-off either. With the ubiquity of TikTok and YouTube, unboxing videos and captures of retail shopping experiences are moving from strength to strength. Take @marc.unbox, an influencer who has dedicated his channel to “buying and unboxing the cheapest items from luxury brands,” says his TikTok bio. With over 200,000 followers and millions of likes, Marc’s channel shows the appetite for premium packaging experiences. The research backs this up, too.

In one published study, researchers uncovered that attractive types of packaging stimulate the reward-seeking parts of our brain, which are associated with impulse purchasing. This means that beautiful packaging designs—and the well-crafted experiences that go along with them—can directly increase your sales.

How to Create Beautiful Customizable Packaging

It’s evident that the types of packaging that house your products play an important role in showcasing their value, But where do you begin? Creating beautiful packaging is no happy accident. It takes strategy, careful planning, and understanding. 

The tricky thing, of course, is that there are so many types of packaging options out there, it can be hard to know where to begin. You want to get your packaging right, but you don’t know which material is best, what size to choose, what to fill your package with, and so on. 

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In our opinion, the question of choosing the right packaging really should be an enjoyable task, but we understand that it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of options out there. We know you want to make the right choice, at the right price, for your customers.

This is exactly why we’ve created this guide—to help you demystify the jargon around packaging types and find a solution that benefits your business. To begin with, though, let’s go back to basics…

Packaging’s Importance for Both Ecommerce and Retail Strategies

Instead of diving straight into the different types of packaging and the packaging materials available, let’s first cement the reasons why you need packaging for your product. From the below list, it’s likely that a few reasons will resonate with you and your brand, some more than others. This is a good thing. By finding what’s important to your packaging strategy, you can make informed decisions later down the line when it’s time to pick your materials. 

1. Functional Purposes

At a basic level, packaging is a necessity for safely transporting products. It provides physical protection from damage, from things like vibration, weather, compression, dust, and so on. Packaging also offers a sense of security. If the product is well wrapped, it prevents someone in the logistics system from tampering with it—or even stealing it. 

2. Cost-Efficiency

Putting effort into the economics of your packaging strategy can help the bottom line. By choosing cost-effective types of packaging and ensuring the size is just right, you can minimize waste, improve delivery costs and, ultimately, save money. Think of it like this: Your products packed in boxes that are way too large will take up a lot of extra space during the delivery process. This leads to higher costs and possibly even longer delivery times if not as many parcels can be sent out at once. After all, there’s only so much room in a delivery van! 

On the flipside, if your packaging protects your products snugly, then you’ve found the most cost-efficient way to both store and deliver them.  

3. Appeal to the Eco-Conscious Customer

According to EuroStat, in 2018, the total volume of packaging waste was roughly 77.7 million tonnes. Consumers aren’t happy about this. A recent McKinsey study found that 71% of US respondents said they are more concerned about packaging sustainability in 2020 than they were in 2019. For brands like yours, this is an opportunity. Choose the right packaging materials, and you can:

• Have a positive impact on the environment
• Build a more positive relationship with your customers

This is because consumers are becoming more and more conscious of their carbon footprint. Many want to be eco-friendly, and they are looking to the brands they engage with to help them on this mission. If your packaging materials are recyclable or more sustainable, then you can appeal to consumers with this mindset. 

4. Brand Differentiation

When we say Tiffany & Co., what image springs to your mind? Chances are it’s the brand’s little blue box, possibly adorned with a signature white ribbon. The box is so infamous that, in London, there’s a cafe named after it: The Tiffany Blue Box Cafe at Harrods. 

What Tiffany & Co. has done with their packaging is create something iconic, a box that instantly conjures up a precise image of sophistication and luxury. For your brand, creating signature packaging can be a way to stand out from the crowd and cement yourself in the crowded retail space. Plus, as we explored above, the notoriety of unboxing videos on social media means it’s easier than ever to reach huge, global audiences with your packaging. A beautiful design and engaging experience can build brand affinity and get you new customers. 

5. The Digital Touchpoint

With COVID-19 taking hold in 2019, many consumers who had never shopped online before started to do so. Even now things are somewhat back to normal, there’s no doubt that some consumers will have changed their shopping habits for good. But in the absence of a physical retail store, how can brands create the same experience and connection with their customers? 

You guessed it—packaging! In the ecommerce journey, your packaging is the final step of your customer’s engagement with your brand. 

Sure, you may have a cool website and you’ve got your email marketing down to the tone of voice, but if your packaging experience is bland or subpar, then you risk your customer being one-time only. On the other hand, if you’ve thought out the unboxing experience and make an effort to make it enticing and pleasurable for your customer, then you can effectively bring a little bit of the in-store experience directly to your customer’s home. 

6. Brand Affinity

You know that moment in Pretty Woman, when Richard Gere presents Julia Roberts with a beautiful suede jewelry box. She’s completely dazzled by the gift, without opening it. The box conveys so much. The packaging is elegant and oozes luxury. Of course, not every brand is a luxury brand, but that doesn’t mean your packaging can’t be cool, fun, or exciting. You can still create a special moment for your customer and build brand affinity in the process. 

By creating a type of packaging that elevates your product and brand, you can create that same feeling in your customer that Roberts’ character felt when she was presented with the jewelry box. Create this positive feeling consistently and you might find you build some long-lasting, loyal customer relationships. 

7. Marketing, Marketing, Marketing

Lastly, we can’t forget that packaging is ultimately a marketing vehicle. With clever design and branding, your packaging can become an extension of your marketing strategy. It can communicate your brand values, lead to new customers via social media, and make your brand memorable. It’s integral to make sure that packaging is one of your “Ps of marketing.”

Packaging Materials: Narrowing Down Your Focus

So we have the why, and you’re now keen to unlock the power of packaging to build better customer relationships, supercharge your marketing, and boost cost-efficiency. To help you do this, it’s important to get a few things clear upfront.  

The below questions are designed to help you narrow down your focus, so that you can start to clarify what different packaging materials are best for your business and goals. 

1. What Packaging Material Suits Your Needs? 

There’s a wealth of materials out there to choose from: cardboard, plastic, paper, glass. Within these materials, there are subsets, too. For example, if you’re an ecommerce brand, you’ll want to make sure your choice of packaging materials is durable enough for the logistics journey. You also need to think about the size, weight, and fragility of your product—and what type of material will best protect it. 

But aside from practical considerations, you should also think about how your packaging materials can reflect your brand values. If sustainability is important to you, then your packaging choice should be eco-friendly. Consider this stat: 68% of consumers say they’re more likely to choose a product in paper packaging or cardboard boxes over plastic, while 63% say paper packaging makes a product appear higher-quality. 

So if you consider yourself a luxurious brand, then plain, corrugated cardboard won’t be the way to go, as it won’t portray the sense of elegance your brand wishes to convey.  

2. What’s Your Budget? 

As with all things in business, your budget will dictate what you can and cannot do, and that includes choosing the packaging materials that you want your brand to stand for. Imagination and creativity can get you a long way but you still need to plan financially. After all, product packaging is meant to enhance your business, not detract from it. 

Your budget should consider a few things: 

• Firstly, how many units will you need? 100? 5,000? 100,000? The more units, the more cost. But you will also find that when buying your packaging materials wholesale, you will be able to get a large amount of boxes for a good price. Equally, though, you want to make sure that the amount you buy reasonably matches the number of orders your online and retail stores expect to receive. Otherwise, your boxes and other packaging materials could end up taking up unnecessary space.
• Secondly, you’ll need to budget for design. If you’re going to make your packaging a part of your marketing strategy, customization is crucial. Creative work is an extra cost – but a worthwhile one if you want to stand out from the crowd.  

3. What Do You Think Your Customers Want? 

“Know thy customer” is the first and most important commandment of business. When choosing and designing your packaging, you should look at the product through the lens of your target audience: 

• What kind of packaging would they like? 
• What colors will resonate with them? 
• Will they want freebies? Recyclability? 
• What should be inside the box? 

Plan out and imagine the ideal packaging experience for your end customer. If you’re not sure or are still figuring out your key demographic, then spend time doing research. Look at what other brands have done, read articles like this one about packaging expertise, and create mood boards to cement your vision for your packaging.  

4. What Are Your Box Dimensions?

This is a fundamental but often overlooked part of a packaging strategy: finding the best size package for your product. The dimensions of your packaging play an important role in the cost of production, the price of shipping, and the safety of your products.  

The three main dimensions to measure a box are length, width, and depth. You measure these inside the box, not outside. Accuracy is pivotal here. We recommend triple-checking your measurements to make sure you’ve got them right.  

Ideally, the dimensions of your box should be an inch or two bigger than the size of your product, so that they fit snugly inside. This will help to reduce the risk of transportation damages, as well as minimize the need for lots of internal packaging filling. 

9 Popular Types of Packaging

Let’s take a look at some of the common packaging material options that can be used for both ecommerce and general purpose consumer packaging, like cosmetic packaging products, FMCG, clothing, and toys.  

As we go through each type, we’ll give you an idea of the benefits and disadvantages of each, as well as a guideline on the price, to help you make an informed decision. 

What If I Just Want Basic Cardboard Boxes?

This is a fair question and we get it. For busy business executives, mulling over packaging design can feel like another stress, another thing to add to the endless to-do list. However, you’ll be surprised to learn that there is no such thing as a “basic box” when it comes to packaging materials. Even plain corrugated boxes or brown paperboard boxes come in many types and sizes. There are different closures, different levels of thickness, and much more. 

If you want retail packaging to be part of your marketing strategy, then going beyond basic necessity is well worth the time and effort. If your packaging ends up going viral in a TikTok unboxing video, your whole company will reap the rewards. 

1. Rigid Boxes  

You know Apple’s infamous, clean-cut, white iPhone box. This is a prime example of cardboard being used for a rigid box. The look and feel of rigid boxes lends itself well to items that are delivered as gifts, such as beauty products, jewelry, or fashion accessories like sunglasses or watches. Because of their durability, this type of packaging material is also excellent for technology items, keeping them safe during the ecommerce journey. 

Rigid boxes are made using super thick cardboard, at least 4x thicker than your average piece of cardboard. As the name insinuates, these boxes are rigid to touch. They’re hard to bend and not very malleable. Like Apple’s boxes show, this type of custom packaging is great for unique designs. You can print your logo on them, choose different colors, give them a matte or glossy finish, and even emboss them.  

Cost-wise, rigid boxes are on the pricier end of the scale. The durability and design flexibility of these types of packaging materials come at a cost, which is why these boxes are often associated with luxury items (Apple, we’re looking at you!)  

2. Paperboard 

Think of paperboard like thick paper. It’s thick but not quite as thick as a traditional cardboard box. You’ll see paperboard used often for small products, especially food items like cereal or sometimes even toys.  

Paperboard as a packaging material is extremely affordable, but it’s also extremely flimsy. It’s not good for delicate products, as it doesn’t provide much protection from the elements. Saying this, it’s also very versatile in that it can be cut into all sorts of shapes and designed into beautiful, unique finishes that portray brand values.  

Paperboard is created using wood pulp. If you use the right manufacturer, you could even get your paperboard packaging created using 100% recycled materials, which is great for eco-conscious brands.   

Notably, paperboard tends to come in two options: 1-ply or multiple-ply. What you choose will depend on the durability you need. Multiple-ply is slightly more dense and stronger than 1-ply, making it a better choice as protective packaging. Although, we still wouldn’t recommend using paperboard packaging materials for delicate items. 

3. Corrugated Cardboard  

Corrugated cardboard is a bit of a powerhouse in the ecommerce industry. When you hear people talking broadly about cardboard packaging materials, chances are they’re referring to the corrugated variety. This cardboard is as versatile as it is durable. It can be used for everything from shipping cartons to gift boxes to takeout deliveries.  

Cardboard is made of multi-layered paper called fluting. It’s corrugated, thanks to the sandwich-style application of the different layers, which makes the packaging strong and cushioned. No wonder it’s a top option for ecommerce deliveries.  

Generally speaking, the more fluting in the box, the stronger the package will be. From a sustainability standpoint, corrugated cardboard boxes tend to be made using recycled materials, making it a good option for eco-conscious brands. It’s also inexpensive. 

From a design standpoint, corrugated boxes are often a favorite. Corrugated cardboard is extremely customizable. Whatever shape, color, or finish you want, it’s possible. Corrugated cardboard can handle different types of coatings, treatments, and adhesives. 

Although heavy products are often shipped in rigid boxes, if an item is too heavy for even a rigid box, a corrugated box will do nicely. Rigid boxes are made using corrugated material, so they keep their structural integrity intact even when stacked up. This, in turn, helps prevent more damage to the items stored inside. These features make these types of boxes ideal for moving. 

4. Cotton Bags   

Remember the Chanel unboxing experience we mentioned at the beginning of this guide? You may recall that, within the beautifully designed box, there were a couple of freebies encased in a delicate cotton bag. 

For physical retailers, cotton can be a great packaging material option for your products. For a start, cotton is usually a renewable, inexpensive fabric. This makes it great for brands who want to demonstrate their sustainability values through their types of packaging. Also, because cotton bags or pouches are reusable, they are in the mind of your consumer long after their purchase is made. 

Cotton is also extremely versatile. While its color is naturally cream, it can be dyed into any color you like. It can also be weaved in different ways to create different measures of thickness.  

Cotton materials can be treated and personalized in numerous ways. It is naturally an ivory color, giving it the ability to fit any vision. The color isn’t the only advantage; it can be made into different types of gauges and weaves, so bags can be thin like delicate muslin or very thick like a sturdy tote. Cotton fabric as a packaging material is also easy to work with, so there are no limitations in how small or large the final package can be. 

Needless to say, the softness of cotton makes it a no-go for the ecommerce journey. However, just like Chanel did, you could always incorporate cotton packaging inside your more durable shipping boxes.  

5. Plastics  

Ah, plastic. Once the shopping bag of choices for retailers around the world, plastic packaging has faced some backlash in recent years, mostly down to its environmental impact. The interesting thing about plastic is its versatility. Aside from traditional shopping bags, plastic can be molded into durable shipping cartons and even blister packets.  

In terms of benefits, plastic packaging can be strong and good at resisting different weather conditions. It’s also inexpensive and highly customizable, enabling you to go crazy with your design ideas.  

There are many types of packaging material options for plastic and despite the bad rep, there are also some more sustainable options. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and LDPE (low-density polyethylene) are two of the more eco-friendly options. However, the recyclability of these plastics depends on the recycling stream in the country you’re shipping to, so if you’re an international retailer, take note. For example, PET can be recycled in Germany but not in the United Kingdom. 

In terms of their source, both PET and LDPE come from fossil fuels. But bioplastics exist, too. These are made using renewable materials but are also more expensive. In terms of protection, plastic packaging materials are not as strong as cardboard. So if your items are delicate, this packaging type may not be right for you.  

6. Jute (Hessian/Burlap)   

Jute is made from the bark of the white jute plant and is also widely used in the packaging industry. It’s a golden fiber that can be woven into a coarse, strong material. Jute is often used for reusable shopping bags, agricultural packaging, and coffee bags. Since the decline of plastic shopping bags, jute has slowly edged into the spotlight. It’s 100% sustainable and extremely durable. However, it also has a rustic look and feel, meaning while it may be great for ethical brands looking for sustainable packing materials, it doesn’t shout premium. 

For physical retailers, jute is a great option. It’s cheaper than cotton packaging and its strength also means it can be used again and again and again. Talk about free marketing!  

 7. Padded Mailers

For small products that are about to go on an ecommerce journey, padded mailers as packing materials are a great option. They’re super easy to ship and are also very cost-effective. Because they can be sent in the mail stream, you don’t have to pay the prices associated with FedEx or another shipping provider. 

Padded mailers are usually made from paper, which is then blended with a padding material, such as bubble wrap, to provide extra cushioning. While the cushioning can help to keep items safe during the ecommerce journey, padded mailers aren’t recommended for very delicate items, as they may still get squashed during the logistics process. However, if your item comes in a box—say, a necklace encased in a small cardboard box—then a padded mailer will work. 

Padded mailers come in a variety of sizes and also have different sealing options, from peel and seal to self-sealing. These mailers are designed for the postal system, meaning the seals are usually very secure and difficult to open, which will prevent tampering or the elements impacting the package.  

In terms of design, padded mailers are extremely customizable. You can change the color, add designs, include your logo, and so on. They’re also easily recyclable, making them an eco-friendly choice. 

The Inside Counts, Too! 

That’s our overview of the top types of exterior packing materials. Now, it’s time to think about the interior. 

Let’s revisit Chanel again. What made that unboxing experience so great was the synergy between the beautiful exterior packaging and the interior of the box. You want to create a consistent experience from the outside in and continue your customer’s delight. 

Now, if you’re thinking of packaging for your physical retail shop, then this part of the article will be slightly less relevant to you. After all, if your customer is waiting in a queue to pay for their item, they don’t want to see a sales clerk at the till faffing about with lots of bits and bobs to put inside their paper or poly bag.

However, for ecommerce players, the inside really does matter. From a functional perspective, interior packaging adds another layer of protection and safety during the logistics journey. Then, from an experiential point of view, the interior materials can help to convey your brand’s messaging (think recycled paper for sustainability). This will excite your customers even more and add to the theater of the unboxing experience. 

Let’s dive into some of the common types of interior packing materials below: 

1. Styrofoam (Polystyrene)   

Styrofoam is a go-to protective material for ecommerce packaging. It’s made of mostly air, giving it a foam-like consistency that provides excellent cushioning for products during the logistics process. It’s also a good insulator, helping your products to withstand different temperatures, such as high heat levels during a hot summer’s day.  

Styrofoam tends to come into two forms: in rectangular shapes that fit between parts of a product—for example, do-it-yourself furniture—and also in the shape of packaging peanuts, which are small styrofoam nodules that can be poured into a box to provide protection. 

Styrofoam’s air-like consistency makes it extremely lightweight. It’s also relatively inexpensive. From a customization standpoint, styrofoam offers a lot of potential. It can be molded into different shapes and even dyed different colors. For instance, packaging peanuts could be turned into brightly colored stars that add to the wow factor of opening a package. However, for all its plus points, styrofoam is not environmentally friendly. It is not biodegradable and can’t be recycled.  

2. Cardboard  

Another top choice for packaging materials is cardboard. Its versatility extends beyond its use for exterior packaging; it can be used for the interior, too. For example, corrugated cardboard boxes can be shredded to create an alternative to packing peanuts, or cardboard can be snugly placed around items to add an extra layer of cushioning and protection.  

As we’ve already noted, cardboard is inexpensive and sustainable. It provides strong protection, making it a great choice for many internal packaging needs.  

Just as with external cardboard packaging, internal cardboard pieces or shreds can be customized into your brand’s colors and molded into different shapes to add to the unboxing experience.  

3. Soft Plastics   

Soft plastics have a sturdy yet foamy consistency. They are made of a type of polyethylene or from a material known as EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate). You tend to find this kind of material inside of boxes that hold premium, electrical items, such as phones or voice assistants.  

They’re a great choice for these kinds of products because they are extremely strong, water-resistant, and cost-effective. They are also flexible, which means they can be wrapped or shaped around products to provide insulation and protection. 

4. Bubble Wrap  

Who doesn’t love popping a bit of bubble wrap? With its fun consistency and strong protective properties, bubble wrap is a solid and affordable choice for fragile items like electronics or glass bottles. 

It’s made using polyethylene film, which is rolled into a sheet that contains small pockets of air. The sheet is extremely flexible, so bubble wrap can be wrapped around products of all shapes and sizes. The bubbles also come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny, centimeter air pockets to ones that are an inch in diameter. The size and fragility of your product will dictate the size of bubble wrap you go for. 

In terms of the ecommerce journey, bubble wrap’s structure is superb at protecting products. It’s also weather-proof, helping to keep your products safe from rain, hot weather, and so on.  

For all its benefits, bubble wrap is not easily customizable, meaning it’s not great for a premium unboxing experience. It’s also not the most sustainable choice, as it is made from PET, which isn’t recyclable in all countries’ recycling streams. 

5. Kraft Paper  

Kraft paper is a plain, brown paper that can be wrinkled into ball-like shapes and put inside a box to provide extra protection. Kraft paper is something that you don’t necessarily need to purchase especially. Your printer paper, old magazines, and even leaflets can be scrunched up and used for protection.  

From a sustainability standpoint, this makes kraft paper a good choice. Not only can it be recycled itself, but by using existing materials, you can upcycle. However, it’s worth noting that crumpled pieces of newspaper don’t exactly scream premium or customized, unless you find a way to put a creative spin on this in your marketing strategy.

You can, of course, choose to purchase kraft paper specifically for your packaging. If you do this, you’ll benefit from a range of customization options. Different colors, finishes, and patterns are all on offer.  

While kraft paper offers good protection at a good price, it’s worth noting that paper has some drawbacks. Namely, it’s not the best for dealing with humidity. This means that if your products are delicate or sensitive to weather conditions, kraft paper won’t be the best option. 

6. Tissue Paper  

Tissue paper is thinner than kraft paper. Each sheet is extremely lightweight and thin. When a bunch of sheets are put together, though, tissue paper becomes a sturdy, cushioned option for both ecommerce and physical retail.  

Aside from being protective, tissue paper has an air of elegance about it even though it’s very cost-effective. Its range of colors and consistency lends itself well to designer products like perfumes, jewelry, and fine clothing.  

Saying this, we advise being careful about how you use tissue paper for the ecommerce journey. If your items are delicate, then tissue paper on its own won’t be enough to protect your products during the logistics process. However, they can still be added to the inside of your package to add a little theater and luxury. 

7. Air Bags (Pillows)  

Air bags are exactly that—plastic bags that are filled with air. Unlike many kinds of plastic, airbags are recyclable because they are made from high-density polyethylene film, making them a more sustainable choice. 

Typically, air bags come in a long roll of individual bags. The edges between each bag are perforated, making them easy to separate. To use them, you simply stuff the desired number of airbags around your product in its packaging.  

Air bags are inexpensive and provide great protection for fragile items, offering the utmost cushioning. They’re also durable against the elements. While they’re lightweight, it’s worth noting that airbags are bulky. 

Add Some Wow Factor 

Throughout this guide so far, we’ve dropped some nuggets about the importance of customization. Now, it’s time to delve into that aspect a little further. Having an idea of the product packaging materials you want to use is the first, pivotal step. But how you use them as a vehicle to tell your brand’s story is just as important. 

Let’s reinforce this with some key stats: 

• According to Bain & Company, 60-80% of consumers will not repurchase from a brand with poor packaging, even if they liked the product they bought.
• Ipsos found that 72% of American consumers feel that a product’s packaging impacts their decision to buy.
• 71% of consumers feel frustrated when a shopping experience is impersonal, says Segment.
• According to SmarterHQ, 80% of frequent shoppers only shop with brands that personalize the experience.

It’s clear that personalization is the name of the game if you want to win new customers and retain old ones. This is where packaging innovation becomes integral. Funnily, innovation has become a bit of a buzzword in the business world. However, it is often not thought about in terms of packaging. 

Many businesses make the mistake of thinking packaging is a functional thing, something to protect your product as it gets from A to B. But it’s so much more. Customized packaging can be the difference between a one-off customer and a loyal brand advocate.  

It’s Time to Get Creative

The beautiful thing about many of the most popular packaging materials options (both internal and external) that we’ve discussed so far is their versatility. Besides offering basic protection and safety, they can be customized into different colors, shapes, and designs.  

For example, a couple of years ago, we worked with T-Mobile to create bespoke packaging for their physical retail location in New York. With their logo elegantly placed on the box and their brand colors shining through, these boxes were a hit with customers in-store. 

Turn Your Vision Into Reality 

Earlier, we asked you to imagine your ideal unboxing experience for your target consumer. Got the image in your mind? Now, let’s take a look at how you can turn that vision into an amazing reality…. 

Personalize with Printing

The sky’s the limit for your packaging vision. With the power of custom printing, you can adorn your retail packaging with different colors and designs, putting your brand’s stamp on your box. There are a few different printing options to consider. The main ones are:  

1. Ink Effects

When you’re looking at ink designs, you’ll see a couple of acronyms pop up again and again: RGB and CMYK. RGB stands for red, green, and blue. These are the colors that make up images on your computer screen or TV. CMYK stands for the ink colors cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black). These are the colors that you see on printed designs. For your packaging, it’s pivotal to submit your ink designs for printing in CMYK. 

In terms of what you can create, the opportunities are boundless with custom ink. They can be used to coat your package in your brand colors and come in different textures, such as metallic, matte, and even glow-in-the-dark. You can use as many colors as you like. However, be aware that the simpler the design, then the lower the price.  

2. Die Cutting

Die cutting is effectively like using a giant cookie cutter to add texture and dimension to your packaging. For example, you can cut a rectangular shape in your packaging using a die-cutter to give customers a sneak peak of what’s inside. 

For a detailed overview of how die cutting works and its applications, take a look at our die cutting guide for everything you need to know.  

Add a Touch of Sparkle

Printing and die cutting aren’t the only ways to personalize your packaging. There are tons of nifty ways to elevate your packaging with different artistic solutions. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Foil Stamping: Foil stamping involves using high temperatures and pressure to glue a foil design onto your packaging. The foil can vary in colors and textures, from gold to metallic to holographic. Foil stamping can add a sense of luxury and grandeur to your packaging. However, it comes at a price. It’s a labor-intensive process, meaning it takes both a lot of time and money to use foil stamping for large orders.
• Embossing and Debossing: Embossing and debossing are two processes that bring texture to your packaging. Embossing works by elevating your artwork from the printed material of your packaging. Debossing sinks your artwork into the packaging. Like foil stamping, both processes add a sense of luxury to your packaging. It’s worth noting that embossing is slightly more expensive than debossing. 
• Spot UV: Spot UV is a coating technique. It uses a high-gloss paint to coat your packaging, using UV (ultraviolet) light to cure the printed material’s varnish. It results in a shiny, glossy aesthetic where your packaging has been printed. Take a look at the example below.

• Typography: Just like printing a piece of paper, you can add text in different fonts, sizes, and colors to your packaging. We advise using your brand guidelines as the basis for the text and colors you choose to ensure synergy with your wider marketing strategy. At the same time, you’ll need to make sure that your color background compliments your text color. For example, cream lettering on a white box will be difficult to see. Size is also an important consideration. For all the effort that goes into adding text to your box, you want to make sure it’s readable to the receiver.

What Should I Do Next?

We’re almost at the finishing line! Having read this guide, we hope your mind is brimming with creative ideas of the types of packaging and packaging materials to use and how to add a stamp of personalization. However, we also appreciate that the world of packaging can be a little overwhelming. Because there are so many different types and options out there, there’s no such thing as a wrong or right choice. One thing’s for sure, though. There is one that will be best for your business’s unique needs and goals. 

Here at Refine Packaging, we have years of expertise in helping brands large and small to unleash the potential of customized packaging. In this way, they can attract customers, improve relationships, boost brand affinity, and help the bottom line.

Whether you’re a pizza delivery service or a mobile phone provider, our range of boxes has you covered. Our team is with you every step of the way, from helping you choose the type of box you need to designing the perfect exterior, to ensuring the interior materials you use are safe and can wow your customers. We work with you to turn your vision into a reality. 

Refine Packaging is the top choice for the world’s Inc 5000 and Fortune 500 companies. With super fast production times, affordable pricing, and a sky’s the limit attitude, we’ll help you turn your custom packaging into a competitive differentiator. Contact us today and a dedicated packaging specialist will guide you through every step of the custom packaging process without breaking a sweat.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Different Types of Packaging: Which is Right for You? appeared first on Refine Packaging.

One such lifestyle space that stands out amongst others is the beauty industry.

Cosmetics have long been a staple of women everywhere. They are used near-universally and kept close by and within reach at a moment’s notice. From purses and backpacks to bathroom cabinets and office desk drawers, beauty products have always been a ubiquitous part of everyday life. 

It was a lucrative, though fairly straightforward industry.

Nowadays, however, the cosmetics business is expanding into new horizons. 

First, it’s not just for women anymore. Plenty of men subscribe to the mantra that looking attractive and feeling attractive go hand in hand.

Next, cosmetic lines don’t just involve lipstick, eyeliner, and the like. Yes, make-up remains at the core of the beauty industry, but the industry is now just as much about personal care and hygiene as it is beauty, with hundreds of products in every segment. 

Consider this abbreviated list of what’s classified as beauty or cosmetic products:

• Creams, powders, face masks, coloring for the eyes, skin, and mouth
• Soaps, body washes, exfoliators, or any other cleansing product for use on your body
• Shampoos, conditioners, hair lotions, oils, dyes or bleaches
• Lotions for moisturizing, sun protection, or tanning of the skin
• Polishes, colors, and lotions for the nails
• Deodorants, antiperspirants, body sprays, perfumes, or other hygiene or aromatic prudence for your body
• Toothpaste, mouthwash, teeth bleaching or whitening, or other products for oral care
• Even baby care products such as powder, ointments, creams, and similar items can be considering cosmetics

So why the history lesson? 

If you’re reading this, it means one of two things: A) you currently own or manage a cosmetic brand and are curious about how to stand out from an incredibly crowded marketplace; B) you’re currently considering getting into the cosmetic business and are curious about how to stand out from an incredibly crowded marketplace.

The actual product you sell always remains the single most important factor in consumers buying and remaining loyal to your brand. You pull them in, however, with your cosmetic packaging.

That’s right, packaging.

Consumers are looking for brands to latch onto. Brands that they feel are relatable and understand their needs. They want products that are reliable, accessible, and that provide them both joy and value. They also want brands that are consistent in both their mission and their messaging. Ultimately they want a brand they can trust.

The right packaging goes a very long way to catching a consumer’s eye and asking them to come along for the journey with your brand. After all, before ever trying your product out, the first thing a customer notices is how that product is packaged.

If it’s packaged right, they’ll snatch it from the shelf and look forward to testing it out for themself.

If it’s packaged wrong, they gloss over it in favor of a product more to their liking.

Which, of course, begs the questions, how do you design great cosmetic packaging? Let’s dive in.

First Steps to Cosmetic Packaging Design

Before jumping into the specifics of designing your brand’s custom cosmetic boxes, there are a few basic tenets you need to sort out: How do you define your brand? Who does your brand appeal to? How will consumers acquire your product?

Upon answering these three questions, you’ll have a better pathway to the type of packaging you’ll need to have the most success.

Define The Personality of Your Cosmetics Brand

It’s a simple task, right? Define who you are and what you represent.

For some, it is. For others, this can prove the most taxing exercise of the entire project. Regardless of where you fall, we suggest starting with the product or products you plan to sell and then go from there.

Is it strictly women’s make-up? Hair care products? A line of skincare? A combination of different cosmetics?

Ultimately, what you sell lays the groundwork for how best to define your brand. It also informs your messaging and the design scheme that communicates what you represent.

For example, if you sell high-end cosmetics, then upscale materials and a luxe experience is a natural fit. Marketing products specific to pregnancy or baby care necessitate a lighter, more nurturing touch. Men’s care requires an entirely different tack, as does a highly health-conscious approach to personal care.

Once that’s decided, the next step is figuring out what you want your brand to represent. For instance, luxury products mean luxury branding. But will it be luxury with a bit of an edge? Will it be glamorous? Accessible, such as high-end products at relatively low costs? Or would it be upscale with an eco-friendly mindset?

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Finally, your brand drives a lot of your initial packaging design, as you’ll want it and your product lines tied closely together. That doesn’t mean you’re without creative freedom to distinguish your packaging, but consistency is critical to building a loyal customer base.

Taking into account all of the above factors will help you craft a company logo, color scheme, messaging, or other elements that provide your brand a cohesive uniformity. We suggest doing that first before anything else in this guide.

Whether you’re a startup, a company that’s rebranding, or an established firm trying to expand your appeal, defining your brand makes the packaging design process far more straightforward.

Who Does Your Beauty Brand Appeal To? 

Continuing with the luxury cosmetics theme, just because you trade in upscale polishes, lotions, and face creams doesn’t always translate to a consumer base filled with deep pockets. 

Your fingernail polishes might attract young female professionals. Your lipsticks might have the most mature shades of any brand. A lotion you sell might be surprisingly popular with athletic men and women of all ages.

Don’t just assume what initially seems attractive to one demographic won’t carry appeal for others. If you’re established, study purchase patterns to determine who’s buying what items. If you’re starting up, market research provides insight into buying patterns and habits so that you can make informed decisions.

Having that data in hand allows you to design packaging that appeals to your core audience while also attracting those outliers that fuel your growth. 

Where Do Consumers Order Your Cosmetic Products?

The final step in your pre-design task list takes into account where your cosmetics are sold. 

Does your packaging need to stand out amongst similar products in a grocery or big box retail store? Will your products be in a beauty-specific store like Ulta or Sephora? Will your products feature in a boutique or specialty shop, such as nail or hair salons? Or is your plan to sell exclusively online?

Where consumers engage with your brand has an impact on how you should present your product. The packaging used in a store environment has to attract attention, where it sits alongside competing brands.

Also, consider the store itself. In some boutique shops, it might be necessary to package products together or dress up the outer shell more than you would for a pharmacy.

You have a little more freedom with online purchases. Your ecommerce packaging is less about getting noticed and more about the consumer’s experience with your brand. 

While it’s not uncommon to produce different packaging for different points of sale, make sure your branding is consistent so your customers can always identify your products.

Understanding the Cosmetics Industry Marketplace

The cosmetics industry is crowded and hyper-competitive and on a rapid incline, soon to be valued at $532 billion. Before delving into the specifics of your packaging designs and committing to any design strategies, it’s beneficial to take a comprehensive view of the marketplace you’ll be entering (or reintroducing your product line). 

Research is a critical element in this process. You should do this regardless of if you’re selling online, in-store, or both.

Pick a group of roughly five cosmetic companies that you feel will be direct competitors to your brand. Make sure they sell similar products to yours. 

We suggest that from the brands you choose for your research to select three direct competitors, one brand considered to be a step above, and one a step below. Those latter two selections help you gauge the gap between being a premium brand and one seen as something less.

Take stock of what each company does and doesn’t do well, how they engage with their customers, and which shortcomings your brand can take advantage of. Look at their website, online stores, shareability on social media, and visit any stores that may carry their products. 

Note the design aesthetics they use for their cosmetic packaging boxes and if any one item or product line sells better than another.

Ultimately, your goal with your research is to find where your brand fits within the market. The better you understand your competitors, the better chance you will have to position your brand for long-term success.

Get Inspiration for Your Product Line

With those basic, but super important, first steps resolved, you now get to move on to the really fun stuff.

Before getting too far along in the design process, it’s worthwhile to figure out what you like, don’t like, and the stuff in between that’s worth considering.

Thinking about what your brand represents, create mood boards or style sheets for each of your product lines using other trends in cosmetic packaging (or even beyond that). 

Mood boards are great for capturing overall themes, styles, or things that inspire you. Style sheets (or style guides) help work on the specifics of how you want your specific branding or packing to look. As we noted, if you have individual product lines, you can craft a mood board for overall inspiration and style guide for each specific line.

Search the internet, comb through magazines, and walk store aisles to gain a sense of what works, what doesn’t, and different design styles that could benefit your brand.

Look at colors, fonts, and shapes. Pay attention to trends and take note of classic design schemes and those that come across as gimmicky. You’ll want to focus your efforts on the former, crafting a modern design that also looks like it could fit into any era. It’s also the approach that’s proven most effective in appealing to consumers over the long term.

Add what you like or what seems to work to your mood board or individual product style sheets. Take note of bad design choices, as well, to avoid your own during your design process.

Obviously, you’re not looking to mimic what others are doing. However, style sheets provide an excellent visual reference point on which to build your product packaging design. 

Choosing Your Custom Cosmetic Packaging Containers

The foundation of cosmetic packaging design starts with the type of container you’ll use for your products. Based on the products you intend to sell, you’ll already have a starting point for your design. 

Container types include bottles (glass and plastic), boxes, compacts, droppers, jars, packets, palettes, pumps, sprayers, tins, and tubes.

To a certain degree, there isn’t much room for variation. Shampoo and conditioners almost always come in plastic, squeezable bottles; lipstick comes in lipstick tubes. 

However, don’t shy from attempting different variations. Yes, they need to remain reasonably practical and useful. But if you believe it enhances your appeal and is something consumers might respond to, it’s worth trying out.

In addition to the actual product container, many beauty products need to feature additional custom packaging. A compact or lipstick tube can stand on their own, secured with a simple plastic or foil wrapping. A glass bottle of perfume or essential oil, however, may require an exterior box as part of the packaging presentation.

Beyond that, many cosmetics brands sold in boutique retail stores feature their own additional exterior bag. At grocery or big-box retail locations, additional retail packaging may be less personalized. Depending on where your products are sold, you’ll want to know which packaging works best in a given environment.

Selling your products online provides greater packaging freedom. For such orders, you may consider packaging that enhances a consumer’s experience with your brand. 

Once you understand your container needs, reach out to packaging companies with experience producing cosmetic packaging boxes to help guide you through the design and ordering process step-by-step.

Elements of Good Cosmetic Packaging Design

Stroll down any cosmetics aisle in any store, and the infinite array of colors and patterns and textures and shapes is bound to be overstimulating. More so than most other product segments, cosmetics, and personal care packaging carries a decidedly creative flare.

And it makes perfect sense.

The goal of any of these products is to make the customer look beautiful and feel spectacular. If you’re to convince a consumer to give your lipstick, bath wash, or body lotion a try, you need to convince them that your product will take them on that blissful journey. 

It’s also why certain aesthetics emerge and are often relied upon to create lasting and timeless packaging designs that make an impression with consumers. While your actual packaging colors may be driven in part by your overall branding scheme, you can incorporate different techniques specific to your product lines while maintaining consistent overall branding.  

When seeking inspiration for your design, and when in the midst of the design process itself, remain mindful of several core elements. You should always look for new and creative ways to set your brand’s packaging apart. 

However, employing a few proven strategies as a baseline helps you craft an excellent design that represents your brand and appeals to customers. 

Colors

We’re sure it comes as no small surprise that colors play a huge role in cosmetic packaging design. The industry, by its very nature, lends itself to the utilization of a vast palette of colors. A handful of tried and true color schemes though popup again and again.

• Black and White: Individually, the colors black and white will always prove as standout choices for product packaging, regardless of industry. Black is a power color. It portrays a sense of luxury and sophistication and timeless elegance. It’s also useful in giving brands a certain hard edge, or broodiness.

White, for its part, often represents the height of minimalism. Its starkness also portrays elegance and sophistication. When used as a base layer, it serves the dual purpose of softening heavier hues and providing better definition to lighter colors. When paired together, black and white will always prove a winning, classic color scheme.

• Pink and Purple: Ever wonder why pink and purple are two of the most prevalent colors in cosmetics packaging? Well, pink evokes feelings of love and romance, beauty and femininity, and carries with it a sense of calm. Purple evokes royalty, wealth, and luxury. It also symbolizes extravagance, independence, and even a bit of mystery.

Both of these colors capture the beauty industry’s basic core tenants. As such, they are used again and again and again. It may prove difficult to distinguish your products from others who are trying to capture a similar vibe. If you must use either, it’s best to do it in tandem with other colors. You can still capture that core feeling of beauty and extravagance while paving your own branding path.

• Pastels: Pastels are pale hues of primary and secondary colors from the color wheel. Most widely associated with Easter and early spring, pastels reflect a soft, gentle mood. They are extremely popular in cosmetics packaging as they invoke tranquility, openness, femininity, and rebirth (spring).  

Although you’ll find them named everything under the pastel sun – mint blue, pistachio or seafoam green, plum, antique white – they are most commonly found under the light or pale monikers (light pink or pale yellow). Similar to pink and purple, if you can find a new, unique twist on these popular schemes, it can help distinguish your brand. 

• Other Color Schemes: The three categories above represent the most popular colors used in cosmetics packaging. There are, however, other options. Warm tones use a combination of red, yellow, orange, and pink to invoke enthusiasm, energy, and optimism.

Cool tones – those that predominantly feature blue, green, purple, and similar hues – are meant to communicate a sense of relaxation or calm. Neutral or earth tones represent any shade of brown or closely related variances, anything from auburn to gold to tan. Often used in association with black, white, or gray, these hues evoke nature.

Although you may opt for your brand’s overall color scheme to take the dominant role in your packaging, experiment with different mixes. For example, pastel lavender or light purple is often associated with relaxation. If your line features soaking bath salts or bath bombs, it might prove beneficial to feature lavender as part of the packaging design for your custom bath bomb boxes, even if it’s not a primary part of your branding.

Your main goal with color is to appeal to a consumer’s senses. 

Is your brand earthy or ethereal, with environmentally conscious products and packaging? Or is it more urban, with the goal to attract the fete set who attend black-tie dinners and charity balls?

Play around with different combinations. Find those that enhance your brand, entice your ideal consumer, and build a loyal customer base.

Fonts

Similar to colors, the fonts and typography (how your fonts are visually rendered) used in your packaging convey their own feelings and emotions. Not to overwhelm you, but there are approximately half a million fonts currently available for use.  

Picking the right one, though, is not nearly as daunting as it seems. 

First, there are some basic tenants with lettering. Serif fonts are the most traditional of font options and convey class or a sense of being established. Sans serif is a far more modern font. It’s both simple and straightforward.

Cursive or script fonts or those set in italics communicate sophistication and elegance (and femininity). Bold letters or those in all caps invoke a strong, aggressive brand (often used in men’s beauty care product lines). 

Regardless of the font and typography, the first goal is to ensure it’s easy to read. A critical factor to always consider is the type and size of packaging you plan to use when determining your text scheme. 

Whether it’s artistic and whimsical or bold and brash or elegant and sophisticated, choose what best represents your brand and is unique and stands out from your competition. The better you can separate yourself, the greater chance you have in forging your own identity. 

Patterns

The final major design elements of cosmetic packaging include patterns. And, as any trek through your nearest cosmetics and beauty store indicates, the world is truly your oyster. 

The predominant design styles you see elsewhere are often on display in cosmetics, from custom lip gloss boxes to foundation boxes. Minimalist, geometric, Art Deco, florals, traditional, contemporary, modern, natural, abstract – those are just the basic underlying styles. Plenty of brands combine elements to carve their own path.

Which is what we suggest. There is no right or wrong here – hand-drawn florals or bold, industrial geometrics can both prove successful based on brand goals and consumer reaction.

It may sound like a broken record at this point, but uniqueness stands out in an industry and marketplace where many brands seem like mirror images of one another.

When bringing all of these design elements together on your product packaging, you want a cohesive presentation. One that is true to your brand. Attracts your target demographic and will prove the most engaging wherever they acquire your products.

Additional Informational Elements

Along with your brand logo, copy, and graphics or images, the packaging may also require certain additional elements. This is specifically to satisfy FDA regulations that govern cosmetic labeling.

Depending on the product, your label may need to include ingredients, expiration dates, and government warnings. While it’s not a requirement, if your product is cruelty-free and not tested on animals, we suggest indicating that on your custom packaging as well.

Ready, Set, Go

Okay. Now you’re ready to start bringing it all together.

Assuming you’ve added and removed and tweaked your mood board and style guides accordingly, you should have a good overview of where your design is heading.

Unless you’ve got a team of in-house designers at your disposal, we strongly recommend working with a professional designer. Not only do they handle the heavy lifting of bringing your ideas to life, they prove worthwhile partners in perfecting the design before it’s finalized.

A few things to keep in mind during the cosmetic packaging design process:

What you highlight on the front of the packaging is what consumers notice first. Are you trying to build a brand or sell a product? The answer dictates your approach. If it’s a brand, make your logo and messaging the focal point. If it’s a product, keep the specifics on what makes it so great.

For both the front and back of your label, make sure it answers a consumer’s most immediate questions: product description, contents, whose it’s for, how to use it, instructions or warnings.

Also include any particulars that make your brand or the product worth buying: eco-friendly, cruelty-free, special ingredients, specific beauty benefits, or specific altruistic benefits (“a percentage of your purchase will be donated to…”).

Whatever route you take, ensure it’s clear, concise, and appeals to your ideal consumer and entices everyone else. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is the product identifiable? Clear what it’s for and what it does?
• Is it clear which brand is selling the product?
• Will it stand out on a shelf? Or blend it with competitor packaging? 
• Will it create excitement among consumers who pick it? Will it provide an experience for those ordering it online?

Most importantly, does the design match the vision you have for both your brand and the products you’re selling? Ensure to create actual physical mock-ups of the packaging designs during the design process. This allows you and your team to experience what the consumer would in the store or during an unboxing.

Finally, even though much of your packaging costs stem from the actual containers, boxes, and bags, be mindful of the costs associated with your design. The more elaborate they are, the more you’ll pay. Work with vendors across the entire project – designer, printer, and logistics – to secure the cosmetic packing you want at a price you can handle.

Final Thoughts

Let’s look at the steps that brought you to this point:

• Defining your brand
• Who does your brand appeal to
• How consumers acquire your products
• Understanding the marketplace
• Inspiration
• Containers and packaging
• Colors
• Fonts
• Patterns and designs
• Additional information elements
• Ready, set, go (making your designs a reality)

The quick recap serves as a reminder of the various elements involved in your packaging design process. It’s not to overwhelm you, but to serve as a reminder, the entire process is interconnected.

• If you don’t have a clear idea of your brand and who it appeals to, you’re going to struggle with crafting cohesive packaging.
• If you don’t craft cohesive packaging, you run the risk of being overlooked or blending into a crowded marketplace.
• If your containers are mismarked or poorly packaged or sloppily designed, consumers won’t seek your product out in a store or trust anything you post or sell on your website.
• If you can’t pin down the elements that inspire you, there’s little chance you’ll create packaging or a brand identity that inspires others to try your products.

You get the idea.

As we pointed out, the cosmetics business is hyper-competitive. But it’s also an industry full of opportunity to make your mark. Whether you’re hoping to carve out a niche for your brand and products or become a one-stop beauty empire for all, the first impression you make is with your packaging.

Take your time and give the packaging design process the attention it deserves. Research the market, find your inspiration, and envision what your brand brings to the market that others do not. Then design packaging that conveys that message to consumers. 

They’ll only know how great the product is inside if you convince them to buy it with great packaging on the outside.

The post How to Design Cosmetic Packaging That Sells, Step-By-Step appeared first on Refine Packaging.

It might be that distinctive, smiley box from Amazon, or one of those Blue Apron boxes that seem to crop up everywhere—or maybe it’s something you’ve never seen before.

Just the other day while driving in my neighborhood, I saw a bold, purple-colored box with the words “Purple Carrot” emblazoned on the side. What’s a Purple Carrot? I’d never heard of the company. But the vibrant colored box was enough to capture my attention and stick out in my mind.

Guess what I did when I got home? I googled Purple Carrot and found out they’re a plant-based meal delivery service. Talk about effective marketing.

By merely using distinct, recognizable packaging, Purple Carrot piqued the interest of a casual observer (me), and eked out a little free advertising too.

For businesses of all sizes, effective custom packaging can yield impressive marketing results.

Just consider these stats:

• In a Dotcom Distribution study, over 60% of those surveyed said that gift-like packaging gets them excited about what they ordered.
• 40% of these online shoppers said they would be more likely to purchase from a retailer again if the retailer used premium packaging.

And pretty packages can lead to social shares:

• 50% said gift-like or branded packaging makes them more likely to recommend a brand to others.
• People obsess over packaging. In 2018, there are more than 92 million “unboxing” videos on YouTube.

Suffice it to say, custom packaging is an easy way to spike interest in your products and build excitement for your brand. Not to mention that your competition is probably already putting effort into how they package their products. Don’t get left behind.

So how can your business stand out from the crowd?

Let’s take a look at how you can incorporate custom boxes and branded packaging into your marketing arsenal.

And fear not, there are price points that will work for every size business.

Why Go Custom?

Custom Boxes We Created For T-Mobile

Gone are the days of haphazardly tossing some goods in a post office box and calling it a day.

The physical box you put your product in is important, so put some thought into it. You only have one chance to make a first impression. Don’t miss this opportunity.

Making a memorable brand experience is especially relevant for one very important consumer group—millennials. Millennials now make up nearly 25% of the US population and possess an annual purchasing power of over $1.3 trillion dollars. For millennials, feeling a connection with a brand is of paramount importance when making purchasing decisions.

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Unique packaging is a great way to initially wow your customers and make them feel special. When done right, you’ll increase brand exposure, through social sharing, and directly pump up brand loyalty and sales.

Where To Start

It all begins with choosing the type of outside shipping box you need.

Boxes come in all shapes, colors, materials, and sizes, but cardboard and corrugated rectangular boxes are the most popular choices, because they’re sturdy and affordable.

When it comes to packaging design or box design, there are two main types of packaging to consider: Fully customized boxes and printed stock boxes.

Let’s take a closer look:

You can choose to go the fully customized route, but maybe a printed stock box will fit your needs. It’s always best to ask packaging companies for a quote. A lot will depend on your budget and the type of products you’re shipping.

With a custom box, you can pick any size you want, add fancy designs, fitted dividers, inserts, throw in some custom tissue paper, or make use of inner boxes and bags.

In other words, you can get exactly what you want and know that your brand will have something entirely unique.

When you design your custom retail packaging, don’t let the inside flap of your shipping box go to waste. Take a company like Loot Crate, for example. They use this piece of precious real estate by including “unboxing instructions,” as a way to encourage social sharing.

Successful packaging starts with a compelling design.

Your company probably already has a logo or a particular color associated with your brand. Try to incorporate these elements into your boxes or other packaging. It will promote brand awareness and help people remember you.

There are all kinds of variables that can inflate the costs of your packaging. When weighing your printing options, don’t forget to consider things like cutting dies, printing plates, flute size, dielines, and minimum orders.

Keep in mind printing costs are usually lower for bigger orders. So if you can, figure out what you’ll need down the road, and order accordingly.

And always get a printed sample proof before approving the job for production. You’d hate to place a large order only to have your company name misspelled, or the colors to be all wrong. That’s definitely not the kind of branding you want.

NOTE: We offer 100% free design for all of our customers who need help. Don’t have a design? Let us help you make it.

Choosing The Right Type of Box: Custom Boxes By Industry

You might be surprised to learn that there are custom boxes for specific industries. Some packaging is crafted to suit specific product box styles, and others to match unique retail box needs.

On A Tight Budget? Think Beyond The Box

Not every company has the budget to digitally print their logo on the side of their shipping boxes. But that doesn’t mean you have to forfeit all attempts at promoting your brand. The little things inside the box are an important component of adding that personal touch.

Looking for a little inspiration? It’s not hard to find.

Even a cursory search on Pinterest will have all kinds of packaging eye candy pop up.  Many pinners devote whole boards to packaging ideas.

Here are some ideas to consider:

Notes

How about the thrill of receiving a personalized, handwritten note?

If you find one of those tucked inside your product box, you’ll take notice. A simple thank you note can go a long way.  And it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. For mere pennies, you can print up some thank you inserts, and make your customers feel special.

You can get as fancy as you want, but if money’s tight, you can even print some out on your own computer.

Stickers

The post The Definitive Step-By-Step Guide to Custom Boxes (With 5 Real World Examples) appeared first on Refine Packaging.

There’s a box for nearly any size or shape item. 

Need a box for some perishable meat? No problem. A bulky mattress? That can easily be delivered – in a box. A fragile 18th-century chandelier? Too easy. 

Rest assured, if you need to ship it, there’s a box for you.

Let’s dive right into how to measure a box, so you’ll know how to pick the right box size and style for your specific needs.

How to Measure a Box: Finding Your Box Size 

First off, you need to get the box size right.  

You’ve probably heard that old saying, “measure twice and cut once.”  

Well, it’s relevant to box measurements as well. Before you place a large order for custom boxes, you need to make sure you’re ordering the right size for your printing and distribution processes. And simply eye-balling your measurements isn’t going to cut it. 

If you want a jumping-off point measure to help gauge standard box sizes, consider the most common size shipping box is 16”x12”x12”, a 1.5 cubic foot box.

The critical and crucial thing to remember when measuring the dimension of a box is that there are only dimension of two measurements – the interior and exterior measurement. A common 16″x12″x12″ box? Those are the inside box measurements. Outside, that same box measures 16 3/8×12 3/8×12 5/8″.

As you can see, often these box dimensions can be close, but you need to know which is which to avoid costly mistakes. You’d hate to measure a box to have its dimensions be just a ½ inch off and not be able to fit any of your products in the box.

When you see the box measurements listed in a catalog or a website, they’re typically referring to the interior dimensions.  

Box sizes are measured by their internal dimensions, and are are listed in the order of length, width, and height (L x W x H). 

If you’re measuring for a custom box, you should measure the exact cubic size to the closest 1/10th of an inch. That’s pretty precise, so double-check your numbers with a ruler or a tape measure. 

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Now let’s talk about the exterior measurement of the box, which will determine your shipping costs.  

While the costs of shipping vary widely between services and carriers, you can ballpark what you might expect to pay using their specific box size guidelines. FedEx and USPS offer fairly straightforward guides.

Obviously, anything that falls outside of their basic pricing guidelines could be subject to even higher costs.

After you’ve packed up your box and taped it shut, measure the inside dimensions against the exterior, so you’ll know how much volume the box will take up on the truck. The volume of a square box is the cube of length of the side of the square box. Put another way, if you’re shipping in bulk, the exterior measurements will also give you an idea of how many boxes you can fit on a pallet.

When you begin to measure dimensions before printing, note that manufacturers have manufacturing variance. Acceptable manufacturing variance is the difference between estimated and actual costs of a full production run, which typically range above or below 10% of the estimated cost.

Box Styles Explained: How Boxes Are Built

So now, you should have a good grasp size box sizes you need, but now comes the tricky part.  

There are virtually hundreds of box styles to choose from. I know, who would have thought there could be such a variety.

But consider for a minute all of the different products and items and things and knick-knacks that ship on a daily basis. Remember our earlier examples? Perishable meat, bulky mattress, fragile 18th-century chandelier?

You need a lot of different square boxes to ship a lot of different products. And this is the nuts and bolts of packaging.

You might have the prettiest looking box. You might offer the best possible product. But a mismatch between the two can result in damaged goods or a poor unboxing experience for the consumer.

Nobody wants that.

Let’s take a deep dive into all of the possible box types and styles to ensure you have that winning combination that will make both your customers and your brand happy.

Finding the Best Box Type for Your Strength and Build Requirements 

The majority of retail packages that you’ll see lining the shelves of any brick-and-mortar store – from cereals, milk, cosmetics – come in carton boxes. While these are one of the most well-known and diverse box types available, they aren’t intended for shipping.

For our purposes below, we’ll be considering shipping needs as well. And when discussing shipping boxes, the primary package type being referenced is the corrugated box. 

Most often constructed of three layers – two layers of fiberboard (container or linerboard) surrounding a fluted corrugated medium (a wavy piece of fiberboard) that helps give the box its strength and durability. 

Consider the difference between a cereal box (a single sheet of paperboard) versus a basic moving box (the corrugated box). It’s easy to see why the latter is favored for shipping and fulfillment.

These corrugated boxes can be used for all manner of goods – everything from toys and electronics to foods and appliances. Even hazardous materials ship in the corrugated box if afforded the right exterior thickness and interior packing material.

The advantages of corrugated boxes for shipping include:

• High durability

• Lightweight

• Relatively low shipping costs

• Reusable

• Good protection by itself, outstanding when paired with void fill

• Comes in practically any shapes or sizes of box

Corrugated boxes come in four different builds. They include:

• Single Face: A single sheet of fiberboard is glued to a single fluted corrugated medium. Most often, this form is utilized as a heavy-duty packing material and not in the construction of an actual box.

• Single Wall: This form is your basic everyday corrugated box – the two layers of fiberboard glued on either side to the fluted corrugated medium. Single wall corrugated boxes are the standard for the vast majority of shipping needs due to their strength and efficient material and cost optimization.

• Double Wall: With an additional layer of protection – three sheets of fiberboard alternated with two fluted corrugated mediums – double wall boxes significantly increase a box’s durability and protection. Although it offers increased protection for bulky or heavy items like electronics, it also adds to your shipping costs. 

• Triple Wall: As you might have guessed, a triple wall corrugated box is some heavy-duty stuff. It adds another layer of fiberboard and a corrugated medium to the build. The strength is on par with wooden crates. Do you need to ship industrial or medical equipment, big appliances, or large panes of glass? This is what you use to do it.

Taking the construction a step further, there are five different fluted corrugated mediums. The flute variances are based on flutes per square foot and thickness. You can combine different flute styles in custom packaging to adjust dimensional weight, the thickness and durability based on actual weight of what you’re shipping.

• A-Flute: 33 flutes per square foot and 3/16 inch thickness. Ideal for shipping fragile items.

• B-Flute: 47 flutes per square foot and 1/8 inch thickness. Ideal for items such as canned goods or for use as interior packing dividers.

• C-Flute: 39 flutes per square foot and 5/32 inch thickness. Ideal for basic shipping needs and is the most common flute size.

• E-Flute: 90 flutes per square foot and 1/16 inch thickness. Ideal for smaller fragile items and high-quality printing (think cosmetics packaging or for small glass products). 

• F-Flute: 125 flutes per square foot and 1/32 inch thickness. Ideal for small retail packaging items.

Different Styles of Corrugated Boxes for Shipping

So that’s how boxes are built. What about the box sizes and forms they can take?

As we noted earlier, it can be a taxing affair to count all of the ways you can shape a box. 

Depending on where you look, you can choose from between 1,500 and 2,000 different options. That’s assuming you don’t have any custom packaging needs.

We’ll wait while you quietly utter “wow” to yourself.

In an effort to keep the details uncomplicated, let’s focus our attention on the most common box forms. Trust us, it’s still a lot.

There are actually six basic box styles – Slotted, Telescope, Rigid, Folders, Self-Erecting, and Interior Forms. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most widely used box styles:

Slotted Boxes

Constructed from one single piece of corrugated fiberboard, these boxes are “slotted to allow for easy folding and assembly. This style of box is the most popular and widely used.

• Regular slotted container (RCS): Regular slotted containers are the most commonly used corrugated shipping box. They have two sets of flaps, each being half the width of the box, which meet in the middle. You’ll need tape to close it.

• Half slotted container (HSC): Similar to the regular slotted option except that there’s only one set of flaps instead of two.

• Overlap slotted container (OSC): This box resembles the regular slotted box, but the two sets of flaps are of equal length, that provides an overlapping enclosure (roughly about an inch to an inch and a half more than the regular slotted box) instead of ones that meet in the middle. You’ll commonly see these boxes fastened with staples instead of tape.

• Full overlap slotted container (FOL): Like the overlap box, all flaps have an equal length but measure the entire width of the box. Not only are these packages more secure, but they stack easier due to a seamless flat bottom when closed. Both the overlap and full overlap are more expensive to procure.

Slotted boxes also feature center slotted varieties with inner flaps with equal sides that meet and other flaps with various degrees of width side overlap. The snap-lock bottom or 1-2-3 bottom offer a quicker set-up than a regular slotted container and can feature a top tuck or regular slotted enclosure.

There’s also a bellow style top that includes a folding top instead of standing side flaps to secure the box’s top portion.

Other Box Styles to Consider

While slotted boxes are the most popular form of box for shipping, the other styles we mentioned garner plenty of use. These include:

• Telescope Boxes: Telescope boxes include two separate pieces – a top and a bottom – with one fitting over the other. The main styles include a full telescope design style container (FTD) option formed from two slotted pieces that serve as trays that fit inside each other. The box design style container with cover is similar to the above. Only the top portion or cover of the box does not extend all the way down the bottom portion of the container. Imagine a traditional two-piece shoebox. Other variations include the double cover container (DC), interlocking double cover container (IC), and the full telescope half slotted container (FTHS).

• Rigid Boxes: Rigid boxes, also called bliss boxes, feature two same size end panels and a body that folds around to create two side panels and a seamless bottom. Once the joints of the box are sealed, the box is considered rigid.

• Folders: Folders are just that, single pieces of corrugated fiberboard that fold to create a seamless bottom with flaps coming together at the top of the box. Two variants include the one-piece folder (OPF) and five-panel folder (FPF). Another type of folder includes trays that fold and join together to create sturdy containers featuring both a cover or an open top. Other folders feature air cells (flaps that fold over to create additional protection), wraparounds that fit directly around a product, or a high wall or display tray.

• Self-erecting: Self-erecting boxes feature top panels typical of a regular slotted container with a pre-glued auto bottom. There’s also a self-erecting six corner tray that features a telescope top.

• Interior Forms: Finally, interior forms are corrugated pieces that serve as interior packing forms. Styles include dividers, liners, pads, partitions, or tubes. Interior forms help further strengthen corrugated boxes and protect and cushion fragile products. Although the added materials can increase costs, custom interior forms can also enhance your packaging presentation and provide customers a wow-worthy unboxing experience. 

Phew. Bet you didn’t know there were so many choices for a lowly box. And the list could go on and on. We haven’t even touched on packaging design. But this gives you an idea of some of your options. 

When deciding on which box size is best for your products, the cost of custom boxes is important, but also keep in mind how long it takes to assemble boxes.  

You may pay more upfront for already assembled boxes, but it might be worth it if you don’t have time to devote to folding the boxes together. 

Mailers

Before moving on to how to choose the right box size, we would be doing you a disservice if we didn’t include a quick note on mailers. 

Yes, boxes are the primary vessel for shipping the vast majority of products to your customers. However, mailers are a good alternative if the product – or your presentation – may not warrant a full-blown box.

Think items that don’t require the protection a box provides (t-shirts) or flat products that would be swallowed up in a box (smartphone cases, screen protectors, or books). 

Solutions such as bags, Tyvek envelopes, and padded mailers are great box alternatives. If you can’t package a number of small products together or have singular items that need little protection, a mailer might be the way to go. In some cases, they can prove considerably cheaper to ship packages, as well.

Consider How Packaging Fill Impacts Box Dimensions

Boxes and shipping are more than just, well, boxes and shipping.

Rarely is an item just flung in a box and shipped off. What goes inside your box is also important. And we’re not talking about the products you ship. Not directly anyway.

Void or infill is an integral part of the box-sizing process. Not accounting for how you plan to pad and protect the products you ship can lead to ordering improperly sized boxes, utilizing more materials than is necessary, or increased packaging and shipping costs. Double check your padding with measuring tape or a ruler to avoid having an incorrect size of box.

Haphazardly piecing together your packaging may also result in dissatisfied consumers either from a less than desirable unboxing experience or damaged goods. Having packaging that’s social media shareworthy is one of your strongest marketing tools, don’t risk losing it with damaged products.

Let’s explore a handful of popular options for void fill and how they can impact the box dimensions and style that you choose.

• Packaging Paper: Arguably, the most widely used void fill material, packaging paper is excellent for filling space and general product protection during shipping. The two main types of paper include Newsprint and Kraft. Considering both are ultimately just a sturdier form of paper, neither option will have a significant impact when accounting for box sizes. You can also use recyclable paper options.

• Bubble Wrap: A go-to for many brands, bubble wrap is great because, similar to packaging paper, it’s perfect for filling voids and keeping items safe. It does prove burdensome to store (and DIY options require the purchase of a $4,000 air filling machine). It isn’t the most environmentally-friendly choice for packaging. But it won’t alter your box measuring requirements.

• Corrugated Paper: The environmentally friendly alternative to plastic bubble wrap, corrugated paper is what’s left of the corrugated box making process. That excess makes for superior material both as basic void fill and protection or for a more appealing boxing presentation. Supremely flexible, modest amounts won’t have an impact on your box measurements. However, incorporate it as a stylish display in smaller packaging (it’s excellent for creating a “nest” to cradle items), and you might need to increase your box size.

• Inflatables: No, we’re not talking balloons here. Instead, inflatables, also called air pillows, offer some of the best shipping cushioning available. The downside, though, is that due to their looseness within a box, it can lead brands into buying one size fits all boxes. Not great if your aim is to closely match your product, boxing and shipping needs. In addition, while they offer a small storage footprint (they come uninflated), they do require a pricey air filling machine.

• Custom Inserts: Although it might add to your packaging and shipping costs, customized inserts are excellent for protecting and enhancing the unboxing experience. It will take some extra leg work to get your box measurements and style just right. You’ll need to account for the size of the product, how it will fit within the insert, and how the insert will fit within the box. It can be time-consuming and requires some planning, but it’s well worth the effort.

• Crinkle Paper: Yep, it’s basically shredded paper that’s crinkled up. Although it’s a bit messy, this form of custom packing makes for a fancy presentation, offers adequate protection for small or moderately fragile items, and will work within practically any box dimensions you choose. That said, we’ll reiterate, it can create a mess, so it’s best used in smaller boxes and doses.

• Packing Peanuts: Speaking of messes, packing peanuts is a stalwart of the shipping business. They will work for any size box, especially large ones with a lot of void to fill, but they’re not at all good for the environment. We suggest you steer clear of these.

• Biodegradable Starch Peanuts: If, however, you like the idea of peanuts and packing and filling whatever box size you want with them, we suggest you go green. Biodegradable starch peanuts are essentially the same as regular packing peanuts, only eco-friendly. These are awesome and will be appreciated by your customers. Because, seriously, who wants to drive to a UPS store to recycle old styrofoam peanuts?

• Double Boxing: Similar to custom inserts, double boxing creates a package within a package effect. In theory, this does aid in protecting items within the product box. Still, you will need to account for securing the smaller product box within the larger box for shipping. Unless it’s part of a specific presentation, this approach will increase your costs and double your box measurement and style considerations.

• Instapak: Instapak is an expanding foam that conforms to the shape of the item you’re shipping and the box it’s shipped in. It offers good protection, especially for heavy or fragile equipment, and is usable in most box sizes. But it’s not eco-friendly and can be expensive.

• Molded Pulp: Molded pulp, on the other hand, is eco-friendly since its recycled newsprint or cardboard that acts as a superb and attractive buffer for fragile products (think bottled wine). It is a bit more pricy than basic packaging, and it works best customized to fit your outer box.

When planning out your boxing and void fill options, it’s always a good idea to stick to eco-friendly packaging if you can. 

Ecommerce, as convenient as it is, does generate its share of waste. When planning out your ecommerce box needs, stay cognizant of using only what’s necessary to protect your goods and offer the best unboxing experience possible.

Additionally, using boxes and other packaging made of post-consumer waste may cost you a little more money upfront but can enhance your reputation by showing that you care about the environment.  

How to Pick the Right Box Size

Of course, the number one deciding factor on which box size you need comes down to the products you’re packaging.  

First off, you need a box size that physically fits your items. Know the dimensions of your products. Yes, this involves more measuring (length, width, and height). 

You’ll also have to decide the most efficient way to fit your product in a box.  

If you’re shipping something like a rug, you may decide to roll it up and put it in a long, narrow box. But there’s not a one box fits all – even for similar products.   

Case in point, I ordered a rug that was thin enough to be folded and put in a mailer. It arrived in perfect condition – all the way from Turkey. So play around and find the best box size and style for your unique products. 

You know that you won’t be able to squeeze a football into a flat box. But, also make sure your box isn’t too big. Packing a single mug in an extra-large box makes zero sense. Who wants to pay to ship air? The right box size should provide a snug fit, so your product isn’t rattling around in there. 

When possible, it’s a good idea to combine products as part of your shipping strategy. 

If you’re shipping multiple products at one time, you can fit them together. Be sure to wrap them individually or use corrugated inserts to protect them from crashing into each other during transit. 

Also, keep in mind that retail boxes usually aren’t strong enough to be shipped by themselves, as most retail packaging uses some variety of carton boxes. so you’ll have to use a close-fitting outer box for shipping – the double boxing method. 

If the product is breakable, you’ll have to take some extra steps to secure it. You can use void fill like air pillows, crinkle paper, or biodegradable peanuts to cushion it.  

Try several drop tests to make sure your products are safe. It’s also a good idea to do a trial run with your packaging to see if it survives any shipping abuse and arrives safely at its destination.  

Many shippers recommend at least two inches of padding around fragile items. Be sure to adhere to any requirements your shipper has. You’d hate for your insurance claim to be denied because your item was improperly packed. 

Measure Away!

No matter what size, or odd-shaped item you need to ship to a customer, you can bet there’s a box that will get it there in one piece and in style.

Same as you would with any other aspect of your business, carefully plan out what your boxing and shipping needs will be before making any material purchases.

Remember, it’s not just a matter of what you ship that determines the box size and style you need. 

It’s also vital to figure out how much protection an item will need, whether you’re trying to impress with the unboxing experience or simply want to stay within a budget. 

So, measure away and find the right boxes for your unique products. 

If you need help measuring your products to find the right box size, the custom packaging specialists at Refine Packaging can help. Request a free consultation to speak with our team of highly-talented graphic artists and engineers, who will guide you through the packaging process step-by-step to take your packaging to the next level. 

The post Box Sizes: How to Measure a Box for Box Dimensions (+Top Box Styles) appeared first on Refine Packaging.