Design Places

When most people think about boxes the first thing that comes to mind is protecting the product inside.  While the edge protector certainly does this, and jumbo edge protectors protect outer boxes on shipping pallets, the fact is that custom packaging solutions have a much larger job then just protection. Take a moment to look at something that is in its packaging.  You will notice that it has text, graphics, information about the contents and color.  What exactly do those things have in common?  They are part of marketing, and by being clever about design, someone can turn the humble box into a major factor in the success of a product.

Packaging is a science and an art form.  Often business owners do not take enough time to consider this, but their brand, logo, and overall impression aside from the product they sell is only part of the overall marketing push.  Big business knows rather well what sells and what does not. Making a box or package with the wrong type of feeling, be it sight or touch based, can majorly backfire. Anyone who has bought “cheap” products knows what cheap paperboard feels like. The underside of it is rough; the paper tends to warp. Easily such a backing translates to the product inside being just as flimsy and poorly made, right?  Because of this, getting quality materials for packaging is vital.  Cheap paperboard can take a nice print, sure enough, but quality paperboard won’t warp or feel rough.  If the packaging is quality made then the assumption is that the product inside has similar care given to it in the making.

While packaging of today is derived from the baskets, wineskins, boxes, vases, barrels, and bags of yesterday, the major difference is how disposable said packaging is. One might throw away a glass wine bottle, but would not toss a leather wineskin, for example.  Even today baskets, vases, and bags are typically reused, while more innovative packaging like clam-shell containers are discarded. Because of this disposable nature, producers spend more effort to place their brand name onto the packaging where older forms of packaging like baskets have become decorative elements stamped only with the skill of the weaver.  Paper has always been more of a disposable packaging form.  Markets as far back as 1035 used paper to wrap goods being sold.  Today the practice continues in butcher shops and farmer markets many of whom are unaware of the ages old nature of the practice.

Knowing that your packaging choice can impact the impression about your product should be enough to tell you that thinking the only thing you nee a box for is an edge protector is wrong.  The packaging sells the product inside and often gives clues as to the quality of the goods inside.  While jumbo edge protectors are very vital to protecting goods in shipping, your overall custom packaging solutions need to include all the elements to make the product sell it self and build a brand loyalty.