Designing Custom Packaging for Different Product Types

Packaging is to products as clothes are to people. Ill fitting, poorly designed, and cheaply made clothes can have a negative impact on how a person is perceived, even if it’s an unfair judgement. On the other hand, custom tailored clothes, made from quality fabrics in just the right colors, can radically improve the first impression a person makes. It’s exactly the same with packaging.

Custom packaging is tailored to suit the product it houses. It can show off the product’s best features, provide fitted protection, and boost its perceived quality and value. But getting the most out of custom package design requires experience, and a strong understanding of how different products have different packaging requirements.

Understanding the Needs of Different Products

It should come as no surprise that a handmade bowling ball has very, very different packaging requirements from, say, a silk scarf or the latest smartphone. Likewise, candy will have different packaging requirements than, say, a bottle of alcohol. To package each product correctly, careful consideration needs to be made of both the product itself and the industry it’s a part of.

Product-Specific Packaging Consideration

Many of the product-specific custom packaging considerations have to do with measurements and other hard facts. During the initial designing phase, details that need to be considered include:

• Height, length, and width – how big is it?
• Weight – how heavy is it?
• Fragility – how easy is it to damage?

These considerations are particularly important when deciding on the packaging materials, dimensions, and structural elements. They can also dictate what should be printed on the packaging, such as warnings for package handlers or illustrations of how the product is positioned inside.

Industry-Specific Packaging Considerations

As for industry-specific custom packaging considerations, these vary depending on things like regulations and industry standards. Some industries with very specific packaging standards include:

• Cosmetics
• Cleaning products
• Electronics
• Food and beverages
• Pharmaceuticals

In some cases, these regulations will mainly dictate the information that must be included on the outside of the packaging. In other cases, the regulations specify different protective features of the packaging, such as childproofing or the separation of certain components.

Functional and Aesthetic Design Elements

Just because a product has strict packaging requirements doesn’t mean aesthetics need to suffer. A package can look good, attracting the customer’s eye, while still adequately following all necessary functions and regulations. Some of the best strategies for making this happen include custom printing and customizing your materials with unique finishes.

Custom Art Printing

Packaging artwork is typically supplied by the brand itself, since their team is in the best position to create a design that highlights the product and meets brand standards. Once finalized, a professional printer like Wallace Carlson can help with the fine-tuning. This process ensure all elements are aligned and optimally positioned. The printer may also make recommendations around the colors and contrast in the artwork, depending on the qualities of the chosen packaging materials.

Material Selection and Finishes

Sometimes, strict product or industry packaging requirements can limit your choices around materials. In these scenarios, materials can be modified through custom finishes to ensure total product protection without sacrificing aesthetics. Soft touch, glossy coating, cold foil, and PMS inks are all popular methods for transforming the look and feel of the packaging material and ensuring the right customer impression is made.

Wallace Carlson's Approach to Tailored Packaging Solutions

No matter how unusual your product is, Wallace Carlson can create custom packaging that perfectly protects it while promoting your brand exactly the way you want. When you work with us, we’ll take you step-by-step through the designing, testing, and production process. At every stage, we’ll work with you to refine your packaging. So that, in the end, your customers can see and feel the quality of your brand through the box alone.

Looking for more ideas and strategies for packaging printing? Check out - Innovative Ideas for Custom Packaging Printing