We often witness that products are often similar in terms of functioning and quality in today's market. For example, you'll find the same cosmetics, like lipsticks, eyeliners, etc., from many different brands in the market. So, more than ever, companies need marketing communication strategies to differentiate products from their competitors. To combat this situation, the packaging design is a specifically promising medium to set your product apart as it can, amongst other factors, elicit aesthetic delight.
In today’s time, many competent businesses understand the importance of packaging in increasing product sales for them. Innovative types of packaging can also get you a higher rating and better customer reviews. With such cut-throat competition in the market, the responsibility of a company does not end at dedicating their efforts to crafting top-notch products. Many firms usually underestimate the value of giving their customers a memorable unboxing experience. A great Unboxing experience highlights the power of persuasive packaging in enhancing sales.
If you use a visually appealing package that aligns with your brand, it makes your product stand out on retail shelves and also pulls in more buyers. Therefore, you can
fine-tune your marketing strategy and attract a broader customer base by focusing on
Packaging. You can take advantage of its impact on sales and the value it adds to a product.
For instance, Apple Inc’s iPhone packaging is well-known for its packaging design that has a meticulous attention to detailing, sleekness, and overall customer experience. The company uses a minimalistic design for their boxes which reflects the brand’s dedication to simplicity and elegance. It also creates a feeling of anticipation in the customer. When a customer opens the box they reveal the impeccably organised compartments containing the iPhone, documentation, and accessories. To add to the functionality, the box also has a pull-tab for easy removal, a protective plastic film, and also has hidden slots for cables. All of these features make the design very user-friendly and innovative. Apple makes it a point to give its customers a luxurious and memorable unboxing experience, and the packaging also stands out from its competitors.
Types of Packaging Options
Let’s take a look at different types of packaging that can help enhance your product appeal and simultaneously protect it from potential damages.
Corrugated Boxes
Corrugated boxes, also casually known as 'cardboard,' are the type of packaging that we associate with oversized shipments, shoe deliveries, and stashing away several kinds of products. But here's the good part: not all cardboard is created equal. There are different types of corrugated boxes, each with its toughness level.
Here's the secret sauce – it's all about the corrugated medium, a.k .a. fluting. It's like a box's backbone, consisting of three layers of paper: an outer liner, an inner liner, and the corrugated medium that gives the whole thing strength and structure.
These boxes comprise recycled paper as their primary raw material, manufactured using machines called corrugators. These boards come in singles, doubles (single wall), twins, and triples, each with a unique vibe, strength, and performance.
But here's where it gets interesting – these corrugated boards are like eco-champs. You can recycle them repeatedly, turning them into pulp fibre for new adventures. Beyond just packing material for shipping and storing, this type of packaging also shines in retail, wrapping up small goodies, fit for pizza deliveries, and so much more. They're not just boxes but part of the sustainable packaging crew.
Rigid Boxes
Have you ever considered the tough boxes that embrace luxury retail treasures like Apple iPhones, Apple Macbooks, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel? That solid yet classy type of packaging that oozes luxury is a rigid box.
These boxes are produced from highly compacted paperboard, about four times thicker than what you'd find in your run-of-the-mill folding carton. Think about those sleek packages holding Louis Vuitton's exquisite handbags – yup, those are the classic two-piece setup rigid boxes and a fashion-forward presentation for luxury accessories.
In the world of packaging, rigid boxes are in the fancy league, giving paperboard and corrugated boxes a run for their money. The best part? There is no need for pricey dies or massive machines since they are mostly handcrafted boxes. Their non-squishy nature means more space during shipping, but it also means your wallet might feel a bit lighter with those shipping fees.
This type of packaging is the go-to for showcasing posh stuff like makeup, bling, tech wonders, and fancy couture. What makes rigid boxes one of the best options? Their versatility – adding things like platforms, windows, lids, hinges, compartments, domes, and embossing is relatively easy.
Paperboard Boxes
Paperboard, a lightweight yet robust paper-based material, proves to be easily cut and shaped into bespoke forms. Its versatility makes it an excellent choice for personalised packaging. The production process for this type of packaging involves transforming fibrous materials from wood or recycled waste paper into pulp, followed by a bleaching phase. Various grades of paperboard packaging cater to diverse packaging needs.
Solid bleached sulphate (SBS) paperboard finds utility in packaging cosmetics, medicines, milk, juice, frozen food, and more. Opting for kraft or CUK (coated unbleached kraft) paperboard packaging appeals to those who appreciate recycled paper's natural, environmentally-friendly aesthetics and are suitable for similar packaging applications. However, kraft may exhibit lower resistance to moisture, making it less suitable for food-related or frozen goods packaging. With a skillful blend of design options, this type of packaging packaging can exude a high-end appearance without the accompanying high-end price tag.
Glass Containers
Glass containers stand as ancient yet enduring storage vessels that are still prevalent in modern times. Glass bottles, in particular, find extensive utility for packaging carbonated drinks, juices, alcoholic beverages, and even milk. The recyclability and ease of sterilisation inherent in glass make it a preferred choice. Additionally, its remarkable resistance to corrosion renders this type of packaging exceptionally suitable for storing chemicals in laboratory settings. Notably, larger glass containers like jars play a pivotal role in the retail packaging of acidic foods such as jam, jelly, pickles, and sauces, protecting them from potential corrosion that prolonged exposure could induce in other materials.
Plastic Containers
Plastic has an extensive use in packaging. This type of packaging is utilised by companies across a vast range of products, from aeroplanes to cling wraps. Plastic successfully replaced many other types of packaging materials like glass, wood, leather, ceramic, etc. It's a popular choice because this material is flexible and lightweight, even suitable for making coatings or films, like cling films, to give products an appealing appearance. This versatility allows for showcasing products from all desired angles before the customer opens the package. Therefore, plastic containers also have a high display value for products placed over shelves.
These plastic containers come with various benefits in packaging. They are recyclable and are way more durable than paperboard boxes. Moreover, airtight plastic containers help preserve food quality and save it from contamination. The plastic packaging is also very sturdy and does not break easily. This type of packaging is also feasible to store food in extreme conditions.
Bubble Wrap
Bubble Wrap serves as a protective covering for delicate plastic items. Featuring regularly spaced air-filled pockets, it acts as a cushion, shielding the contents of a package from impacts and jolts. This versatile type of packaging material finds application in safeguarding various items during shipping, including glass containers, high-value electronics, furniture, electrical appliances, and even books. Moreover, Bubble Wrap plays a crucial role as an inner protective lining in manufacturing various packaging products like paper envelopes, cardboard boxes, and messenger bags. Beyond its primary use, Bubble Wrap boasts numerous alternative applications. It serves as an effective insulator and is employed to prevent water pipes from freezing. Additionally, it helps maintain the shapes of bags and shoes for display purposes in stores.
Laminated Tubes
The tubes in which you find your toothpaste or creams are known as Lamitubes or laminated. Lamitubes contain multiple layers of plastics and are heat-sealable while providing packaging with a long-term barrier. What's more? These lamitubes can also be metallised, have gas barrier properties, and resist oil and grease. No wonder this type of packaging material is excellent for pharmaceuticals, cosmetic products, and adhesives. These products are often in the paste form, like toothpaste, gels, glue, topical ointments, etc.
Poly bags
Also known as a plastic bag or pouch, a poly bag is manufactured from a thin, flexible plastic film fabric. It's among the most common types of packaging materials: durable, reusable, lightweight, and flexible. Poly bags are suitable for a wide array of products, including food items, chemicals, waste, magazines, and more.
Moreover, these bags are structurally simple, making it easy to customise them in different designs and sizes. They also prove as a very cost-effective type of packaging for companies. Many types of poly bags are recyclable, and several types comprise security features, tape attachments, and carrying handles to keep the products inside safe and high on visual appeal.
Paper-Foil Laminate
The paper-foil laminate is a type of packaging that combines with aluminium foil to double the packaging power. This dynamic duo boasts a sweet spot—durability and affordability rolled into one sleek package. This metallic-infused paper takes the stage in crafting things like paper plates, eco-friendly food packaging, and fancy wrappers that carry chocolates and other delightful treats. It becomes even stronger when plastic layers come into the equation, elevating barrier properties and adding some muscle to the sheets' wet strength.
This formulation creates sturdier pouches that can hold runny things like sauces, dips, and pickles inside them without leaking or breaking. This type of packaging also keeps the products out of reach from direct light and sunshine, which enhances the shelf life of perishable products and provides them with higher barrier properties.
Wooden Containers
Among the several types of sturdy packaging materials, wooden containers are a vast category consisting of packaging like wooden crates, trays, baskets, and more made from wood. Wooden containers are recyclable, reusable, biodegradable, and easily repairable if damaged.
This type of packaging has many uses when it comes to the transportation and storage of products. Wooden boxes can provide optimum protection during transit due to their rigid composition. Everything, including vegetables, fruits, or compact vehicles, is quickly shipped in wooden containers. You can also customise the wooden containers and brand them as per your need or liking very conveniently, making these containers perfect for retail packaging. This type of packaging is ideal for packing products like tea, coffee, food, cosmetics, electronics, etc.
Chipboard packaging
Essentially, chipboard is a paperboard crafted from recycled paper stock and offers a versatile material that is easily cut, moulded, and shaped. This flexibility makes it a cost-effective packaging option for multiple products. This type of packaging finds application across diverse industries, like electronics, food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and beverages.
Chipboard packaging is available in different densities. The material density directly influences the strength of a chipboard. Treating the chipboard with bleach sulphate and clay coated newsback (CCNB) enables direct image printing onto the chipboard and enhances its durability. This packaging material is best suited for packing lighter products like cereal, crackers, pulses, etc.
However, because of its lightweight consistency, chipboard may not be suitable for firms dealing in heavy items. Moreover, keeping chipboard packaging away from super humid places is essential, as it doesn't handle moisture overload well. It might start weakening, and nobody wants their packaging to face problems like discolouration and expansion.
Conclusion
All those creative wrapping papers, boxes and other types of packaging used for products are more than just there to look pretty; they've got some serious jobs to do.
Firstly, they're there to shield your products from possible damage. Issues during the transit phase, like bad roads or non-conducive weather conditions, may spill liquid products or damage other items. Packaging helps keep things intact and ensures that everything stays clean and safe.
However, protection is not the sole goal of packaging– it's also a storyteller. The vivid colours and innovative designs used can grab a customer's attention and get a business positive feedback or reviews. In addition to that, packaging also gives relevant information about what's inside, like the ingredients, expiration dates, and more.
Besides that, the packaging is stepping up its game day by day. Handles, easy-open designs, and other such modifications in packaging make life more convenient. Additionally, many eco-friendly and sustainable types of packaging materials are present in the market.
So, these different types of packaging are not just wrappers that carry the product – they're a whole marketing strategy. Businesses use packaging to tell their stories, catch the customer's eye, and maybe even convince the buyers to add something extra to their carts.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which is the most sustainable type of packaging?
- There are any materials that are harmless to nature and also give the products enough protection. Out of the many types of packaging, the most commonly used eco-friendly material is paper-based packaging materials. They include cardboard boxes and corrugated boxes, which big eCommerce players like Amazon, Flipkart, etc., also use.
- How do you decide which type of packaging is ideal for a product?
- There may be a few factors you need to consider before deciding which type of packaging will best suit your product or brand. The packaging you choose must provide optimum coverage for the items you need to pack, with sufficient dunnage for better cushioning. It must also not impact the texture or flavour of the product inside and have adequate spacing provision for providing rapid cooling. The perfect packaging material must also be able to lock moisture inside the package.
- How do you confirm if the packaging is compostable?
- The most appropriate and easiest way to know if the particular type of packaging is compostable or not is to check the label of the packaging material. When you purchase the packaging material, a label should certify that the product is compostable.