Packaging is Just as Important as the Product!

As a business, creating a good product is only half the battle. You also have to package it in a way that’s appealing to your target audience. Research has shown time and again that packaging affects purchasing decisions and how consumers feel about what you’re selling.

If you’ve made a sale online, you have to be conscious of how to package products for delivery. That means thinking about things like shipping boxes and packaging supplies.

Colors

Colors matter. Here’s how your choice of hue will impact your products.

Red suggests passion and drama. Orange stands for warmth and enthusiasm. Yellow conveys happiness and freshness. Pink represents femininity. Green is associated with nature and environmental awareness. Black indicates mystery and decorum.

Using the right color scheme for your product will increase sales and help customers remember your brand. It reinforces who you are in the customer’s eyes.

Perceived value

People unschooled in business might think products sell for a little bit more than what they cost to manufacture. Savvy business people know that products sell whatever price people are willing to pay. It’s all about how much people perceive your product should cost.

Packaging helps with that. A drab package will subconsciously lower people’s opinion of some products. The right package will enhance perceived value.

A piece of jewelry will seem to be worth more if it comes in a frilly package. The box will be small, but it should be sturdy and look elegant, hot-stamped with a brand name. Lots of tissue paper might surround the box, which will increase customers’ anticipation as they work their way through the packaging to the prize.

A basket of snacks will taste better when it’s dressed up with ribbons and bows. A high-quality, stylish bag will convey strength and quality, so the bottle of wine inside will taste better.

The packaging should also match what’s inside. Splashy colors are appropriate for a child’s toy, but a more muted presentation is better for something practical such as a hand tool.

Customers will also make judgments about value after an online purchase arrives at their home, even noticing things such as shipping boxes and packaging supplies.

Practicality

In addition to looking right, the packaging must do its job of protecting the product and allowing it to be delivered intact to a customer’s home or business.

For a bottle of lotion, for example, that means the plastic bottle and pump must be able to do its job of holding the lotion and pumping it out the bottle.

It also means choosing a shipping box or bag that is strong enough to withstand the bottle’s delivery. The container also should be the right size, and padded, if necessary, with shipping supplies such as bubble wrap, packing peanuts or tissue paper.

Packaging is important not only in selling a product, but in getting it to the customer.

How to Choose the Right Packaging for You

Have you ever received a product that was broken during shipping, and you had to send it back? Can you remember a time when opening something you bought was an ordeal because you had to use a military-grade weapon to get through layers of hard plastic?

Businesses spend countless hours and dollars researching, designing, building and selling their products to establish a valuable brand image. Packaging materials for product delivery is, too often, an afterthought. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring important considerations for how your product should be packaged. It can cost you money and customers.

When choosing how to package your product, here are a few things to think about:

Cost

Decide how much money to budget.  Although boxes are typically all made of some form of paper derivative, prices vary based on type, thickness, color and finish. Large, corrugated boxes for shipping will carry a different price tag than small cardboard boxes. Boxes that are sturdier, dyed, or have glossy finish will convey a sense of quality to a customer, but they will also cost more.

The same goes for bags. Bags for product packaging might be made of paper or plastic. The bags might also be reusable, made of non-disposable woven material, which will cost more.

Safety

Whatever packaging you choose, it must be able to protect your what you are selling so that it will arrive to customers undamaged.

This might mean using corrugated boxes. A lot of people call them “cardboard,” but corrugated shipping boxes are made up of three layers that include an inside liner, an outside liner, and fluting with a ruffle in between the two. Corrugated packaging helps cushion what’s inside.

It might mean using poly bags or poly mailers, which are plastic and protect their contents from moisture.
If your product is delicate, shipping supplies such as packing peanuts, bubble wrap and tissue paper might be needed to cushion the product during transportation.

Your business will save money by investing in the proper packaging ahead of time instead of having to pay to replace goods that were damaged during delivery. That not only costs you the price of the damaged product, but also manpower and the price of additional shipping.

Size

Choosing the right-sized box or bag will save headaches later. If your box is too small, the product won’t fit comfortably inside. However, if your container is too big, you will have to spend time and money on shipping supplies such as packing peanuts, bubble wrap and tissue paper to stop the contents from being knocked around.

Branding

Keep in mind your company’s branding when choosing packaging. Do you sell higher-end products, or do you appeal to cost-conscious shoppers? Your packaging should align with your brand.

For example, a company that sells expensive jewelry will pay more for quality and frills. It might choose custom boxes hot-stamped with the brand name. The customer will likely remember opening that package, so it should convey a sense of excitement. The box should look like it contains jewelry rather than a toy.

Less frilly and expensive packaging can be used for a less-expensive product that’s not fragile, or a product that’s purely functional and not emotional.

Pulling it together

When making a decision about purchasing packing materials, look at all the factors: quality, quantity, price, safety, package size and branding. Options are available for every need.

How to Fold Mailer Boxes/How to Fold Cardboard Boxes

Whether it’s a customer or your friend across the country, when someone important receives something inside a box from you, the box should look sharp and sturdy. It should not have rips or bends, and it should be folded along the lines.

When you receive your cardboard mailer boxes, they will be in a stack. You are better off storing the mailer boxes that way instead of folding them before you need them. They will take up less space and be less likely to get damaged in a stack.

How to fold a cardboard box

Place your mailer box on a flat surface with the outside face down and the inside face up. You should be able to see the pre-scored fold lines as you look at the box’s flat inside. Fold all the walls on the lines gently. If you use too much force, it will make future steps more difficult. When you are done with this step, the bend should be less than a right angle. Fold out the little tabs on the box’s bottom.

On two of the mailer box’s four side walls, the place where you fold will have two lines, parallel and very close to one another, rather than one line. The box will not come together correctly if you do not fold both of these lines carefully.

Bring the interior side walls of your mailer box upward and together. They should now be at a right angle compared with the box’s bottom.

Fold the two exterior side walls around the interior walls and tuck the sticking element tab into the slot on the bottom of your mailer box.
How to fold a cardboard mailer

Bring the top and third (and last) exterior sidewall downward. The two wings on either side of the top should fit nicely into the first two side walls you completed.

Tuck the remaining two wings from the third exterior side wall into slots on either side. Your mailer box is now ready for customers (or anyone else expecting a shipment from you).

Custom Tissue Paper Benefits – Mid-Atlantic Packaging

Custom Tissue Paper: Nothing to Sneeze At

Tissue paper is an important packaging material throughout the retail and shipping industries. Among other things, businesses use tissue paper for packing online orders to ship, wrapping fragile merchandise in the store, adding a little padding to gift bags or even to wrap food and flowers. But did you know it can do more than just serve a functional purpose? Custom-printed tissue paper sheets and branded tissue paper are an affordable way to elevate your brand and raise awareness of it for both current and new customers.

Why Use Custom Tissue Paper?

Most businesses use plain blank kraft or white tissue paper for their packing materials. And these do have their uses, especially for shipping businesses and lower-end stores. But custom-printed tissue paper with logos, images, special patterns or just the official color of your business has several advantages:

• It helps your product stand out to customers so they feel better about purchasing it.
• It improves the “unboxing” experience for these same customers – or for the person they’re giving the item to as a gift.
• It adds sophistication, excitement or any other mood you want to be associated with your brand.
• It lets you advertise and promote your brand outside of more traditional channels.
• It helps clients or customers remember your company the next time they’re searching for similar products.

When to Add Printed Tissue Paper

There are many times that a custom tissue paper roll or ream can be a smart thing for your business to have on hand. Some of the ways you can use it to enhance your brand are:

• Line clothing boxes to help new shirts, dresses and ties look great after transit.
• Wrap floral arrangements for holidays, birthdays and concerts so they stay fresh.
• Line take-out food orders and bakery shop boxes so they don’t get messy.
• Wrap gifts for bridal showers, baby showers, anniversary parties and other celebratory occasions.
• Add an upscale touch to corporate gift bags for clients at holiday parties or as part of a thank-you package.
• Provide cushioning for employee awards and gifts.

Custom Tissue Paper from Mid-Atlantic Packing

Our color tissue paper and custom printed sheets are an affordable way to make your brand more memorable. By protecting purchases and gifts while also adding luxury style, you’ll be at the forefront of people’s minds. Mid-Atlantic Packaging is ready to help your business with wholesale printed tissue paper that will promote your business in ways that a TV commercial or radio jingle can’t match.

Want to learn more about our offerings? Visit our Custom Printed Tissue Paper page. We can screen print your unique logo or design on white paper or kraft paper if you’re on a budget. There are also more than 70 other color options ranging from dark pink to parade blue. You can order as few as 10 reams or as many as you need. Fill out the form on the page and get a custom quote for your project that will be ready in as few as four weeks after final approvals. Give us a call at 1-800-284-1332 to learn more about the benefits of custom tissue paper.

Custom Printed Paper Bags with Logo for Stores

Building Your Brand: Adding a Logo to Custom Printed Bags

For many store owners and business owners, ordinary brown paper bags just won’t cut it. You want your shoppers or clients to feel like they’re special – so why would you give them plain, non-descript stock packaging? While adding custom artwork or messages will certainly add some style, custom paper bags with your logo may be just what you need to stand out to customers.

The Benefits of Logo Paper Bags

There are a number of advantages to having your logo printed on a set of personalized paper bags, including:

• You’ll create a more upscale look at your store or boutique that reflects well on the brand.
• You’ll build awareness for your logo so more people will recognize it when they see it again.
• Customers will feel better about their purchase.
• You get free advertising for your business and exposure to potential new customers.

Uses for Printed Paper Bags

While most people think of paper bags as something they receive when they’re going shopping, there are a number of possibilities for custom-printed bags. Here are a few suggestions that you might find helpful for your business or organization:

• Create custom reusable shopping bags so customers will be showing off your logo again and again.
• Order marketing bags with a logo to present materials or gifts to potential new clients.
• Make gift bags for conferences and events your business is hosting or sponsoring.
• Give out custom thank-you bags and gift bags to customers, clients, or employees on special occasions.
• Make them part of a complete stationary set with a common design to identify your company.

Custom Paper Bag Options

Mid-Atlantic Packaging can transform our wholesale brown paper bags – or any other color bag – into logo packaging for your business. We offer three primary printing options for businesses based on your needs and budgets. If you’re interested in ordering custom paper bags with logos, contact us for a quote on any of the following options:

Hot Stamped Paper Bags

A hot foil stamped logo bag is the most luxurious option and provides the truest, longest-lasting color. This method can be applied to pretty much every type of paper bag we sell, including merchandise bags, shoppers, Euro totes and colored paper bags. These custom-printed paper bags also have no minimum purchase – we charge a flat fee for all orders of 1-500 or 501-1,000 and then a per-bag fee after that. The main disadvantage is that hot stamp printing won’t work well with logos that have a lot of detail.

Post Printed Ink Shoppers

This is the best option for businesses that need a quick turnaround on their custom paper bags. We can print your logo on several types of bags and on up to two sides using a simple ink printing process that takes days instead of weeks. This process works best with logos that have one or two colors and requires a minimum order of 500 bags.

Made-to-Order Ink-Printed Shoppers

If you want full control over the entire printing process, this service is for you. In addition to adding a highly detailed logo, you can also personalize the handles, side gussets and every other aspect for a long that truly fits your brand. With this option, a minimum order of 5,000 units is required.

Using a Hot Stamping Machine – Mid-Atlantic Packaging

Introduction to Hot Stamping Machines

Hot stamping has become one of the most common methods to print designs onto a variety of materials. Mid-Atlantic Packaging offers it as one of our custom printing methods for bags and boxes – and you can even do hot foil stamping at home with the right equipment. So what is hot stamping and why is it so popular? Let’s look at the basics of this relief printing technique.

Reasons to Use Hot Stamping

The hot stamping process involves heating up a die or engraved image and then forcing it down against an item with a marking foil in between. The foil is transferred wherever the die meets the item. Most printers use a hot stamping machine for plastic, but it is also effective for paper and wood. While the process is longer and more expensive than screen printing, it has a number of advantages. It’s a dry process, which reduces the risk of mixed inks and bleeding. Hot foil stamping is also incredibly long-lasting – the design and color will stay true through conditions that would ruin lesser prints.

Types of Hot Stamping Dies

When you are using a hot stamping machine, the most important thing is selecting the right die for your artwork. Printers typically use either a metal or silicone rubber die. Metal hot stamp dies can be made of magnesium, copper, brass or hardened steel. Magnesium is the cheapest but least durable metal while hardened steel is the most expensive and most durable. Rubber dies have the advantage of being more flexible for conforming to uneven surfaces. Choose softer rubber for larger, less detailed artwork and harder dies for more detailed designs.

Hot Stamping Process

Whether you are doing large-scale commercial foil stamping or smaller projects at home, you will follow the same basic 6-step process:

1. Create a custom design to be printed.
2. Engrave the design onto your die using a die-cutting machine. (Some rubber dies can be etched using a knife.)
3. Place a sheet of marking foil or ribbon over the area of the item you want it printed on.
4. Heat up your die and place it in the foiling machine.
5. Press the die onto the foil. The combination of heat and pressure cause the foil to bond to the item’s surface.
6. Double-check the result to make sure it came out the way you wanted.

Digital vs. Analog Hot Stamping

More and more companies have started using a digital foil stamping machine – more technically known as a thermal transfer overprinter – for their custom printing. Like almost any method, these have pros and cons compared to traditional “analog” or mechanical hot foil printing. The pros are that digital stamping accommodates more complex designs, switches print codes more easily for short product runs, offers more scalable printing areas and can do intermittent or continuous prints. On the downside, the machines don’t work well with rigid or semi-rigid items. They also have more electronic parts and fewer mechanical ones. This means you are more likely to have to replace broken parts instead of repairing them, which drives up operating costs.

Custom Screen Printing Process – Mid-Atlantic Packaging

Custom Printing Process – Screen Printing

A custom screen-printed paper bag, box, or wrapping paper roll is a great way to raise brand awareness. The process itself is also relatively simple so you get your custom packaging quickly. But how, exactly, does it work? We’ve taken a look at screen printing (also known as silk printing or serigraphy) and how we use it to create custom packaging for business.

Types of Screen Printing

The basic definition of screen printing is forcing ink (or metal) onto a surface through a mesh screen/stencil to create a pattern, picture, or text. However, there are a few types, which are mainly identified by the ink being used. Here are the most common inks for screen printing and why you might use them.

Plastisol – An ink where PVC particles are suspended in a chemical additive called a plasticizer. This additive increases the flexibility of the ink for printing. This ink is known for its image quality but has a plastic look (which is just fine for plastic bags).

Discharge Inks – These inks either lighten or darken the dyes that are already in a material, making them good for colored packaging.

Water-Based Ink – These are used when the printer wants a softer, more natural look. They also penetrate materials deeper than plastisol-based ink.

Flocking – This process actually doesn’t involve ink at all. Instead, an image is created by applying glue followed by foil that gives it a shiny appearance.

Screen Printing Process Step by Step

Regardless of your ink choice, the screen printing fundamentals remain the same. Here is the 7-step process when using a screen printing machine:

1. Print the design onto a transparent acetate film sheet.
2. Select a mesh screen that suits the design and material texture and coat it with a light-reactive emulsion layer.
3. Lay the acetate sheet onto the screen and expose it to bright light. This will harden the exposed emulsion while leaving the substance in the covered area as a liquid. (Note: a separate screen must be used for each ink color in the design.)
4. Carefully wash off the remaining liquid and dry it to complete the stencil.
5. Add the screen to the printing press and lay the item flat on the printing board beneath it.
6. Lower the stencil onto the item, add ink to the top end of the screen and use a squeegee to pull the ink along the screen and press it through the stencil. Repeat for each item being printed.
7. Use a dryer to cure the ink and double-check that the design looks correct.

Digital Printing and Block Printing

People often bring up these two printing methods when asking about custom items. We’ve taken a brief look at how they compare to screen printing.

What is Digital Printing?

Digital printing is essentially a newer version of screen printing. Both involve applying ink directly to an item, but for digital printing, the design is processed by a computer. It allows for more detail, but the colors aren’t as bright, and it’s harder to print on uneven surfaces.

What is Block Printing?

If digital printing is screen printing’s successor, then block printing is its forefather. One carves a design into a block of material such as rubber or linoleum, covers it in ink and presses the design onto the item. The results are typically bolder but have less detail unless the carver is very skilled.

How to Make Your Own Gift Bags – Mid-Atlantic Packaging

How to Make Gift Bags

A gift bag is a popular way to wrap presents in part because it can be reused again and again. But many people can’t afford to buy this packaging, especially in larger sizes. And sometimes you just can’t find quite the style you want. Luckily, you can make your own gift bag in just a few minutes with the right materials. Businesses can also use our tutorial to make custom gift bags for certain products or occasions without breaking the bank.

Materials You’ll Need

• Wrapping paper (you can also use brown kraft paper or scrapbooking paper)
• Ribbon (use chord or twine if you want a more country-style look)
• Scissors
• Glue and/or scotch tape
• A hole-punch
• The gift or a cardboard box (optional)
• Eyelets (optional)
• Tissue paper (optional)

Gift Bag Steps

Getting Started

1. Lay out the paper face-down on a table or floor. Place the gift or cardboard box in the center to use as a guide.
2. Cut your paper down to size. Make sure it is large enough to completely cover the gift if you were wrapping it normally.
3. Fold the top edge of the paper down to create a seam for the top of the bag. (You can also fold it the opposite way if you want an accent at the top.)
4. Fold the left and right edges of the paper in so that that they meet in the center with a little bit of overlap, thus creating a tube with a seam in the center.
5. Use the tape or glue to secure the seam.
6. Flatten the sides with your fingernail so there are creases. Skip this step and step 14 if you prefer a more oval shape.

Creating the Bottom of the Bag

7. Fold the bottom edge of the paper up 3-5 inches. The more you fold the edge up, the wider the base will be.
8. Separate the pieces of paper. This will open up the pocket that you created by folding the edge up.
9. Flatten the corners of the opened pocket and make creases by running your fingernail along the sides. This should result in a diamond shape with “tabs” at the top and bottom.
10. Fold both tabs toward the center so they overlap slightly. Use glue or tape to secure the tabs.

Making the Gift Bag Top

11. Use the hole punch to create two “handle holes” along the top seam on both the front and back of the bag. The holes should be about ½-inch from the top edge and closer to each other than to the sides. Add eyelets if you want them to be stronger for repeat use.
12. Cut two equal lengths of ribbon for the handles.
13. Thread the ends of one piece of ribbon through each hole on the front of the bag. Tie each end into a knot on the inside. Repeat for the back of the bag.

The Final Touches

14. If you want your bag to have a traditional rectangle shape, fold the edges inwards on each side until the base and the top are the same widths. Flatten the edges with your fingernail to create creases and unfold the edges.
15. Open the bag and add tissue paper. Insert the gift and top it with more tissue paper if needed.

Choosing the Right Packaging for Your Store’s Products

Selecting Good Packaging for Products

A big part of making a product or transaction successful is picking the best packaging. Good packaging will be attractive to customers while also keeping the product safe and fresh – and it will do so while keeping the price within their budget. So what things should you consider when shopping for packaging? Here are the biggest factors in making the right choice.

Think about What You’re Selling

This might seem obvious, but it’s still the first thing you should think about. Each product has its own packaging needs. Food, flowers and other perishable items need packaging that will keep it fresh until it’s actually used. Apparel boxes for shirts, pants and dresses need to be the right size to prevent wrinkling or creases. You might also need custom packaging for items with non-standard dimensions.

You should also think about who is buying the product. Packaging should be visually appealing to your ideal consumer, whether that’s middle-class women, affluent males or college students. Location is important, too. For example, different food packaging is needed for serving a plate of fries in a diner than for bringing home a bag of potatoes from a supermarket.

Staying on Brand

Your packaging choices say a lot about how your brand. When many people hear “branded packaging”, they think of having a logo printed on a bag or box. And this can certainly be a part of your packaging design. But color palette plays a big role, too. If your brand is about being happy and care-free, you’re not going to want to package products in dark, somber colors.

The material you choose can also send the right (or wrong) brand message. If you need gift basket filler, excelsior wood shred and metallic crinkle cut shred will both function just fine. But wood shred will look too plain if you’re a luxury boutique, and metallic crinkle cut is probably the wrong message to send if you’re an eco-conscious store. There are usually several packaging options to choose from, so try to select the one most appropriate for your store’s branding.

Durability & Scalability

Durable packaging is vital. We’re not just talking about protecting fragile items such as glass candle holders and electronics. The packaging itself needs to be rugged – a ripped bag or dented box can turn a customer off from the first glance. Choose packing materials that are designed for strength, especially if they’re for bulky or delicate products. You may also need different packages if the product comes in different sizes. On the other hand, finding an effective way to make multiple product sizes fit in the same packaging can be a big cost-saver.

Staying Within Budget

Speaking of costs, your budget is ultimately the number one factor. While many business owners would love to package everything in glass containers, natural fiber bags or decorative boxes, these are much more expensive to produce and ship. The only way to get these added costs back is to pass them along to the consumer, and your target audience won’t always be receptive to this. While quality packaging is usually worth it in the long run, there may be times you may need to find a balance between creativity and costs. How you manage this balance will go a long way towards a product’s success.

Are Packaging Peanuts Safe – Mid-Atlantic Packaging

Are Packing Peanuts Toxic?

Ever since they were introduced in 1965, packaging peanuts have become a popular and effective way to cushion fragile or loose objects for shipping. But many people hesitate to use them because of concerns about their safety for humans, animals and the environment. Is this concern justified? We’ve examined the potential dangers of packing peanuts and whether they are as bad as some claim.

Packing Peanut Types

What’s most important to remember is that there are two types of packing peanuts. Traditional foam peanuts are made using either virgin or recycled polystyrene plastic – better known by its trade name of Styrofoam. These are sometimes referred to as “immortal peanuts” because they never degrade or break down. The main advantages of this are that they can easily be reused or recycled, are cheap to produce and are lightweight. They also provide great insulation for merchandise.

So are they dangerous? Because they are made from a petroleum-based material, many people assume they must be toxic for humans and animals. In actuality, the material itself is not toxic. However, since they do not degrade, large chunks can cause intestinal blockage, choking, diarrhea and other serious health problems.

In response to these dangers, biodegradable packing peanuts were developed in the early 1990s. These loose-fill peanuts are manufactured using grains, cornstarch and other crop-based sources. This makes them safe for people and pets to consume, though it is still not recommended. They also will safely decompose, making them more environmentally friendly. Another positive about them is that they don’t hold a static charge, so they are safer for shipping electronics and other sensitive items. The disadvantages are that they are heavier, less sturdy and more expensive than foam.

How to Tell if Your Packing Peanuts are Biodegradable

So which ones are in the cardboard shipping box that just arrived? There’s an easy test to determine what you’re dealing with: simply drop the packing peanut into a cup or bowl of water. A starch-based packaging peanut will begin softening and dissolving almost immediately upon contact. If this happens, your packing peanuts are biodegradable and thus non-toxic. If the water has no effect on the peanut, then it is made of Styrofoam.

What to Do if Packing Peanuts are Consumed

If you discover that a child or pet has made a snack out of immortal plastic peanuts, you should call a doctor, vet or the nearest poison control center immediately. The next course of action depends on the size of the pieces that were consumed and how long it has been. Flakes and small chunks will typically pass through the system on their own without major ill effects. For whole peanuts, induced vomiting, forced pooping or even surgery may be needed to remove them.

In the case of biodegradable peanuts, the worst thing that will usually happen is an upset stomach. However, you should still monitor whoever consumed the peanut in case they do start to show signs of intestinal blockage such as serious stomach pain or a loss of appetite. Call a doctor or vet if they do exhibit any of these symptoms.