What Packaging Is Best For You?
Your packaging is the first interaction your customer has with your product. Whether that’s seeing it or picking it up, holding it, and reading about your product inside.
Choosing the right packaging will tell your customer about the product’s quality, importance, and what to expect. That means your packaging is just as important as your product.
With all the packaging and box options available in the market, brands can find it challenging to choose the best option for their products. This blog will help you understand the various options available and which you might choose.
Table Of Contents
The Three Packaging Levels
Understanding the differences between various levels of packaging is critical to understanding what is best for your product.
Read on to get a quick overview of all three types of packaging.
Primary Packaging
This is the type of packaging that your customer comes in direct contact with.
This is the retail packaging that secures your product.
Primary Packaging is best designed to make your product look more appealing.
You should invest most of your budget into this packaging type.
Secondary Packaging
This packaging is used for stock-keeping and is typically referred to as an SKU.
It is focused on securing your primary packaging (and your product) in a stack to facilitate movement and storage.
It also provides additional protection to your packaging and products.
This is focused on safely moving primary packaging and protecting it from damage.
These can also serve as small shipments and are regularly used in e-commerce.
Secondary packaging has multiple components: a box, padding, separators, reinforcements, bags, paper, and more. It is customized to your product and packaging.
Tertiary Packaging
Finally, this packaging is used typically as bulk or transit packaging.
This is focused on moving larger quantities of units during freight/shipping.
Your products are handled as “distribution units” during shipping, and the packaging is designed to efficiently move large and heavy loads.
8 Packaging Options For Your Products
1. Paperboard Box
Paperboard is a lightweight but solid paper-based material. It’s great for making custom shapes and structures and can be quickly cut and manipulated.
This makes it highly suitable for customized packaging. Fibrous materials such as wood or recycled waste paper are turned and bleached into pulp. The pulp is available in different grades, each appropriate for various packaging requirements.
There are two main options: SBS (bleached) or Kraft / CUK (unbleached “brown” paperboard). Both are commonly used, but Kraft is more eco-friendly.
However, Kraft is less moisture resistant, which makes it less suitable for wrapping food-related items or frozen goods.
2. Corrugated Box
Corrugated actually refers to what is typically called cardboard. Cardboard boxes are most known as large shipping, shoe, storage, or moving boxes.
It consists of three layers of paper. An outside liner, an inside liner, and a corrugated medium (called fluting). This corrugation gives the cardboard its strength and stiffness.
This packaging is made of mostly recycled raw material. The great news is that it can be recycled multiple times!
There are various kinds of corrugated boards: single-faced, double-faced, twin-wall, and triple-wall. These boards can be used to manufacture packaging with distinct features, performance, and power.
It has also become a common packaging option for e-commerce and product packaging. It’s cheap, lightweight, and cost-effective for protecting packaging in the mail.
3. Rigid Boxes
Next, this packaging is typically used for luxury items or high-end electronics. Think Apple, Tiffany, Rolex, etc.
It is similar to corrugated but stronger because it is made of highly condensed paperboard. It is four times thicker than a standard folding carton!
This is one of the most expensive corrugated options, but for good reason. It signals to the customer that your product deserves the upgrade in cost.
A big downside of this packaging is its difficulty in efficiency. Apple has done a great job, but not every company can maximize the air-reduction inside the box, and are therefore shipping empty space.
4. Chipboard Packaging
This type of packaging is used in a variety of industries, typically in electronics, medical, food, cosmetics, and even some beverages.
Another type of paperboard is made from reclaimed paper stock. It can be cut, folded, and formed into almost any shape, making it an extremely cost-effective option.
Chipboard has various densities and strengths but is not useful for heavy items. It is typically used for lightweight items like cereal, tissue boxes, and other household items.
Storage can also be an issue. Due to moisture problems, chipboard structures can quickly weaken and fall apart. So it’s best if your product is already sensitive.
5. Poly Bags
A Poly Bag (aka Pouch, Plastic Bag) is manufactured out of compact, thin plastic film. It is one of the most popular packaging styles and can hold a wide variety of items.
Think food products, chemicals, fertilizers, magazines, flowers, etc.
These are very durable, lightweight, flexible, and sometimes reusable. They are a very simple structure to make, which makes them excellent at branded customization - while remaining a cost-effective option.
One thing to note is that not all Poly Bags are created equal. Depending on the construction you choose, poly bags can be recyclable.
The positives are obvious: security features, hanging holes, handles, and more. This helps your product stand out, feel secure, and catch customers' attention.
6. Shock Mount Packaging
If you have fragile items, this is one of the safest packaging options.
This packaging's structure incorporates shock absorption, shielding the contents from shocks and vibration. Some options even protect against moisture, humidity, and dust.
This heavy-duty packaging is one of the best options for fragile electronic goods or an unstable chemical.
What’s important is finding the balance of safety, protection, and cost-efficiency with your packaging.
7. Shrink Wrap
Shrink Wrap can be used as primary or secondary packaging, or sometimes both. For example, you can Shrink Wrap your products and a pallet of shipping boxes, tightly packing them all during shipping.
This protects your packaging against puncture and abrasion and increases its impact resistance. Individually wrapping your products in Shrink Wrap can also give them a greater visual appeal to customers.
It is one of the most commonly used packaging options out there and one you should consider.
8. Vacuum Packaging
Finally, Vacuum Packaging is a wonderful choice for products that need to be safely sealed, such as retail products and perishable food items.
Vacuum packaging is an excellent option for goods that need to be sealed, which makes it a preferred choice for perishable foods. Food that arrives with vacuum wrapping can remain fresh longer in the freezer than food packaged in other container forms.
This method is also used for medical materials and other health-related products. Vacuuming and sealing the products eliminates all oxygen, preventing bacteria from developing.
Bennett Offers Packaging Supplies!
Bennett is a premier packaging and retail displays manufacturing company striving to protect and promote our clients' products with customized corrugated solutions. When you work with us, you’re part of the family. We will partner with you every step of the way.
With our fully integrated design-to-delivery process, we can be the single supplier source. We are an award-winning manufacturer of virtually anything corrugate. We offer everything from plain brown shipping boxes to sophisticated, high-graphic printed point-of-purchase displays and everything in between.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between “Solid Board” and “Corrugated Packaging”?
There are 2 main types of product packaging. Solid board (also referred to as carton board) is a solid material used to create boxes such as those used by Apple (for its iPhones / iPads, etc.). Corrugated packaging is made from cardboard). Both are suitable for retail applications.
What packaging is best for my product?
The box style you choose for your product depends on several factors, including its size, shape, weight, and fragility—and even your target market. At Bennett, we can offer a full spectrum of box styles that will transform your brand from plain to premium.
What Printing Styles do you offer?
We can produce Litho and Flexo and specialize in Digital printing. We were one of the first manufacturers to invest in Digital Printing, which has put us ahead of the curve. Typically, customers think digital printing is only useful for small runs, but digital printing allows you to create printing variations and multiple runs of different targeted designs—using some of the latest innovations in marketing!
