As a business owner, it is equally important to invest in your product packaging as it is to invest in the product itself. A professionally designed package tells a lot about your brand. Whether you’re a small business owner or an established one, professionally made packaging can do you wonders. If you are looking to stand out in a crowded market, this guide will show you how to level up your packaging and create a good impression that sets your brand apart from the competition.

Understand Your Brand and Product

Before we move on to designing the packaging itself, we need to put some thought into it. Custom packaging is not just about aesthetics, the packaging should be able to define your brand’s identity. Let’s see what you need to understand:

• Target Audience: It is important to understand what type of audience you are catering to, their age group, and whether they are teenagers and trendy or adults and classic, understanding your audience will help you make a decision that caters to their needs to the fullest.
• Product Type: The packaging must suit the type of product you are selling, a fragile item should be packaged in a secure box while a clothing brand can prioritize visual appeal.
• Brand identity: Sit down and think about what your business represents, whatever you thought of is going to be the mood and tone of the packaging.

Choosing the Right Packaging Style

Now that you have understood the kind of audience we are catering to, it is time to choose a packaging material and structure. It might seem like a simple thing, but there are a lot of options to choose from. Here are some popular types of packaging styles.

• Rigid Boxes: Rigid boxes are premium boxes and are usually used for luxury goods.  Rigid boxes as the name suggests are made of hard material, and they provide a more tactile, high-end unboxing experience to the customer.
• Tuck-end Boxes: Tuck-end boxes are vastly used for consumer goods, they have flaps that open and close on the top and the bottom. They are very easy to put together and provide a very clean finish.
• Mailer Boxes: These types of boxes are perfect for an e-commerce brand, they are designed in such a way that they keep the product safe and secured. They often also have a folding design and can be customized to add branding elements.
• Custom Boxes: Product-specific boxes are for items that require special packaging like pillow boxes for jewelry or bottles for packing wine bottles.

Pick the Best Material

There is a range of materials to choose from when building Custom Soap Boxes for your products, here are details about a few of them:

• Paperboard: Paperboard is a lightweight material that is commonly used for consumer goods e.g. cosmetics, electronic devices, toys etc. The material’s ability to be used in a range of industries makes it versatile. Printing is easier on this material since it offers a smooth surface for high-quality graphics.
• Corrugated Board: This material is a widely used material in the packaging industry, the material is known for its strength, durability, and protective qualities. This material is commonly used for shipping boxes, and large retail packaging, or serves as a protective cushioning for fragile items.
• Cardboard: We are all aware of this material as we have seen it all of our lives. Cardboard is a popular material due to it being cheap, recyclable, and very practical. Cardboard is also a good packaging solution due to its strength.
• Kraft paper: Kraft paper is usually used by brands or companies that value sustainability, Kraft as a material itself provides a very organic and rusty feel. 

See, there are many options for you to choose from, ultimately your choice depends on your budget and the experience you want your customer to have.

Create a Design Concept

Designing isn’t just creating something that looks good, it’s more than just that. Your design has to give a functional and branded experience. Here are some key elements you must keep in mind:

• Logo Placement: Your logo should be prominent, but not overwhelming. Make sure it is visible from different angles, especially if the box is to be displayed on a store shelf.
• Color Scheme: Color schemes play an important role in the presentation. Colors have a psychological impact, green for sustainability, red for excitement, blue for trust, etc..
• Typography: The fonts you use on your packaging should be consistent with your brand’s tone and personality.
• Packaging Functions: Ensure that the package is easy to open, close, and reseal if need be. Customer experience is important, so focus on practical design features like easy-to-tear tabs, handles, or re-closeable flaps. The design should also protect the product using transit.
• Sustainable: Use recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable materials where possible. Many consumers are increasingly concerned about sustainability and will value brands that take the matter into account.

Choose Printing & Finishing Wisely

After you have finalized a prototype, the next step is to choose the right printing techniques and finishes to bring your design to life. These elements play a crucial role in making your packaging feel premium.  Let’s take a look at some printing techniques.

• Offset Printing: It is ideal for high-volume orders, offset printing provides excellent colour accuracy and sharp detail.
• Flexography: It is a popular choice for packaging that uses flexible materials, flexography can print on a variety of surfaces, including cardboard, plastic, and corrugated board.
• Digital Printing: Suitable for smaller quantities or personalized packaging.
• Here are some of the best possible finishes to amp up the fine looks of your custom boxes.
• Gloss or Matte Coating: Gloss adds a shiny finish, which can enhance the vibrancy of colours, while matte finishes offer a sleek, understated look.
• Embossing and Debossing: Embossing and debossing are techniques that create a raised or recessed effect on the surface of the packaging. Embossing is where a design is raised above the surface, while in debossing the design is pressed into the material.
• Foil Stamping: Foil stamping involves applying a thin layer of metallic foil onto the packaging using heat and pressure. This creates a shiny, reflective surface that can be applied to logos, text, or other design elements.
• Spot UV Coating: Spot UV coating is a process where a high-gloss coating to specific areas of the box is applied, this creates a contrast between the glossy and matte parts of the packaging. This technique is often used to highlight logos, product images, or any design elements you want to stand out. The effect is subtle but impactful.

Prototyping and Testing Your Packaging

Before mass production, you should create a prototype of your packaging to ensure everything works as expected. Prototyping allows you to test aspects of the product.

Sourcing and Production

Once your design and prototype are finalized, it’s time to move to production. You’ll need to choose a supplier or packaging manufacturer who can produce Custom Candle Boxes. In short, custom packaging boxes are an investment that can pay off in a big way by increasing your product’s appeal and building brand loyalty. Take the time to carefully curate the best packaging solution for your products that fits in your budget and enhances the customer experience.