The majority of products that enter the retail market require some type of packaging, and when we are talking about the collective retail market, we are dealing with millions of products of different shapes, sizes, natures, and industries. The market is truly ginormous. Therefore, it is divided into tens of categories. There are so many categories and subcategories that it is even hard to mention them all. Yet, the one thing that stays the same with almost every single product on the planet is the fact that they come inside some type of packaging.
Why Do You Need Packaging in the First Place?
Since the start of my career, I have been closely associated with the packaging industry in one way or the other. I started marketing and selling various FMCG and pharmaceutical packaging machines. Later on, I started working with the other side of the packaging industry which includes Kraft and cardboard, which I collectively call cellulose-based packaging.
So, coming back to the question of “why do you need packaging in the first place?” The obvious and most generic answer to this question is to keep a product safe until it reaches a customer. There is more to the concept of packaging, but I will come to it after I clear this point. There are many factors that can damage a product, like mishandling, collision damage, moisture damage, and a lot of other factors.
When I was dealing with packing machines, there were strict guidelines to use only pharma-grade alloys of stainless steel for the making of every part that comes into contact with the product. Similarly, with food items, the instructions are to use food-grade materials only. For the products that are made with such strict restrictions, you have to be extra careful with the packaging as well. I admit that standards for food and pharma-related products are way higher than general industry, but sharing this is to give you an insight into why using the right packaging is so big of a deal.
Like everything else, the 21st century has also revolutionized the concept of packaging. Today, there are many other aspects to it other than just the safety of the product. Now the brands aim at making their packaging their business card and advertisement at the same time. If you are thinking about how they do that, you will all the answers in the same article.
Diversity in the Types of Packaging Solutions
Like the diversity of the products in the retail market and even on the categorical and sub-categorical scales, packaging solutions are of various types as well. There are packaging solutions based on some cellulose, while there is a complete variety of controversial plastic packaging. Some other custom packaging solutions may also involve the direct use of wood and other types of synthetic polymers. Put in simple words, there are a lot of options.
Emerging Problems With Certain Packaging Solutions
I have been associated with the packaging industry through different desk jobs and field jobs since the beginning of my career. One thing that I learned over time is that neither the people nor the Earth wants plastic packaging anymore. The chances of packaging made of plastics finding its way to the bottom of the oceans or landfills are more than them getting recycled and reused. Now people and businesses are getting more aware of the harms of plastic and are willing to make the change.
If you have a disposable plastic container by your side at the moment, flip it, and you will see a number inside the recyclable sign. The higher this number gets, the more difficult it becomes to recycle that particular item. Plastics usually have a high recyclability number. Even if it is low, only a fraction of plastics actually get recycled. So, the problem is real, and it is starting to show its effects. If you are following some blogs or activists that are communicating the problem, you would have gotten an idea of how bad the situation has gotten. The oceans are filling up, and animals are choking on the plastics we are carelessly dumping every day.
DIY Packaging Solutions and Their Minor Yet Impactful Role in Solving This Problem
In recent times, the dawn of Pinterest and the content on YouTube on how to reuse certain materials for DIY activities has made quite an impact. People are embracing their creative sides to reuse waste materials. Most of these materials come from retail packaging based on plastic, so if they are getting reused, that’s a big thing.
Many small-scale businesses have started to reuse these materials as their packaging solutions. Those ideas are artsy and creative. Plastic wrap can be saved from getting to a dumpster. However, these ideas for packaging are only a problem-solving solution if you are not buying new materials from the market instead of using already available ones. Another shortcoming of these DIY packaging solutions is that they are not practical for large quantities of products. Things may change in the future, but the best thing is the education such packaging is providing the general public.
Even on a personal scale, you can start making a change by reusing certain packaging waste in other forms. Like, we had flower pots made out of soda bottles. There is a friend in the Philippines who engaged junior students in making an eco-friendly garden out of plastic bottles and other such materials. So, there are people who are understanding the problem and are playing their part in solving a fraction of it.
Kraft and Cardboard Packaging
With plastics causing a lot of problems on a global scale, Kraft and cardboard-based packaging options are looking much better. Both of these packaging solutions are commercially successful. A major difference between these two and plastics is the eco-friendliness. Both of these packaging materials are recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable. Another great thing is that they are already around us and are used by many industries we talked about at the beginning of this article.
Cardboard boxes are usually white, while Kraft has a brown wood-like appearance. Both of these materials have pluses of their own. Like, Kraft has an edge in terms of eco-friendliness as it could be made of 100% recycled material while cardboard gives you more freedom of customization. So, both of these mainstream retail packaging materials have pluses of their own.
Types of Packaging Boxes Available in the Market
Kraft and cardboard are the names of packaging materials. These materials are further used in making various types of packaging boxes and bags. Most of the time, retail packaging is some type of box instead of bags; therefore, we will be staying in the domain of boxes for this article.
Retail packaging boxes are of many types. Some of the famous ones are two-piece boxes, slider boxes, auto-bottom cartons, 123 boxes, hang tab boxes, and bookend boxes. All these and many other types of packaging boxes can be commonly seen in the market.
Nowadays, every packaging is expected to perform three important duties: keeping a product safe, adding a nice presentation, and proper branding. If packaging performs in all three departments, it is excellent and can greatly help a brand in growing its business. This is why many brands prefer custom packaging for their products as they can get presentation, durability, and promotion all at once.
Importance of Durability and Toughness in Packaging
Durability and toughness are important aspects of any packaging. If a packaging solution is lacking these qualities, a product can get damaged before even reaching a customer. That’s the last thing a brand, retailer, or customer would want. Besides, the safety aspect of a retail product is the reason why we use packaging in the first place. So, if you are buying ready-made packaging, do see if it has the durability and toughness you require. Otherwise, go for a sturdy material if you are getting custom packaging.
Importance of Presentation and Appearance of a Product
The presentation and appearance of a product have a massive role in making a product a success. Successful brands in the market know this, and that’s why they invest in the presentation aspect of the packaging. People are naturally attracted to things that look good. Therefore, good-looking packaging can make your product more noticeable and attractive. Long story short, spending on the presentation gives your product more potential for sales.
Importance of Branding
Branding is an important aspect of any product packaging. It does two things: it adds a level of credibility to a product and gets you brand awareness. What I have learned from my experience in the field, a packaging without logos and taglines translates to missing opportunities. Customers should know from which brand they are buying a product. Also, it helps you in promoting your brand. So, trust me on this, and do not miss out on the branding.
