Different Types of Customized Boxes: A Beginner’s Guide
When it comes to custom packaging material, the vast variety and choosing the right one that aligns with your product’s requirements and brand values can be overwhelming, especially for beginners. It is essential to understand the requirements of your product in terms of material sensitivity, size, and dimensions. Custom packaging allows brands to establish their identity in the market through branding strategies. It should be aesthetically sound and functional at the same time. The packaging serves as a primary physical interaction between the brand and product; thus, brands also center on a memorable unboxing experience. It is crucial to invest in custom boxes to create a successful brand name that is easily recognized. The question is: What are the most suitable materials for your products, and how can you customize them to reflect your brand better?
Hence, an in-depth knowledge of mainstream used packaging materials, including cardboard, corrugated sheets, plastic, and sustainable alternatives, is essential to help you make informed decisions for your custom boxes.
Shapes and Styles of Customized Boxes
Rigid Boxes
Rigid boxes are made from chipboard or paperboard, a sturdy material. They are commonly used as custom packaging for delicate or luxury products like jewelry, watches, tech, and gadgets because of their strength and physical benefits.
Collapsible Rigid Boxes
Collapsible rigid boxes have a collapsible feature that allows them to be flat packed when not in use; this is a great advantage in storing and shipping.
Foldable Boxes
Made from flexible materials, foldable boxes are sometimes pre creased making them easy to assemble. The lightweight material is often made of paperboard or plastic. These custom boxes are ideal for packaging products that require minimal protection.
Telescopic Boxes
Telescopic boxes are composed of dual pieces that fit together to form a secure, rectangular box for shipping fragile or heavy products.
Mailer Boxes
Mailer boxes are constructed with cardboard, and particularly designed for shipping and mailing. These custom boxes will seal automatically when closed because they are crafted with a self sealing closure. This safety feature of custom mailer boxes enables a safe and secure transit of the products packed for delivery.
Popular Packaging Materials For Custom Boxes
- Cardboard Boxes
The popularity of cardboard boxes as packaging material is based on their affordability and eco-friendly nature. The versatile material is made from paperboard, making its customised boxes thick and sturdy. Cardboard custom boxes are ideal for packaging lightweight goods like clothing, accessories, and home products.
Benefits Custom Cardboard Boxes
Cost-effective: cardboard boxes can be really cost-effective compared to most packaging options, and large batches can bring down the prices even more. It can be curated to optimize shipping efficiency, reducing costs and environmental impact.
Lightweight: It is a lightweight material, which allows for easy inventory management. Custom-made lightweight materials can impact the overall weight of the products, inadvertently lowering the shipping charges.
Eco-friendly: Cardboard is a biodegradable, compostable material made from renewable resources that can be thoroughly recycled. Its manufacturing generates less waste compared to other packaging solutions. It generates minimal greenhouse gas emissions compared to other options and has a low carbon footprint. Cardboard boxes are typically reused for storage, crafts, or gardening.
Versatile: The various benefits of cardboard make it a versatile packaging option. Cardboard can be used in the following ways:
Adaptability
Customizable: It can be trimmed, creased, folded, and shaped to accommodate a variety of products and dimensions.
Flexible: Cardboard can be a packaging option for a wide range of products, including fragile items or heavy machinery.
Protective Qualities
Shock absorption: Cardboard can provide excellent shock absorption, protecting products from sustaining damage during transit and storage.
Cushioning: Cardboard can be designed as customized boxes, custom packaging inserts, or padding to cushion fragile products.
Sustainability
- Eco-friendly
- Minimizes waste
- Cost-Effective
- Affordable
- Reduced shipping costs
Aesthetics
Branding opportunities: Cardboard packaging can be customized using branding elements to include logos, colors, and designs.
Visual appeal: The packaging can be aesthetically designed to make it attractive and more visually appealing per consumer requirements.
Limitations of Custom Cardboard Boxes
Damage Prone Material: It is not waterproof and can sustain damage from moisture or heavy handling. Water contact can compromise the integrity of the material, causing it to weaken, bend, or tear.
Limited durability: Susceptible to moisture, wear, and tear. It may require added support as packaging material for long-term shipping or storage.
- Corrugated Boxes
Manufactured from triple layers of paperboard, corrugated cardboard is a packaging material that is ideal for shipping fragile or heavy items. The layers consist of an inner layer, a fluted layer in the middle, and an outer layer, making it sturdy and durable to withstand weight. The fluted layer provides additional strength and cushioning.
Benefits of Custom Corrugated Boxes:
i) Shock Absorption and Cushioning: Customized boxes made of corrugated material provide excellent coverage, shock absorption, and cushioning for products during transportation or storage.
ii) Cost-Effective: Corrugated packaging is cost-effective and offers a lot of benefits that make it popular amongst businesses.
iii) Sustainable: Environmental friendly and can be recycled.
iv) Customizable: This can be customized to fit various product sizes and shapes.
v) Lightweight: Easy to handle. Corrugated custom packaging is surprisingly lightweight and won’t overburden the shipping charges.
vi) Stackable: Corrugated custom boxes are designed to be stacked easily, providing easy storage space and reducing the risks of damage.
vii) Branding Opportunities: Ease of printing,
corrugated packaging can be printed with branding elements like logos, colors, and designs to create a professional and visually appealing finished look.
viii) Durable: Corrugated boxes derive their durability from three elements: i) The triple-layered construction of that provides excellent strength, ii) The fluted layer (wavy layer), sandwiched between two other layers, acts as an impact absorber by distributing the pressure and impact evenly throughout the rest of the surface and iii) The base material used in corrugated packaging is commonly made from wood pulp or recycled fibers, which provide good tensile strength.
Limitations of Custom Corrugated Boxes:
- Bulky
- Limited design flexibility
3) Plastic Boxes
Custom boxes made of plastic are manufactured from a variety of plastic materials like polypropylene, polyethylene, and PVC. The material provides extreme protection against moisture, dust, and impact. Plastic boxes are typically used for packaging food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products.
Benefits of Custom Plastic Boxes
Waterproof: Plastic is not water permeable. It is waterproof, which makes It a favorable choice for packaging goods that might spoil with moisture exposure or extreme weather conditions.
Durable: Plastic is resistant to wear and tear, corrosion, and chemical damage, all of which contribute to its durable nature. It also has the tendency of bearing, rough handling, harsh environments, and extreme temperatures. It provides really good coverage to packaged goods during shipping and storage.
Easy to clean: Since the material is waterproof and has a nonporous surface that prevents dirt from accumulating, this feature also allows easy cleaning. Plastic can be easily sanitized with over-the-counter disinfectants without losing its agency or sustaining any damage to the surface.
Versatile: Plastic is a versatile material, given its malleability and chemical resistance. Customized boxes made out of plastic can be designed to suit specific packaging demands in terms of colors, texture, and finishes. Plastic’s versatility also allows it to be used in a wide range of industrial uses, from packaging edible items to medical devices.
Limitations of Plastic Boxes
Non-biodegradable: Plastic does not break down naturally into the environment since it’s non-biodegradable, causing it to accumulate and survive for hundreds of years. This is one of the leading factors in environmental pollution and wildlife degeneration.
Contributes to plastic waste: Plastic waste is a global issue, and plastic packaging only leads to the growing problem. Plastic waste is eventually washed up in oceans, rivers, and landscapes, causing significant damage to ecosystems and wildlife. The sheer volume of plastic waste also overwhelms waste management systems.
May leach chemicals into products:
Certain types of plastic have the ability to contaminate products by leaching chemicals in them. This can be particularly dangerous for food and pharmaceutical packaging, where chemical pollutants can compromise health, posing risks. According to research, exposure to certain chemicals has also been linked to long-term health problems.
4) Sustainable Alternatives For Customized Box Packaging
The leading concerns regarding climate change and waste management have led to the creation of green alternatives that are environmentally safe. Sustainable Options are gaining popularity for their endless benefits.
Bioplastics
Bioplastics are naturally derived polymers from cornstarch or sugarcane, all of which are renewable resources.
Recycled Paper
A type of paper that is a by-product of consumer waste targeted to reduce the demand for the manufacturing of virgin paper.
Mushroom Packaging
Primarily made from mycelium, which is mushroom roots and agricultural waste like hemp husk. The material is compostable and biodegradable.
Bamboo Packaging
Made from bamboo, a highly renewable and sustainable resource.
The benefits of sustainable alternatives
- Eco-friendly
- Biodegradable
- Compostable
- Renewable resources
Drawbacks of Sustainable Alternatives
- Higher cost because of its limited use and production
- Limited availability
- It may require special handling
Mainstream marketing relies on customized boxes, be it packaging, branding, or other marketing strategies. Elite fashion brands endorse their brand’s identity via custom boxes that also serve as a benchmark for premium luxury products. The material used for packaging is significant in establishing the status quo of a brand; hence, it is important to. Have a thorough understanding of the wide variety of materials available in the market to make informed decisions for your brand. The growing concerns around sustainable choices and green alternatives are gaining mass favor. By commencing environmentally friendly practices, businesses can reduce their carbon footprint while enhancing their brand’s reputation.