Isolating decisions on packaging one by one often creates conflicts by the time the box is ready for production. Finishes used for branding are sacrificed when material is selected for the wrong cost. Shipping costs increase if a size is selected for shelf display. A good custom printed box is designed with all these factors considered up front, not after a sample has been received and found to be wrong.

What Does a Custom Product Box Design Consist of?

When designing a custom product box, all of those steps have to happen simultaneously, instead of sequentially, while taking into consideration the structural needs, print and branding strategies, and cost expectations.

Benefits for Businesses

Most first design decisions are made by the brand; however, decisions such as foil finish or intricate die-cuts have cost and production time implications which must be considered from the outset. The question of whether or not the box is truly protective depends upon whether or not the box’s structural design matches the actual product weight and not an assumed value, in conjunction with matching board weight and flute type. Cost control is obtained by designing to the standard sizes and material increments, as custom material and dimensions may incur a premium. The use of eco-friendly materials can be integrated into the initial design and is also much easier to integrate into the design than to add onto a design at a later stage, as a coating or lamination option can rule out recyclability later on. All these decisions are only as good as how they are manifested in the box, as a well-branded retail product packaging that fails structurally will undo all the design.

You will want to make some choices early on in the process of creating a website:

• Weight: according to the variety of materials, weights are available between 100 grams and 3 kg. Weight: weights of 100 grams to 3 kg are available depending on the material.

• GSM: matched to product weight, not assumed from a similar product.

• Printing: offset printing for larger volumes, digital for smaller custom runs, colour matching confirmed early.

• Sizes: real product size, according to the most common stock sizes for cost optimization.

• Finishes: matte, gloss, spot UV, foil - selected based on cost and production time.

• MOQ: minimum order quantity; useful for testing a design before scaling.

Designing product boxes is a crucial decision in industries

There are trade-offs brands need to make when designing  branded packaging boxes, and it must be done before production rather than after the boxes have been made. Ecommerce brands must consider trade-offs in shipping cost versus unboxing presentation; retail brands must design boxes that look good on shelves as well as being easily returned; cosmetics brands must balance structural fit with luxury finish; food and bakery brands must consider food safety with branding; and wholesale distributors must standardize box design across multiple SKUs.

The Design process is best approached by following these steps:

Function before finish, make sure the b product cartons wholesale box protects the product and meets shipping and/or shelf requirements before determining print and finish layered over that. Verify normal stock sizes before signing up for completely custom dimensions, as there are times when size changes can be minimal, and custom tooling can be avoided altogether. Integrate environmentally friendly material and ink options into the original specification, do not make sustainability a ‘bolt-on’ step. The easiest error in the design process is determining the visual branding up front and then making the structure changes to fit, often at the expense of protection or cost increase to support a structure decision made too early.

FAQs

Q: When creating a box, should I choose a branding or structure first? 

A: Protect and fit the box to the product first, otherwise, risk expensive redesigns after the brand look.

Q: What is the smallest order for conducting a test of a new box design? 

A: No, it is wholesale and does not require any minimum order.

Q: Are there eco-friendly materials that can be built in for not a full cost increase? 

A: Yes, if designed from the beginning, not simply tacked on after production specifications are determined.

Get a Free Quote

Make the right structural, branding, and cost decisions from the start. Get a free quote and free design consultation on a custom packaging supplier from CBM today.

Make us a call: 713-978-0088 or send us an email: sales@customboxesmanufacturer.com to place an order.