If you’ve recently launched your startup you might have given every aspect of your process its fair consideration. Factors such as creating and marketing your project to designing an effective delivery process are of utmost importance.
How effective is your packaging? Creating the perfect packaging system involves everything from choosing the perfect box to sticking the right labels. Whether you opt for a bag sealer or a state-of-the-art label maker, it’s important to know that packaging says a lot about your business.
How Important is Packaging?
If you keep up to date with global trends, then you know that packaging waste has become a giant global problem. The single-use culture that has gripped the world has left us with more waste than ever before.
Fortunately, the focus is starting to shift from over-the-top wasteful packaging to more sustainable options. With that in mind, it’s vital to consider the right type of packaging for your products. Let’s take a look at why packaging is crucial in your business.
1. Offers Protection
The most significant purpose of packaging is to protect the product you’re selling. The type of product you’re distributing will determine how susceptible your product is to damage, theft or even loss. Packaging should keep the product safe during the various stages of handling, storage and transport.
The issue comes in when business owners opt to overuse packaging and end up creating an extensive amount of unnecessary waste. It’s necessary to make your packaging effective but not wasteful. Getting the right effective packaging, such as folding carton packaging, can significantly enhance product protection and presentation while minimizing environmental impact.
2. Provides Consumers with Safety Information
Another benefit of correct packaging is that it often provides vital information for the consumer’s safety. Always use your packaging to highlight the following points where applicable:
- Packaging date for food types
- Best before date
- A concise list of ingredients, especially the types that cause allergic reactions, such as nuts
- List any harmful chemicals
- Mention whether the material is virgin or recycled
- Detailed instructions on how to use or maintain the product
3. Enhances Marketing
One of the ways to advertise your brand is to use packaging as part of your marketing plan. Always opt for unique packaging that will stand out if it’s standing on the shelf amongst other brands’ items. Use your packaging to tell a story about your brand as well as how your startup views environmental issues.
4. General Usability
It’s no secret, modern consumers are looking for fit-for-purpose packaging. That means they want packaging that can be reused or recycled after they take their products out. For instance, if you’re selling cosmetic jewelry, consider using a box that the user can use for another purpose.
If the container can’t be used for something else, it should be easily recycled. Always follow the golden rule and avoid single-use plastic as much as possible! The general idea is that the packaging should not end up in a landfill.
5. Consider Your Sustainability
It’s important to keep in mind that the average customer is more environmentally conscious than ever before. For many people, the carbon footprint offered by your product’s packaging is a vital consideration in their buying decision. To ensure that your product is associated with sustainability, provide your consumers with steps to recycle the packaging.
How to Make a Difference With Your Packaging
Many business owners feel that there isn’t much they can do to make an impact with their packaging. However, it’s easier than you might think. Consider these few simple tips from our experts:
- Recycled materials: For starters, always use recycled products to make your packaging. This is especially useful when your packaging is cardboard related. Be sure to advertise that you are using recycled materials to make a positive impression on potential customers who want to live environmentally friendly.
- Avoid plastic: Wherever possible, avoid single-use plastic. Unfortunately, there are no effective ways to recycle this type. It ends up in the ocean and landfills and causes more harm than it’s worth.
- Consider quality packaging tools: You might think that manually wrapping your products is more cost-effective. However, investing in a quality strapping machine will minimize the number of materials used. That way there will be less waste. Depending on the machine you use, you may even be able to choose the exact strapping and cardboard used to ensure you have zero waste. By setting the machine correctly, you also won’t have damaged pieces and leftovers as with manual cutting.
Final Thought
Finding the perfect balance between wasteful and useful plastic can be challenging. It’s important to create a type of packaging that shows your consumers the information they need while keeping the product safe and secure until it reaches them.
At the same time, your packaging should emphasise your company’s desire to reduce environmental waste. Opt for tools and machines that minimise the amount of packaging needed. Choosing the right packaging will go a long way to putting your brand in a positive light!
