The Finishing Touch
Written by Kary Radestock for mg retailer Magazine, June 2022.
Your product packaging is an extremely important element in expressing your brand. They touch and feel it – they judge it - and they form a deeper relationship with your brand through the unboxing experience.
As most business owners and brand managers know, the quality of your product’s packaging can have a direct impact on sales and reflect upon your brand’s image. Higher quality packaging conveys a promise that the product will be of the highest pedigree. On the other hand, inferior packaging sends the signal that the product will be of lower quality.
Studies have shown that 70% of buying decisions are influenced by the product’s packaging. Moreover, the quality and type of packaging affects a consumer’s trust in your product.
Over the past several years, I have witnessed a packaging transformation in the Cannabis Industry. We’ve come a long way and much of the industry now offers very sophisticated and thoughtful packaging design.
As you develop or refresh your brand, there are ways you can make your packaging look fantastic, and allow you to compete with the major brands.
Here are some secrets of the trade and best practices to set you up for success in your packaging. There are basically three main elements to consider when beginning any packaging project: the paper, the coatings, and the finishing/decorating. I’ll briefly review these below.
PAPER
The lion’s share of all packaging is produced on SBS (Solid Bleached Sulfate Paper). It’s the standard of the packaging industry due to its affordability and good printing surface that can be decorated with excellent results. Additionally, there is a vast selection of specialty papers that can be much more expensive. An uncoated kraft stock may be the perfect choice for a natural brand, while a pearlescent/shimmery stock or a foil board may be selected for a more sophisticated brand. The stock you choose lays the foundation of the package.
LAMINATIONS AND COATINGS
Coatings are used to protect the package from scuffing or offsetting, and are also used to accentuate and enhance your packaging. Adding contrast to the surface of the package creates visual interest and can elicit desire from the consumer.
Laminations
A lamination is a piece of film literally laminated to the stock and provides the very best protection available against cracking, fingerprinting and scuffing. Laminations come in several finishes; Matte, Dull, Gloss and Soft Touch. Laminations are more expensive than inline coatings such as AQ or UV.
Coatings
AQ Way back in the day, everyone used varnishes to coat and protect a project, but this method required an extra plate on press and longer drying times – so the Aqueous Coating was born. Aqueous Coating (AQ) is a clear, fast-drying, water-based coating that is used to protect printed pieces. It provides a high-gloss, matte or soft touch surface that deters dirt and fingerprints.
UV – Spot Gloss UV is one of the most popular treatments used in packaging and draws the consumers eyes to the treated areas – often a logo, product name or tag line. UV coatings provide a superior high gloss clear finish and offers the highest degree of contrast. UV also comes in the same variety of finishes: high-gloss, matte, dull, or soft touch.
Raised UV Coating A great way to add a tactile and more dramatic effect is by using a raised UV coating, which adds dimension that can accentuate portions of the packaging, as well as invite the consumer to engage and touch the surface.
Specialty Coatings There are a variety of coatings that are rarely used in packaging, such as glitter, pearlescent, metallic and reticulating. If you want a luxurious shimmering appearance, then a pearlescent coating might be the right solution – or in very specific circumstances a glitter UV can be appropriate. Metallic sheens, such as silver and gold, not only convey an image of wealth and sophistication, but are also deliver a similar look as foil stamping, but at a fraction of the cost. One of the most dramatic coatings is achieved through process called reticulation. This process creates an interesting visual effect by carefully combining both a spot varnish and an overall UV coating. When these two are mixed, there is a chemical reaction that results in a unique visual effect.
DECORATING TEXTURES
There are a variety of textures that can give your packaging a unique and distinctive look. Here are a few:
Embossing and Debossing Raising and depressing areas of your packaging provides an interesting effect which has historically been used to signify elegance and luxury.
Hot Foil Stamping This effect has been used for hundreds of years. Some early manuscripts used real gold leaf to decorate intricate calligraphy, and the most beautiful and expensive books were often embellished with real gold leaf. This technique produces a highly reflective image with a bright and alluring metallic appearance.
Cold Foil Printing Unlike Hot Foil Stamping, which requires a specialized foil stamping machine, this process can be done in-line on a press. Foil is dispensed from a roll and a UV lamp cures an adhesive and locks the design in place. Cold foil is the preferred technique for larger areas, and can be customized by applying color to traditional silver or gold foils.
Digital Foil Printing Digital foil printing is a bit easier to produce as it is printed directly from a computer file. No dies are needed so it can be a more affordable option. The result is smooth, ultra-shiny and often raised like an embossed piece, but at a fraction of the price.
These are just a few of the many techniques that can take your packaging from ordinary to extraordinary. The key is to work with an experienced packaging professional that has deep expertise using these wonderful techniques.
Equally important is to select a packaging partner that understands that your packaging is more than just a way to protect your products... Packaging is also an important sales tool and a vital representation of your company and your brand.
For more information on Hippo Premium Packaging, call 619-269-0939
About Hippo
Hippo Premium Packaging provides unique and innovative packaging and branding solutions to the cannabis and hemp industries. Winners of many international awards, Hippo creates powerful packaging solutions that build successful brands.