7 Types of Packaging

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Few things are more crucial when competing in a competitive market than being instantly known. Your brand must feel like the ideal match for the target market you designed it for. The most apparent method to do this is to get your package design correct, and the first step on this road is to select one of the seven primary types of packaging.

Brand identification in packaging is influenced by two factors: the kind of packaging you select and the design you apply to it.

Selecting the appropriate kind of packaging

Liquids cannot be kept in cardboard boxes (obviously.) There are several factors to take into account when determining the best form of packaging for your product, including:

. How the item is kept (in your warehouse, on the shelves of the store, during delivery, and at the buyer's home).

. The fragility of your product—does it require protection from any probable falls or bumps?

the shelf life of your goods. Is the item perishable and has to be kept fresh?

. How many items are contained in a single package. Packaging requirements for a canister of dry-roasted peanuts and a single cake are different.

. Your product's weight will determine how much you pay for delivery. Choosing hefty packing for an item that is already heavy might result in additional shipping costs.

When it comes to different packaging types, there is a hierarchy:

The most robust category of packing, this is typically made up of sturdy boxes that can shield (sometimes many) items from knocks and dings.

1-Inner packaging

Imagine the tissue paper inside a present box or the bubble wrap that shields fragile products during shipping. Inner packaging adds additional layer to absorb any impacts

2-Merchandise packaging

As you can undoubtedly guess, the part of the product that is closest to and dearest to the individual product is the package. It may be the package of your preferred chocolates or the screen protector you peeled off your new phone. On learn the practicalities of creating excellent packaging, see our guide to product packaging.

Take a look at the packaging used by other companies who sell the same kind of goods. Although you are not required to package your goods the same manner as everyone else, it is typically a good idea to look at what is effective for similar brands to yours. Only one kind of packaging makes sense for some items. For others, you have opportunity to experiment and perhaps defy expectations. For example, you might offer dry beans in a box or package a pair of gardening gloves in a re-usable screwtop jar.

7 types of packaging

1-Boxes

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We don't just mean the standard square cardboard box when we say "boxes." We refer to all box types, even those that are not square or made of cardboard. Metal tins and cardboard boxes both fall into the category of enclosed containers with strong walls that cushion their contents from shock.

Due of their simplicity and convenience, boxes are among the most popular forms of packing. Do you require stable placement for your packing on a shelf or the floor? Place it in a box with a stable bottom and corners. You want packing that can be stacked easily within a bigger box or shipment container. Boxes are easy. Almost everything may be contained in a box.

Boxes may be relatively simple to design when it comes to layout. You have strong, flat surfaces that are ideal for printing logos and other graphics on.

Recall how we stated that boxes are not have to be square? Making your packaging the centre of attention for your brand identification by using a distinctively designed box might work well. This is important if your product is marketed in retail settings since potential customers notice the package first.

Consider how the buyer will really perceive the package while you're creating it. Will they catch their first glance of the box's top when they remove it from a bigger shipment box, or will it be one of its sides on a shelf at a store?

Let's be honest here, too. Cats and kids both enjoy boxes. Additionally, if your company caters to children, pets, or those who look after them, you may add more "wow" factor to your package design by putting an amusing image on your boxes that encourages parents to turn them into toys.

This may entail printing a pattern that makes the box resemble a home or a castle with a drawbridge so the cat may enter and exit if your product is marketed toward cats and their owners. For a kid's product, this can entail a box that can be broken into pieces and folded into a playhouse or shapes that can be cut out and fitted together to construct gliders. Consider other ideas

2-Adornment packaging

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This is when things start to get fancy. We're considering drawstring bags, sleeves, stickers, ribbons, and labels. Outer packing can be as ornate as you wish. Consumers can see what your brand stands for and it's beautiful and eye-catching.

Take a cardboard sleeve as an illustration. This is typically used as an outer layer of packaging to safeguard items like bars of soap. However, support must come from a packaging underdog. The soap is enclosed in an additional layer of security, such as an airtight sheer film below the sleeve, which reassures the customer that the product is high-quality and hygienic. It also offers a seamless transition to our following category of packaging.

3-Vacuum packaging

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The majority of people immediately associate "vacuum wrapping" with airline meals. In retrospect, I suppose that's just me. Many additional items, including cosmetics and skincare products, snacks, and pallets of boxed or bottled goods, are transported in vacuum-sealed wrappers, in addition to the food that is often served aboard aeroplanes.

Contrary to other packaging materials like boxes and bags, wrappers are placed mechanically and frequently heat- or vacuum-sealed all the way around the goods to prevent contamination. This article on the many kinds of packing wrappers will teach you about the various forms of airtight wrappers.

4-Bottles

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When your product is a liquid, lotion, vitamin, or genie, bottles are a fantastic choice (just kidding on that last one).

As varied as the liquids kept in them, bottles come in all different sizes and forms. For beverages like soda and spring water, there are throwaway plastic bottles available. On the other end of the spectrum are engraved and embossed bottles, which are works of art in and of themselves. Careful design enhances the performance of any bottle, whether it is throwaway or valuable.

Keep the bottle's form in mind while creating a label for a bottle. You could choose to develop custom-shaped bottles, or it might be preferable to go with a generic-shaped bottle, depending on your budget and brand objectives. Your brand won't likely suffer if you choose a bottle that is "bottle-shaped," but choosing a unique form might add some serious wow.

Designing a bottle typically entails more than just coming up with a visually appealing label. If you choose the bespoke method, you need also decide whether style of closure—a screwtop, a cork, or a swing-top—works best for your business.

5-Cans

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A can is your only alternative choice if your product is a liquid and you don't want to package it in a bottle. A can is an option even if your product isn't liquid. yet, it is frequently not the best choice.

The form presents a special challenge when creating a can. You must design with the curves of the can in mind, whether it is a tall or short can, a thin cylinder or a big wide-mouthed soup can. In a recent piece on craft beer branding, we spoke about designing cans and the many printing possibilities available to you.

Although most cans are cylindrical, not all of them are. Some cans, like the sardine can in the illustration below, are flat with pull-tops. Because these cans have flat labels, designing for them is more like creating a box than it is like designing a cylindrical can.

The canister is closely related to the can. Dry items like vitamins, supplements, nuts, and coffee beans—or anything else that needs to keep its freshness sealed in—are often kept in canisters. Because a canister is cylindrical like a can, you should design it with this shape in mind. However, unlike a can, a canister may be used again, particularly if it is intended for items like loose leaf tea or coffee beans.

6-Novelty packaging

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Packaging of this kind speaks for itself. Like any dating advertisement, being able to connect with your target market through comedy is frequently what separates you from your rivals. Depending on your goods, it humanises your business and demonstrates your relatability to one another to foster trust and, if you're lucky, enduring customer devotion.

7-Sustainable packaging

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The unique improvements designers are making to produce more sustainable products are one of the most fascinating things we are witnessing right now. It involves things like employing less materials for packaging without sacrificing quality or protection. It involves using exclusively recycled resources and thinking about how to design a waste-free, ethical production process.

Designing a packaging identity

Consider these components as parts of a bigger package identity if your product includes several packaging elements. For instance, you may pack boxes with crumpled paper inside to cushion any stress whilst shipping bespoke glass sculptures.

Consider the idea of brand identity to have a better understanding of the concept of package identity. Your collection of brand design components, such as your colour scheme, typefaces, print advertisements, and digital footprint, make up your brand identity. Your package designs are part of it as well.

Consider your assortment of package styles as your packaging identity in turn. Together, they may create engaging content that promotes your business. For example, if your product is a toy reptile or bird, you can package it in a plastic egg with the toy within, which would be covered in gel inserts to resemble the protective membrane of an actual egg. Alternately, you may choose to put your goods in a bag that is a different colour from your brand and wrap it in tissue paper that matches one of your company's colours.

It's packaged well

Perfect packaging might be the difference between a fantastic product being a moderate success and the next big thing when you're bringing it to market. Find ideas for your packaging design in the various forms of packaging that other companies in your industry are using. You may be able to build on what's working well for them and incorporate it into your branding, or you may see a huge opportunity to innovate and wow your customers with unique packaging that makes your product memorable.

Keep in mind that your packaging shouldn't overshadow your product; rather, it should improve the experience that customers have with it. Design the ideal packaging to make opening it a pleasant experience.