Why Folding Cartons Are the Preferred Packaging Solution

Folding Cartons

In a competitive consumer environment, the package plays a key role in brand awareness, point of sale marketing, and sales. In addition to protecting the product, the right folding carton can also educate and entice the buyer by communicating key information about the product and its benefits.

The best Folding Cartons feature a clean, professional look that complements the product and brand image. They can be printed in full color and can be embellished with a wide range of decorative options, including foil stamping, embossing, texture, and inline cold foiling.

Paperboard is the most common material for folding cartons, and it comes in a variety of thicknesses and grades to suit different applications. Most non-virgin paperboard is made from recycled materials, minimizing the environmental impact of production and disposal.

Why Folding Cartons Are the Preferred Packaging Solution

The primary printing method for medium- to large-volume orders of folding cartons is offset lithography (‘litho’), which has evolved as technologies have improved. Modern presses accommodate a variety of substrates that vary in size, apply inks, coating, and inline cold foil in one pass, and can capture subtleties and sharp details.

Digital printing is an effective option for smaller, single-copy runs, reducing time and costs without compromising quality. In particular, it’s a good choice for new products or products that are being introduced on short deadlines or to test the market.

Offset lithography is also the most effective printing method for folding cartons that will be shipped directly from the factory and require minimal assembly by the end user. However, it may require a higher minimum order than other printing methods due to the cost of retooling a press for each job.

Many manufacturers are now using inline embellishment processes to give their folding cartons an extra touch of glitz and glamour. These include TruCOLOR(tm) expanded color gamut printing, specialty coatings (e.g., glitter, pearl, soft-touch), cast and cure holographic effects, and cold foiling.

These technologies allow companies to create a packaging solution that will stand out on the shelf and communicate their brand’s value to consumers. They can also be used to add a pop of color or a unique shape to the packaging, which will make it more appealing to the eye and entice the customer to take action.

In-line embellishments can also be used to make a folding carton more durable, especially in the case of a heavier item or a product that needs extra support. A 1-2-3 box is often used for products like high-end beers, wine, spirits, or large candles that are more likely to crack or break if they are not packaged properly.

Increasingly, consumers expect branded and personalized packaging to help them identify their products and make purchasing decisions. By incorporating a combination of overt and covert authentication solutions, the right packaging partner can offer a unique experience that is easy to recognize, resulting in more sales and greater brand loyalty.