Packaging Printing

Whether you want to make your product packaging attractive or create an unforgettable unboxing experience, you will need to use packaging printing options wisely. The packaging methods that you can consider in this regard may include direct printing on corrugated boxes using flexo or digital methods, lithographic label printing and mounting, and die-cutting.

The fundamental advantage of using custom prints on your boxes is that it makes your product packaging look attractive and helps it stand out from competitors on both in-store and digital shelves. Depending on your aesthetic preferences, you can adopt vibrant and precise coloration, printed textures, and imagistic printing measures to bring your idea related to packaging design to life.

In the coming years, the packaging design trends will use soft colors, illustrations, and neutral tones to promote minimalism in design aesthetics.

In this article, we will discuss some methods for custom packaging printing.

Direct flexo printing

Direct flexo printing uses an imaged plate attached to a cylinder to transfer graphics and text to substrates. The flexible image carrier has the image-bearing areas of the design raised from non-image bearing areas. The ink-blending and color matching mixing make sure that the printed design is precisely according to your requirements. This printing method is suitable for most packaging printing applications due to the high-quality printing and cost-effectiveness.

Digital printing

The digital printing method uses an inkjet or laser to print a digitally created image onto the substrate. One of the significant benefits of this printing method is that it doesn’t use any printing plates. It prepares and prints designs on the substrate after getting the print command. You wouldn’t need much time to set the printing system up. If you want to produce vibrant colors, complex images, and smooth gradients without any drop-off, you can consider digital printing your best friend. Direct flexo printing is suitable for bulk orders. Digital printing, on the other hand, works best for medium-sized printing tasks.

Label Printing and Mounting

Another method involves printing a label and then attaching that label to the final packaging. Depending on your requirements, you can print large format labels to full mounting, or you can use spot labels to enhance printed images. You can bring unique finishes to corrugated materials by using the lithographic lamination process. You can also use lithography to create designs that look photographic.

You can create different textures through customizability and other options while using lithographic label printing. It can, however, turn out to be an expensive technique due to the extra processing involved in the printing process. This method is more suitable for custom packaging.

Die-cutting

If you want to create custom shapes and designs for packaging printing, you can consider using die cuts. This method involves a metal cutting the shape out of a label and removing the excess material. Methods for die-cutting include flatbed and rotatory diet cutting. Die-cutting can be a complex process, so you may need to work with a professional to get the best results. You can discuss your requirements with a packaging consultant in this regard.