Everything You Need to Know About What is Custom Packaging

The importance of custom product packaging is undeniable. Gone are the days when you had limited cardboard box options to pack, store, and ship your products. The demand for diverse packaging solutions has increased with the exponential bloom in the product manufacturing and supplying industries. According to a report shared by Fortune Business Insights:

“The global custom packaging market volume was valued at around USD 43.88 billion in 2023, and exhibiting a CAGR of 5.62% in the coming years till 2032.”

In a highly competitive business environment, where standing out is paramount, you should understand all the important aspects of custom packaging. Understanding this will give you a suitable insight into choosing the right packaging for your products.

Here, we will provide you with a detailed guide on what custom packaging is, its types, uses, benefits, and more. Read on to find more!

What is Custom Packaging?

Custom packaging is anything that covers, packs, or stores products providing convenience to the suppliers and end users. It can be a wrap, box, pouch, bag, etc. personalized to accommodate different products, perfectly. Choosing the right dimensions of the packaging is paramount in this regard.

One of the best things about product packaging is its endless customizations offering limitless design possibilities. The manufacturing materials of custom packaging solutions vary depending on the type of packaging you want to make for your products.

Their sizes and shapes can also be customized according to your requirements. These solutions also support timeless printing techniques allowing you to make them fascinating and persuasive.

3 Fundamental Types of Custom Packaging

Product packaging can be categorized into various types depending on their manufacturing material, style, design, application in the industry, etc. However, all types of packaging solutions fall into one of the following 3 categories:

• Primary Packaging

Primary packaging, sometimes called the consumer unit, comes in direct contact with the products. The prime purpose of this type of packaging is to cover and protect products against contamination. Also, it is easy to keep and carry by the end consumers. This packaging is mostly a wrap, sachet, pouch, or box that touches the items packed in them without any barriers.

• Secondary Packaging

Secondary packaging protects, displays, and ships the products packed in primary packaging conveniently. These are the boxes or cans that can accommodate items in a significant portion. The prime purpose of this packaging is to showcase the brands and provide added safety to the goods.

• Tertiary Packaging

The last layer of packaging often comes in large sizes is tertiary packaging. It is made with robust material that can pack bulk items without getting torn. The purpose of this type of packaging is to ship products in bulk without much hassle. It allows you to pack and ship hefty inventory in a single unit, manageably.

Rigid vs Flexible Packaging

Depending on the sturdiness of custom packaging, it can be categorized into two types: rigid packaging and flexible packaging.

A rigid packaging is hard and robust providing ultimate protection to the items packed in them. Its materials include: rigid stock, glass, metal, hard plastic, and more. All these materials are difficult to fold yet bear amazing tensile strength making them a safe and protective product packaging.

Flexible packaging is easy to mold according to your needs, allowing you to tailor its shape according to the dimensions of your products. This type of packaging mostly includes plastic bubble wraps, pliable kraft bags, mylar pouches, and more. All these materials easily fold in your required shapes.

Types of Custom Packaging Based on Their Industrial Use

Whether you are looking for packaging boxes for a small business or a larger enterprise, you should understand the categories of packaging based on their industrial use. Here are some of the most common types of packaging depending upon their use in different industries:

• Retail Packaging

Products that are meant to be sold in retail shops are packed in retail packaging. These packaging solutions can be custom retail boxes, bags, or countertops meant to enhance the visual appeal of your items and persuade customers to buy.
Also, they are easy to carry and unbox offering the utmost convenience to the end users. Here are some common packaging solutions used in various retail industries:

Cosmetic Packaging 

The demand for cosmetic packaging has increased at an industrial scale. According to a report shared by Markets And Markets:

“The global market volume of cosmetic packaging was valued at around USD 50 billion in 2020.”

This type of packaging is specially designed to pack and protect delicate cosmetics and keep them pristine for long. It can be customized according to the characteristics of the products that you want to pack in it. For example, liquid creams and lotions are mostly kept in tubes, or bottles while semi-solid gels are packed in cans and containers.

Food Packaging

Food is an evergreen business, as it is more a necessity than a luxury. According to Statista:

“Revenue in the food market is valued at around USD 9.12 trillion in 2024.”

The huge market volume depicts a significant demand for food packaging.

Customizing suitable packaging is paramount for food brands to stand out from the competition and keep food items pristine. A reliable custom food packaging is one that not only showcases your brand but also secures the aroma and delightful taste of your items.

Medicinal Packaging

Medicinal packaging suitably packs and prevents pharmaceuticals from contamination and spoilage. This packaging is tailored according to the medicine packed in it. For instance, syrups mostly come in bottles. While capsules and tablets are packed in blister packs.

To pack medicines and pharmaceutical drugs, a compliant FDA-approved packaging is required that ensures the safety of medicine and prevents toddlers from accessing them.

Gift Boxes

Gift packaging boxes are used to pack presents and improve the gift-receiving experience of the recipients. Customizing and embellishing these amazing boxes enhance the captivity of your special gift products by many folds.

Printing connectable graphics on this packaging can help you relate your products to special occasions persuading your customers to buy. To add a touch of elegance to your gift packaging boxes, you can decorate them with satin ribbons and lustrous beads that glorify your gift presentation.

• Display Packaging

If you want to enhance the perceived value of your products, presenting products in custom display boxes can make a big difference. These special packaging boxes are designed to beautify your glorious items on the retail shelves and persuade your customers to buy them. Some commonly used display packaging boxes include:

Countertop Displays

Countertop display boxes are primarily used to showcase items on the countertops of retail shops. These boxes are designed uniquely to grab the attention of your customers. They mostly have an open front and top with racks inserted in them. These racks help display products decently and manageably to the viewers.

Window Display Boxes

Display packaging boxes with die-cut windows are perfect for presenting your items on retail shelves. They are not best for showcasing items on retail counters. Yet, their placement on retail store shelves enhances the visual appeal of products packed in them by many folds.

• Mailer Boxes

If you are an e-commerce business looking for sturdy packaging for the safe shipment of your products, go for customized mailer boxes. These packaging boxes are mostly made from cardboard or corrugated stock. Both these materials are durable and perfect to protect the items packed in them.

They can be customized in various designs, however, regular slotted containers are the perfect style for mailing box packaging. RSC boxes can perfectly accommodate products of any shape and ship them safely to your customers.

• Shipping Boxes

Shipping boxes are quite similar to mailer boxes. Rather, mailer vs shipping boxes is a hot discussion topic in the packaging industry. The primary difference is the size of stock for both types of packaging ship. Shipping boxes are famous for transiting bulky products, while mailer packaging boxes mostly ship lightweight e-commerce products.

Shipping boxes can be tailored in sizes and shapes depending upon the volume of goods being shipped in them. Like mailer boxes, they are also made of robust corrugated or cardstock to ensure the safe shipment of the items.

Reliable Custom Packaging Materials

Choosing a suitable custom packaging material is paramount for businesses. The safety and quality of customization highly depend on the packaging material you choose. Here are some popular material options that are perfect for making reliable packaging:

• Kraft Paper

Kraft paper packaging helps you make a statement with its exceptional sustainability. This packaging material is biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable. According to a report shared by Mckinsey:

“60 to 70 percent of consumers are ready to pay more for sustainable packaging.”

So, the demand for kraft paper is becoming high at the consumers’ end. Apart from eco-friendly features, kraft packaging also has high tensile strength making it perfect for durable packaging boxes. Talking about its color,  It has a natural rustic charm that captivates viewers. However, kraft can be customized in any color of your choice.

• Cardstock

Cardstock is a flexible as well as robust packaging material perfect for making retail and branded boxes. Cardboard packaging boxes can be tailored to any shape and size of your requirements. Despite their amazing flexibility, their make is quite durable making them bear the significant product weights.

These boxes also support endless printing options. You can add alluring imagery and connectable graphics to them for a persuasive visual appeal. Printing logos and other brand elements to these boxes helps you boost your brand without much hassle.

• Corrugated Stock

When it comes to the safe shipping of fragile products or bulk order shipments, corrugated boxes are always the preferred packaging choice. These boxes are made of durable and resilient corrugated stock that comes with multilayer protection and exceptional cushioning.

Comprising of at least 3 layers, corrugated boxes have a fluted layer of kraft paper sandwiched between plain kraft sheets. The flutes of these boxes can be categorized as A, B, C, D, E, and F flutes depending upon their thickness.

• Rigid Stock

Rigid stock is a premium and sturdy packaging material perfect for making high-end packaging for your luxurious products. This material is made with paper stock and card stock. The paper stock is compressed under high pressure to make thick and hard sheets of board. Card stock is pasted on the compressed hardboard for a fine look.

If you want to showcase and enhance the visual appeal of your premium products, go for custom rigid boxes. One of the most important benefits of these boxes is that they enhance the perceived value of your products. Jewelry, high-end cosmetics, perfumes, luxurious gifts, and other premium items are best presented in rigid boxes.

• Edible Packaging Material

To eliminate the risk of food toxicity due to harmful packaging, edible packaging material is a good option. This material is becoming popular due to its gut-friendly make. Even if consumed by humans, it does not harm their health.

Packaging made from starch or sugarcane bagasse is completely edible. Their material is edible doesn’t mean they cannot be customized. You can personalize your edible packaging according to your preferences without much hassle.

• Polythene or PVC

One of the most commonly used packaging materials that cannot be overlooked is plastic and PVC. Polythene bags, although causing significant harm to our environment yet are in high demand. Their durability, lightweight, and some other features make them a preferred choice for many businesses.

Polyvinyl chloride PVC is mostly used to make sturdy boxes to store products. You can also find some clear PVC boxes that not only protect your items but also present them uniquely to the buyers and persuade them to purchase the items.

• Mylar

Mylar is made of a polyester film (stretched polyethylene terephthalate) that is famous for its high tensile strength. This film is metalized to make a reflective surface. This material is famous for its excellent water resistance, and electrical insulation.

Using this material, you can make robust bags, sachets, and pouches to seal pack products. It is excellent to pack and keep fresh food items for a long duration. Custom mylar bags can also be printed with the text and imagery of your liking.

You can print graphics on them that relate to your products or showcase your brand identity.

• Jute or Cotton

Perfect for shopping or carrying goods, jute or cotton tote bags are user-friendly packaging solutions. They are made from earth-friendly fabric that is also durable. Their exceptional make allows them to bear the weight of even heavy products.

The size of these bags can also be customized according to your requirements. They mostly come with a custom handle that provides convenience to the customers in carrying these bags.

Packaging Design is Paramount

Packaging design is paramount if you want to boost your product sales According to a report by Ipsos:

“72% of Americans agree that the design of a product’s packaging influences their purchase decisions.”

Whether you want to design persuasive packaging for your startup or enterprise, limitless large or small business packaging ideas are available. All you need to do is to incorporate appropriate features in your packaging that fulfill your needs and present your product uniquely.

Let’s discuss in detail the design of your required packaging. Also, explore the vital components of packaging designs that must not be overlooked:

• Packaging Design Approaches

The right design approach is mandatory if you want to create distinctive packaging that exudes the brand essence and characteristics of the products packed in them. You can explore some packaging design websites for Inspiration, yet you should go for one of the following approaches:

Minimalistic Design

A famous Italian polymath Leonardo di Ser Piero Da Vinci says:

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

So, opting for a minimalistic design approach helps you make sophisticated packaging that leaves a lasting impression on your customers. Choosing subtle and simple colors with minimal graphics on custom packaging precisely conveys your brand’s message and fascinates prospects.

Retro Design

Retro packaging designs give your products a unique and nostalgic outlook. This exclusive design makes your prospects recall their old memories. Connecting with your prospects with your packaging design can persuade them to buy your products.

Various retro packaging design ideas can be considered as an inspiration. However, you should relate the style with your product or brand to create a strong impression.

Funky Design

A funky design approach is perfect for those brands who want to show an exciting persona through their product packaging. Bright colors, vibrant patterns, and funky graphics always catch the eye of enthusiastic customers.

This design is more suitable for products targeting kids and young audiences. For instance, toy packaging boxes with funky designs captivate children and create an urge to buy.

Artistic Design

Portray the artistic essence of your product and brand to entice your buyers. Incorporating creative graphics on your packaging can impart a good impression on your customers. You can also consider printing abstract art on your custom product packaging to allure art enthusiasts.

While going artistic with the packaging design you should avoid complex art that your target audience doesn’t understand. Stay creative yet stay sophisticated.

• Colors & Patterns

The packaging design is incomplete without discussing their colors and patterns. Go for the right color scheme that resonates with your brand and product as well. You can opt for innovative color mixing systems to do this efficiently.

RGB vs CMYK is an important matter of discussion when it comes to color mixing and matching for your custom packaging. Both are exceptional options yet you should understand the characteristics of both and choose the one that suits your requirements.

Also, pay attention to selecting the right pattern and textures for your box designs. They should be designed so as to enhance the visual appeal of graphics and your brand logo printed over them. Dot, floral, checkered, etc. are some popular patterns you can consider for your custom packaging.

• Incorporate Your Brand’s Theme

Custom packaging can help boost your brand only if you choose the right packaging theme. For this purpose, you need to focus on the color scheme of your packaging. It should also resonate with your brand’s theme.

Printing your logo and other elements like taglines and slogans suitably are also important components of your branded packaging’s design. Also, pay attention to the typography of the text you print on your custom packaging to make a good impression and depict your brand in the best possible way.

• Sustainable Packaging Design

Considering the harms of plastic and other non-biodegradable packaging options, people across various demographics prefer to buy products packed in sustainable packaging. According to a report shared by PR Newswire:

“Almost 82% of consumers are willing to pay a premium for products packed in sustainable packaging.”

So, a sustainable packaging design gives you a plus and fascinates your eco-conscious buyers. You should choose a flexible yet eco-friendly material like Kraft paper that can be altered and biodegraded as well. Go for a minimalistic design approach like wraps instead of thick boxes to reduce environmental waste.

You should also opt for eco-printing methods to add graphics and imagery to your custom packaging. Soya-based inks are the perfect choice if you want to go green with your printing.

• The Importance of Dieline & Die-Cut in Packaging Design

Die lines are paramount to designing and manufacturing custom packaging with the utmost finesse. These lines give a clear direction making it easy to craft box packaging. These lines help you make a perfect blueprint that assists in die-cutting, printing, and gluing the packaging boxes.

Die lines for cutting purposes are drawn near the borders of the flat packaging template. Die-cutting is one of the best techniques that help cut boxes and other items into perfect shapes. In this technique, a die is prepared in the desired shape of the box template.

Cardboard or kraft sheets are then placed under the die and cut in the shapes. This technique allows you to precisely and accurately cut dozens of sheets promptly.

Trendy Packaging Styles for Small Businesses

If you are a startup that wants to entice customers with trendy packaging style. Here is a brief guide for you. By understanding different styles of packaging and their functionality, you will be able to choose which packaging will suit your requirements the most:

• Gable Boxes

This exclusive packaging style is excellent if you want to pack gifts, treats, or goodies. Their catchy gable style enhances the visual appeal of your products by many folds. Gable packaging boxes come with a small handle making it convenient to carry.

• Pyramid Boxes

This unique style of custom boxes is for those who want to go beyond the conventions of square or rectangular boxes. The pyramidal style gives your packaging boxes a unique and fascinating look. Custom pyramid boxes are also famous for their robust make. Corners merging at a single point gives your boxes a stable and sturdy structure.

• Pillow Boxes

Pillow-shaped boxes are another unique style to consider for your products. These uniquely designed packaging boxes help pack many types of products. You can pack cosmetics, gifts, jewelry, and more in them. Adding accessories like custom handles enhances the captivity and functionality of these boxes.

• Regular Slotted Containers (RSCs)

Regular slotted containers (RSC) are the most commonly used packaging boxes for storage and shipping. They comprise six equally sized flaps that are folded to give the shape of a cuboid box. They are mostly made of cardboard or corrugated board making them perfect for the safe shipping of fragile products.

• Stand Up Pouches

Stand-up pouches are an excellent style of packaging for liquid semi-solid, or powdered products. These pouches mostly come with a nozzle and cap allowing you to use items packed in them conveniently. Stand-up pouches mostly pack sauces, oil, powdered milk, etc, in food items, liquid soaps, lotions, and more in the cosmetic industry.

• Tote Bags

Custom tote bags are packaging that is made to offer the ultimate shopping experience to the customers. These exclusive bags can be designed persuasively to impress buyers and showcase your brand to them uniquely. They mostly come with a handle making them easy to go packaging bags.

• Sachets

Mostly come in small and medium sizes according to the portion of the product you want to pack in them. Like stand-up pouches, they are used to pack liquid, semi-solid, powdered, or grainy products. However, sachets are more suitable for one-time-use products.

• Tuck-End Boxes

Tuck-end style of boxes is one of the most commonly used ones in the packaging industry. Tuck boxes have endless benefits making them a preferred choice of numerous businesses. Boxes of this style are mostly made of cardboard or kraft paper because these hard yet pliable materials can be folded and tucked inside.

The world of tuck-end boxes is so vast that they can be further categorized into different styles. Here are some common tuck-end styles of custom boxes for you to consider:

Roll-End Tuck Boxes

Roll-end tuck style of custom packaging boxes is quite convenient. It is used by retailers to instantly pack ready-to-go products. To open or close these boxes, you need to roll their top flap and then tuck it.
The easy roll-end unboxing style also allows customers to open the box, look at the product, and then repack it if they do not plan to buy it.

Reverse Tuck Boxes

Reverse tuck boxes are easy to open from both sides. However, both sides open in the reverse direction. They are used to pack products that customers would want to access instantly so they can open the box from either side.

Straight Tuck Boxes

Straight tuck boxes have a similar opening and closing mechanism to reverse tuck ones. However, the opening direction of the sides is the same. Cosmetics, food, crockery, and more items can be perfectly packed in straight tuck boxes.

Auto Bottom Tuck Top Boxes

Auto bottom tuck top boxes are also a good option to consider if you want secure boxes for your products. They come with a tuck top unboxing mechanism and an auto snap lock closure at the bottom. This style provides a strong bottom for the secure packaging of products.

• Shoulder Neck Boxes

If you want to give your product packaging boxes a premium look, opt for a shoulder neck style for them. It enhances the persona of your products by many folds and persuades your target audience to buy your items. These three-piece boxes are famous for their elegant style. 

They come with a tray where products reside, a lid on the top, and a base partially covering the tray from the bottom. The lid rests on the neck (tray) when the box is closed.
You can pack your high-end products like expensive perfumes, jewelry, smart gadgets, and more in shoulder neck boxes. This is because the shoulder-neck style is famous for its premium feel.

• Magnetic Closure Boxes

Another premium style for your custom packaging boxes that offers an instant yet premium unboxing experience to your customers. These packaging boxes are mostly made of rigid stock that keeps items packed in them protected and pristine for a long duration.

They also come with a hinged lid and a magnetic snap lock providing ultimate convenience in unboxing. Customizing magnetic closure boxes can help you boost your brand and enhance the perceived value of your products. 

• Sleeve Slider Packaging Boxes

The sleeve slider box style is popular for its unique unboxing experience. Sleeve slider boxes come in two pieces. One of them is the sleeve and the other is a slidable tray. The tray slides beneath the sleeve and provides a distinctive unboxing experience.

It is an excellent packaging box style for presenting products persuasively to customers. The transitional unboxing style of these packaging boxes leaves the users wow. You can also add die-cut windows to sleeve slider boxes that enhance their elegance by many folds.

Cost & Logistics of Packaging

The cost & logistics of custom packaging is an important matter of discussion for businesses. According to a report shared by Consumer Reports, manufacturers pay more than USD 150 billion for product packaging worldwide. Chron shares that the cost of packaging is around 10% to 40% of a product's retail price.

Most of the product manufacturing and supplying businesses do not make their packaging. Even if they need to customize their packaging, they outsource this task to reliable packaging suppliers. So, the packaging logistics are managed by packaging manufacturers.

Perks of Customizing Your Product Packaging

Customizing product packaging has become essential for businesses. Choosing the right personalization options for product packaging brings you a lot of advantages. Here are some common benefits of customizing your packaging suitably:

• Ultimate Product Protection

Packing and shipping products safely are paramount for businesses to avoid any loss and earn the utmost customer satisfaction. Custom packaging can help you in this regard. By choosing the right dimensions for packaging boxes, you can conveniently and safely ship your products to your destination.

• Better Inventory Management

Customizing the boxes suitably helps manage your inventory as well. These packaging boxes are easy to store and stack occupying less space. Also, handling these boxes while loading or unloading the goods does not require much effort.

• Boost Your Brand

Customized packaging can help boost your brand if you personalize them suitably. For this purpose, all you need to do is incorporate your brand elements such as logo and slogans on the packaging. It will showcase your brand identity uniquely to your customers and build a brand recall that can increase your sales. 

• Convenient Shipping

Whether you want to ship fragile items like glass, or bulky products like heavy-duty machinery, customizing the right shipping box packaging is paramount. Choosing the right shape, size, and material for your packaging boxes ensures the safe and convenient shipping of your products.

• Timeless Product Persona

One of the most important benefits of custom packaging is that it showcases the features of your products with interactive graphics and informative text printing. If you design the right graphics that relate to the target audience and print them on the packaging, the perceived value of your products will be enhanced.

• Improve Customer Experience

The importance of custom packaging is not restricted to catching the eye of buyers on retail shelves. Printed product packaging also illustrates the important features and necessary information about your products. This info can help customers decide whether they should buy your products or not. If designed uniquely, packaging can also enhance the unboxing experience of your customers.

Here is How to Customize Your Product Packaging Uniquely

Now that we know the importance of customizing product packaging, let’s delve into some matchless tactics that help craft remarkable packaging for your products. Here is how you should customize your packaging to make them persuasive and catchy:

• Choose an Elegant Packaging Style

Begin with choosing the right style for your product packaging. As discussed above, you can consider various styles for your box packaging. All you need to do is pay attention to the requirements of your products to craft the perfect packaging.

• Pay Attention to the Packaging Dimensions

Measuring the packaging dimensions before packing products is essential for the snug fitting of items. The best method to do so is to measure your product dimensions and keep the box a bit larger. This approach will help you craft your box packaging in perfect dimensions. If the product is irregularly shaped, measure from the farthest proximities for snug fitting.

• Go for Timeless Printing

Printing can make or break your packaging game. Opting for the most suitable printing option is paramount if you want to give your product packaging a matchless appeal. However, you should know how to print on cardboard, kraft, or any other packaging material, first.

You can go for rotogravure, or flexography if you want to print boxes in bulk instantly. If you are looking for remarkable attention to detail, offset, screen, and digital printing are the best options.

• Elegant Finishing is a Must

Opting for the right finish for your product box packaging is also necessary to give it a fine and elegant look. You can benefit from endless lamination and coating options in this regard. The most popular ones include matte and gloss finishes. You can also consider other choices like holographic, gold, or silver foil stamping.

If you want to give your packaging a high-end appearance, you can opt for spot UV coating. This type of coating enhances the visual appeal of your packaging by many folds.

• Avoid Hassle! Partner With a Reputable Packaging Supplier

If you want to avoid the hassle of customizing your product packaging, outsource this task to a reputable custom packaging company. You can rely on OXO Packaging for all your packaging needs. Just share your requirements with us, and we will make perfect packaging for your products that will not only resonate with your brand but also entice your customers. Reach out to us today!

Final Verdict!

The exponential growth of multiple industries has brought a multiverse of custom packaging to the market. Various types of product packaging are available in the market meeting the requirements of product-based businesses.

Over the past century, product packaging has become more than just a covering or shipping tool for items. It also promotes your brand, interacts with the customers, and displays your products uniquely on the retail shelves these days.

This blog has covered all the aspects of custom packaging that you should before personalizing packaging for your products. If you have any queries about custom packaging or you want to place an order, reach out to us today!