PACKAGING
INNVOVATIVE PACKAGING TRENDS
IN THE GRAPHIC ARTS
FROM BOTTLES TO PLASTIC TO PAPER
The packaging industry has been growing. With new innovative designs coming out every season ranging from different styles, textures, and colours. Coming from a plethora of different countries to different industries, our publication this year is to explore the decorative and innovative finishing applications of packaging in the world of graphic arts.
牤坨坨, Hou, J., Hua , Q., & 西 ⽠精, 2020
Have you ever wondered what the processes and uses are during and after a printing job to add details making packing useful and innovative?
As explored in The Graphic Design Reference + Specification Book by Evans, Sherin, and Lee(2013), packaging finishing techniques or applications can be described in seven different ways. These are die-cutting, scoring, perforating, foil stamping, and embossing or debossing followed by varnishes and laminants. In the use of specific unique offset inks like metallic pigments or fluorescents, these are added during the printing job of the design before entering the finishing stages as per this case above(Klebaur, 2014)
DIE-CUTTING, SCORING, & PREFORATING
This technique of die-cutting is usually used for hard to cut shapes that cannot be done by a simple trim. An example of this is the hangers for tea bags. This is made by using a die consisting of metal strips or rules placed on wooden blocks. For large batches of a single design, flatbed or rotary die-cutting can be used. Other variations of die-cutting is kiss die cutting which is used mainly for cutting labels or decals like the collectable sticker info cards for tea. This method only cuts the top layer leaving the design peelable from the original backing. These dies can also be used for scoring and perforating in changing out the metal sheets for a different blade.
Scoring is used to crease materials making ridges for folds. Doing this helps prevent cracks on coated thick paper and ink coverage when folding. This also makes folding easier for thicker materials like boxes. Perforating, on the other hand, punches holes to make tearing easier. This is usually used for tear off openings in packaging design(Evans, Sherin, & Lee, 2013). And both these techniques are usually done before assembly of packaging for the products.
Fukasawa (2022)
Only Culture. (2022) Think Packaging, 2021
EMBOSSING, DEBOSSING, & TEXTURES
Embossing is a technique that makes raised impressions from two heated molds of brass called dies. The results of this impression can be seen on the wine label above. Debossing, on the other hand, is a depressed impression on the material, as seen on the tin. Sometimes these techniques are combined with foil stamps to make a blind emboss. And sometimes it is also combined with different textured or grained paper, like leather or snowball paper texturing among other texture styles, which when embossed or debossed helps the reader focus on the design(Alya Packaging, 2023). But most of the time, contrasting textures is the main use of embossing and debossing like seen in the business cards. And now that minimalistic designs are becoming more prevalent, embossing or debossing with or without an inked design or foiling, is done to make designs more modern and is felt and seen in the textures of the design.
FOIL STAMPING
This technique is done by using a heated stamp to impress the pigment carried by the plastic film onto the surface that is being stamped on. That way when heat is applied onto the film, the pigment is transferred to the paper. There are many different foils that give off different looks ranging from silver gloss, silver matte, holographic, metalized, gold, pearlized, rainbow, silver mirror, copper, soft-touch foil or velvet foil, and many others. Softtouch foil or velvet foil is resistant to scratch and is matte finished making it soft to the touch. This specific foil is refined and elegant and when paired with dark colour schemes and minimalist styles. It can make a product look fancy and stand out like the red envelopes (Pacdora, 2022).
Lumper, 2023 Gibbs, 2020
Other foils that were briefly mentioned before can also provide a trendy aesthetic and minimalistic look when paired on black paper or other colours. This tactic can be used to make the design stand out better, as seen in each of the examples.
No title: Chinese packaging design, box package, 2023; April 2021; Olson, 2016; Them Design, 2014; You&Me Namecard., 2011
VARNISHES
Varnishes are the final touch to designs when it comes to keeping them secure and making designs stand out or shine even more vibrantly. Varnishes come in many forms ranging from spot to aqueous solution coatings to UV coatings Spot varnishes come in gloss and dull, this is where gloss enhances specific parts of the design while dull tones down the glare making it contrast from a glossy surface Aqueous coating on the other hand is a mixed solution between water and gloss coating. This coating is meant to be applied like a flood varnish which fully covers the entire sheet These are used on packaging labels or business cards. Lastly UV coatings come in either of the first two forms, it usually raises and protects artwork making it more durable and thick however because UV coatings cure hard, when it dries it may crack if it is folded(Evans, Sherin, & Lee, 2013). An example of a spot UV gloss coating is the holiday card text Other forms of varnishes that may use the above forms to apply onto surfaces are glitter which is seen in the pink pearly packaging and fluorescent There are also aromatic lacquers, thermal lacquers like the ones used in the business card, glow in the dark lacquer, and scratch off which are widely used in specific industries and serve as an opportunity for creativity when it comes to designing packaging or business materials(Pacdora, 2022)
LAMINANTS
Laminants are a final touch to the piece, protecting the design better than varnishes. This technique increases the strength and durability of packaging and are usually used in big batches to cover boxes or packets and present the product for a longer period of time. There are many types of applications ranging from matte and gloss to anti scratch surfaces. In using a matte laminate, it refines packaging designs making it smooth, silky, and without glare. This is used for box designs or stickers and is combined with embossing, foil stamps, or a spot varnish for contrast. In using gloss foil, it refines the vibrancy of the print, making it dust and splash proof. In terms of their specifications it is separated by nylon, being the most durable; polyester, which has a hard surface and keeps it long; and polypropylene, which is soft and is the most common in packaging(Evans, Sherin, & Lee, 2013).
Lin, 2020
Marx Design, 2023
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
In efforts to become more sustainable, producers are finding ways to innovatively use these techniques to create packaging designs to have a second life. This can look like scoring and die-cutting them into organizers or holders and giving them a better quality finish as they use less ink and better recycled paper (Benson & Perullo, 2016).
Merel, 2014
Shenzhen Bob Design. 2022
WORKS CITED
Alibaba Group Holding Limited. (2022). “Julu Specialty” Series Product Package Design | Marking Awards Entry. Foodtalks. photograph, Julu County, China. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.foo dtalks.cn/news/33974#image-preview.
Alya Packaging. (2023, August 31). Finishing options. https://alyapackaging.com/finishing-options/ April. (2021). Luxury holographic foil Business Card Design and Print, Cotton Business Card with foil stamping, white business card. Etsy. photograph, Quanzhou, China. Retrieved 2024, from https:// www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1217273663/luxury-holographic-foil-business-card?epik=dj0yJnU9WXhIL U16SGNWY2FGNV9yeDJjbnhpaUhVb0NFc2l5RTkmcD0wJm49NkFYMVBNZUlaQVNvalhHY0 dKNG5DZyZ0PUFBQUFBR2MzQ1VR.
Benson, E., & Perullo, Y. (2016). Design to renourish : Sustainable graphic design in practice. Taylor & Francis Group.
Clutch Bodyshop. (2024). Sociodesign. photograph. Retrieved 2024, from https://sociodesign.co.uk/clutch-bodyshop/.
Cunneen, C. (2024). Hikari Tea Packaging. Studio Merel. photograph, United States. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.merel.studio/portfolio/hikari-tea.
Evans, P., Sherin, A., & Lee, I. (2013). The graphic design reference & specification book: everything graphic designers need to know every day (1st edition). Rockport Publishers. Fukasawa, N. (2022, January 28). Juice Skins. Great Little Box Company. https://www.glbc.co m/blog/innovative-packaging/ Gibbs, A. (2020). Bracom Mooncake Magic Giftbox. Dieline. photograph. Retrieved 2024, from https://thedieline.com/dielines-best-of-the-week-community-roundup/. Kang, SM. (2010, January 7). Hang me some tea - yanko design. Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News. https://www.yankodesign.com/2010/01/07/hang-me-some-tea/ Lin, D. (2020). Niu Beer – Spring Festival. Packaging of the world. photograph, China. Retrieved 2024, from https://packagingoftheworld.com/2020/12/niu-beer-spring-festival.html.
Lumpur, K. (2023). Chow Tai fook 2023 red packet. Carousell. photograph, Hong Kong. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.carousell.com.my/p/chow-tai-fook-2023-red-packet-angpow-ang-powangbao-angpau-hong-bao-sampul-raya-1206066445/.
Marx Design. (2023). Departed Spirits. BP&O. photograph, New Zealand. Retrieved 2024, from https://bpando.org/2023/09/19/vodka-gin-whisky-branding-packaging-departed-spirits-marxdesign/.
Merel. (2024). Baseline matcha packaging for Hikari Tea Packaging. Studio Merel. photograph, Australia. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.merel.studio/portfolio/baseline-matcha/. Nette. (2019). A Case For Purposeful Paper. Nette. photograph. Retrieved 2024, from https://nettenyc.com/blogs/journal/a-case-for-purposeful-paper?epik=dj0yJnU9R1AxQzZqTTBJMlZK eFFpYzdBcHpndTNyMzltQ2d3QjEmcD0wJm49NjZwdkNkX1NBWDBaVklPRERvWnZ1ZyZ0P UFBQUFBR2MzQURR.
No title: Chinese packaging design, box package. (2023). Pinterest. photograph, Pinterest. Retrieved 2024, from https://ca.pinterest.com/pin/915356692994101497/.
Olson, L. (2016). The Lake and Stars. Behance. photograph, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Adobe. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.behance.net/gallery/38002659/The-Lake-and-Stars.
WORKS CITED
Only Culture. (2022). SHIROMURA Tea branding and planning. Food Talks. photograph, China. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.foodtalks.cn/news/33974#image-preview.
Owczarek, A. (2024, July 26). Everything you need to know about packaging finishes. Packhelp. https://packhelp.com/add-ons/ Pacdora. (2022, October 17). The Complete Guide to packaging finishes. Pacdora Blog. https://blog.pacdora.com/2022/10/17/the-complete-guide-to-packaging-finishes/ Shenzhen Bob Design. (2022). Tea Book | Marking Awards Entry. Food Talks. photograph, China. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.foodtalks.cn/news/33974#image-preview.
Sunrise packaging. (2024). The 77 Society Box package. Sunrise packaging. photograph, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.sunpack.com/boxes/magnetic-boxes/.
Team Jukebox. (2019). 3D Embossing on 40pt White Cotton. Jukebox. photograph. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.jukeboxprint.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-embossing-anddebossing.
Them Design. (2014). Viaduct Exhibition invitations. Behance. photograph, London, United Kingdom; Adobe. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.behance.net/gallery/16899877/Viaduct-ExhibitionInvitations#.
The Tonik. (2019). clear glass bottle on white textile. Unsplash. photograph, 977 Ann St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, Australia, Fortitude Valley. Retrieved 2024, from https://unsplash.com/photos/clear-glass-bottle-on-white-textile-4x1AyuOTIgo.
Think Packaging. (2021). Brave Packaging Design. Design Rush. photograph. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.designrush.com/best-designs/packaging/brave-packaging-design.
Xu, M. (2024). Fold Traditional Chinese Medicine Teabag. MOOD - Museum of Outstanding Design. https://museumofdesign.com/exhibition-item.php?ITEM=152915
You&Me Namecard. (2011). You&Me . photograph. Retrieved 2024, from https://cargocollective.com/youandme/You-Me-Namecard.
牤坨坨, Hou, J., Hua , Q., & 西⽠精 . (2020). 2020 ZHUANZHUAN MID-AUTUMN GIFT BOX DESIGN. Behance. photograph, Zhuanzhuan Group. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.behance.net/ gallery/106428623/2020-ZHUANZHUAN-MID-AUTUMN-GIFT-BOX-DESIGN.
CREATED BY ANITA HUNG WITH CANVA
INNOVATIVE SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING FINISHING APPLICATIONS TRENDS
The Tonik, 2019