Author Archives: Andrej Zivor

Eco Friendly ways to Reduce Your Packaging’s Carbon Footprint 

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There are a lot of different ways that your packaging can help others. But what about the world? is there anything you can do to make a difference? 

One way is your packaging, specifically your inks and printing. Think about it: a lot of the printing that you have isn’t sustainable, and in some cases, turns the packaging that you have into a single-use packaging. Some recycling centers won’t even take the packaging if it’s got an ink that’s petrol based on it. 

So yes, you should look at the printing you are doing. While it might not seem like much, it does impact the overall eco friendliness of the items at hand. 

The Rise of Sustainable Inks 

The first and biggest change to your packaging is the inks that you use.

Think about it, do you use an ink that’s water or soy-based?  Or do you use something that’s petrol based? If the answer is the latter, there’s a problem with your packaging, and it’s time for you to properly start taking care of this.

Water-based inks come off with water and are very sustainable. The one downside is that they may not be as vibrant, but if you’re shipping out tons of items, it works well.

Another one is soy or cornstarch-based inks.   With so many unique ways to utilize these types of inks, they are a viable alternative to those harmful packaging items that emit a ton of toxins and harmful emissions. 

Think about it, when you give sustainable inks, you’re giving the people who buy from you something different, and something that will last a long time. 

Your Printing Plays a Part 

While a lot of traditional printing methods might seem like a good option, they do come with the price of not being as eco friendly as they should be.

If you don’t realize this, look at the current impacts and energy of litho printing. While it does look good, the problems this results in and the impact of the environment also play a huge part in the way things go.

If you’re wasting too much energy, and want to reduce this, you can use digital printing. It’s great for long runs too, because it goes out fast, and also looks great. Printing has come a long way, so you don’t have to worry about it looking washed out or bland either. 

The benefits and Challenges 

With this type of printing, you ultimately reduce the carbon footprint that you have.   This carbon footprint is constantly growing, and results in climate change, and also issues with the way sustainability is measured.   Well, when you reduce this, you’re doing your part in taking care of the planet, something that does pay off in the long haul.

And the best part of this is that you don’t have to worry about the designs being compromised. You can still have some high-quality printing designs without it being messed up through different means. In fact, a lot of companies now rely on digital printing methods because of how easy it is to get some high-quality printing in a single run.

Now, with these sustainability measures, you do need to factor in the costs and performance. The inks, as we mentioned, might not be as vibrant. Combined with digital printing, it may affect the overall look of this. When you balance the performance and costs with overall sustainability, you will be able to give a more eco-friendly and renewable resource, one that will definitely play a long-term role in the success of the company. 

How Edible Packaging is Contributing to Going Waste Free 

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Edible packaging is a new type of packaging that’s designed to not only lower the amount of waste but offer an alternative to normal materials.

With edible packaging, it contributes to a food-safe experience, and it does create a unique alternative to biodegradable packaging solutions you might otherwise use. In a world where waste is monitored, having something that’s a great alternative to this might be worth your while.

We’ll explore edible packaging and its contributions here, so you can better understand the unique nature of this experience. 

Materials for edible Packaging 

Materials for edible packaging have to be something that you will, well, eat. Obviously, there’s a lot of edible items, but whether it’s due to taste or texture, you definitely want to be mindful of the types of packaging that you use. Common ones are seaweed of course, as it’s a good all-arounder, but there is also rice paper, common in a lot of Asian candies. Finally, there is gelatin, which creates an outer covering that a lot of people like.

With these materials, you want to make sure that they’re paired in a manner that’s easy for you to realize, and also one that can work well. 

Balancing it All Out 

Now, the real challenge that comes with edible packaging isn’t the disposal, but it’s how it’s all put together.

First, you’ve got taste. Having edible packaging is good, but if it doesn’t mix with the tastes of the food, people are just going to throw it out.   There is also the fact that you can throw this out and it will break down, but at that point it isn’t zero waste necessarily.

Food safety is another.   You want to make sure that the safety of the items that you eat isn’t compromised. Most of the types of packaging materials for edible packaging are safe for long-term consumption, but if you are pairing this with something perishable, make sure that you let customers know about when it might expire.

Functionality and sustainability are the other two. You want to ideally eliminate waste. This can be a bit of a struggle in some cases, especially if customers aren’t open to it. you don’t want to give them something that doesn’t really hold the item, or give them the packaging experience that they want.

Your shelf life definitely impacts the brunt of this but ensuring that this is all balanced is good for you.

The Benefits and Challenges 

There are a lot of challenges and benefits that come with this.

The first, being the environmental impact that this reduces. Single-use plastics can cause a lot of buildup of waste over time. When you use sustainable packaging such as in the form of edible packaging that’s out there, you will be able to eliminate a lot of the extra single-use plastics that are out there.

With less environmental impact, there can be better results in the long haul, and better experiences for many that are involved.

The biggest concerns that come from this, however, are mostly in the form of hygiene. That’s because you want to make sure that the edible packaging is safe to eat, especially given how things can be. you don’t want food poisoning to be a major problem with this.

The other major issue is durability, because it does need to be strong. Sometimes they break down, thereby creating problems.

Finally, there is customer acceptance. You may have some trouble with this, especially when it comes to getting people on board to use these unique and interesting forms of packaging. 

Integrating IoT into Packaging 

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With the world of packaging there are many new updates. One of them is IoT or the internet of things, which is revolutionary and connects the physical and digital worlds. 

At the base, IoT is basically the connection of devices that allow you to communicate the data that you have without a human intervening. It’s like a web, based digitally in the computer and smartphone, with both every day and technological items that can be implemented to safeguard and protect various items. 

Why it’s Great for Packaging 

These days, it’s a game-changer for a lot of companies. packaging isn’t just a shell for customers to interact with, but instead it’s a participant in the journey that the product goes from manufacturing to the hands of the customer. IoT types of packaging introduce new intelligence that was once thought to only be in science fiction. 

It’s easier to track than ever before, and with the presence of RFID tags, you’re getting real-time tracking data that’s invaluable for supply chains all around.

Think about how the current supply chain is, and how products get handled. With IoT, you’ll be able to find the issues that are relating to theft, delays, even damages, and getting rid of them as you go along. 

Types of IoT Packaging 

There’s a few types of unique IoT packaging ideas that industries can take advantage of.

The first is smart inventory management, which is a view of the inventory that’s used in real time. A lot of smart containers and shelves have different monitors that work with stock levels, and they can reorder the items as soon as they need it, and reduce the instances of overstock or stock outs from going on.

Quality assurance is another. This ensures that the products get transported and stored to the right environments, preventing spoilage and various damages, but also makes sure that the customers and the quality of life products they’re getting are worth it.

There’s also interactive IoT packaging, which is where the packaging literally communicates with the customers. 

NFC tags and QR codes for example offer customers more product information, and help contribute to more interactive experiences of all kinds. 

This encourages not just promotions, but also gets customers to engage with the product, offering new ways for you to get marketing, along with brand loyalty in place. 

What the Future Holds 

The cool thing about this type of packaging is that the benefits are really just the evolution.   IoT is being used right now for smarter packaging practices, reducing the waste of materials, and improving the recycling efforts that are there. this all aligns with the emphasis on the environmental considerations and consciousness that comes along with this.

It also will enhance the consumer experience, and the way that consumers natively interact with their products. Internalized and personalized packaging, and even experiences that are immersive, the sky’s the limit on what you can do with this.

A lot of brands build stronger connections through providing more unique and technology-focused types of experiences that you can enjoy. 

It is also the supply chain revolution that will allow for better management of these industries. Tracking, analytics, and even autonomous systems properly streamline these operations, and reduce the inefficiencies and create a more responsive and resilient type of supply chain that you’ll definitely love.

So yes, IoT is the future, and it’s what will bring you the new wave of changes to your product packaging, enhancing not just the future of what’s there, but also as well, the unique opportunities that will come about as a result of this, making it even more magical than before.   

Interactive Packaging to Engage Consumers 

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People these days love technology., whether it’s their phones or iPad, or even just curling up on the couch to watch some Netflix at the end of the night.

The same goes for packaging.

This is a new trend. People love packaging experiences. While you can offer branded boxes and other fun additives, interactive packaging is where you’re going to shine.

Here, we’ll go over some of the different types of branding connections you can make, especially in order to create a more immersive experience, and how to give them the information that they want.

What information do Customers Want 

Interactive elements aren’t just games, but they can be anything that will add value to the brand.

So for instance, if someone scans a code, they learn about how the item that’s made. That’s a form of interactive packaging.

Tutorials are another, especially if you have an item that people will use.

Sometimes, style guides are added to this, especially for clothing brands. This is a great way to show them unique ways to use the items. 

There are also different ways to offer product information. Nutritional facts, sustainability incentives, and even linking to the brand’s message are all forms of interactive packaging.

It isn’t just games that are printed on the back of the box like how they used to be. With the advent of technology, the sky’s the limit on the way to improve engagement with the products that you have.

Now that you know a little bit about it, let’s talk a little bit about the different types of interactive packaging. 

Augmented Reality (AR) 

This is a form of packaging where reality is bent. So through one’s phone, you get some unique ways to interact with packaging in the real world.

One example of this is when you’re choosing products, you can use AR technology to preview what this will look like. It’s perfect for those who are hesitant on how to pair a dress. Plus, it can incentivize these people to buy more from you.

Augmented reality packaging is really fun, and there’s so many different ways to use it.

QR Codes 

AR codes are everywhere. They take you to sites, product menus, even social media pages.

You can put one of these on the packaging, and in turn, it will take you to imperative information about the brand.

For instance, some medical companies might use this to provide drug facts, rather than putting all of it on the bottle in small text.

QR codes are used in a lot of cases so that people can get more information. While it doesn’t bend reality or make you interact with it in the real world, it definitely can provide you with an experience.

NFC Technology 

Near field technology is wireless technology to allow devices to communicate with each other. 

It can be used to scan passes, offer file transfers, and even trach medical stuff without needing to have to run around looking for files.

It’s less powerful than Bluetooth, but it’s being used in many ways.

Companies use NFC, especially if the product can interact with others.   It also works for scanning different elements, such as warranties and the like.

While not as common as the others, it works.

Interactive packaging makes your brand stand out, and it’s very future-thinking. While there is the downside of it might be costly, there are certain people who use it already. Through this engagement, they’re able to provide users with the ultimate in experiences and smart technology, which can be quite magical to experience. 

How Technology Enhances Health and Wellness Packaging 

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Health and wellness is an industry that’s constantly changing. With new information that is coming down the pipeline, a lot of brands reflect this in the packaging that they have.

One way that this is changing is through the implementation of technology, in of course, the form of smart packaging. Smart packaging for health and wellness is vital for the companies that provide this.

This is because you’re able to integrate technology in order to provide safety regulations and real-time tracking of the items that are there. it in turn will enhance the safety that customers have when using the product, and also can offer tracking of various health statistics, and will also improve engagement.

Here, we’ll go over some of the unique technology utilized in smart packaging to provide customers with just this. 

Sensors for Freshness 

With wellness supplements, you need to stay on the ball regarding if they’re fresh enough to use or not. if they aren’t, they may not offer benefits. 

At worst, it might also cause you to have issues with the product and may cause health issues as a result.

Sensors are now being added to provide freshness indicators and will tell you exactly when the expiration dates are. Some of them offer real-time information on just how fresh the items are and offer real instructions on what to do if the item is not fresh anymore.

This is great, because it means you’re getting the best product possible, and allows you to keep track, so you’re not eating old and stale supplements. 

QR Codes 

Ahh QR codes. Some people love them, some people hate them. However, people like this because it will tell them so much. 

QR codes are little bar codes you can scan, that will take you to pretty much anything. wellness brands use these for usage instructions, and also important expiration dates to be mindful of. 

A lot of brands are using this, rather than littering the box with a bunch of information on directions. It looks cleaner, promotes a more minimalistic approach, and for customers that have trouble reading small lettering, this is better for them. 

NFC Tracking 

NFC Tracking is a wireless type of RFID that offers contactless communication. It means that you can track the location as well to provide security and data. 

Some fitness and medical brands use this with your information, connecting the product to your own personal health. In turn, it can offer data that will help you track not only your product, but also other health statistics as well. 

AR 

Similar to QR codes, this provides information for customers, and it can give them a hands-on approach to certain factors that will allow them to engage with the product.   

For instance, product instructions through AR technology get the customer involved, and by the end they will be able to know exactly how to use it.

Some use this for health tracking as well, which will in turn help with improving one’s own fitness. It’s crazy how nice this works for people! 

Overall, there’s a lot of benefits with technology being implemented into packaging. It helps to monitor the product integrity and gets more people involved. It can tell the customer in real time if there’s been tampering before you get this out of the box.

Bear in mind that this is expensive, so if you plan to implement this, be ready to adjust your budget and costs for the product, and also to offer the best usability for the customers that will be using these healthy products.