Your How-to Guide for Choosing the Right Packaging Material.

Those of us who aren’t designers only think of product packaging materials as an enticement or a hindrance. If the material can be used for other important purposes, it’s an enticement. If the material is indestructible plastic used for clamshell packaging and can’t be opened without a Samurai sword, it’s a hindrance.

As a public service, we’re offering you a concise how-to guide for finding the best materials for packaging your product, so long as your product is a food item of some sort. If we were to go into all of the items in the world that merited retail packaging design of some kind, we might be forced to exceed 750 words.

What is my budget?

Before you begin any packaging endeavor, you must determine the scope of your budget, as this will determine whether you will be able to use material of some kind or force your customers to scoop kale chips into their bare hands.

For the wealthy brand, there is always glass, natural fibers and shredded $100 bills reconstituted into standing tin-tie bags. But most small brands will be unable to afford such luxuries and rely upon standard bulk-item materials from which enticing retail package designs must be fashioned. Many budget-friendly packaging options offer superlative protection for food products. Food-grade cardboard is a relatively inexpensive material that offers reasonable crush protection and interesting design opportunities. Bio-based food packaging made from renewable organic sources is an even more reasonably priced alternative. Of course, your ultimate decision will be based on the type of food you’re packaging, which leads us to the question:

What type of product am I packaging?

Is your product vulnerable to crushing, like potato chips or crackers? Will the package affect the product’s potential for spoilage? Will it have to be refrigerated or frozen? Can it be stored at room temperature before opening and subsequently refrigerated? Is it liquid? Solid? Vapor?

Determining the best packaging materials for your food product will largely involve science. For different food items, one enemy might be microbes, while another might be oxidation. Carbonated beverages must be packaged in materials that can withstand CO2 pressure, such as glass or PET. Still, a cardboard “can”is also being distributed in Europe that seems quite impressive.

How is my packaging being stored?

Will your retail product packaging endure thousands of miles of travel over harsh terrain in stifling heat or blistering cold? Will the product have to endure severe changes in temperature before it reaches store shelves?

If your product is being distributed all over the United States or even internationally, the packaging must withstand all climates and altitudes. The packaging material is the literal and figurative barrier between product loss and sales.

What is my message?

The type of material your product uses for retail packaging is a part of your overarching brand statement. Any disconnect between the type of material you use for your packaging and your brand identity will lead customers to believe that your entire brand mission statement could be a big, fat lie.

If your brand prides itself on being folksy and local, you probably want to source many, if not all, of your materials from local distributors. If your brand prides itself on being eco-friendly, vegetarian/vegan friendly, gluten-intolerant friendly and all-around swell, your packaging can’t harm the environment one iota. This means that if harmful petrochemicals leach from the plastics into local rivers and streams during manufacture, it will become a PR nightmare for your brand.

The retail food market is beyond competitive — frighteningly so. The biggest deciding factor for whether your food product moves off of store shelves and into the hands of the consumer is the retail product packaging. The firm you choose to design product packaging for your brand and the material you choose could make or break the entire concept. No pressure, though.

Data-Driven Brand Development

Want a best-selling brand? SmashBrand is a brand development company for FMCG and CPG brands. From brand strategy to packaging design testing, our Path To Performance™ process guarantees a retail performance lift. Book a time to discuss your project with our team.