Blog

I will start this blog with an analogy. A catalyst in a chemical reaction triggers the elements that speed-up the desired output. A right packaging design does the same thing to the complete packaging development on time. Let me give you the relatable instance. Maximum designers work on the principles of commercial printing or paper-based printing concepts. Hence, flexible packaging design on gravure printing encounter challenges.

For me, Packaging design is an essential part which is often underrated in technical process. I was able to realize its importance a little late and want to share it with you.

I have been fortunate to work along with major FMCG / CPG brands in India. However, as a Shrink Sleeve Expert, it is difficult to comment on packaging designing concept which is essentially the part of brand’s perspective. Yet, to give a practical outlook on the same, I want to highlight a few points that seem critical from a printing perspective.

My work experiences have given me chance to explore technical and non-technical part of printing packaging execution. All this knowledge has led me to write 3 well received packaging books and be at the international platform like AWA Conference in Amsterdam that happened last year. While covering vivid aspects, I started to understand the nitty-gritties of perfect packaging.

In this blog, we will cover the essential of packaging design. Before I start, here’s a small reminder that these points are from printing perspective. You may differ from my views as a brand owner despite that they are critical to efficacies of packaging.

• Label details (Container Shape + KLD)
  Holding basic idea on product’s container shape is first step. It is one such aspect that make or break your packaging. I have seen changes in the design happening on printing stage because of this. Bottle shape, curves and contours adds a lot to the brand’s appeal and to the meticulous work on design. Other point is Keyline drawing which is essential part that clear the air about successful packaging development. It is one of the most technical part or can also be termed as the trickiest step before final print. It receives maximum correction for perfect output. Brands must consider them as the basic grid line that decide finish.

• Material & Finish (Special effect + Substrate)
  Understanding of substrate and finishes of the shrink sleeve to ensure compatibility with printing techniques is important. Different substrate has different properties which offer compatibility with container and printing machines. Special effects and Embellishments need specific details during printing which cannot be overlooked. It is important to understand the special effects with printing compatibility.

• Printing Considerations (Printing Type +Pantone)
  Type of printing is another factor to consider. Decision to opt for specific type of printing not only covers the financial aspect but also include the execution part. Gravure printing is opted where product have high quantity. Digital & Flexo has its own preferences according to the printing requirement. Having a clear understanding of number of pantones used in design will give clarity. Common pantone shades can be preferred to avoid wastage of inks. Providing the specific pantone number to the printer will resolve a lot of issues later.

• Legal Requirement
  Adhering to mandatory government norms and legal regulation on the product packaging design is vital. Because of stringent laws and requirements, designing concept can be tweaked. It is imperative to be in compliance with these legal matters like warnings, product ingredients and information etc.

• Mock-Up & Prototype
  Prototype or Mock-up are the test runs that defines your packaging design. It is crucial to visualize the design than to presume in mind, prior to final execution. Therefore, Mock-ups provide a practical solution to flawless execution. Our R&D team with latest Digital printing machine will provide you the quick Mock-up and prototype for clarity on execution.

Above are the points that are crucial for packaging development. I could extend and might add a few points more. But value comes with preciseness. Let’s us catch up again for more insightful lesson

Sustainable packaging is a topic that has various points to consider, especially when we are moving away from PVC. After collating my thoughts on the blog “Out of PVC” (https://tauruspackaging.com/out-of-pvc-into-the-beneficial-world/), I realised that I have just covered the foundation. Hence, this article is next step in Sustainable packaging. Options that can be considered for non-PVC sustainable packaging solution.

A strategy is considered effective only when it provides solutions that not only curtail the shortcomings but also focuses on growth. Banning PVC doesn’t necessarily fulfil criteria for sustainable packaging. We need to see the best possible options that come close to PVC rather than emphasizing on its drawbacks. This blog throws light on the next best step in Sustainable packaging.

There has been no other subject in my life than Packaging that has intrigued me the most. 17 years of my extensive research were spent on understanding the various aspects of flexible packaging. Being an ardent researcher on this subject, helped me understand the different trends and innovations around the world after which I went on to become an International Resource Person on this topic. And before recommending it to any of our clients, I make sure that I fathom it fully. As a Packaging Expert, I ensure that any technique or substrate recommendation by me is backed by practical application.

• Let us start with the best known option for PVC substitution which is PET G. PET G provides fantastic results in shrinking and overall coverage. It is non-toxic, provides good compatibility with various plastic bottles. PET G gives an exceptional output in steam shrink tunnel. There is scope for improvement in heat shrink tunnel of PET G due to its high density. Next PET G is another substrate opted for after PVC. Like PET G, Next PET G is also non-hazardous and provides excellent results with HDPE, PET or PP containers. And here’s the best part, the price of Next PET G is quite competitive than PVC. Hence, it is considered as the most opted replacement of PVC.
• The next in line is OPS, i.e. “Oriented Polystyrene”. It is most prevalent in Japan for the purpose of refrigeration. It is usually opted for the PET G shrink sleeves performance is not adequate and PVC is not an option. It is also environment friendly but is more costly as compare to PET G. LDPET is another choice over PVC. Low Density Polyethylene Terephthalate (LDPET) is more dimensionally stable than OPS. Its density is 1.1 which decreases the overall plastic usage making it more yield oriented than PVC and PET G. Though it is more expensive, however not as much as OPS.
• Finally let’s move on to the Sustainable and Recyclable shrink sleeves substrates. Firstly let’s discuss “TruCycl” – the first recyclable shrink sleeves in India. It is the only substrate that can be recycled and reused in the industry repeatedly. Labels or shrink sleeves can be recycled with bottle containers. The various inks can be washed off easily. It’s relatively recent in the market but has already created a stir.
• The next option for shrink sleeves that is created from organic sources like sugarcane and corn starch etc, PLA (Polylactic Acid) is completely biodegradable but highly priced.

From all of the above options, I recommend readers to choose according to their manufacturing requirements. The substrate that fits your bill in terms of design, container, shrink tunnel, sustainability criteria and budget will be the correct choice. Running from pillar to post in quest for sustainability but not consulting an expert technical packaging partner will sabotage your entire development project. It’s time for you to ask a proficient packaging partner the best-fit solution for you. You can send your query to us too. Email us at [email protected] or call us @ 91 9667400924.

How are you doing?

Today, I am going to mention a topic to which you would relate. I have been in the packaging industry for over a decade and a half, but this section never fails to amaze me.

A couple of days ago, I was reading an article and came across an example of how information given in the packaging was misleading to customers. So I thought to bring the topic to light once again from the converter’s point of view.

My 16 years of experience and travelling to various nations have a lot to contribute to having keen eyes that pick unique projects. As a global shrink sleeve expert and author of two books, “Sleeve it Right” and “5 Myths about Sustainable Shrink Sleeves,” my obsession with exploring packaging dimensions has lead me to learn the ins and outs of shrink sleeve.

Packaging is a very large branch that is a mix of industrial engineering, marketing, material science, and important industry-specific aspects.

Hence, what you communicate on the packaging is not restricted to mere information, it is a great deal and makes a lot of difference. Semiotics is the part of packaging that is leading this concept. Now a days, effective packaging concepts have been overruled by packaging that gives a wow factor. It is not new to see a few products fail to connect with target customers. They are eye-catching, but getting the correct meaning from the pack is a challenge. Semiotic packaging simplifies such objections. In simple terms, semiotics is the way to communicate with your client through human experience, i.e., through written linguistics, visual, audio, sensorial, gestural, and spatial patterns.

A customer has very limited time while scanning the supermarket aisle. If it’s too short to read even a brand name, then how are they supposed to make the correct decision? Yet they pick the best-suited product for themselves. This is where semiotics plays its part. Let’s take a few examples of brands where semiotics played it very smoothly and won the client’s trust.

Remember when our atta used to come in a brown woven sac? “Aashirvaad atta” did the same with its brand in the atta pack. It may not have been the most attractive packaging, but it was definitely nostalgic and close enough to be picked up by consumers who would recall it.

Another example where semiotics has a clean sweep is “Dove Beauty Bar” Dove packaging has nothing but the key element that depicts its source and Purity concept. Except for the milk and the icon, it has nothing on the cover. Where above were the examples of a design for packaging, let’s understand the part where the product gives a confusing message. For instance when you are not able to get the form of product you want, like tea that is loose or in tea bags? Jellies you pick came out to be bath toys.

The above are instances that show us how the use of spatial and sensorial patterns like strong colors, connotations, and implicit meaning is necessary for the consumer’s buying interest. If you closely look, every step helps you get the semiotic design in packaging. From the substrate and shape of the bottle to the color, symbols, and content, every small or big part has knowingly or unknowingly contributed to aesthetics and is an underlying part of brand identity. And semiotics is very much leading it.

It would be very prejudiced to consider semiotics to have a limited scope. It helps you define the product variation in different geographies. The same brand in the US, UK, and India has different packaging. And its relevance is easily communicated through this. It also confirms the user—the brand, culture, and specific information.

Like any other industry, “the devil lies in the details.”, Packaging seems so simple and easy, yet its “behind the scenes” part is quite illustrative. One must have passion to go in depth and to take out the pearls of packaging.

You can connect with us to share your views on semiotics and also to implement the semiotics design on your product through mails at [email protected] or calls on 9667400924.

There have been various challenges in my life that have transformed me, but few of them have left me more practical and wiser in terms of technical knowledge and implementation.

Hello everyone! Your packaging friend is back with another write-up of professional knowledge. I am Chetan Jain, Global Shrink Sleeve Advisor, Author of Books – “5 Myths about Sustainable Shrink Sleeve” and “Sleeve It Right” and Director of Taurus Packaging.

Today, I’ll share three challenging situations that put my knowledge and skills as a packaging professional to the test.

         1. Intricate Design

Tricky Product’s container design is a classic example of tough packaging execution. Typically, brands are very particular about their identity, and container shape plays a significant role in this. No two good brands have similar container shapes. One such case is Bournvita. This container has a wide top and bottom with a curve in the middle. In addition, the bottom section is divided into 5 rings that resemble steps. In such a complex container shape, the text distortion was obvious. There was a circular logo like design that had created a huge problem. We did predistortion with design. We also used Next PETG for the shrink sleeves with lacquer coating, which was a perfect match for the container design. We finally got the best fit in shrink sleeves without any errors.

         2. LD-PET Application

This was the case when LD-PET shrink sleeves was a rare film in India. Everyone was using PVC or PETG. It was one of the first cases where we were working on the LD-PET project. Thanks to Bacardi, whose work has given us exposure. They have given us clear instructions that the sleeve must look like the bottle part and not like an overlapping cover. The design was tricky as well. The bottle of Bacardi+ Premix Rum has a narrow mouth and a long neck. We choose LD-PET for shrink sleeves, which has a great finish and shrinkage. On our end, we did a lot of trials. It was hard to get the proper finish. Distortion was easily seen in the text. After various improvised efforts, we were able to get the perfect sleeves that Bacardi loved and approved.

         3. Practical Issues of MOQ and Timelines

When Heritage Novandie commenced this project with us, they mentioned to us that the MOQ requirement was very low as they were launching a new product, yet quality must be the best. Also, they were running short of time. They wanted to do this job as quickly as possible. We implemented our star service, the HIP Framework. We were able to provide them with a customised result of less quantity shrink sleeves of the highest quality in the shortest amount of time using HIP Framework. We completed and handed over the work in just 4 days (from the approval of the artwork). The brand was happy to receive the shrink sleeves just in time to finish their product launch with better-than-expected quality.

I wish I could include more examples in this write-up, though I know it will become quite a long read to put them all. So, this is it. In my future posts, I’ll share more examples from my work with you. It will be helpful if you give me candid feedback about my blogs. You could also help me by suggesting the kinds of topics you want to know about. So, for now, I will end my blog here.

Thanks for your time.