Custom-printed packaging in 2021 communicates a lot about your company’s core values to your customers. It dictates whether you prioritize packaging style over functionality, sustainability, and minimalism. While aesthetic design is certainly an important component of getting your brand messaging across, functional and sustainable designs are also top of mind for many customers. Here are some important custom-printed packaging trends you should be aware of to send the right message to your customers in 2021.
A Need for More Sustainable Product Packaging
Since COVID-19-related lockdowns are forcing the vast majority of people to stay at home and rely on online shopping, that means more people are having products delivered straight to their doors. More product shipments and deliveries automatically mean more wasteful packaging—right? But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are tons of sustainable packaging alternatives that protect your products against damage during shipping without straining the Earth’s resources.
It’s time to forgo overuse of plastic packaging and use these more sustainable and affordable alternatives instead:
- Corrugated bubble wrap
- Biodegradable packing peanuts
- Recycled, upcycled, or repurposed materials (such as paper, cardboard, and plastics
Minimalist Packaging
Minimalist packaging entails using as little packaging materials as possible to protect fragile products and prevent them from shifting around during the shipping process. An effective method of minimizing your packaging is to use innovative and strategic designs that hold products in place to prevent movement. If you’re shipping multiple items to the same address, try to include them all in one package and consider using dividers or partitions made out of recycled materials to minimize the amount of packaging for each shipment.
You should also include as little additional marketing materials in your packaging as possible. Try to print your marketing literature or brand information on the package itself rather than using additional paper or cardboard.
Revealing Packaging for Authenticity and Transparency
If there’s one thing customers appreciate from the brands they support, it’s total authenticity and transparency. Your packaging should reflect your company values, tell your story, and educate your customers about the product(s) they ordered. Nobody likes receiving a mystery box in the mail with an obscure manufacturing or shipping label that’s addressed to them. Make sure your packaging clearly displays exactly what’s inside the box to avoid confusion.
Make It Interesting
Your packaging should be as unique and interesting as your business is. Remember, it’s a reflection of your core company values and it should reflect that. A common trend that’s been gaining traction over the past few years is to use muted and more natural tones that are usually aligned with green initiatives. If this complies with your brand imaging and company values, then you should definitely go with that.
Otherwise, try to stick to colours, patterns, designs, and images that reflect your brand to raise awareness and recognition.
Magenta Depot’s Custom-Printed Packaging Solutions
For over 20 years, Magenta Depot has been one of the top manufacturers and suppliers of custom-printed packaging in Canada. We provide sustainable and minimalist packaging designs that are perfect for use across all industries. Whether you’re looking for short or long-run packaging, we can fulfill your needs.
When you work with us, you get the Magenta Depot advantage. All of our products are printed right here in Canada, which allows us to guarantee a fast two-week turnaround rate with low minimums and significant cost savings for our clients. Plus, you get the convenience of ordering directly from our 24/7 online platform and you can use our simplified process to customize your designs! Contact us today for more information or to place an order.
