As we reach the last quarter of the year, business owners understand the rush that comes with preparing for Christmas - decorating physical shops and online shops to spread Christmas cheer, creating bundles for special offers, and switching up your plain packaging to a customized Christmas packaging.

It is hard enough to stand out from your competition, but the pandemic has made your situation even harder. Do not let the pressure on your shoulders weigh you down. You still have time to conceptualize your custom-made Christmas packaging design and contact a supplier who can accommodate your needs. The key is planning according to a strict timetable.

Take into consideration these elements when conceptualizing your Christmas-themed packaging:

• Type of packaging
• Color
• Design
• Type of print

Do not fret! Here are some ideas to guide you through the process of customizing your Christmas packaging for your business.

TYPES OF PACKAGING

The type of packaging you use for your products is very important in your business. It is a part of the whole customer experience -- from the moment they see and purchase your products (either on physical or virtual shelves) up to the time of consumption.  Hence, the following factors should be taken into consideration when choosing the right packaging:

• Value for money
• Storage efficiency
• Product sensitivity to air, moisture, sunlight, and temperature

Sure, you nailed down your Christmas-themed packaging, but is it the perfect fit for your products? Here is a guideline of the types of packaging that you can use for your business:

Stand Up Pouches with Ziplock 

This type is best used for products like nuts, chips, cookies/pastries, spices, powdered items (like cacao mix, matcha powder) and healthy superfoods (like chia seeds, cacao nibs, flax seeds, quinoa). It has a resealable ziplock so your product’s quality will not be compromised.  What’s more, this type of pouch is designed to literally stand up, making it stable when displayed on shelves.  You may opt for regular Stand Up Pouches (with no ziplock) for one-time consumption foods or essential items.

Vacuum Bags

This type is best used for meat, fresh and dried seafood, cheese, deli products, and frozen food. The vacuum seal is done to preserve product quality, making them stay fresh longer and prevent the growth of bacteria and molds.  This type of vacuum bag is so versatile that it can be also used as sous vide and boilable bag, which means you can use them in direct cooking that requires either low heat or high temperature (12 minutes boiling).

Coffee Bag

When packing coffee grinds and beans, it’s important to use a specific type of packaging to maintain their aroma, freshness and quality.   These specially-designed coffee bags come with resealable ziplock, laminated lining, and a degassing valve which allows the natural build-up of carbon dioxide an escape route while blocking moisture, oxygen, and light from entering the pouch -- factors that will have adverse effects on the quality of your coffee if the right packaging were not used.

Aside from coffee bags, coffee drips are now becoming a staple in coffee lovers’s pantries as their convenient and quick wake-me-upper. It’s designed to hold your coffee grinds securely (seal the topmost of the drip pouch), so you can easily brew a perfect cup anytime, anywhere. 

Tea products are ideally packed in fully covered (to prevent sunlight from penetrating) Stand Up Pouches with Ziplock (to keep it airtight). Alternatively, tea leaves can also be placed in individual tea bags, perfect for those who want a quick cup of fragrant tea. 

Gusset Bags 

Another packaging option for coffee products is the gusset bag. If you’re after the premium and sophisticated look, then this pouch is just the right one for you. 

Roast Chicken/Fruit Bags

As the name suggests, this type is ideally used for rotisserie chicken, pork (i.e. bagnet or lechon belly roll), and roast beef.   This same type of bag can also be used for fruits in lieu of traditional carton or styro box containers.  This bag is designed with a transparent front cover, a resealable ziplock, and a small center hole to release moisture, making your product stand out and clearly visible.

Flat Pouches

This type is best used for fast-moving consumer goods (ex: coffee drip, tea bags, facemasks, random accessories, electronic parts) especially if your business entails repacking of bulk, wholesale products into smaller, more affordable retail items for purchase. 

Liquid Pouches

Liquid pouches are used for liquid products such as condiments, fruit juices and jams, and even detergents. Depending on the variant of liquid pouch, these bags come with ziplock, spout, and holes for handling. Best part of all?  They’re cheaper than plastic or glass bottles, and less bulky to store in your warehouse. 

COLOR CHOICE

You have your own brand color, right? Deviating from it in lieu of customized Christmas packaging is okay, as long as you incorporate your brand color somehow. This is a reason why choosing the right color for your Christmas packaging is important. Here are the most popular colors associated with Christmas:

Green and Red

Green and red are traditional Christmas colors so you can never go wrong with them. Green is the color of Christmas trees and wreaths. Red is the color of jolly, old Santa Claus. Choosing a green packaging with designs of red almost automatically signifies Christmas, and vice versa.

Gold and Silver

Gold and Silver are classic and classy Christmas colors. They are often associated with gifts of gold and the silvery stars. A gold packaging with silver designs will surely make your products look sophisticated, and vice versa.

DESIGN CHOICE

After choosing the base color of your packaging, add design elements to further drive home your Christmas theme. You can choose any of the following design styles:

Christmas Sweaters

If you want something funky and vibrant for your products, use Christmas sweaters as your inspiration in designing your packaging. Add elements of snowflakes, reindeers, Santa Claus, or Christmas ornaments into your packaging.  This kind of design will work well with green and red-colored packaging.

Designed by Freepik	Designed by Freepik	Designed by Freepik

Rustic

If you want to send some warmth through your products, you may consider choosing a rustic design. You’ll use earthy tones of brown or black. This kind of design may work well with kraft and gold-colored packaging.

	Designed by Freepik

Minimalist

If you want your products to shine more than your packaging, consider a minimalistic approach. They say that less is more, and with this type of design, you can use fine prints to add a sophisticated Christmas element. This kind of design will give you a simple yet very clean look, and works well with silver or white-colored packaging.

Designed by Freepik	Designed by Freepik

TYPE OF PRINT

You have the base color and the design, now is the time to consider the type of print that you want for your packaging. These are the technical terms that you should be familiar with:

Digital Printing

This is the use of toner or liquid ink (up to five colors) in printing your design onto the packaging via a digital printing press. Think of a computer printer, only large-scale - that’s digital printing. This method is good for low volume printing (minimum 300 pieces) and is best used if you are still testing out your packaging design in the market. 

Rotogravure Printing

This is the use of carefully engraved metal cylinders with embedded ink (up to ten colors) that is rolled directly onto the packaging. This method is cost-efficient for high volume production (minimum of 5,000 pieces) and is best used for your packaging since it produces the highest quality of color. 

There are many ways that you can set your business apart from your competitors. Just set your goals straight and follow these steps, and you will surely be ahead of the pack. Don’t forget that a great packaging supplier who will understand your needs and aspirations is the best partner in achieving your goals. With Packaging Depot Manila, you will never go wrong.  They will let you choose your own type of packaging, color, design, and type of print.  With Packaging Depot Manila, you can be sure that they will support your business by offering only the BEST PACKAGING SOLUTIONS.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR PACKAGING IN 3 EASY STEPS WITH PACKAGING DEPOT MANILA

1. Select packaging type and style
2. Send your packaging design
3. Get a quotation

For inquiries, contact a representative of Packaging Depot Manila through  the following channels:

• Mobile number: +63 966 900 7103 / +63 923 806 4016
• Landline: 7799-5315
• Email: sales@packagingdepotmanila.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PackagingDepotMLA/
• Website: https://packagingdepotmanila.com/
• Instagram: @packagingdepotmanila

Stay tuned as we will soon discuss specific details and technicalities on pouch packaging.