Considering labels for your packaging? There are A LOT of packaging options out there. Sometimes it can be so overwhelming, it’s hard to know which packaging is best for your brand’s product. Wanting to be eco-friendly, yet cost-conscious, and still stand out on the shelves can be a lot of pressure.
Sometimes, you might think the easiest solution is to start with custom labels on blank packaging—however many brands are jumping on the custom flexible packaging trend from the get-go. Have you ever considered the time it takes to apply a label correctly? How are those labour costs affecting your profit margin? How about the number of pouches wasted due to crooked labels, or sales lost for unprofessional-looking packaging? Flexible packaging has been a hot topic for many years and continues to increase in popularity across many product industries.
Unsure of why this packaging solution is getting so much attention? See why this option has become so trendy over the years and discover five reasons why it’s more important than ever to seriously consider flexible packaging for your products.
1. Sustainability isn’t just a fad
With sustainability attracting so much attention from consumers, brands can no longer ignore the need to be conscientious about their environmental impact and ecological footprint. Even if you don’t go with sustainable material options, by choosing flexible packaging, you’re still making a difference.
Some sustainable benefits of flexible packaging:
- Customize the amount of material needed – minimizes waste by using the least amount of materials possible to package your product.
- Consume less energy and generate a fraction of the production-related CO2 emissions of other packaging options.
- Reduce food waste by extending the shelf life and freshness of edible products.
- 1 truckload of unfilled flexible packaging would hold the equivalent product volume of 26 truckloads of unfilled glass jars with custom labels on it. Flexible packaging requires fewer trucks for transportation, using less fuel and creating less air pollution.
2. Convenience is key
Who says packaging can’t be functional and cost-effective? We all hate when products leak or go stale on us. If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that packaging that is convenient to use, store, or travel with is far more likely to be repurchased. Flexible packaging offers some great conveniences, such as:
- The ability to reseal
- The ability to extend product life
- Easiness to store
- Easiness to open
With flexible packaging solutions, your products can feature spouts and resealable closures. This is a major competitive advantage for brands to be mindful of convenient packaging—and your consumers will be very pleased. Win-win.
3. Best of both worlds- flexible & strong
Having durable packaging can make or break your brand. You don’t want to face #cancelculture over a simple mistake like damaged packaging. Whether you need a solution that will:
- resist tears and punctures;
- protect perishables;
- prevent tampering; or
- safeguard against damage during transport
…flexible packaging options are very handy.
Stand-up pouches (SUP), for instance, are a popular flexible packaging option for food products, especially those with high-liquid contents. They are both durable and versatile, featuring a gusseted bottom that expands when filled.
If you were thinking about showing off the product you have inside your packaging, windows are a great and durable option. Windows on flexible packaging are achieved by using clear barrier layers that allow you to showcase your product without having to worry about any leaks. With flexible packaging, you never have to compromise between style and durability.
4. Unleash your unlimited creativity
It’s so important to have unique and eye-catching packaging for a variety of reasons. Your package’s creative design is one of the first things that will capture (and hold!) consumers’ attention while they’re browsing.
Flexible packaging offers a variety of properties to choose from such as:
- clarity, glossiness, or matte finishes;
- unlimited colour choices and combinations;
- pops of metallic designs;
- structural components to design a package that stands up, hangs from a display, or sits on a shelf
Luckily, flexible packaging offers the ability to take creativity to the next level. You can design your product packaging in practically any shape or size, as well as print high-quality graphics, brand imagery, and label information.
5. The cost savings are real
Products packed in flexible packaging alone have 70% less primary and secondary packaging than their counterparts. Due to the minimalism of flexible packaging, this allows for a higher product-to-package ratio, as well as the ability to simplify your packaging process. All of this equates to reduced production and materials costs. As mentioned above, the reduced weight and size of packaging saves on transportation which means lower shipping costs. That’s music to everyone’s ears.
It’s really a no-brainer, flexible packaging is one of the fastest-growing segments in the packaging industry. Combining the best qualities of plastic, film, paper, and compostable resources to address unique needs with minimal materials, flexible packaging is an AMAZING solution. Whether you’re looking to improve product shelf life, revamp your branding, make your company more eco-friendly, or achieve other profitability and efficiency goals, it’s time to give flexible packaging the consideration it needs (and that your brand deserves!)
Have we successfully made you feel a little more *flexible* about digital flexible packaging? If you have any more questions, our sales team loves to chat about our packaging, processes, and all the cool things we can do. Feel free to reach out here to talk to one of them, they love getting all the questions.