Packaging can be beautifully designed, but if the wrong material is chosen, quality suffers. The box buckles, the colours look dull or the edges crack when folded. Choosing the material is therefore one of the most important decisions in a packaging project. Here are the quality features that depend on the material.
The material determines how well the packaging protects its contents. Two properties are especially important:
For heavy products and shipping, corrugated board is the first choice. For premium products, gift boxes made of rigid greyboard offer the greatest dimensional stability.
The material’s surface affects how colours and details look. Coated virgin fibre board with a bright, smooth surface delivers brilliant colours and razor-sharp details. Recycled board is slightly less white but also prints well. Kraft board absorbs more ink and gives colours a natural, muted character. More in our article What types of paper are there?.
Customers pick up packaging and often judge its quality unconsciously by touch. Strong board, a velvety surface or a textured paper feel premium. Thin, flimsy material feels cheap.
Not every material processes equally well. With some board grades, the edges can crack when folded. This is especially noticeable on dark, fully printed packaging. The grain direction of the board also matters for clean folds and stability. An experienced printer chooses the material to match the construction.
The material largely determines the environmental footprint of packaging. FSC®-certified raw materials, recycled board and mono-materials improve recyclability. More in our article Cardboard or plastic packaging.
Material is an important cost factor. But more expensive is not automatically better. What matters is that the material suits its purpose. Oversized board costs unnecessary money. Board that is too thin leads to damage and complaints.
Do not choose the material in isolation, but together with the product, construction, printing and finishing. Our article GC1, GC2 or kraft board gives an overview of board grades. We will be happy to advise you personally. Order our free sample pack with material and print samples. You will receive a binding quote within 24 hours.
Your partner for printed packaging and print products – direct from the manufacturer, with our own production and delivery throughout Germany.