Quality Brown Paper Bags

Brown paper bags are special kinds of paper sacks that are usually used in carrying all sorts of items. They are among the best sacks used for packaging purposes.

Features of the Brown Paper Bags

These bags usually have single layers in the way they are manufactured. They normally have one opening at their sides through which items are inserted into them for proper packaging. The bags are made of quality nylon and paper products that are very strong. In most instances, they are usually very light in texture, hence, they are meant for packaging light items.

Brown Paper Bags for Business Promotion

Brown bags are very useful for business promotions. various companies and business outfits friendly ways of promoting their business to higher levels. Companies can print their brand symbols on the bags and then use them to package their products. This is usually the case with companies that are into the production of various items that need proper packaging. For instance, if your company is producing food ingredients, you can make use of the bags in packaging the product in various shapes. Such bags can bear the name and symbol of your company. This helps a lot in advertising your company's product.

Customizing Brown Paper Bags

You can customize brown bags to suit your special purposes. In most cases, the bags are easily customized in various ways. You can use them to print your special business logo. You can also engrave or print promotional messages on the bags. The customization can also include your contact information, email address, website and a short list of the products and services you're rendering to the public.

In most cases, the customization process is better achieved when you liaise with the company that produces quality such bags. Such company can easily produce customized bags that bear all the necessary information concerning your business.

Brown Paper Bags for daily use

Just like paper carry bags, These bags are also used for daily purposes by almost everybody on planet earth. There's no end to the list of item that could be carried or packaged with the bags. If you're a retail business person, you can easily make use of the bags in selling whatever products you're marketing. People prefer to package any single item they buy from any shop. Simply put, these bags are for multipurpose. You can use them in carrying all sorts of light items without having any trouble on the way.

The Limitations of the Brown Paper bags

Although these bags are useful a lot, yet, they have their limitations. For instance, the bags are not meant for bulky items. Of course they are not strong like plastic bags and other multiwall paper bags. They are simply made for the packaging of light items such as food ingredients, vegetables, fruits, stationeries, bread, and other light items normally sold in the market.

Cartons and Kraft Paper

Have you been in a place where everything that you buy is packaged in different types of paper? As you browse and surf on the Internet, you will find that more and more companies are currently changing their packaging styles to include recycled materials. One of the more common types is the cartons and Kraft papers. These are environmentally friendly packaging that can be reused and recycled several times.

Kraft paper is a type of paper which is manufactured from wood pulp through the Kraft process. This type of paper is stronger compared to other types of paper. It is also coarser in terms of texture. The output is colored brown, but there are other Kraft papers that are colored white. These are the ones that have undergone the bleaching process. The Kraft papers are usually used as grocery bags, envelopes, and multi-wall sacks. These are also used for making paper bags, boxes and paper moving pads. The Kraft pulp is mainly used on the surface of linerboard boxes, which are manufactured in Asia. They use this because the pulp adds quality and strength to the linerboard.

Cartons, also called boxes, are made from a special type of paperboard or cardboard. This is the most common form of packaging items and there are several types. These are folding cartons, egg cartons, aseptic cartons, and gable tops. The folding carton is the basic type of carton. It is usually used for packaging food, hardware, pharmaceutical products and more. The egg cartons, also called egg trays, are used to package the eggs. It has a special design which can keep the eggs protected during travel. Aseptic cartons are also commonly known as tetra packs. This packaging is usually used on liquid items. Another efficient packaging for liquids, like milk and juice, is the gable top cartons. These are made from polyethylene-coated paperboard, but can also come in foil laminate. The difference is that a gable top needs to be pushed upward so that it can be opened, and it also contains fitments that make the pouring of contents easier.

Both carton and Kraft papers are efficient for packaging. They have specific qualities that are appropriate for their items. As the technology improves, the strength and quality of these items improve as well. Instead of simply using ordinary paper, linings and borders are incorporated to help these types of paper last longer. In addition to this, there have been improvements in recycling these materials as well.

4 Ways to Replace Packing Peanuts

Packing peanuts present a host of problems for packers and package recipients alike. Peanuts - technically known as expanded polystyrene loose fill - are messy, marginally effective for void filling and cushioning, and exceedingly difficult to recycle or dispose of.

Manufacturers of packing peanuts continue to develop alternative products at a rapid clip in an effort to minimize these various drawbacks. Anti-static peanuts eliminate static cling, making peanuts go where they are supposed to go - and stay there. Biodegradable peanuts, usually corn starch based, dissolve in water and produce no toxic waste. Recycled peanuts, made from various recipes of post-consumer foams, set a good environmental example for reuse. Paper peanuts, made from a variety of recycled papers, have become common product line extensions for manufacturers and converters of industrial paper products.

However, all these innovations in packing peanuts are much like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. At the end of the day, loose fill of any variety is still messy and lags behind competitive products in cushioning and void fill performance. Anti-static peanuts are expensive. Many types of biodegradable peanuts are dusty and attract rodents. Paper peanuts are heavy, dusty, and hard to handle in bulk. And regardless of the chemical formulation, peanuts remain difficult for consumers to handle, recycle, and dispose of.

Packing peanuts make poor void fill because they settle in the box. But peanut users need not settle. Alternatives to peanuts abound, giving packers more options than they may realize. Here are four of the best.

Inflatable air bags. Several manufacturers offer systems which inflate small polyethylene air bags on demand or in batches. Systems are available for high and low speed operations. Inflatables are clean, attractive, and almost literally as light as air. Inflatables require little material per application, and polyethylene film is reasonably priced and easily recycled. Inflatable systems require a modest capital investment, but large volume packers can negotiate discounts on equipment by entering in long term contracts with the manufacturer.

Dunnage papers. Moving from hi tech to no tech, industrial papers such as brown kraft paper and newsprint continue to be an appealing option for void fill and cushioning. Paper is inexpensive, easy to handle, and fast to apply. Most dunnage papers have 100% post-consumer recycled content and are easily recycled. Paper conveys a strong and positive message to the environmentally minded consumer.

Foam-in-place systems. These systems mix two liquid chemicals in a polyethylene bag on-site to create a block of foam that slowly hardens, either as a mold or conformed around the product being packaged. Foam-in-place offers superior cushioning and block-and-brace performance, which is why it is often used for consumer electronics packaging. Contrary to popular perception, foam-in-place is safe and all materials are easily recycled by the consumer. Because foam-in-place offers a wide range of on-demand and pre-mold dispensing systems and foams come in several densities, it is an excellent choice for repair and refurbishing operations and packaging any heavy and/or fragile product.

Multi-layer paper. Similar in concept to inflatable air bags, multi-layer paper systems bond together two or three plies of paper and slightly crumple them on-site to create variable or predetermined lengths of cushioning/void fill material. These "paper pillows" offer cushioning and void fill performance superior to plain dunnage paper and carry the same positive environmental message.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of Packaging & Paper Products including hologram, label & tag, packaging materials, paper & pulp, & other HDPE sacks etc.

History of Paper Making

When it comes to environment friendly products, paper is among the most preferable materials. Today, we see different kinds of paper with different level of thickness and durability. Paper's usage is not limited to writing any more. It now ranges from personal hygiene products to packaging material. Wax packaging, seafood packaging and even the poultry boxes are all made up of paper. With its many usages, it would be interesting to track back to the history of this invention.

It is a commonly known fact that paper has been around since ancient times. The name paper itself came from papyrus, which means the bark of a plant. It is obvious that the bark was the first kind of material used for writing. However, the scribbling on rocks and stones were used even before that. The actual paper making process was developed in China during the Han dynasty in around 200BC. The very first paper is said to be made from mulberry leaves, fishnets and rags. During the third century, the usage of paper became more common, and it was also used for wrapping purposes as well.

During the Tang dynasty (around 600AD), the domain of paper usage was even more expanded and it was now used in tea bags, napkins, baskets and other decorative purposes. By that time, toilet paper had already become a necessity in China. It was not until the Song dynasty that paper money was actually printed, thus further signifying the value of paper.

Although kept secret by the Chinese, the art of paper making did reach Japan by the 610AD. However, it was the Arabs who took paper manufacturing to the next level by introducing bulk manufacturing methods during 751 AD. It became a major industry of Baghdad and Samarkand. From there on, Arabs introduced many calligraphic and book making styles as a form of art.

After the first crusades, the art of paper making further spread into the western world. However, historical evidence proves that the Mayans also developed the paper making technique during the 5th century. This technique was similar to the Chinese method, but was purely made of tree bark.

During the 1400's, many printing techniques were transferred from fabric to paper, and paper making became an industry around the world. Water powered paper mills were common all around Europe and the Middle East. Yet, paper was still expensive and not as common as it is today.

During the 19th century, the advent of the steam engine brought new power to the paper making technique. The steam powered paper mill could make paper out of wood pulp, the latter which soon became a norm which lead to a faster way of mass-production of paper, which in return reduced the price. The paper and printing presses was now everywhere. Newspaper and books became common.

Although, times have again changed, and most of the work is done on softcopies rather than papers, nothing has been able to completely replace paper. The demand for paper is ever increasing, and hardcopies are still much more reliable than their soft counterparts.

Product Packaging - Guide to Major Retail Success

One of the most important things to do to promote your product is to spend extra time and effort on your packaging. Packaging can make or break a buyer's decision as to whether they buy your product or not. There are many product concepts that do not get realized by Major Retailers because of packaging.

If you consider it from a Buyer's point of view, packaging is what a customer notices first when entering into their store. If the packaging isn't attractive or clear, customers won't buy. It's a simple equation. Thus, spending plenty of time on packaging is essential to Major Retail success.

But how do you know if you are on the right track?

These are three great questions to think about when preparing your product's packaging for Major Retail success:

1. Does your packaging convey a clear message of what the product is or does?

If you can't pick up your product in its current packaging and know immediately what it is, then you know you have a problem. There should always be a clear message imparted by your packaging - what it is, what it does, and why it's awesome. It needs to be readable quickly, because customers usually decide within a few seconds as to whether they want to buy your product or not. It's imperative that you create a clear visual experience for the customer as to what the product is and how it can help them.

2. Is the packaging attractive? Does it make the consumer want to buy now?

Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder - you may love that kiwifruit green but to someone else it looks like cabbage! If no one else agrees on the attractiveness of your packaging, then you know you have a problem. It needs to be attractive, concise and enticing. How do you know that you are getting it right? By asking people, of course! Ask your friends, family, colleagues, people on the street...ask anyone who will give you an honest answer. Ask them for the truth, not what they think you want to hear. You'll soon appreciate how very honest people can be!

3. Is the package size consistent with its competition?

If your competitors packaging is 3X smaller than your packaging, then you know you have a problem. You've got make sure your product is compatible with how much space a Buyer has to work with. Buyers need to specially layout their space in a store because they are allotted a very limited amount of space for their category. So be sensible, and consider how much room a buyer has to work with before you go for the foot long box.

Even if none of this applies to you, if you are not 100% convinced that you are on the right track with packaging, it's always worth getting some expert advice. Find a company or packaging expert that can advise you specifically about product packaging for your product type. Working with an experience packaging expert can save you many a headache down the road and really help you nail the sales.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of Packaging & Paper Products including hologram, label & tag, packaging materials, paper & pulp, & other HDPE sacks etc.

Paper Bags And The Wonders They Can Do!

Paper bags have come a long way, from delicate and feeble materials, to tough containers. There are diverse category differing in dimension, form, design, bag handle and color. Most of your outdoor camping supplies or backpacking gear can easily be packed in those bags. The method in which they are made and the material of paper from which these bags are produced quite varies. These recycled paper bags are a famous type, that reveals flexibility and resistant to water.

These biodegradable bags have been the enhanced alternative for trade bagging for some time now. More and more people like producers, suppliers, investors, entrepreneurs and even buyers are switching to the use of such bags. Shopping bags and traveling bags made from plastic have been successfully substituted by paper bags in various settings. At the moment, those bags have been additionally delimited to secondhand ones.

Recycled paper bags, as well as being perfect carriers and shopping bags, also happen to be perfect gift bags, booty bags, keepsake packs, and giveaways themselves. Buying them in bulk is further lucrative than using these bags separately.

They can be employed for particular events such as Christmas, birthdays along with company birthday for gift-offering to customers and workers, and for other company proceedings in wrapping giveaways, freebies and so on. For several pieces, you spend quite less than you were originally going to do for plastic bags. More so, a reasonable deal is possible for picking the recycled type.

Another selling trait is that these bags easily provide extended and multiple usage. With size and density that can house bulky and huge commodities, there's no cause to fret for damaged bags or broken handles while being in the middle of a shopping extravaganza or perhaps about damaged booty bags when delivering company items to customers. Anyhow, recycled paper bags are made out of long-term and powerful raw materials.

These kinds of bags are not just safe but also quite light use. Moreover, they can be effortlessly be disposed if you do not want to use them again. True, those paper bags when utilized on too many occasions will finally get exhausted. Nothing like plastic bags however, that can have serious health and ecological consequences due to the toxins from the plastic when thrown away and recycled inappropriately, those bags such as recycled paper bags create no hazard to us and the surroundings.

Employing those bags is a healthy introduction to workers and clients that your industry sustains eco-friendly commodities and joins hands for conservation of our environment. This portrays a positive picture for your brand.

Your business does not need to go for rallies or join conferences. Just recycled paper bags tell volumes. They tend to set an example in both trend and noble cause. Make use of them for your company and you will be getting good praises while doing something nice. When combined with effective advertising, greater yields will show up in your business.

What are you waiting for? Just bring those bags in common usage and see how everyone appreciates it. You'll certainly get a thumbs-up from customers, the UN and not to forget Mother Earth. It is actually a gift that only keeps returning.

Optimized Manufacturing Includes Packaging Automation Robotics

Packaging automation robotics must be part of the overall optimization of product manufacturing. Even small manufacturers can realize the return-on-investment for capital outlay for packaging automation robotics in a reasonable period of time. It is not unrealistic for such a capital expense to get paid back in as little as 18 months. This, by itself, should warrant a very serious look by all manufacturers who have to package their products before shipping to customers. Technology has moved packaging automation robotics forward in that the equipment that you can purchase now to perform this task can be readily integrated with your existing production line.

The first level or primary packaging usually occurs right after a product has been manufactured. This process amounts to putting the product in its first level of packaging. This can be a plastic closed end wrapping like for a candy bar or a bar of soap. A second level or secondary wrapping most always will occur. This happens when the packaged product is bundled in some way with several other units of the same product or the packaged product is put into a box. This secondary packaging is sometimes added to products because they need security or tamper-resistant packaging. Both these levels of packaging can be administered by packaging automation robotics. Secondary packaging can be warranted by the distribution method of the products. Sometimes products need more protection due to the handling that they may get during distribution.

Using Delta robotics to assist in the first level packaging of products in the production stream makes it easy to integrate packaging into the line using current equipment. There may be slight adjustments that have to be made in current production equipment to optimize the packaging capability into the line. In a lot of cases in food product packaging Delta robotics are the optimum selection for packaging delicate food items into their initial wrapping. The delicate touch of Delta robotics accomplish this task very readily. Usually products are loaded into packaging on the horizontal plane for this first level of wrapping. Adding vision capability to the robotics will allow the products that are to be packaged to enter the packaging work cell in random orientation. This packaging solution should not interrupt, but should help to optimize, the production flow.

Delta robotics can also be implemented as the second level of packaging automation robotics. Top loading is the method that is used in some cases to put products into a second package. This is called top loading because the previously wrapped product is inserted into a carton or other substantial wrapper by being inserted from the top of the wrapper. Sometimes these products that have both first and second level packaging in place are collected into groups of products and inserted into a third level of stretch wrap, tray or carton.

There are different types of patterns of presentation that products with which products can be moved into the packaging area. The type of presentation will depend on how the packaging equipment is best included into the overall flow of the production line. The collation pattern brings the products to the packaging operation in a single stream. Products are grouped or collated into a given count so that this group of products can then be wrapped. This can be eight first or second level packaging. Delta robotics are often used for the "pick and place" of these products for packaging.

Perpendicular presentation occurs when the products are brought to the packaging area at right angle to the packaging process. This method can be effectively used for raw food products that are to be packaged by the first level of packaging. Delta robotics perform this operation very well. The robot can be joined with vision capability to get optimum results. The inline presentation can be used to get products to the packaging area either in multiple or single streams. Often the flow of products to be packaged opposes the flow of packages into which they are placed. This allows the robotics to have a full stream of products to pick from in order to effective packaging.

To get optimum results from packaging automation robotics more than one robotic can be used to increase the speed to a higher production rate. A single controller can be programmed to control more that one robotic to do both first and second level packaging. Programming can be adjusted to fit exactly into the speed required by both upstream and downstream equipment. The speed of the production line is going to be influenced by the delicacy of the products being wrapped. Softer, more pliable products usually require a slower speed when being produced and packaged. The capability of the packaging robotic should, however, be able to handle any product consistency at any speed. It is very easy to alter the programming that controls robotics to get the optimum packaging result that is required.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of Packaging & Paper Products including hologram, label & tag, packaging materials, paper & pulp, & other HDPE sacks etc.

Paper Bags And Their Types

Paper bags also known as paper sacks are preformed containers made of paper and other special materials. The bags usually come in various designs and kinds. They are very useful for packaging and carrying of all sorts of items. Let's take a look at the origin of such bags.

Brief Historical background

The idea of using such bag came through the ingenuity of Margaret Knight in the late 1870s. The lady was an employee in a paper bag factory where she invented a machine part that made use of square bottoms in manufacturing paper sacks. In those days, the bags do come in form of grocery bags which were being used for various purposes as at then. However, with the occurrence of the industrial revolution in the late 18th century so many companies began to manufacture all kinds of such bags. Today, the bags are becoming very common as they are being used for packaging and carrying of all sorts of items.

Paper bags come in various types and designs these days. Let's examine some of its major types.

Single Layer Paper Bags

These are quality paper sacks that have single layers in their forms. They come in variety of designs and sizes with one sided openings. Among them include brown bags, grocery bags, bread paper bags, paper carry bags and some others. They are generally known to be very light and hence can only be used in packaging light items such as food ingredients, fashion accessories and other light items.

Multiwall paper bags

These are bags that are normally used as containers for ship items. They are used in packaging bulky shipping items such as sand, flour, rice, cement and so on. Such bags usually have several layers both on their external and internal compartments. Some of the bags do have coated paper layers while others do come with polyethylene foils.

Major designs of paper bags

Paper bags as they are seen in the two major kinds discussed above do come in various designs. There are two main designs commonly seen. These include the valve designs and the open mouth designs. The valve bags usually have their both ends; up and bottom closed. They normally have valve opening through which items are inserted. Cement bags are typical examples of valve bags. On the other hand, the open mouth bags usually have their bottoms sealed while their upper ends are open. Items are usually loaded through the opening while the bags are then sealed with adhesives or by effective stitching.

The Recycling of the paper bags

These bags are highly needed for various purposes in every country. They are used in packaging all sorts of items all over the world. The bags are easily recycled although some of them made of plastic or water-resistant materials are usually very stubborn when it comes to recycling.

In any case, these bags are very useful right from the days they were invented. They are very cheap and are always available for purchase anytime you need them.

Ways Paper and Packaging Companies Can Simplify Data and Email Archiving

The move toward the paperless office was meant to make data access and storage simpler but, in many cases, it just makes it easier to accumulate information without organizing it. Companies become mired in inefficient data systems to the point where it jeopardizes their ability to do business. Taking control of the information with IT managed services is the first step to efficient and cost-effective company operations.

The Problem: Inefficient Data Management

The most common reason for data gridlock is rapid growth. Data policies that served the smaller company become hopelessly disorganized as the organization grows. Often these were bad policies in the first place, but the problems could be handled on a smaller scale and therefore overlooked. As business information demands grow, the problems they create increase exponentially.

The situation is bad enough when a company grows through normal increase in customer traffic. However, unique problems arise when organizations expand by acquiring other businesses. Each of these new companies comes with their own philosophies on data management philosophy subjects such as backups and email archiving. Corporate policies become a mish mash of rules from each member company. Often these new acquisitions have outdated IT infrastructures that compromise the operation of the overall organization. Until these data centers are consolidated and brought under control, the entire company is going to run at a disadvantage.

Moving Data Storage Offsite

The larger and more geographically separated an organization becomes, the more it benefits from third-party IT managed services. The contractors bring a level of expertise that even large internal IT departments typically can't match. Because they focus exclusively on data storage, access and recovery they can bring a specialized skill set to bear on the problem that gets the situation under control as quickly as possible.

The first step is to evaluate the organization's needs for data storage, email archiving and other information services. This should include not only current needs but a plan for future scalability as the organization grows. There is no point in getting the current system under control if the same problem will occur again in a few years.

The next step establishes a centralized remote site for data storage. IT managed services such as email archiving and server backups can all be directed toward a central set of redundant and protected servers, and new acquisitions can easily tie in to the remote network.

SaaS Over Traditional Software

The latest trend in IT managed services is to create tools that run as SaaS (Software as a Service) rather than as desktop or server applications. End users install a simple front end client while the central software tool runs from a remote site. The front end communicates with the main application through fast and secure internet connections, and in most cases users can't tell the difference over a desktop service.

SaaS ensures that every component of the company is using the same tool. Software updates of the core application are easy since it is a matter of updating a single application. Clients need to be updated much less often, and updates are automatically pushed by the central application. Standardizing email archiving and other IT managed services across the entire organization streamlines operations and improves the security and availability of information.

Business Continuity And Disaster Recovery

Day-to-day company operations ranging from order processing to customer management to contract administration all run seamlessly under the new data access system. However, the move to remote IT managed services has other benefits.

Continuity is critical to modern business. Customers no longer tolerate a business being shut down even for a few hours due to server crashes or other data disasters. When data services such as email archiving are centralized to a protected and redundant facility, problems from disk failures to major natural disasters can no longer threaten a company's ability to continue to offer data access and full service.

In the unlikely event of data loss, recovery is greatly facilitated by using remote data storage. Email archiving and other backups are done routinely, and multiple backups ensure the data remains available even if the central resource is compromised. At the same time, fewer IT resources are used and this reduces company operating costs.

Remote IT managed services increase data access, security and disaster recovery while also reducing the demand for and cost of internal IT resources. Find out how these services can benefit your organization and give you a competitive edge.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of Packaging & Paper Products including hologram, label & tag, packaging materials, paper & pulp, & other HDPE sacks etc.

5 Easy Steps To Get Started Packaging Your Product

Feeling overwhelmed while trying to develop a package for your product? I'm not surprised. Packaging is the third largest industry in the country. In fact, there are more than 10,000 packaging manufactures in the US alone. The proliferation of material choices and vendors is extensive. To begin you will have to narrow the resource and material universe before you package anything. That is your first step because you can't have a product without a package.

Which vendor is right for you? What is your packaging material of choice? Do you understand the differences between each material and what value each will bring to marketing your product? How do you sift through the mounds of information and resources to set started packaging your product?

Here are 5 easy rules to get you started.

1. Do Your Homework.

Before you decide how you want to package your product you need to see and understand what is already available in the marketplace. Even if your product is the greatest new invention out there, you will still have competition of some sort. Start by checking that out first. Visit outlets that carry similar products or products in the same category. For example, if you have a houseware product you should check out places that market housewares. Don't just pick one outlet. Go to a variety of stores. You don't want to develop a great new packaging concept only to find someone else is already doing the same thing. The more you look the better informed you will become. Be careful not to go into information overload by visiting every retailer outlet out there. This will only serve to confuse your decision making process.

2. Pick Your Packaging Material.

This isn't as simple as it sounds because there are many external factors influencing why products are packaged in certain types of materials. Certain products lend themselves special merchandising. Some products can only be merchandised in certain materials. How the product is merchandised may dictate what type of package material you use. For example, if you need clarity to see the entire product then you are probably going to want plastic. The choice of material may also be dictated by availability.

Packaging materials are classified by their primary raw material. Two simple examples are paper and plastic. Within in each material type are numerous sub categories of different types of packaging. If you chose paper packaging it might be a box, a bag, a drum, a tube, a canister and so on. See the variety of choices? It's easy to become inundated with options and hard to figure out what is the best choice. As products lend themselves to several different packaging materials, it's best to start with what you know is working with similar products. Even if you choose the same material as a competitive product the package doesn't necessarily need to look the same.

3. Optimize Your Package Profile.

This is what is called the retail footprint, i.e., how much space will your product take up on the shelf. Your goal is to have the smallest size or amount of packaging you can while optimizing the shape and design of the package. It's important to understand the concept of the retail footprint. Retail space is at a premium so the smaller amount of space you use the happier the retailer will be. They may even specify that your product only be allowed so much shelf space. In any case, you need to understand the concept and incorporate that in your sales pitch to retailers.

Many times you can package your product in variety of different ways. This is where creativity comes into play. Your product doesn't just have to sit on a shelf in a box. It could sit upright; it could hang or be displayed in a floor stand or similar merchandiser. There are many unique ways to merchandise any product. You just have to think outside of traditional ways of doing things. Look at other products from different industries. See if you can't incorporate design ideas into your own product packaging.

4. Be Prepared To Take Advice.

I know you are in love with your product and you are sure you have ALL the answers, but you can't be an expert at everything. Listen to what other people have to say about your product packaging. Don't get so caught up in your own ideas that you make design mistakes or mistakes in merchandising. Get a reality check from someone who knows nothing about your product. See if your packaging concept is compelling to an outsider. By that I mean that they are interested enough to pick your product up off the shelf.

There are many resources available to you at little or no cost. Many vendors provide design expertise as part of the order. There is an unlimited amount of resource materials that can give you basic information that can save you many hours and costly mistakes. Be sure and spend time checking them out.

5. Think Big, But Be Prepared To Compromise.

I know your product is fantastic, but you may need to start out on a smaller scale than you envision. One of the largest obstacles might be finding a vendor. In general, custom packaging is relegated to large volume orders and you are probably not there yet. But don't despair.

Look for stock items that can be customized. The stock container market has improved dramatically with innovation and new designs. In fact there are many companies now that provide only stock containers. You can customize stock on a smaller scale. With a simple label change, your package may there. Also ordering in a limited quantity allows you to change and modify your packaging as your sales increase. You don't want to have 10,000 old packages on hand when you have a design change or need to change what's on the package due to some regulatory issue.

The important fact is to understand that packaging is not static it evolves and changes with consumer needs and demands. It can even change because you have more business and can order in larger quantities. What worked in the past may not work tomorrow. You need to be innovative and creative in your thinking. Look for guidance and expertise in outside resources. Keep up with packaging changes and materials. Don't get caught ordering too much stock that you can never use. Think big and start small.

Don't wait until it’s too late. Make packaging your first thought--not your last.

I get hundreds of inquiries a month asking how to package products. Most of the time, they are in crisis mode because they did not think about the package until crunch time. I just got a call from an entrepreneur whose packaging was a disaster. She never thought about the role packaging plays in her product’s success until her retailer said "NO WAY" to her product packaging. She had to start over. As a result, she lost a great deal of money in the process.

Packing and Unpacking Made Easy

Moving into your new home is an exciting time, but most of us dread the idea of packing and unpacking all of our belongings. It can be a daunting task, and no one looks forward to the work involved with a big move. Valuable items get lost or broken, and our sense of organization all but disappears during a move. These packing tips can make the transition on moving day go smoothly and almost stress-free.

1. Start early!

You might want to hold a yard sale to help clear out unwanted or unneeded items. Thrift stores and consignment shops will gladly accept your unwanted clothes. The fewer items you have to move, the easier your move will be. In addition, you may raise some money while getting rid of things! Prepare for packing by getting the necessary supplies:

Strong, corrugated cardboard boxes

Box labels or stickers

Foam peanuts or "popcorn" and bubble wrap

Tissue paper or newsprint for wrapping delicate items

Packing tape to seal boxes

Markers

Scissors and/or Exacto knife

When packing boxes, keep their weight between 25-35 pounds. Pack heavier items in smaller boxes and lighter items in larger boxes. Pack items from the same room together. Seal the box with packing tape, and clearly label it, indicating the general category of contents and which room the box's items come from. (Color coordinating box labels will make unloading easier, too!) First, pack possessions you rarely use, like items from the garage or storage areas. Once you clear out the garage, you will have space to store the boxes until moving day. You can also save time and space by ordering a "pod" or "pack rat," a portable storage container. Pack a few cartons each day, so your workload doesn't seem overwhelming.

2. Pack dishes and other fragile items

When packing fragile items, it is important to keep them safe and secure from breakage. Select a medium-sized box and line the bottom with crumpled packing paper. Carefully wrap each item individually, and place in the carton. When packing glasses and stemware, fill them with crumpled packing paper. Place items in an upright position. Separate layers of items with packing paper or bubble wrap, and be sure to fill in any empty space to prevent shifting of items. Mark the box "FRAGILE," and always stack at the top.

3. Pack small appliances and electronics

When possible, you should pack small appliances and electronics in their original packaging. These items fit efficiently in their original boxes, and are often awkward to fit into other types of cartons. If you do not have the original packaging, choose an appropriate-sized box, and place protective padding on the bottom of the carton. Wrap an old blanket or protective pad around the item, and place it in its carton. Wrap cords separately, label to identify usage, and place in a plastic bag away from delicate surfaces. Non-detachable cords should also be wrapped. Place cords between the padded item and the box.

4. Pack Mirrors, Paintings and Pictures

Wrap small mirrors, pictures, paintings, and frames, and place on edge in cartons. For added safety, place tape diagonally across mirror to protect better against damage. Do not place newspaper directly against paintings, because ink will transfer from the newsprint to your artwork.

5. Pack clothes

Use wardrobe boxes to pack clothes on hangers. You can keep clothes smelling fresh by placing a scented dryer sheet in the box with the clothes. Keep folded clothes in dresser drawers, and take the drawers out before you move the dresser into the moving truck or pod. Once the dresser is loaded, replace the drawers during the actual move. Be sure the drawers are not overloaded, as this can cause damage to the dresser during the move. When you unload into your new Arizona home, remove the drawers first.

6. Disassemble beds

Near the date of your move, disassemble beds to prepare for transport. Take the mattresses off the frame and disassemble, being sure to keep all nuts, bolts, and other hardware in a sealed plastic bag. Label the bag and place in a box labeled appropriately. Secure bed rails with tape or twine.

7. Pack food items

When packing canned goods, place upright with no more than 24-30 cans per box. Wrap glass containers and boxed foods individually and pack in small cartons. Try to consume all perishable and frozen food items before your move, as these items are difficult to move to a new Arizona home safely. If packing medicines, seal caps with masking tape. Wrap and pack upright in small cartons. If needed during travel, carry medicines with you.

8. Pack a survival kit

During your move, you may be unable to find some important everyday items that you will need the first few days in your new home. Pack a "survival" kit to carry in your car or have first off the truck. Some important, often overlooked items to place in the survival kit include the following:

Basic Tools -- Hammer, screwdriver, knife, tape, etc.

Bathroom products -- Soap, shampoo, toilet paper, towels, etc.

Kitchen items -- Disposable utensils, cups, plates and snacks, drinks, paper towels, etc.

Cleaning products -- Cleansers, broom, dustpan, sponges, etc.

First aid supplies -- Bandages, disinfectants, pain relievers, etc.

9. Stay organized

When loading moving cartons into your pod or moving truck, it is important to stay organized and load efficiently. This will ease the unloading process and keep your items more secure from damage. Keep boxes from the same room together to help the unloading process. Stack heavier boxes near the bottom, and lighter boxes near the top. Always stack fragile items at the top.

10. Ask friends for help

Your friends can be a helpful and inexpensive resource to utilize during your move. Ask for their assistance, and let them know your move date well in advance. Offer to reward them during and after the move, as this will encourage their enthusiasm to assist with the move.

11. Unloading

Once you arrive in your new Arizona home, the unloading process begins. When removing boxes from the moving truck or pod, take them to the proper rooms where they belong. Stack boxes neatly and allow ample space for moving furniture into the room.

12. Unpacking

If possible, take off an extra day or two from work. Having a couple of days to unpack will make the job less overwhelming, and you will return to work a little more refreshed than if you were rushed to unpack. Unpack larger items first, and assemble items you had taken apart for the move. Focus on one room at a time, starting where you feel most comfortable.

'Green' Packaging Gaining Ground

While the use of eco-friendly options is rising, adoption is limited to upscale releases due to high costs. Most makers recycle and employ fewer materials instead.

China's export manufacturers are increasingly adopting earth-friendly alternatives to traditional packaging choices. PLA is replacing petroleum-based polymers to create degradable plastic containers and gift bags. More innovative solutions include microwave-, oven- and refrigerator-safe food canisters made from natural wheat straw pulp.

Such options, however, are used only for high-end releases targeting the US and the EU. At present, conventional materials still hold sway because they are cost-effective, functional and practical. In most cases, incorporating environment-friendly packaging raises manufacturing outlay 30 percent.

Wheat straw pulp containers, for instance, are roughly 50 percent more expensive than plastic foam. A ton of the natural raw material currently stands at 5,000 to 6,000 yuan ($731 to $877). Gift and packaging bags made of paper processed with pulp culled from sustainable forests cost 2 to 5 percent more as well.

To heed the growing call for ecologically safe practices, however, suppliers have taken to recycling instead. Paper waste is reduced to a pulp and reprocessed into new sheets. Others are simplifying designs to ensure minimal use of materials.

Standardized packaging is actually the norm at many large home appliance companies so that wastage can be reduced. Buyers' logos and patterns differentiate the cartons, but even then, prints are limited to three colors. Modifications, however, are accepted for a fee.

Still there are others that work with clients to balance minimum wastage and functionality. Electric kettle manufacturer Guangdong Longde Group Co. Ltd collaborates with buyers to ensure its recycled paper packaging can still provide optimum protection.

Reusable, degradable alternatives

Paper is increasingly being used to replace wood and EPS foam as packaging material for home appliances. The inner padding or cushioning for the cartons now comes in corrugated or honeycomb paper board. Compared with EPS foam and wood, paper can be reused in multiple ways and is cost-effective. Replacing EPS foam with honeycomb paper board for the cushioning is estimated to cut outlay by about 20 percent.

Cardboard is also being adopted in lieu of film packaging for small home appliances because it is less expensive and easier to recycle. The plastic is used to laminate paper gift boxes as well. This type of surface treatment, however, results in paper that is harder to recycle. As such, several companies are now incorporating the more earth-friendly UV oil finish, which costs the same as film laminates.

Shandong Teanhe Green Pak Science and Technology Co. Ltd, meanwhile, uses the same papermaking process to produce ecologically safe food and medical packaging products derived from natural wheat straw pulp. The food-grade items are nontoxic, 100 to 120 C oil- and water-resistant, and microwave-, oven- and refrigerator-safe. Not only can the containers be recycled, they can also degrade into fertilizer after being buried in soil for 100 days.

Concerns over cost, practicality

In general, it is the large and foreign-invested businesses that first delved into implementing measures toward achieving sustainable production, including developing environment-friendly packaging. But this has not spread widely enough to the smaller and locally owned operations. As such, green manufacturing has yet to achieve economies of scale. Consequently, costs are often higher.

Shandong Teanhe's workaround over the price issue is to target the midrange and high-end market. By doing so, the company has been able to post 30 percent annual growth since 2008. Even then, R&D is being carried out to improve processing and lower outlay for the wheat straw containers.

Apart from cost issues, eco-friendly substitutes sometimes do not perform as well as conventional materials. Most gift boxes, for instance, are still film-laminated because UV oil finish does not resist air and moisture as well as traditional plastic.

In addition, a few ecologically safe alternatives are actually more polluting because of the way they are processed. To decrease paper weight while still ensuring durability, many paper manufacturers work on improving starch paste, some of which now contain formaldehyde. Safer variants free from the toxic chemical are also available but at a higher cost.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of Packaging & Paper Products including hologram, label & tag, packaging materials, paper & pulp, & other HDPE sacks etc.

New Packaging Technology, Large Shipping Boxes and Environmental Concerns

New technology has come about utilizing traditional renewable energy sources such as trees and timber. It appears that paper might be going through a process of rebirth as modern societies realize the importance of trees and vegetation for human life and recreation. Part of the gradual transition back to basics is due to the fact that the long-term effects of using petroleum-based technology for packaging prove detrimental. While the quality and strength of plastics is undoubted, their decomposition and bio-degradation time sometimes ranges in the thousands of years and this is a major concern.

An example are multi-wall bags - one of the veterans of the packaging industry. Their proliferation has accompanied societies from inception of industrialization to modern times. They face challenges as related to some quality characteristics such as providing grease and moisture barriers for various products and manufacturing demands. Meeting these demands, together with the growing opposition of using trees as paper raw material naturally opened widely the door for plastics. Some of them are manufactured from waste in oil refineries etc. and they are virtually indestructible. Plastics, in turn, introduce a number of new problems which appear to be circling back to the realization that while cutting trees is bad, this could be compensated with a tree-planting strategy. What is more, statistical data shows the forests in the US have increased by almost forty percent over the passed one hundred years and by about 10 million acres in the last twenty years. Some paper is manufactured following guidelines and certification by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative - it mandates that for every tree used, two new ones are planted. Alas this data is only good for the US and is not quite representative since much of the packaging supplies and the large shipping boxes are manufactured overseas.

Certain newer packaging provides grease, moisture etc protection without the use of poly liner. This makes the new product fully recyclable which combined with the fact that it is produced from around ninety percent renewable materials makes it a viable alternative to old-school paper and plastics. Certain aspects of this manufacturing process employ proprietary, patented nano-technology via which water-based coating is applied to the walls of the paper. This coating bonds with the material and insulates it from water and gases. Furthermore, protection levels against moisture and oil can be adjusted according to product or legal requirements. Another great benefit is that this water-based coated paper recycles better since the bonded coating remains in the fiber throughout the recycling and results in stronger more durable paper. This stronger product can then be utilized as containerboard for production of durable large shipping boxes.

Increase Your Product Quality With Custom Plastic Packaging

Custom plastic packaging is ideally used for catering to the needs of the fast moving consumer goods industry. Interestingly, custom packaging is the most important ingredient for successful and smooth movement of consumer products. The plastic which is used in the packaging material, which in turn is used as consumer goods, is of high quality and it helps preserve food items by increasing their existing shelf life.

In case custom packing is not used, consumer food items would have shorter shelf life as climatic conditions would have an adverse effect on their durability. In the absence of packaging, the food items would start to decay within hours of being processed. Plastic packaging is performed in an environment wherein there is no inclusion of dust or air as that can adversely affect the quality of the food item.

Custom packaging is of various types and it can therefore be classified into various sub-categories. These sub categories are basically aimed at defining the kind of product that they are used to package.

Packaging may include thin shrink, small outline, optical duel, flat no deal, thin micro lead, and several other categories. In order to package day to day consumer goods such as milk, edible items such as chocolates and electronic equipments, the use of industrial packaging material is considered the most effective and durable.

The industry of custom packaging is growing by the day as large companies rely completely on plastic packaging to ensure that their goods are packed appropriately and at a low cost. The reason why plastic manufacturing is on the rise is because large organizations use it as a means of packaging their consumer goods.

While there are several large storing and manufacturing companies which deal with plastic packaging, Tetra pack R is supposed to be the largest of them all. Also known as PET, this organization has special manufacturing procedures that retain good gas as well as humidity while packaging edible goods. This helps in increasing the shelf life of edible consumer goods.

Custom plastic packing is mainly used for packing sport drinks, soft drinks, water, dressing bottles for salad as well as mouthwash. Pickles, jam, peanut butter as well as jelly are also preserved with the aid of this packaging. Another derivative of custom packaging is polyethylene. It is a high density packaging material and is mainly used for storing detergents, shampoos, cosmetics, laundry and trash bags. Even retail bags are made from the same material.

Considered to be a vital business function, plastic packaging is the life line for numerous consumer goods. To avoid environmental pollution, the use of recycled packaging has picked speed in recent years and has come up as the most suitable solution for increasing the existing shelf life of highly perishable consumer goods.

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