Get Creative: Kraft Packaging Design Tips

Choosing Kraft packaging boxes is an excellent approach to staying on top of the trends and demands of the market while elevating your brand and creating a dynamic customer experience. 

Let’s be honest, your product packaging is often the first thing that draws consumers’ attention, and with a surplus of options out there, it can feel overwhelming to choose the right one for your business. 

That’s why we want to talk about the benefits and provide some tips on how to maximize the impact of your kraft packaging designs. Easily customizable, eco-friendly, and sturdy enough to protect your product, kraft packaging boxes are an excellent option for any industry. 

What Is Kraft Packaging?

Kraft Paper Boxes are made out of Kraft Paperboard (hence the name), a sustainable material made out of the wood pulp. It is significantly stronger than any other paperboard option on the market. Kraft boxes have been the ring leader in the packaging sector because of their simple, cost-effective, and easy-to-make nature.

Businesses from F&B, cosmetics, technology, and many more industries enjoy the brand benefits of custom kraft paper packaging.

What Are the Different Types of Kraft Paper Boxes?

At Box Genie, we have identified the four most popular kraft packaging designs to provide for your business’ every need. Kraft packages can be further customized to fit a company's needs. 

Here are four different styles of Kraft Paper Boxes to consider:

1. Mailer Box - Send your customers a smart and sturdy mailer box designed to show off your brand’s style. The box works great in the mail as e-commerce packaging or subscription box and for gifting. It also has a powerful presence on the shelves for retail.
2. One-piece folder - Sleek, professional, and easy-to-assemble, one-piece folder boxes are an excellent choice for quick and easy fulfillment of small orders or shipping flat items like books or artwork. We know time is money for your business, so the design gets printed on one solid piece of material that can be folded and shaped in a snap.
3. Shipping Box - A plain and bulky box is no longer appealing to your end consumers. With a Kraft shipping box, you get a durable and delightful twist on a classic - wowing your customers with colors and details that make your business stand out. 
4. Triangle Document Mailer - An upgrade on old-fashioned mailing tubes, the triangle document mailer is a reliable and more visually appealing alternative. This mailer lets you send your papers, blueprints, or artwork out with the style and structure that matches your brand. The shape also provides greater stability and protection.

If you have questions about any of these box styles or aren’t sure which one would best meet your needs, feel free to reach out to the packaging experts at Box Genie for more information - we are here to help with whatever packaging needs you have.

What Are the Benefits of Kraft Packaging?

There are four main benefits to your business and your customers when using Kraft packaging: 

• Eco-friendly packaging encourages customer loyalty: 

Kraft packaging boxes are naturally biodegradable, making them one of the most environmentally friendly boxes, as materials creating such kraft boxes come from pine pulp. 

Saving the earth is a great reason to switch to eco-friendly packaging. However, if you need more convincing, a recent McKinsey & Company report shows that one out of four consumers says they plan to focus more on environmental issues and pay more attention to social aspects in their shopping behavior. 

Millennials and GenZ are quickly becoming the largest consumer segment, and 90 percent say that they are willing to spend more money on a product that contains environmentally friendly or sustainable ingredients. Kraft packaging is a sure way to gain customer loyalty and stand out in the market against other brands. 

• Save on your budget to invest in other parts of your business:

It can feel like a dangerous balancing act for many businesses to find the balance between being eco-friendly and cost-efficient. The raw materials used to make Kraft boxes can be sourced cheaply and are always readily available in the market. Buying these boxes in bulk from packaging providers like Box Genie can help save on your budget and allow you to allocate those savings to other parts of your growing business. 

Discover the perfect packaging match for your business and purchase them per carton for a cost-effective option that never sacrifices quality.

• Durable packaging protects your products and your customer’s experience:

You have enough to worry about in your business without managing customers who may have received a damaged product due to weak packaging. A big part of the customer experience is when they first receive or see your product in its packaging. 

They say never judge a book by its cover, but let's be honest, most consumers out there form their first impression when seeing your packaging. To ensure your product is safely delivered, the durability of Kraft boxes is the perfect solution. 

• Visually engaging and professional packaging is a key element of your brand:

Kraft paper lends itself well to design. There are so many ways you can customize a Kraft box (design tips below); you can guarantee to have a unique look that compliments your brand. The range goes from using blank Kraft boxes with everything from minimalist labels to adding cutouts, vibrant colors, and add-on details like embossing. 

5 Kraft Packaging Design Ideas

When it comes to eco-friendly kraft packaging, beige does not have to be boring – in fact, it doesn’t even have to be beige. Kraft is great for simple, bold designs – but don’t be afraid to get a little more intricate. At Box Genie, we can help you sort through all your options and apply the best practices to create clean and compelling custom designs.

Add Custom Printed Designs

If you already have your design in mind, design a custom box. You’ll choose your kraft box's type, size, and quantity. Then, you can download a dieline or upload your images into our design tool to get a detailed view of how your packages will look and make sure the final product will turn out exactly how you envisioned. 

If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry. Take a look at our catalog of pre-designed layouts and find inspiration in our curated library of design patterns. With our design tool, you can see exactly how your ideas will translate onto the box and make adjustments as you go, so you end up with boxes that will best represent your brand. 

Use All-Black Boxes

If you’re choosing kraft for the environmental and cost benefits, but beige just isn’t your brand, all-black boxes may be the way to go. Kraft holds dark colors well, which means dullness won’t be an issue. And the sleek look will stand out against more traditional designs. 

Add an All-Over Print Design

All-over prints are another way to make your kraft boxes stand out. With this approach, the design options are endless, and you can take advantage of every visible inch – inside and out – to make an impression on your customers. 

Alternative Options: Be Bold With Printed Text

Take a more minimalist approach to stand-out packaging with big, bold printed text. Let your messaging speak for itself with simple but striking messages that you can design in minutes with our BoxGenie Designer tool. 

Use Custom Inserts as the Perfect Interior Option To Customize Your Package

Customers don’t just judge a box by its cover, so don’t forget about interior design options. Cardboard packaging inserts – which can be made to fit your boxes perfectly and protect your products during shipping – can be branded with your company’s colors, logo, and more. With endlessly customizable paper inserts, you can use HD printing options that aren’t compatible with kraft materials. 

However, if you choose to customize your boxes, keep the following design guidelines in mind to make sure what you see on screen is what will show up on your customers’ doorsteps. 

• Colors printed on kraft material will appear a few shades darker than they do on your screen.
• Keep artwork at least 1/8” (.125”) from the blue cut lines to prevent art from being cut off from normal shifting during the production process.
• Keep artwork at least 1/8” (.125”) from the red fold lines to prevent art from unintentionally being on the crease from normal shifting during the production process.

Wrapping Up

While there are other options similar to kraft paper, few come even close to the versatility capabilities. Kraft packages can be virtually shaped to serve a multitude of use cases in any industry. 

When your brand is the soul and personality of your business, your packaging should tell the same story, creating a seamless customer experience. Your brand's value will shine through when you design every aspect of your mailers with Box Genie. From raw materials to shipping, everything we do at Box Genie is in-house, so you get the same stunning quality on every order.

For more packaging advice, trends, or ideas, visit Box Genie.

Sources:

Meet the next normal consumer | McKinsey

Sustainable product market could hit 150 billion in us by 2021 | Food Business News

Brand Identity Definition | Investopedia