4 Brilliant Kraft Packaging Designs

For a long time kraft packaging was the ugly duckling, relegated to the hefty moving and shipping categories. Zero style, elegance or interest. Somewhere along the way, someone decided they had an untapped beauty - that organic, natural look could be a perfect fit for eco-conscious brands. The fact that they are made from a high percentage of unbleached, post-consumer recycled material was a beautiful cherry on top. Since then, they have taken the packaging industry by storm. 

Brands are now using kraft packaging in extraordinary ways. We've rounded up a few of our favorite kraft looks. 

Carota Vulgaris

Distilled spirits 

Photo credit: Kernius Pauliukonis. Designed by Aurimas Kadzevicius

Why we dig it: 

  • Use of black ink stamp-inspired illustrations 
  • Smart structure 
  • Outside carrot design carries inside to the carrot cork
  • A natural product reflected in natural looking packaging
  • Yes to the reusable bottle!
Photo credit: Kernius Pauliukonis. Designed by Aurimas Kadzevicius

Bee Loop

Edible, zero-waste honey pot

Photo credit: Bee Loop

Why we dig it: 

  • Made from recycled paper; continuing the brand's sustainability mission.
  • Cutout holds the honeypot in place 
  • Fluting used as organic art and overall design
  • Minimalist design 
    Photo credit: Bee Loop

Bite

Culinary beverage supplier 

 
Photo credit: Bite. Designed by Everland

 

Why we dig it: 

  • Bag-in-boxes have a 90% lower carbon footprint compared to glass bottles
  • Playful, oversized typography
  • Box with a cutout handle make for effortless transportation 


Photo credit: Bite. Designed by Everland

Prostoria

Furniture design - surface restoration kit

Photo credit: Ino Zeljak. Designed by Graphein

Photo credit: Ino Zeljak. Designed by Graphein

Why we dig it: 

  • Tactile tree rings gives nod to company's dedication to environmental responsibility 
  • Designed to be reusable and not immediately disposable
  • Handle for easy carrying 
Photo credit: Ino Zeljak. Designed by Graphein

 

Don’t be a stranger. CompanyBox can help create kraft packaging that celebrates your brand.


The Evolution of Digital Print in Corrugated Packaging: A Study with CompanyBox

In the dynamic realm of packaging production, digital print technology has emerged as a transformative force, offering unparalleled flexibility and efficiency. Just over a decade ago, it was largely relegated to prototyping and small-scale runs. However, the trajectory of CompanyBox serves as a testament to the profound impacts of digital print on the corrugated packaging industry. 

Digital Adoption

In 2008, CompanyBox embarked on its digital production journey, marking a pivotal shift in the traditional landscape of corrugated packaging. During this period, digital printing was in its beginning stages, primarily catering to large format and low-volume projects. Undeterred by prevailing perceptions, CompanyBox recognized the inherent potential of this technology and took the step of investing in its first digital press, laying the groundwork for future innovation. 

 

Evolution of Digital Print Capabilities 

Over the ensuing years, CompanyBox strategically bolstered its print and finishing capabilities, underscoring its commitment to technological advancement. Through the acquisition of successive generations of presses, the expansion of robotics CAD tables capabilities, and short run die cutting capabilities, CompanyBox cemented its position in the digital packaging arena.

Introduction of the HP PageWide C500 Press

A pivotal moment in CompanyBox's digital undertaking occurred with the integration of the HP PageWide C500 press. Renowned for its exceptional speed and quality, the C500 press heralded an enormous shift in production capabilities. With its remarkable capacity to generate prints at unprecedented speeds while maintaining offset-quality standards, the C500 press established digital print as a cornerstone of high-volume, high-quality production environments. The addition of a second C500 press further marked CompanyBox's commitment to redundancy and service excellence.

Looking Ahead

As this technology continues its evolutionary trajectory, CompanyBox remains steadfast in a pursuit of innovation and customer satisfaction. By harnessing state-of-the-art digital pre-print, post-print and high graphics flexo, we deliver scalable solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of our clients. CompanyBox can empower clients with newfound possibilities and transformative packaging solutions.

 

The narrative of CompanyBox demonstrates the evolution of digital print within the corrugated packaging sphere. From its modest origins to its status as a scalable production solution, it's clear this technology has reshaped the landscape of packaging conceptualization and production. With an unwavering focus on innovation and customer-centricity, CompanyBox charts a course towards a future where digital print reigns supreme in the realm of packaging production.

To explore the transformative potential of digital print for your packaging needs, visit CompanyBox.com or contact our dedicated team at team@companybox.com.


Recyclable Padded Mailer vs. Printed Boxes: Which is Better for Business?

When it comes to deciding between which shipping materials to use, your choice can have an impact on profitability as well as branding. You need to be ready to answer all types of packaging questions. Will a shipping box or padded mailer better protect your product during transit? Which option costs less? How much warehouse space will you need for packaging materials? How quickly will your fulfillment team be able to kit up each?

Here's another good question; which provides a better unboxing experience for you customer, a box or a padded mailer?

CompanyBox recyclable padded mailer
Is it a Toss Up? 

Corrugated boxes are sturdy and crush-resistant making them ideal for protecting large, heavy, or fragile items. Shipping boxes can be printed both inside and out, to provide a fantastic messaging opportunity for your brand and a unique unboxing experience for your customer. However, some boxes require assembly, additional packing materials, and taping. What's more, due to their size, even when flat, boxes can take up a lot of storage space.

Lightweight recyclable padded mailers, on the other hand, are ideal for shipping smaller, lighter, less fragile products. They tend to be more competitively priced than boxes and have built-in padding. They are also flexible, and flat, making them easy to store. The issue with mailers is that they have traditionally been composed of polyethylene (poly) film. Curbside recycling programs do not accept this lightweight plastic. They also have a generic, unbranded appearance that may leave customers feeling under-appreciated…

At least until now.

Game Changer

All this changed recently with the advance of a new technology that allows paper-based mailers to be printed in full color on both sides. This means that direct to consumer (DtC) companies, artisans, consumer goods companies, and apparel designers can now apply messaging, logos, and colorful designs to a recyclable mailer. A mailer that is durable, but just as lightweight as a poly mailer. Not only that, but the mailers come with an easy-to-open tear strip in addition to the usual self-sealing functionality, which makes the unboxing (or in this case, the unsealing) experience a breeze.

When it comes to the overall branding experience, this new technology has leveled the playing field, giving printed mailers equally appropriate ways to make a customer feel special. In some cases, printed mailers may be more cost-effective by being quicker to kit up and requiring less expenditures in labor, shipping, packing tape, protective fillers, and even required warehouse space.

Bottom line: with the new game-changing print technology, it’s time to consider incorporating recyclable padded mailers into your fulfillment department’s shipping strategy. You might find that it not only saves your company money but from a branding perspective, works as well as a custom printed box!

Whether you need a printed padded mailer or branded shipping box CompanyBox is your one-stop shop. 


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Group of Padded Mailers made of kraft paper, the front-most with

CompanyBox Releases Customizable, Paper-Based Padded Mailers as an Eco-Friendly Replacement for Poly Mailers

Charlotte, January 2023- CompanyBox, the Charlotte-based corrugated packaging company announced they are adding a new generation of paper-based, padded mailers to their product line. Constructed of 100% recyclable, compostable materials and printed with eco-friendly water-based inks, the mailers were created to be a sustainable alternative to standard plastic bubble mailers.

The mailers are lightweight yet sturdy enough to protect a product from damage during shipping and are optimized for weight, flexibility, and impact resistance.

 

“We are so pleased to expand our environmentally friendly packaging options,” says Kyle DeJesus, President of CompanyBox. “They are the ideal replacement for a company already utilizing poly mailers as they check all the corporate sustainability boxes.”

The padded mailers use a revolutionary lightweight cushioning in lieu of multi-material plastic bubbles, enabling curbside recycling, as the cushioning easily separates from the paper fibers during the re-pulp process. They can be ordered in kraft or white and printed in full color with branding messages, logos, or imagery across the entire face of the mailer.

“What makes me truly excited about our new mailer is that it can be printed in 4-color,” says DeJesus. “We are one of the few companies in the world that can print paper-based mailers on both the front and back for a reasonable fee.”

CompanyBox's paper-based mailers will be offered in kraft and white

The padded mailers will be available in four sizes: 7 x 10”, 10 x 12”, 12 x 15”, and 14 x 18”. Each features a peel-and-seal closure and an easy-open tear strip. Turnaround times are a swift 7-10 days and can be ordered online. See more detailed product information.

CompanyBox plans to release the mailers in early March 2023.

 


CompanyBox certification

CompanyBox Earns FSC Chain of Custody Certification

Charlotte, N.C - based CompanyBox has been granted a new certification highlighting its commitment to environmental conservation. CompanyBox completed a rigorous internal audit with the Soil Association Certification earning a Chain of Custody (COC) certification for the Forest Stewardship Council® 

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)® is an independent, non-profit organization that protects forests for future generations by setting standards for responsible forest management. FSC® works with harvesters, processors, manufacturers, distributors, printers, and retailers to maintain and verify FSC®-certified products are coming from responsibly managed sources. CompanyBox began its certification process in May 2022 and completed it in October 2022. (FSC-C182100)

“Forests play a critical role in the world’s ecosystems,” said Kyle DeJesus, CompanyBox President. “As a manufacturer of corrugated products, we are focused on making a sustainable change across the packaging supply chain. This is the next step in our commitment to environmental stewardship. We are proud to include the Forest Stewardship Council® COC certification in our endeavors.”  

FSC™ logo

CompanyBox concentrated on being an environmentally friendly business since its launch in 2014. The company’s corrugated products are made from partly recycled materials. They also recycle 99% of their scrap material daily. In 2019 and again in 2021 the company installed a HP C500 press to offer printing with eco-friendly and water-based ink and further increase efforts. The ink used in these two presses earned an ECOLOGO Certification, thus meeting environmental criteria from production to disposal. CompanyBox will also introduce a paper-based padded mailer at the end of 2022 to use in lieu of plastic poly-mailers. The new mailer has received a curbside recyclable certification.  

 


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