Packaging, in its simplest definition, refers to materials used to wrap items and goods. However, in business, packaging takes many forms.

There is an entire industry revolving around packaging. This sector covers the manufacturing and creation of protective enclosures for all products in the market. It encompasses boxing, wrapping, and bottling of goods for different industries. All industries in the US require packaging.

In marketing, great packaging is essential. Next to great products, good packaging is vital because it represents a business’ brand.

Forbes declares that 2021 is the year of the package. Because of the ongoing global pandemic, most shoppers go online. Hence, most online businesses rely on great packaging to deliver their products to consumers. Because of this, Business Insider mentions that companies try to fit their packaging to be more e-commerce friendly.

As time changes, the packaging industry develops in response to changes. Let’s take a look at some new trends happening within the industry.

Digital Printing and Automatic Die Cutting

Nowadays, everything is digital. In the packaging world, more and more companies are using digital printing to design packaging. Through digital printing, customization and personalization become easier. A variety of colors can be printed in a single pass, starting a print-on-demand trend. Experts predict that by 2024, the digital printing market will grow to $28 billion globally.

For easier packaging manufacturing, a reliable automatic die-cutting device is important. This powerful machine custom-cuts various materials into uniform sizes, including paper, cartons, plastic, and metal sheets. At the same time, it has a computerized system that allows easy monitoring and troubleshooting.

Personalized Packaging

According to marketing research, personalized packaging has a significant impact on consumers. Personalization allows customers to identify with a particular business or product. For instance, Coca-cola printing people’s names on its bottles attracts people to buy its product.

Through personalization, a brand can tug to a consumer’s heart and make a product more memorable.

Transparency

To create trust among product consumers, a manufacturer must have transparency, which is of utmost importance. This is where labels come in. Through labeling each product, a company communicates to its consumers what’s inside the product they are buying.

Through labels, customers can make an informed decision on their product purchases. In addition, clean labels are also becoming a trend in packaging. A clean label indicates that a product does not contain harmful ingredients. This label is essential in the food industry. As years go by, consumers are becoming more and more conscious about what they are putting into their bodies; a product with a clean label will help products sell out.

Design

The year 2020 saw a trend in packaging with bold designs. Companies recognize that the bolder and more dramatic a design is, the more sales their company gets.

It’s no secret that people’s attention is caught first through visually stunning features. This applies to food, people, and now, packaging. In the packaging world, intense colors like neon and bright yellows are gaining traction. Shiny and metallic sheen are also becoming a trend as it easily catches people’s attention.

According to studies, a person decides to buy a product with the first minute and a half after seeing it. Therefore, great eye-grabbing packaging is of the essence.

Flexible Packaging

Flexible packaging refers to any package that can take various shapes. Samples of flexible packaging include pouches, bags, envelopes, and shrink films. Many people use flexible packaging for a variety of reasons.

Flexible packaging is easy to store, has an extended shelf-life, and is convenient to open. It can be easily sealed, opened, and resealed, and it uses fewer materials. Most online businesses these days use flexible packaging because it takes up less space during delivery.

Based on research, it is predicted that the flexible packaging trend will stay until 2024. It is predicted to grow to up to $269 billion by that year.

Recycled Packaging

Recycled packaging is a trend that started years ago, and it is here to stay. It is part of a worldwide sustainability movement promoting the 3Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. Currently, recycling is deeply embedded in people’s psyche. As people become more conscious about recycling, manufacturers are pushed to produce recyclable product packaging.

Vintage Packaging

Most people are fascinated with old things because of nostalgia, a sentimentality to the past and the memory it evokes. Companies are constantly using this sentimentality, and the packaging industry is not an exception.

Vintage packaging promotes products by reflecting values in the olden ages. This form of packaging evokes American culture and memories from the past. Vintage packaging is reflected through classic colors and shapes; it has a sense of simplicity and calmness.

This kind of packaging appeals to both adults and the younger generation. The younger generation has a certain sense of curiosity about the past. On the other hand, the adults use vintage packaging to share their past with the young ones.