Packaging Die Lines: Your Guide to Elevated CPG Brand Packaging
Launching a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand is one of the most exciting opportunities to apply your branding to tangible products that your customers will interact with. Creating a great impression after a first order is made, is a crucial aspect of the customer journey and the best way to guarantee repeat orders. There’s a reason why every business is trying to convert into a subscription model: it’s much easier to get repeat business than it is to generate new interest in your products.
That is why it is essential to not overlook the importance of manufacturing and designing thoughtful brand packaging. Let’s break down what this process looks like, starting with die lines.
What are Packaging Die Lines?
In the realm of custom packaging and product packaging design, understanding the concept of packaging die lines is crucial. Packaging die lines are not just a component of the design process; they are the foundation of creating effective and attractive packaging for your product.
Packaging die lines are the architectural blueprints of your product packaging. These detailed, technical drawings play a pivotal role in guiding the manufacturing and assembly of packaging materials. Think of die lines as the master plan for your product’s packaging. They’re detailed outlines that show where to cut, fold, and glue. This level of detail is crucial for ensuring your packaging not only looks great but functions flawlessly too.
Example of a die line: this is what a coffee packaging die line might look like. This particular example one is a coffee pouch.
Another example of a die line: this one is a 6 pack carrier for a beverage.
Whereas a lotion tube’s die line might look like this.
Choosing Your Manufacturer
Choosing your manufacturer is a foundational business decision. It’s a vital relationship as you want to ensure they can fulfill your needs and be a great partner to meet your customers expectations.
Different ones provide different value depending on the businesses products and needs. Here are some things to consider when seeking a partner:
Define Your Needs: Clearly outline what you require in a manufacturing partner. Consider factors like production capabilities, specialization in your product type, scalability, cost, location, and any specific needs like eco-friendly practices.
Research and Compile a List: Start with online research to compile a list of potential manufacturers. Use industry-specific directories, trade websites, and online forums. Also, look into business networks and LinkedIn for recommendations.
Attend Industry Events and Trade Shows: These events are great for networking and meeting potential manufacturers in person. They provide an opportunity to ask questions, see samples of their work, and gauge their expertise firsthand.
Seek Referrals: Ask for referrals from business contacts, industry peers, or professional groups. Often, recommendations from others in the industry can lead you to reliable and tested manufacturers.
Evaluate Their Portfolio and Track Record: Review the past work and case studies of the manufacturers. This will give you an insight into their capabilities and the quality of their work. Ensure that the manufacturers comply with industry standards and have the necessary certifications, especially if your product requires adherence to specific regulations.
Request Quotes and Samples: Contact the manufacturers on your list to request quotes and samples. This will give you a sense of their pricing structure and the quality of their production.
Assess Communication and Responsiveness: Throughout your interactions, assess how responsive and communicative the manufacturers are. A good partner should be transparent and collaborative.
The Difference Between Stock Packaging and Fully Custom Packaging
When you’ve selected a manufacturer, they will present options to you in terms of their available stock packaging that suits your industry / product needs. Stock packaging offers a quick, cost-effective solution with limited customization, while fully custom packaging provides a unique, brand-specific design at a higher cost and with longer lead times.
The choice between the two depends on the brand’s budget, timeline, and the importance of packaging in its overall marketing strategy. However, in most instances, unless you are a large corporation, it likely will not make financial sense to do custom packaging.
Why Your Manufacturer Should Provide Die Lines
Expertise: Your manufacturer isn’t just a supplier; they're a valuable resource. They have specialized engineers who craft die lines tailored to your product, ensuring precision and functionality. Manufacturers bring a wealth of experience in materials and production processes.
Cost-Effectiveness: Utilizing your manufacturer’s services for die line creation is often part of your existing agreement, which can be more economical than creating die lines independently with your designer.
Seamless Production Compatibility: Your manufacturer ensures that the die lines are compatible with their machinery, minimizing the risk of production issues.
Your Packaging Design Team’s Role
While a skilled packaging designer can create die lines, their role should be more focused on how to best translate your brand identity on the technical components of the die lines. They are especially important when you’re trying to differentiate your product from competitors, even when using stock packaging.
Here's how they contribute:
Creative Adaptation: Designers skillfully adapt their creative vision to fit within the manufacturer-provided die lines, ensuring brand elements are perfectly positioned and visually striking.
Brand Integration: They focus on incorporating key branding elements – logos, color schemes, and messaging – within the constraints of the die lines.
Packaging Strategy: They can help strategize on the best communicative systems in each product category and/or varietal of your business’ product line. Sometimes this means using color, illustrations, and/or photography.
Collaborative Feedback: Designers can provide valuable feedback to manufacturers, potentially enhancing the packaging’s design and functionality.
Prototyping and Review: Creating prototypes based on these die lines is essential. Your design team plays a crucial role in reviewing these to ensure the highest quality. If they’re supporting the print production process, they can often highlight and troubleshoot Pantone inaccuracies, ensuring brand color consistency.
When to Include your Brand and Packaging Design Team
It’s best to have already built your relationship with your manufacturer, and have a set of stock packaging to select from during the brand identity process. Then your designer can best guide you on what connects to the brand direction best, and we can seamlessly move into packaging design, because the manufacturer will be able to easily provide die lines of our choosing.
In Conclusion
Navigating the world of packaging design is a collaborative effort between you, your manufacturer, and design team. While your manufacturer provides the technical foundation with optimized die lines, your design team infuses your brand's identity into this framework.
This partnership is key to creating packaging that is not only functional and cost-effective but also a true reflection of your brand.
Interested in exploring this further? Get in touch with Tributary Design Studio, and let's craft packaging that beautifully represents your brand.