CPS | Blog

Ode to Lawrence and PANTONE

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0000

You've heard, the phrase "all the colors of the rainbow" before. If asked to name those colors, you'd probably say: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Well that's true, if you're coloring one with a Crayola 8 pack. But as you know, there are SO many more colors in the rainbow ... thousands more.

Color is an integral part of packaging. Color influences us in many conscious and subconscious ways, and picking the right color for your packaging is key to its success. Everyone perceives color differently. Not only are the mechanics of everyone's eyes different, but so are their color naming skills. For instance, women typically have a larger color vocabulary than men. Not always, but generally. I'm sure you've had a conversation like this before.

HER: So what do you think of this dress?
HIM: It's nice.
HER: I love this color. I think it looks great with my eyes.
HIM: Yeah, that's a nice green dress.
HER: Green? This? No, no, honey. This is chartreuse.

HIM isn't stupid, HIM's not unrefined, HIM just calls that color green and she calls it chartreuse. We all have a different type of green come to mind when we say: chartreuse, kelley, forest, lime, spring, and so on.

In the packaging and design world I have conversations like this all the time:

CLIENT: So I wanted it to be orange.
DESIGNER: What kind of orange? Like the fruit ... or more like a tangerine?
CLIENT: I don't know ... what color is a tangerine?
DESIGNER: Well ... uh, it's orange with a little more yellow in it.
CLIENT: Huh.
DESIGNER: Right. Ok, is there a sports team that uses the orange you like?
CLIENT: Oh yeah! I really like BSU's orange. Let's do that.

This is why DESIGNER loves Lawrence. In 1963, Lawrence Herbert, developed the PANTONE color system, "an innovative system for identifying, matching and communicating colors to solve the problems associated with producing accurate color matches in the graphic arts community" (see pantone.com). Thanks to Lawrence, CLIENT can just tell DESIGNER, "Make it PANTONE 1645." End of story. Both are happy. Both know exactly what that orange looks like.

Lawrence wasn't only smart ... he was brilliant! He made it possible for us to have these kinds of concise conversations at the nominal fee of $120. Pictured left is an example of a PANTONE color book. Yeah, they're expensive, but if you work a lot with color, it's a great resource to have.

There are several different kinds of books, targeted toward different industries. The one we use most frequently is the PANTONE Matching System or PMS. An unfortunate acronym, true, but that's what it stands for. You'll often hear professionals ask, "What's the PMS code?" They really want to know what PANTONE color you want.

The PANTONE color system is pretty sweet, and the more it's used the faster and more accurately we can communicate. I'm not suggesting that we go around saying, "Howdy neighbor, your lawn is so 581, who do you use to treat it?" or, "Your eyes are so 283." No, that would take all the fun out of these dysfunctional color conversations we love.

Are you a sustainable organization?

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

The sustainability efforts of communities, governments, and companies are rising. A large retailer has developed a Sustainability Index. Its goals are to create a more transparent supply chain, drive product innovation and provide customers with information they need to assess products’ sustainability.

This retailer accomplishes these goals by collaborating with their entire supply chain. In order to be a supplier to this retailer, a supplier must comply their Supplier Sustainability Assessment. Here's an abbreviated version of the survey:

Have you set greenhouse gas reduction targets?
Have you set solid waste reduction targets?
Have you set water use reduction targets?
Have you established sustainability purchasing guidelines for your direct suppliers that address issues such as environmental compliance, employment practices, and product/ingredient safety?
Have you obtained 3rd party certifications for any of the products that you sell?
Do you know the location of 100% of the facilities that produce your products?
Before beginning a business relationship with a manufacturing facility, do you evaluate their quality of production and capacity for production?
Do you have a process for managing social compliance at the manufacturing level?
Do you work with your supply base to resolve issues found during social compliance evaluations and also document specific corrections and improvements?
Do you invest in community development activities in the markets you source from and/or operate within?

These are ways to make your entire operation more sustainable. Learn more about how to make your packaging more sustainable by reading this previous post.

What plastic type is best for my product?

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:24:00 +0000

We get this question all the time: what should I put my product in? A client has a product with a special list of ingredients that may or may not require a specific plastic type, and they just need to know from us, the plastic experts, the definitive answer to this question. The answer is ... we're not sure!

Oh, that's really helpful.

Keep reading though because I'll tell you why this question is so hard to answer. And I'll tie it all up with some ideas on how we can all work together on identifying some plastic types that will work well with your product.

Why we're not sure.
Essential oils are an excellent example of why we're not sure. In my article on essential oils, you'll read that essential oils in their pure form should not be stored in plastic. In fact, glass is really the only suitable package for pure essential oils. However, if those same essential oils are used as an ingredient in a lotion or cream, for instance, we've found that PET is a perfect plastic type for these kinds of products.

How we CAN help.
Over the years we've had a lot of experience with different kinds of products. We work with our customers continually on making suggestions and recommendations, but NEVER guarantees (click through for why). I know that's not really comforting. But like the essential oils example, we don't know how much you've diluted your oil, acid, solvent, adhesive, glue, etc, and therefore can't guess how it will react. What we can do is the following:

Recommend what plastic types other customers in your industry have used
Suggest a particular family of containers to test
Urge you to test your product with our container and/or closure
Provide you with a free sample (we offer a free sample of most of our items) to test

How you can help yourself.
Here are some additional ideas on how you can identify what plastic type will work best with your product:

Call us at 1-800-473-4144 and ask if we have any suggestions or ideas.
Research the different plastic types and get a general idea on which types to test.
Go to the grocery store or competitor and look at what they're using to package their product.
Get a sample from us and test it.
Research all applicable regulatory agencies on packaging in your industry.

What do I look for when I test my product?
When testing your product in our container or closure, here are the kinds of things that you want to look for:

Does the container and lid combination create a leak-proof seal? Does my product leak when turned upside down? Does it leak when I shake it?
Does my filled and sealed container panel over time? Does the shape of the container begin to distort over time? Fill your container and watch it over days, weeks, and months.
Does my product weaken the structure of the plastic? Does the container start to feel flimsy or weak?
Does my product taste or smell funny prior to expiration date? Do I need a fluorinated container?

You've spent a long time getting your product developed. We know. Finding the right package and getting it decorated and getting it ready for market could take you just as long. Don't get discouraged. Just remember it's all part of the process.

So, what IS the best plastic type for your product? The best answer: try it and see.

Fluorination: Your bottle can take the pressure

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:40:00 +0000

Paneling. If you don't gasp when you hear this word, you will when you know what it means. According to Terminology 101 at CPS University, paneling is the:

distortion of a plastic container that occurs during aging or storage, caused by the development of a reduced pressure inside the container.

In short, paneling is the slow, inexorable and impending implosion of your bottle. Here's a picture of two containers with the same product. The one on the right is paneling. Looks painful. (I assure you the bottle feels no pain, YOU, however, will feel the pain when your customers refuse to buy your emaciated-looking package).

So how do you stop paneling from happening? You fluorinate it! Let's return to Terminology 101 at CPS University to get a definition of fluorination.

Fluorination is a treatment for plastic containers that prevents container paneling and distortion and reduces odor emission and chemical permeation. Also reduces flavor or fragrance loss.

NOT ALL PRODUCTS NEED A FLUORINATED CONTAINER. Some products that use fluorinated bottles include: acetone, auto additives, lighter fluids, degreasers, some health and beauty care products, insecticides, kerosene, lubricants, paint thinners, plant food products, waxes, cleaners, polishes, weed killers, herbicides, wood preservatives.

Call us at 1-800-473-4144 if you have found that your containers are paneling. We can help you identify if you need fluorination.

Wanting to save space? Euclid proves EZ Stor Pails are the answer.

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:51:00 +0000

I haven't met anybody—packaging aficionados or otherwise—that don't quickly grasp the simplistic beauty of the rectangular pail. Most pails (AKA buckets) are round. Round pails are wonderful. They really are.

But rectangular pails are STUPENDOUS.

Read on or watch (embedded below) our CPS Video production featuring the EZ Stor pail line to learn exactly why to be square is better than being round.

For those of you who would prefer to read ... here's the crux of the video. EZ Stor pails are STUPENDOUS because they are square or rectangular instead of round. Thanks to our ancient friend Euclid of Alexandria we can use geometry to prove why square pails are STUPENDOUS opposed to just wonderful like round pails. We'll use the following image for our Euclidean experiment:

Hypothesis: Square (or rectangular) pails are STUPENDOUS because they don't waste space. Round pails do.

Assumptions: (1) The dimensions of both the round and the square pails are identical: length 12 inches, width 12 inches. (2) Both occupy a 12x12 inch space. (3) The 9 circles and the 9 squares occupy the same floorspace (36x36 inches), as pictured above.

Ok, let's do the math.

Our hypothesis is correct! Square pails have NO wasted space. Whereas the circles have 278.19 square inches of wasted space. Remember, this was all 2 dimensional ... the amount of wasted space is dramatically different when you run this experiment in 3D instead of 2D like we've done here. I mean look at all of that wasted space (see orange).

Really, if you haven't watched the video by now ... you should. This point is made much more dynamically, in 3D actually.

The EZ Stor pails are really stupendous. They also come with hinged lids, which makes getting in and out of them much easier. Some of the lids also have gaskets, which help to keep contents fresh and sealed. They work well in your pantry, garage, craft room, storage room, attic, wherever you need to store stuff.

Shop for EZ Stor pails now
Watch the video at youtube.com/conpakvideos

The FDA on BPA (Bisphenal A)

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Bisphenol-A (BPA) has been involved in countless studies regarding human health. BPA is a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastics. Polycarbonate plastics are lightweight, have a high-performance rating and possess attributes of clarity, heat and electrical resistance that make it ideal for many applications.

Polycarbonate plastics are one of many different kinds of plastic with the plastic identification code of 7 (which is the catch-all category). Some common applications include: CDs, DVDs, electronic equipment, automobiles, sports equipment, some reusable food containers, some drink containers and more.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved BPA as a chemical used in food contact materials in the early 1960s. That approval was renewed in August 2008. However, just a couple of months ago in June, the FDA announced that it will review the science of BPA again in the late summer or fall.

The American Chemistry Council asserts that, "Under normal conditions of use, there are no known health risks from exposure to bisphenol A from consumer products, including food-contact materials." Please see bisphenol-a.org for more information.

This same organization also states that recent studies have shown that under exaggerated conditions polycarbonate plastics may release trace amounts of residual BPA. However, safety assessments conclude that potential human exposure to BPA is more than 400 times lower than the safety levels set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The American Chemistry Council says that you would have to eat more that 500 pounds of canned food and beverages every day for the rest of your life to exceed the safe level established by the EPA.

As with every issue, there is another side. This post merely states what the FDA is saying.

Don't forget the barcode (and everything else)

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:10:00 +0000

There are a lot of guidelines, regulations, and even laws that stipulate what you should and shouldn't put on your product label. Let's go through some of the elements of a complete label and what should be included.

Please note, there are different regulations for different kinds of products. You will want to do your research for your particular product and product category to make sure that your product label complies with regulations. The regulations for cosmetic products, for example, are different than for beverages.

Let's take a look at the elements included on a typical cosmetic product label (click here or image to enlarge).

Logo. Your product should have it's own logo. A container typically contains a product that is one of many offered by a company. Think of Suave® shampoo. It has it's own logo. Suave® is one of the brands owned by Unilever®. You have to look hard to find Unilever® on the Suave® bottle. Think of your products as brands offered by your company.

Statement identifying the commodity. This should tell your customers what's in the bottle, what it's used for, why it's special, and why they need it. This should be featured prominently. Examples could be "Hydrating facial cream that reduces lines and wrinkles" or "Refreshing mouth rinse for reducing bad breath." Who doesn't want fewer wrinkles and reduced bad breath?

Net quantity/capacity statement. You need to tell your customer how much they're getting. Is there a dozen? How many ounces? Fluid ounces? You also need to provide the metric equivalent. In this case, 6 fl oz / 180 ml. This is typically included on the front panel at the very bottom.

Sales copy. If you've read any of the other articles in this blog, you know that you've got less than three seconds to persuade a customer to buy your product. USE SALES COPY. You want to sell your product right? Use your label to do that. It's your best salesperson.

Ingredients. Many consumers have allergies to different ingredients. Providing a list of ingredients can help influence their purchase. This may also be required by various regulating organizations; you'll want to research what's required.

Contact information. You need to include the name and place of business of the product's manufacturer, packer, or distributor. You will want to provide some way for your customers to contact you if need be. This is also required by most regulatory agencies.

Bar Code. Bar codes, or UPCs, are amazing and they're everywhere. You can apply to the Uniform Code Council (UCC) for permission to enter the UPC system. There is an annual fee for the privilege. In return, the UCC provides you with a six digit ID number (the first 6 digits of the bar code) as well as guidelines on how to use it. The remaining five digits of the UPC are your item number(s). The 12th digit is automatically generated. Read this article from howstuffworks for more information on UPCs.

Container & Packaging Supply has 4 printed samples that you can order for FREE to help you get your own package design ready. They can also help you with artwork and printing. Call 1-800-473-4144 for more information.

Click the image to order a free print sample from Container & Packaging Supply.

What is sustainable packaging and how do I do it?

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:50:00 +0000

It's official. Sustainable packaging has matured from fad to trend, according to experts. What is sustainable packaging and how can small, medium and large businesses adapt?

Fortunate for us, there is a coalition of sustainable packaging experts who can help us understand all things sustainable. They are called, you guessed it, The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC).

Sustainable packaging is (1) beneficial, safe and healthy (2) meets market criteria for performance and cost and is (3) made and recycled using renewable energy. There are other criteria, refer to the SPC website for the full definition.

So what are some ways that you can make your product offering more sustainable?

Lightweight the package. Not all 8 oz boston round containers are of equal weight. Within the 8 oz boston rounds are containers that use more or less plastic. If your product performance is not compromised by using a lighter weight container, go for it.

Offer refills. If it makes sense economically and logistically for customers to get a refill, you might want to offer that service to them. You might even incentivize them by offering a discount on their refill since they've already purchased the package.

Accept returns. Some companies accept returns of the primary package. You could set up a loyalty program by offering a free gift to customers that return a certain number of your containers.

Recycle. Remember, ALL plastics are recyclable. Look on the bottom of each container and you can see the resin identification code. This tells you which recycling streams it can put into. You should also remember that not all materials can be recycled in all areas.

There are more ways to make your packaging more sustainable. Just with any other fad-turned-trend, your creativity is the only limit.

What IS the main purpose of packaging?

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:15:00 +0000

For several weeks, we have been polling our CPS Blog readers on what they think the MAIN purpose of packaging is. Admittedly our universe for this poll is small, only 22 votes. But, even a small sampling can give us some ideas.

Fifty percent believe that the main purpose of packaging is to encourage purchase. Protection came as second most important, a necessary evil came as third, and education is last. What can we glean from this data?

Packaging is your best salesman. We've cited several times in this blog that studies show that you've got less than three seconds to persuade the customer to buy your product. Our responders, at least, believe that packaging makes that decision easier. A good package catches the eye, says what it does, makes you a promise, and you have to decide if you can live without it.

Evolution of containerandpackaging.com

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:14:00 +0000

Please indulge me for just a moment. We were looking through some of our archives a couple of days ago and found some old screen shots of our website. We built our first iteration of the website almost 8 years ago. By today's standards it is an abomination. Back then ... it was pretty awesome (see video).

We got a bit better at it as the years went by, adding functionality and finesse. The website has evolved over the years into something that we're actually quite proud of. Our current iteration is just about 1 year old. I'm sure a decade from now we'll look back and chuckle, just like we're doing now.

Also, while I have your attention, this is our first video! We've just added video to our bag of tricks so keep your eyes open as we bring you in-depth videos on product demos, features, benefits and so on. Enjoy our first CPS Video and the evolution of containerandpackaging.com.

CPS University: Packaging Expertise at your Fingertips

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:56:00 +0000

Packaging is a big industry. Nearly everything you buy is packaged in something. Choosing the right kind of packaging for your product can be very difficult. Will my product interact poorly with this container? Is this plastic the right kind of plastic? What is the difference between a boston, imperial, industrial, and modern round?

Answers to these questions and more can be found here at CPS University -- an area of our website dedicated to helping you become a packaging expert.

Periodically we add articles to the CPS Blog that merit the CPS University label. This helps us and you continue our learning of this vast field. At CPS University you will find several courses:

Bottleology 101
Learn the different shapes and styles of bottles. What are the differences between a Boston, Imperial, Industrial, Sunset, and Modern Round?

Plasticology 101
Learn more about the properties of the different plastic types or resins. What are the 6 major plastic resins? Which will work best with your product?

Terminology 101
Learn more about the industry terminology in general. What is an HIS liner? Paneling? Fluorination?

Website Navigability 101
Learn more about the capabilities and tools built into this website. Learn how to use our website so you can get what you need as quickly as possible.

What are the 6 main plastic (resin) types?

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:12:00 +0000

There are really 6 major plastic types: HDPE, LDPE, PP, PVC, PET and PS. Please see Plasticology 101 for how these plastics are used, what recycling streams they can enter, properties like clarity and temperature thresholds and other great resources on understanding the comparative properties of these plastic (or resin) types.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
PET or PETE (or the obsolete PETP or PET-P) is of the polyester family and is used in beverage, food and other liquid containers. PET can be semi-rigid to rigid and is very lightweight. It acts as a good barrier to alcohol (requires additional "Barrier" treatment) and solvents. It is strong, impact-resistant, and naturally colorless and transparent.

Common uses: soft drink bottles, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jars, products containing essential oils, some fruit juices, alcohol beverage bottles, space blankets.

High-density polyethelene (HDPE)
HPDE is made from petroleum. HDPE has a stronger intermolecular force and tensile strength than low density polyethylene (LDPE). It is also harder and more opaque and can withstand somewhat higher temperatures: 120 °C for short periods, 110 °C continuously.

Common uses: milk jugs, distilled water, large vinegar bottles, grocery bags, liquid laundry and dish detergent, fabric softener, motor oil, antifreeze, bleach and lotion.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Nearly 57% of PVC is chlorine, requiring less petroleum than other plastics. PVC is biologically and chemically resistant. It is the third most widely used plastic after PET and PP. PVC is ideal for storing shampoos, oils, and other chemicals. PVC plastic bottles are durable for long periods of time and can withstand various environmental demands.

Common uses: chemical spray bottles, pipes, electrical wire insulation, clothing, bags, upholstery, tubing, flooring, waterbeds, pool toys, bottles.

Low-density polyethelene (LDPE)
LDPE is made from oil. Its tensile strength and density is lower, but its resilience is higher than high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It can withstand temperatures of 80 °C continuously and 95 °C for a short time. It can be translucent or opaque, is flexible, tough, and almost unbreakable.

Common uses: dry-cleaning bags, produce bags, trash can liners, food storage containers, bread bags, squeezable containers, six pack soda can rings, food storage.

Polypropylene (PP)
PP is often used for food packaging. It's not as tough as HDPE, but it is less brittle. PP is less flexible than LDPE, somewhat stiffer than other plastics, reasonably economical, and can be translucent, opaque, or of any color. PP has very good resistance to fatigue. PP has a melting point of 320 °F (160 °C). Food containers will not melt in the dishwasher nor during industrial hot filling processes.

Common uses: bottle caps, drinking straws, hinged containers, battery cases, dairy tubs (e.g. sour cream, cottage cheese), cereal box liners.

Polystyrene (PS)
PS is made from petroleum. Pure solid polystyrene is a colorless, hard plastic with limited flexibility. It can be cast into molds with fine detail. Polystyrene can be transparent or can be made to take on various colors.

Common uses: bottle caps, drinking straws, yogurt cups, clear carryout containers, vitamin bottles, fast food, spoons, knives and forks, hot cups, meat and produce trays, egg cartons, clamshell carryout food containers.

Creating the perfect package

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:02:00 +0000

You've spent months even years developing your product and now you've got to bottle it and sell it. Here's what you need to do to create the perfect package for your product:

Study the competition. Look around and see what kind of packaging your competitors are using. You want to be unique, but you need to use packaging that makes sense. You wouldn't put Whiteout in an economy-sized lotion bottle with a pump. First off, that's enough Whiteout for a lifetime! Secondly, what are you going to do with the whiteout once you've pumped it? Rub it all over your hands? And thirdly, consumers have expectations on how Whiteout is packaged and that's what they look for on the shelf.

Know HOW your product will be used. Before you can choose a container and a closure for your product you need to think through where your customer will store it and how they will use it. Again, you wouldn't put eye drops in a milk jug. I don't know of a gallon of anything that I'd want to dump in my eyes. Make sure that the cap you choose creates the most positive experience for your customer. This needs to be positive in aesthetics and well as usage.

Know WHO your product is for. This is HUGE. Is your product for a car mechanic or a pre-teen obsessed with makeup? If it isn't obvious you've got a problem. If your product is for everyone, you have an even bigger problem. You have to drill it down. Think of what a terrifying world this would be if pantyhose, denture glue, and preperation H were for everyone. For example: Green Works™ cleaners (from Clorox) are targeted toward female homemakers wanting to live a more balanced, natural life. This person will be interested in green, biodegradable ingredients, recyclable packaging, no animal testing, natural, no harsh chemicals, etc. And you know what? These people buy this stuff because Clorox makes it obvious that it's for them.

Know WHY your product is unique and SELL that. Chances are EVERYTHING about your product isn't unique. But there is SOMETHING that makes it unique. This is WHY someone will buy your product and not the one next to it. Be sure that this unique quality is obvious. Don't shout it at your customers (although Billy Mays the OxyClean guy seems to make a lot of money doing this) but be sure they get it.

Hire a designer. Freelancer or agency. It doesn't matter as long as they're good. I can't stress this one enough. Let me put it this way. Your chain store barber/stylist can give you a great cut/color/perm but it is HIGHLY unlikely that they can also counsel you through the differences between a c-corp, s-corp, and an LLC. Now this part is really hard to hear for a lot of people ... if you didn't go to college to get a design degree, chances are you aren't a designer. So, keep your fortes in house, and outsource everything else. Hiring a designer forces you to communicate the HOW, WHO, and WHY (see 2, 3 and 4) so the designer can create a package design that will sing to your potential customers' souls. This is a valuable exercise for you, and you'll get a professional design out of it, because ...

DESIGN MATTERS. The average consumer spends less than three seconds making up their minds whether or not to buy a product. The fact that you have all the greatest ingredients or a truly revolutionary formula won't mean a thing unless the customer SEES your product. Customers SEE things they need. They need: unique, engaging, colorful, exciting, intriguing, different, soothing, and a host of other adjectives. These adjectives must be consistent with your product. Again ... you wouldn't put a soothing massage oil in a squeezable mustard bottle and call it SHAZAMY! Yellow is energy, excitement, happiness, manic, sunshine, bipolar, crazy, fresh, citrus. Don't even get me started on the name. These aren't the right kinds of reactions you want to solicit if your product is a calming massage oil. Your designer is an experienced professional in THIS arena. Use them to help you create packaging that makes sense.

Five packaging must-knows

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Here are 5 vital things you need to know as you start on your journey that packages your product to sell:

You can't have a product without a package. Just think about potato chips and eggs for example. How could you sell them unbroken and undamaged without a package?
The package could cost more than what is inside. The rule of thumb is that the package should be 8-15% of the total cost on average. 10% of every dollar spent at retail is directly attributable to packaging.
Your package has to sell the product not just protect it. The average consumer spends just 2.6 seconds making a decision whether to pick up your product or not. So your packaging better be on target to the right audience with the right message.
Most packaging materials suppliers like large quantity orders. It's hard to find a supplier for small quantities. The double edged sword is that you don't have large orders when getting started.
Packaging trends and innovations can influence whether your product will ever get onto the store's shelf. The secret is in knowing what is going to be the "issue" of the future or what might be mandated as a "must have" in your product packaging.

Adapted and Condensed from (used with permission):
5 Things Every Business Needs To Know About Packaging
JoAnn Hines, The Packaging Diva
www.packagingdiva.com

Logo: To Refresh Or To Not?

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:23:00 +0000

A customer wasn't sure if they should keep the same label they started with 10 years ago. I recommended a refresh. Ten year old kitchen appliances are rust and avocado colored. If I was wearing the same clothes I had from 20 years ago, I'd be wearing acid-washed jeans with pegged cuffs, high-top sneakers, a baggy fluorescent orange t-shirt with my sleeves rolled up, and poofy hair. I'd look like Screech from Saved By the Bell. It is good to update. It is imperative to update.

A company should always look for ways to improve the customer experience and polish its image. A company that does not always seek improvement becomes stagnant, sluggish and irrelevant. Some brands are "classic" because they have withstood the test of time: Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Chevron, Walmart, etc. They have withstood that test of time by walking the razor's edge: adapting to remain relevant to their consumers without compromising their fundamental identity.

Things trend: clothing, counter tops, hairstyles, music, news, light bulbs, and more. There is huge value to updating your label and logo ... It needs to be relevant and current. Yet, this too is a razor's edge because if you're too trendy, you risk having to refine more often. If you go too far, you risk alienating your existing base of customers. The goal is to find an image for your product or company that is relatable, current, yet transcends trendy and can become "classic."

The same kinds of trends happen in packaging.

Container & Packaging Supply has updated. Look at our new website, envelopes, calendars, logo layout, logotype, colors, business cards, flyers, signs, brochures, on hold messaging system, dress code, and more. All of these things contribute to creating an image.

Maybe it's time for you to update?

Defining "Green"

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:16:00 +0000

As the sustainability, organic, and natural products movements continue to grow, so does the list of vocabulary terms. Read below for definitions on related terminology.

Biodegradable: The ability of a material to be broken down by natural processes and then absorbed by the ecosystem.

Downcycled: Refers to materials that lose viability or value after they've been recycled.

Energy efficient: Products and systems that use less energy than their conventional counterparts to perform the same tasks.

Greenwashing: The practice of making misleading or unsubstantiated claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service.

Organic: Refers to foods and fibers that are grown and processed without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic livestock is reared without the use of antibiotics or hormones.

Pre-consumer: Refers to a material that is being reused or recycled before it goes to market, such as waste left over from manufacturing.

Post-consumer: Refers to an end product generated by a consumer that is being diverted from the solid waste stream for recycling.

Recycling: The process of converting materials that are no longer useful in their current condition and turning them into a brand-new product.

Sustainable: The use of natural resources to meet present needs, without compromising those of future generations.

Upcycled: Refers to waste materials that are recycled into something of greater value or use.

Source:
The Language of Going Green
By Jasmine Malik Chua, Special to LiveScience
http://www.livescience.com/environment/080714-green-terms.html

CPS+RSS equals a smart match

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:23:00 +0000

You've probably seen this little icon around. This is the RSS icon. What is RSS? RSS stands for "really simple syndication." Here's how it works. I know you probably won't admit it ... but you've probably listened to Delilah. Every night on over 236 radio stations (about 7 million listeners) you can hear Delilah taking requests, playing songs, and telling you to "Love Someone." Delilah actually lives in Washington, yet her "content" is "syndicated" or "distributed" across the entire United States. RSS works very similarly to this.

Think of how you get your newspaper, the TV Guide, and your copy of People magazine (I've seen it on your counter Ben!). You "subscribe" to these services by sending in a postcard that says, "I give you money, you mail me magazine." The publisher or "syndicator" receives your request and begins to "feed" you your magazines via your mailbox, and making withdrawals from your credit card.

RSS works very similarly (except that it's usually free): You click on the RSS icon and "subscribe." The "syndicator" or website then "feeds" the content to your aggregator. An agre-what?! An aggregator is a mailbox for all of your feeds; often called a news reader or feed reader. Many of you use an aggregator without even knowing it: iGoogle, Google Reader, Microsoft Outlook, Yahoo and more can be configured to "aggregate" or collect your RSS feeds.

Bear with me ... I know that explanation is far from really simple, but compared to micrbiological astrophysics, it is. Let's talk about the benefits of what an RSS feed can do for containerandpackaging.com.

Everyone has a default homepage when they open their web browser. Some people have set their default to be Yahoo, iGoogle, MSNBC, Facebook, etc. The number of people that have set containerandpackaging.com to be their homepage are VERY few (and those that have probably all work here). If we can get a presence on their homepage, then they'll get to see us EVERY time they open a new browser. As I've heard Sandy say ... "This is huge."

Here's my iGoogle homepage (click image to enlarge). This is an aggregator. Rather than going to the boring Google search engine page, I can go to a search engine page that has content that I need and want. Each one of these boxes is a feed that I've "subscribed" to.

I've set up a countdown to my 5 year anniversary (I'm registered at Target), I've got Japanese flash cards (today's word is most apropos, don't you think?), I've got news articles from Website Magazine and WebPro News "fed" directly into my homepage. And the best of all ... I have all of the CPS NEW ITEMS fed to this page too. Throughout my day/week/month I can keep tabs on new happenings on sites and topics that I'm interested in. Not a bad service to offer to our customers. Right?

Currently we have created three RSS feeds: Closeout Items, New Items, and Overstock Items. In the future we will also provide an RSS feed for our articles. This will help us gain better rankings and position us as an industry expert.

Anyone can subscribe to one or all of our feeds by doing clicking on any of the RSS icons located on our website (click image to enlarge).

CPS meets Google Product Search

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:48:00 +0000

You may remember hearing about a Google product called Froogle. You can use Google to search for basically anything: articles, companies, listings, news, games, toys, products, etc. Froogle allows you to search a massive inventory of products ... as the page says: "Search for stuff to buy." It is the ultimate online shopping experience. Rather than stopping at Best Buy online to compare cameras, you can compare cameras from Best Buy, Walmart, Idaho Camera, Radio Shack, Circuit City ... ALL stores at the same time.

Froogle was renamed to Google Product Search in 2006. (Read this article for more information on the Froogle history.) It looks a lot like the standard Google Search Engine, simple and minimalistic, but has some key differences.

Container & Packaging Supply is going through the process of listing all 2,200 of our items on Google Product Search. This is the equivalent of having our entire product line available in the largest department store on the planet. Customers can now find our products on Google, as well as on our site.

Here's how it works:

Go to the Google Product Search engine: http://www.google.com/products
Type "blue glass vial" into the search field. Hit "Search Products."
Your search engine results page (SERP) returns about 544 items.
Choose "Sort by: Price: Low to high" from the drop down menu on the upper right corner of the page.
VOILA! Our G109 moves to the top of the list.
If you click on the image, it takes you directly to our G109 item page.

Here are some extra tips and features:

By clicking on the "Add to shopping list" link directly under the G109 item, you can generate a list of vials from hundreds of different providers and then ultimately choose your favorite (ours, of course).
You can create shopping lists and then email them to friends, parents, our spouses. You can disseminate your Santa list to your entire list of friends (not recommended).
You can refine your search (scroll to the bottom of the SERP) by price range, brand name or store. Click the "more" link under "Store" and choose "Container & Packaging Supply." You'll see all the items that CPS has to offer (we're still working on populating this list).

Oh, and it's all free. We just got all of our items on the shelves at the Google Product Search grocery store without spending a dime!

Social Media and Bookmarking

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:55:00 +0000

So the latest and greatest (or so the universe tells me) is that social media and social bookmarking is the wave of the marketing future. We're actually a tad behind ... but not too far. We should always look at what the competition is doing; and not all competition is direct. For example, the Majestic Theater on Overland Road doesn't just compete with Edwards 21 in Boise, but also Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, Netflix, ice skating, mall hopping, drag racing, papier-mâché and anything else someone would do on the weekend.

So, where our the competition may not necessarily be doing social media, the rest of the world is. And, in order to make shopping at CPS easier, we are going to join the bandwagon.

Our first step to jumping on board will be to plug into the social media network. We will do this by making the pages/items/articles in our website accessible to social networks like: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, Digg, Buzz Up, Google Bookmarks, Delicious, StumbleUpon, and Favorites (respectively pictured below).

Here's what each one of these do:

Social Networks: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn. There are some minor differences between these, but essentially they all allow you to connect with your friends and colleagues online. Think of these as a large Rolodex of people you know. Rather than a name and phone number on the Rolodex card you have a name, email address, photo albums, favorite songs, favorite political articles, recipes, professional projects you're working on, and whatever else your friend wants to share. You can "unfriend" your more "profane" friends if you need to.
Share Content: Digg. My wife's grandmother likes to send me newspaper clippings in the mail. Digg is one of the biggest buckets of news out there, and this is essentially what it does ... but with a twist. When grandmother Ruby sends me those articles, imagine if there was a sticky note on top that said 14,236 other people read this article and they "digged" it. I now know that there are 14,236 others that thought this article was worth reading. I don't just have to take Ruby's word for it.
Social Bookmarking: Buzz Up, Google Bookmarks, Delicious, StumbleUpon, Favorites. I want you to think about all of your favorite sites ... news sites, recipe sites, sports sites, CPS home page, or the SAM login. You've probably saved these to your favorites or bookmarks. Now imagine that all of your bookmarks are saved to where others can see what you've bookmarked. (Get it? It's social because others can get involved. Quit hogging your bookmarks to yourself! C'mon, share! Pass them around.) For the don't-stalk-me-conscious this may seem invasive, but for others it fulfills the purpose of what social media is all about ... building community with people that have similar interests. You could discover that there are 324,453 others that like rock/paper/scissor tournaments.

If there are people out there that like rock/paper/scissor tournaments (and I kid you not, I had a former colleague rank twelfth in the nation ... ask me about it), then there are definitely people out there that like packaging. And it just so happens that in just two weeks I've found 108 other people in the world, so far, who have bookmarked our site via Delicious. Those 99 other people have made notes regarding our site like (ahem):

"Best price, ship to Canada."
"No tall tea tins available at this site."
"Found while searching for travel containers for our favorite spices, oils, etc."

This is incredible information. Someone shopped around and thought we had the best price and liked that we ship to Canada. Adding tall tea tins to our inventory might be a good idea. Someone found us while looking for travel-friendly containers.

Why CPS? Because there are millions of users (literally, millions) in each of these networks. (I'll admit ... I belong to each one of these. YES, I DO have friends, real friends, thank you very much.) Millions of people use these services (Facebook, Digg, etc) to:

Research and organize products prior to purchase
Read news and current events
Organize sites and information they find while browsing the vast Internet
Communicate with family, friends, and colleagues
Promote events, news, products, services and more.

By plugging in we hope to make it easier for our customers to do these 5 things with our products and brand.

Natural Trend: ALL ABOARD!

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:22:00 +0000

Small and mid-sized companies have jumped on board the natural trend bandwagon. The large multinational companies seem to only be entering the category via acquisitions. Estee Lauder jump started the trend in 1993 by acquiring Aveda. L'Oreal has acquired The Body shop, Kiehl's, Garnier, and Sanoflore to its portfolio in the last decade. Burt's Bees is now under the ownership of Clorox, a child of the P&G mega-family, and it has proven it can compete with the larger brands.

Multinationals acquire existing natural brands instead of launching their own because it makes more strategic sense to invest in products that have been tested and proved to be successful. These multinational mega-companies are now only responsible for marketing and promoting the brand. Let someone else pay for the research and development, right?

Adapted from Happi Magazine
Are Multinationals Missing the Natural Movement
Imogen Matthews

Decorating your package

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:31:00 +0000

Creating the perfect package for your product is absolutely essential to marketing your business. Once you have found the plastic container, jar or glass bottle that truly accents and compliments your product, you are well on your way to that perfect package. Without appropriate and artistic labeling, however, you will never sell your creation.

Let Container & Packaging Supply help you find and create your perfect package. After selecting the plastic container you want out of our large inventory, allow us to decorate your package. We have a variety of methods for providing your custom decoration, from the widely used silk screen process, to the new heat transfer process.

Take time to familiarize yourself with our decoration processes. In the links below, we describe what each process does and when we would recommend its use.

CPS is a Safe and Secure Place to Shop

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:04:00 +0000

Our website is a safe and secure place to shop. We partner with three different organizations to reassure our customers that we are a legitimate business, that we are a safe place to shop, and that we have a secure system for handling their personal information. Those partners are (1) The Better Business Bureau, (2) McAfee SECURE, and (3) thawte (pronounced "thought").

The Better Business Bureau Seal
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a private nonprofit organization that promotes an ethical marketplace and encouraging honest advertising and selling practices. Container & Packaging Supply has been a BBB "accredited business" since December of 1986 (that's 23 years). This means that the BBB has determined that CPS has committed to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. The BBB Seal resides on every page of our website.

Tell our customers: "We have been a highly rated Better Business Bureau accredited business for 23 years."

Learn more about BBB ratings
See our BBB certificate

The McAfee SECURE Trustmark
Every day, McAfee runs a comprehensive scan on our website for more than 10,000 vulnerabilities. McAfee essentially makes sure that no one can hack into our website, steal information, compromise our data, or gather information on our customers. Customers who see the McAfee trustmark view our site as a safer and more secure place to shop. The McAfee SECURE Trustmark resides at the top of every page of our website.

Tell our customers: "Our website undergoes daily testing by McAfee SECURE to make sure your information is safe."

The thawte Trusted Site Seal
The thawte Trusted Site Seal tells visitors that they can trust us, that our website is validated and that they can transact safely and securely with you. A validated website is a website that has taken the necessary steps to protect customer's private and personal information. The thawte seal resides on only our shopping cart pages where personal, private, and credit card information is entered.

Tell our customers: "Our shopping cart is validated by thawte. This means that your personal information is secure."

Big Brother is Watching (or smelling)

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:16:00 +0000

Well ... smelling, actually. Just when you thought your fingerprints, DNA, exceptionally good looks, and fashion sense made you truly unique ... science comes out with research that says individuals also have a unique odoriferous signature. That means that no one else in the whole world smells like you. See? You're even more unique than you thought.

Odorprints, as they call it, are transmitted through body fluids that contain airborne volatile compounds. So how does this help us, the packaging industry (beyond the obvious security applications and new CSI episodes that this technology will generate)?

Findings could result in developing sensors for early detection and diagnosis of various disorders ... even skin disorders. Some cosmetics counters already have visual analyzers ... imagine the potential for an electronic "sniffer" that can match your smell with the most appropriate lotion, cover up, or skin treatment system.

How does the FDA define aromatherapy

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:03:00 +0000

Traditionally, perfumes have been considered cosmetics by FDA. The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) defines cosmetics in part as articles intended to be applied to or introduced into the human body "for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance" (FD&C Act, Section 201).

On the other hand, articles intended for use in the diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and intended to affect the structure or any function of the body, are considered to be drugs -- with all "new drugs" requiring FDA's premarket approval.

While cosmetics and drugs both are under FDA's jurisdiction, the legal requirements applying to them differ. A claim that a perfume's aroma makes a person feel more attractive, in general, is a cosmetic claim not requiring FDA approval before a product is sold. But if someone tries to market a scent suggesting effectiveness as an aid in quitting smoking, as a sleeping aid, or to treat or prevent any other condition or disease, or otherwise affect the body's structure or function, such a claim may cause the product to be regulated as a drug, requiring premarket approval. The agency will make judgments on a case-by-case basis.

Source: fda.org

Containers for essential oils

containerandpackaging@gmail.com (Keith McCauley) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Essential oils are a natural way to infuse your products with aromatic and medicinal uniqueness. Essential oils are concentrated compounds extracted from plants and can pack a punch not only in aromatic intensity, but in your container. To prevent deterioration and permeation, it's imperative that products containing essential oils are packaged in the right kind of container.

Use glass or aluminum for storing "pure" essential oils. Pure essential oils are very potent. Care should be taken to ensure they are stored in an airtight container. All oils have different properties and caution and experimentation should be used in determining what kind of container will work best. Most sources recommend a glass bottle with an airtight lid. Rubber and plastic containers and cap components can be damaged and deteriorated by pure essential oils.

Take care to prolong the life of your pure essential oils by storing in a cool, dark, dry place. Sunlight can accelerate the expiration of your essential oils. Some sources recommend using dark amber or cobalt blue colored glass bottles.

Use plastic or aluminum for products containing "diluted" essential oils. Plastic containers, specifically PET, have been shown to store some products containing essential oils remarkably well. In many cases, essential oils are added to lotions or other products. When mixed with a lotion, for example, the essential oil's potency is diluted. Its capacity to infuse the lotion with aroma is not diminished, but its capacity to damage plastic and rubber is. Aluminum containers may also be good options for products containing both pure and diluted essential oils.

PET may also be an excellent alternative to glass for some products. It is less expensive than a comparable glass container, weighs less than glass, and recycles well. PET bottles and jars may be a good option for storing products containing essential oils because it has a high permeability resistance rating.

Please test your product/container compatibility. Essential oils are powerful substances with a myriad of properties and potencies. We strongly recommend you test the effect your product will have on your container. We offer free samples of most of our products so that you can test your product with our containers and closures. We cannot guarantee that any container will function properly with your particular product.

Container & Packaging Supply assumes no responsibility for suitability of any container or closure for customer's particular use. It is the customer's responsibility to do product compatibility testing with container and closure selected by customer. We are not responsible for consequential damages arising from customer's selection and use of containers and closures supplied by us.