Coating for Packaging

There are tons of options for packaging, especially the finishes that are out there. The problem, however, is these tend to be very overwhelming, and very technical. Here is what you need to know about coatings, what can help you understand, and what you need in order to improve on your packaging. 

The Best coatings for Paperboard 

The first one we’re going to discuss is paperboard coatings. These are the coatings for anything that's made of paperboard, and the cool thing about this, is you can get super creative. The first one, and probably the most popular due to the quality, is lamination.  This is because it really does protect the item, albeit it may be out of some people's budget. 

Another downside to this is that it is hard to recycle. However, it does look really good on luxury packaging, since this offers a more elegant and simplistic look to it. Another option is UV along with AQ semi-gloss finishes.

These are water-based finishes that are safe for foods for the most part, at least the AQ coatings.  AQ usually is the more default for this, because of how effective it is for the price that it is. It’s low-gloss, and it offers a better texture to the packaging, but not so much that it’ll be distracting. UV coating is another option, as it offers a more glossy look, and also offers a better lamination for many. For most people, if they want to have a more protective coat, they go for lamination. UV coating is not as strong, but for the ones who care more about how green their packaging is than anything else, this is the better type of finish for the job.

Corrugated coating 

Corrugated or cartons used for shipping packages need to be used since they’re sturdier.  There are some diffenrt options. First, you’ve got the gloss varnish, or no coating. This is one that people use when they’re doing runs that are low to medium. This is because with the age of digital packaging being utilized for small or medium sized kinds of projects, and corrugated packaging is there for a better turnaround, and better costs, this is something that does save you some bucks. 

These boxes are primarily used to ship stuff, so in a sense, it is logical to not add too much to the packaging that you have. This is slowly changing though, since there is of course, the unboxing experience that people like to have. With businesses becoming more inclined to utilize design elements, they may go for gloss finishes there. Plus, sometimes you need that extra coat to fully protect the box. 

Based on how complex or how simple the branding color and the artwork is, you can still create a box with super high quality packaging via low gloss varnishes, or with no coating whatsoever. 

Some boxes do utilize lamination though, as it is a means to create that finish that you want to see on artwork. They also have coatings though that are made for boxes that are luxury. Some people may use glossy coatings, or they might use matte ounces, as they’re known for the elegance that these offer. 

Whatever you choose to use, know that the coatings indeed do matter, and there are tons of great items that you can use to benefit from this. A lot of times, people will choose a coating that they enjoy, and they’ll be able to, through this, create the ideal product packaging that they can, and the finishes help to enhance the experience that much more.