How Printing Packaging Is a Game Changer
Printing packaging can be helpful for retail and e-commerce brands, as it can help you save money on your printing costs. By understanding how printing packaging works, you can make sure that you are getting the most efficient use of your printer and its capacity.
At the same time, if you ever need to hire a printing agency for your business branding or product packaging, at least you’ve got an idea of how things are working.
This blog post will cover the printing packaging types and their pros and cons. Also, we’ll have a close look at the most popular type of printing; offset printing.
So, are you excited to add some knowledge to your pocket? Let’s get this show on the road!
What Is Printing Packaging?
Printing packaging is the process of printing designs or texts onto boxes, wrappers, and other types of packaging materials. The purpose of printing on packaging is to create a striking and visually appealing design that will help to promote the product inside. In addition to enhancing the appearance of a product, printed packaging can also be used to communicate important information about that product, such as its ingredients or nutritional values.
Different Types of Printing for Packaging
Package printing is subdivided into multiple categories. Here’s a quick guide for figuring out the different types of printing. Let’s have a quick look at them:
- Lithography
- Flexography
- Digital
- Rotogravure
- Silkscreen
Lithography Or Offset Printing (The Most Popular)
Lithography or offset printing is a method of printing that uses a metal plate to transfer the image onto the printing substrate. The image is first created on a metal plate using either a chemical or photochemical process.
Once the image is on the plate, it is moistened with water and then brought into contact with the printing substrate. The water repels the ink except where it has been attracted to the image on the metal plate, resulting in a copy of that image on the substrate.
Pros
- Higher print quality: Lithography produces sharper images and more consistent color results than digital printing, making it ideal for projects that require high-quality visuals.
- Greater versatility: Offset printing can be used on a variety of substrates (including paper, cardboard, cloth, metal, and plastic), giving you more options for your project.
- Lower cost per print: The prints are cost-effective and stay longer.
- Increased durability: With lithography, prints are more resistant to wear and tear than those produced with other methods, such as letterpress printing.
Cons
- This printing only works perfectly on a flat surface
- Expensive machines are difficult to afford for home-users
- Good experience is required to work with the machines
Flexography
Flexography is a form of relief printing that uses a flexible relief plate, typically made of rubber or photopolymer. It is well suited for printing on absorbent materials such as paper and cardboard, as well as non-absorbent materials such as plastics and film.
While it shares some similarities with letterpress printing, flexography generally has a higher speed and can print on thinner materials. In addition, the raised areas of the relief plate can be created using molds, which makes it possible to create complex patterns and images.
Pros
- Extremely cost-effective for the long run
- The required equipment is cheaper than offset printing
- This printing process uses both oil and water ink toners
- High-quality prints with matching colors
Cons
- Compromised quality compared to offset printing
- No smooth color gradients
Digital Printing
Digital printing is a technology that allows you to print various types of images and text directly onto a variety of media substrates. This type of printing is performed using large format printers that use advanced inkjet heads to lay down the ink on the substrate.
Pros
- Print on a wide variety of materials
- Print very high-quality images
- Quick printing
- Digital printing setup takes less space
Cons
- Not a perfect solution for large volume orders
- PMS colors create problems in synchronization
- Less coating protection
Rotogravure Printing
Rotogravure printing is a type of intaglio printing process, which involves engraving the image onto an engraved cylinder. Ink is then forced into the recessed areas of the image employing a rubber roller, and the paper is then passed over the cylinder to pick up the ink.
Pros
- High-quality image results
- Best for bulk orders printing
- Spend less and produce more with this printing process
Cons
- Not suitable for small printing orders (can be expensive)
- The setup cost is extremely high
Silkscreen Printing
Silkscreen printing is a type of printing that uses a mesh screen to transfer ink onto a substrate, usually fabric or paper. It’s often used for printing designs on T-shirts, posters, and other items. The process begins with the artist creating a design, which is then transferred to a computer file.
The image is divided into different colors, and each color is printed on its screen. The screens are then lined up and attached to a frame, and the fabric or paper is placed on top. Ink is poured over the screens, and the fabric or paper is pressed down onto the ink. The ink then transfers to the fabric or paper.
Pros
- Setup is cheap and takes less time
- Takes less space to start
- Cost-effective even for small volume orders
Cons
- The printing process is slow
- Chances of human errors in production
- Not perfect for large orders
What Is the Best Type for Printing Packaging?
As per my experience, offset printing is one of the best methods for printing packaging. This method is incredibly versatile and can be used for both small and large orders. Additionally, offset printing produces high-quality images and can achieve both matte and glossy finishes. However, it does require longer lead times than some other methods.
One example is, that most ad boards you see in your daily life on large buildings, most of them are printed with the offset printing method.
Finally, with over 30 years of experience SIP Printing has worked on more than 500 offset printing projects and all of them were praised by the clients. Get in touch with us today and let your design be your brand ambassador.