r/Packaging

I’ve been comparing auxiliary packaging systems recently and honestly a lot of them start looking the same after a while. Even some of the ones I saw on places like Alibaba had very similar layouts/specs to machines being sold under different brand names. Makes it hard to tell what’s genuinely better quality and what’s mostly branding. For people who’ve worked with these systems long term, what do you usually look at before buying?

We’ve been talking with packaging plants and converters recently and it seems like a lot of operations are struggling with:

• film scrap buildup
• trim waste
• startup rolls
• off-spec packaging runs
• label contamination
• mixed material streams
• storage and freight costs

Especially with:

• LDPE film
• HDPE packaging
• PP packaging scrap
• stretch wrap
• liners
• rejected containers/bottles

One thing that surprised me is how many facilities still combine different materials into the same gaylords or compactors, which seems to dramatically reduce downstream recycling value.

Some of the more efficient setups we’ve seen:

• separating natural vs colored material
• keeping paper labels and corrugate out early
• staging film separately from rigid plastics
• scheduling pickups before material turns into a warehouse/storage issue
• tracking scrap generation by production line

Curious how other packaging operations are handling:

• film recycling
• lightweight material freight costs
• contaminated packaging scrap
• in-house grinding vs bulk pickup
• sustainability reporting requirements from customers

Have you noticed certain packaging materials retaining more recycling value lately than others?

I work in the printing/packaging space, and recently we made a small change to how we pack our orders.

We didn’t touch the product at all.

All we did was:

• simplify the design (less clutter)
• improve the material feel slightly
• add a simple thank-you card

That’s it.

But after that, a few customers started saying things like:

• “this feels more premium”
• “packaging looks really nice”

Nothing about the product changed — just how it was presented.

It made me realize how much perception is shaped before the product is even used.

Curious —
Have you ever judged a product just by its packaging?

https://preview.redd.it/vxzm20n4mqyg1.png?width=845&format=png&auto=webp&s=1a6580b4ea93709fb46cbc959b916f2e35d25795

https://preview.redd.it/uix2dg55mqyg1.png?width=948&format=png&auto=webp&s=b9fd3248bfff2c3d41ab97a6c6aa5898eb2ceccb

I need help regarding the middle part since the reference shows it going inwards and outwards. I am confused with how to make the packaging die for this. I know my packaging die is wrong since it doesn't allow it to make folds in the middle, its just a rough die so yes. Any help/suggestion would be nice. Thank you

I am looking for a custom packaging company for my small business of namkeen. I am going to start my own namkeen brand and am looking for custom packaging

I have been digging into packaging workflows and it seems like dieline creation is where everything either works smoothly or completely falls apart.

Some designers still rely on Illustrator for simpler layouts while others are moving toward faster, more visual workflows.

What people here are actually using day to day. Are you sticking with full CAD tools or using something lighter for speed?

Hi, I’m a student at ArtCenter College of Design majoring in Illustration with a focus in Motion Design. I love drawing, I take a lot of graphic design classes, branding, motion design and lots of prints. I enjoy branding and I love getting to see all the cool promotional things that brands have their graphic designers make in LA, people can get very creative with it. I also got to work at a print shop and found to really enjoy working there, being crafty and using my knowledge from design school giving back to businesses. Initially, I thought I would go work in the digital product design space and do something along the lines of UI/UX after taking my UI class, but realizing I really want to pivot more into the print space and most interested in packaging for food/beverage or beauty industry. I realize that AI is growing rapidly and the UI/UX digital product space is getting way too oversaturated with lots of people and lots of AI, which turns me off from it a lot.

I feel like kind of a mess because I didn’t realize I wanted to do packaging until my last semester of school. I’ll be graduating with just my print shop experience.

For those in the field, what do you recommend I do to expose myself to get more experience and work towards those packaging roles, whether it be an internship or an official position? Especially with the education that I have right now? What should I brush up on skill wise? and has AI taken a toll on the industry?

I’m feeling insecure and unqualified that I don’t know much about the engineering side. But I heard some people managed to land these roles with just art related degrees or even completely unrelated degrees. How should I go about this to put in the work toward this future? Just trying to find a place where I can start this journey. thank you :)

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