How To Brand Your Wood Presentation Boxes With That 'Wow' Factor!

Metallic foil blocking, screen printing and laser engraving are all excellent ways of printing directly onto wood presentation boxes, to provide a high quality, branded finish! However, if you want your wood presentation boxes to have that 'wow' factor, consider using engraved or etched metal plates, fixed directly to your wood gift boxes, or promotional boxes.

Engraving and etching are methods of cutting lines into hard surfaces like metal, for the purpose of decoration and/ or branding. The key difference is that engraving uses a sharp tool, often diamond tipped, to 'score' the metal whilst etching is a chemical process that uses acid to 'burn' lines into the metal.

Glenfarclas Whisky Box With Branded Brass Plates

It's also possible to apply colour print directly onto metal plates. These methods have largely superceded traditional hand engraving techniques!

Nowadays, the engraving and etching process, particularly in the commercial world is largely computer controlled for precision purposes. It has increasingly been used for branding onto metal plates, as a highly effective and economic method of printing.

For instance, a solid brass, aluminium, or polished metal plate, etched with an exquisitely designed, coloured logo and text is high-quality branding indeed that customers notice when considering a purchase! Even a simple etched metal plate with few embellishments can look and feel really special!

The visual impact of polished metal plates can also be enhanced by introducing special design features such as chamfered or scalloped corners.

Furthermore, metal has other important characteristics such as being a hard, non-combustible and impact-resistant material It also has excellent resistance to heat and chemicals!

However, metal may corrode in certain conditions and the engraving darken over time, so to avoid this special coatings are often used!

Solid brass, plated brass and steel plates are protected with a clear lacquer finish and aluminium can be supplied anodised. These thin coatings can then be used for fine detail engraving and etching.

If you want your wood presentation packaging to stand out from the crowd with that 'wow' factor, that encourages customers to buy your products, then engraving or etching onto polished metal plates, as an alternative to traditional printing methods', is definitely worth considering!

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Natural Wood Weave Veneer & Reed Boxes!

When considering wood veneer, many people immediately think of furniture. In the furniture sector, veneering is a technique using thin sheets of wood that are glued onto rigid panels, typically solid wood, particle board or mdf.

Veneering was developed as a more economical alternative to solid hardwood which can be expensive. The veneer is obtained by cutting a thin slice of wood from a solid log, or a large block of wood.

Polmac Natural Reed Boxes With Lift-Off Lids

There are many different varieties and thicknesses of veneer ranging from 0.5 mm to 2mm in thickness, depending upon their use. Every tree is different, so each piece of veneer has a unique appearance, which means the colour, texture and grain pattern can all vary, creating stunning finishes!

One of the simplest and cheapest ways to make storage boxes, or gift boxes is to use strips of natural wood veneer, or natural reed, to form a basket weave pattern. Wood veneer can also be used in solid sheets to make beautiful, tactile boxes!

Natural, organic reed provides a more consistent, even finish compared to wood veneer. However, natural reed boxes are a popular, food compatible method of packaging, particularly in the food industry!

Using basket weave or solid sheets of wood veneer means we can create different styles and sizes of boxes. These include square or rectangular boxes, long cylindrical boxes, or flatter, round 'shaker boxes', with or without lift-off lids!

Solid veneer cylindrical boxes often have solid wood discs at top and bottom to maintain the round shape, with a flap opening arrangement along the vertical body of the box, secured by means of a wooden stop and string, rather like an envelope.

An alternative design for both cylindrical style and shaker boxes using sheets of wood veneer, is to have lift-off lids with the wrap around veneer secured along the vertical edge with polished metal stud fixings. The free end of the overlap may be straight or shaped with a band saw to provide a 'saw' or 'wave' pattern effect, for a more elegant finish!

The most economical style of weave boxes is to use veneer or reed strips throughout. The panels can then be stapled or pinned together, with no solid wood end pieces or other reinforcements!

Wood weave veneer and reed boxes can provide a unique and elegant look that many people find compelling and are an economic alternative to solid hardwood boxes. In today's competitive marketplace, where margins can be tight, this can make all the difference!

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Choosing The Right Branding Colour!

One of the major decisions when designing wood presentation boxes is what colour stain, block colour, or finish to choose? What are the factors that will influence your choice of colour/s? 

Well, if you have a strong branding colour (think red Ferrari) the choice is probably fairly straightforward!

Colours are important because they affect our general well-being and mood. Each of us has colours we like a lot and other colours less so!

 

Polmac Wood Colour Stains

Our colour perception (ie. response) depends upon many factors, such as shade, type of light (natural or artificial) our health and mindset etc

From a marketing perspective, choosing a branding colour can be a challenge, as we all have our own preferences, experiences and cultural differences etc., which may influence our choice.

Therefore, when making decisions about colour/s it's probably better to look for practical solutions rather than relying on theory!

There have been many attempts to relate customer responses to specific colours but there are far too many variables to make this a worthwhile exercise! In terms of colour perception however, there are broader patterns that may give us clues.

For instance, it's been found that many impulse buying decisions are based on colour alone. The perceived appropriateness of the colour relative to the brand is another important influencing factor!

The personality of the brand is also a big factor in the decision making process. Who, for example, would want to buy a Ferrari, if they didn't get that feeling of power and status?

When it comes to picking the right colour/s predicting customer's reactions to colour appropriateness seems to be more important than the individual colour itself.

Choosing brand colour/s is definitely challenging and there's no obvious way of making a decision. However, the context you're working in, is an important consideration. 

If your brand, or product creates the right mood, feeling and image, then you've probably cracked it!

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Using Natural Wood & Colour Stains!

The principal reason for staining wood boxes with natural wood and colour stains is to provide a beautiful, alternative finish to imported hardwoods, which can be expensive!

However, wood is an organic material that has variations in colour, texture and grain etc., even from the same log, which means there is not always an exact match from one wooden box to the next.

Polmac Natural Wood Stain Finishes

These variations are perfectly acceptable and indeed desirable, in order to maintain the natural beauty and character of wood, as long as they're within reasonable limits!

However, the goal is always to keep the final colour and finish as consistent as possible, which is why it's so important to visually select the wood and use the best wood stain available!

Wood comprises millions of cells (or pores) that absorb the liquid stain. The rate at which the stain is absorbed, along with other factors such as the colour of the cells, will determine the final colour, when the wood stain is applied!

The very best wood stains are intended to reveal the natural grain of the wood. This is one of the main attractions, because by revealing the grain, a beautiful, translucent effect is produced, that many people find irresistible!

It follows that the darker the stain, the more consistent the final colour will look, because darker wood stains will mask the wood grain and any blemishes more effectively than lighter wood stains!

However, grain pattern can also affect the stain matching process.

Wood pores in a piece of wood are arranged more or less consistently. It's this grain pattern, combined with the natural colour of the wood, which distinguishes one piece of wood from the next.

However, the grain pattern in each piece of wood can still vary, due to naturally occurring blemishes and the differences become even more pronounced when a stain is applied!

Other factors that influence the final colour of the wood are the way the logs are cut in the saw mill, the absorption time of the liquid stain, the age of the wood and the moisture content. 

For instance, wood that's extremely dry can absorb more wood stain than one that has a higher, moisture content, which means the colour will be darker!

Keep in mind that there are a wide range of wood stains from oil-based to water-based and these will also affect the final colour and appearance.

As a general rule, using oil-based wood stains will provide better protection from finger marks and will keep wood boxes pristine for longer than water based wood stains!

Only by removing or reducing the differences in natural colour, grain pattern, cut, absorption time, age and moisture content between the different pieces of wood can a more consistent colour match be obtained. This is key!

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Should I Use Wood Presentation Boxes To Sell My Products?

For those businesses that sell tangible products that you can pick up and touch, one of the first questions they may ask is "How do I sell my products"?

One of the best ways to sell tangible products is to use high quality, wood presentation packaging, because this type of packaging has been proved to increase sales and boost profits!

Many businesses, particularly small to medium size businesses, believe that using presentation packaging will stymie sales, due to the inevitable hike in price. "My products will be too expensive for my customers, if I buy your wooden boxes" is a typical comment!

Polmac F&M Condiments Box

However, the most successful companies know that high quality, presentation packaging adds value to the products inside, so it attracts more customers, which means they'll make more sales!

Furthermore, because of the 'added value' created, a psychological transformation takes place and customers will even be prepared to pay more!

"But my products are relatively low value and do not lend themselves to this type of packaging!" I hear you say! This may be true. Wood, presentation packaging is best used for selling high value products, such as single-malt whisky, cutlery and precision instruments etc. 

However, the perception that customers have of low value products can be raised significantly by selling them in gift sets!

In other words, by using gifts boxes, your products are now perceived as high value and will be much more attractive to potential buyers!

This is a technique that's often used in the health & beauty and speciality food industries with great success. Gift boxes are popular throughout the year and particularly on special occasions such as anniversaries, birthdays and Christmas and are a great way to sell your products!

One of the special features of wood, presentation packaging is that you can easily create your own designs, to suit your exact needs, so you can test the market at little cost. This means you can try out new ideas, without breaking the bank and have more money available to invest in your business. For small to medium size businesses this may be godsend!

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Why Choose Wood Presentation Packaging?

Different wood species have different characteristics and even two pieces of wood from the same log can look and feel differently. All these characteristics added together will determine the use and appeal of wood!

Colour, lustre, texture, grain, and figure all have a part to play. When using wood, presentation packaging these characteristics are important if the products being marketed are to have maximum appeal, because first impressions are crucial!

For instance, the texture of wood may be fine or coarse and there are a wide range of colours to choose from, including red, yellow, purple, brown and orange etc.

Colour Variations In Birchwood

Among the most attractive features of some woods like birch is lustre, which is a  natural sheen, that's difficult to replicate in other materials such as metal and plastic. However, lustre can be added by polishing wood.

Figure is the pattern on the surface of the wood that can come from variations in colour, grain and irregular growth characteristics.

Grain describes the orientation of the fibrous elements on the surface of wood and can be anything from straight to wavy!

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses linden wood extensively to manufacture it's wood, presentation boxes because it's a soft, white wood, with fine grain character, so it's ideal for staining purposes, giving a smooth, even finish every time!

Wood is a beautiful, natural, organic material that provides exceptional value, is uniquely sustainable and adds warmth and character that many people find irresistible!

When using wood, presentation boxes to market products, a high quality wood finish creates a 'magnet' like effect that attracts more customers, which means more sales are generated! Isn't that what we all want?

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Presentation Packaging - Logos, Branding & Identity!

When products come in customized presentation packaging, it's crucial the packaging is branded with a company logo.

The logo represents a contract with your client, letting them know what they can expect from your offering. It also differentiates your company from your competitors, so customers are more likely to remember you!

Your logo is a reflection of your brand and the presentation packaging you use should always display it in a prominent place.

Printed Logos

When using presentation packaging, there are a number of ways a branded logo may be applied. Three of the most popular methods are metallic foil blocking, screen printing and infill laser etching.

Metallic Foil Block Printing
In metallic foil blocking (sometimes described as hot foil stamping) a pre-heated metal die is stamped over a thin, coloured metallic foil onto the substrate.

Metallic foil blocking is one of the most economical way of applying a permanent, printed logo. However it should be kept in mind that the stamping process may lead to some loss of definition, if the design is particularly intricate.

Silk Screen Printing
Screen printing is also an economical method of printing and is an ink process which is suitable when fine definition is required.

Coloured ink is wiped across a fine mesh or 'screen' that's stretched over a frame and to which a stencil is applied to block off the non-printing areas. If more colours are required a separate screen is used.

Infill Laser Etching
Laser etching is a process that uses a computer controlled laser beam to permanently cut or 'etch' a logo onto a substrate like wood.

The laser etching may be left 'raw', or filled with a special paint to provide a more vibrant colour finish.

Laser etching can be a more expensive printing method because it's a slow process. The larger the logo, the more expensive it will be. However, the effects can be truly stunning!

A logo helps consumers remember a product and the purpose is to increase sales by making that product more visible and desirable. In today's competitive market, if consumers recognize a logo as a mark of quality, then they are more likely to purchase it and come back for more, time and time again! Isn't that what we all want?

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