How To Win Big With Wood Veneer Round Gift Boxes!

Presentation packaging is an important part of many companies marketing strategy. It helps sell products and is a vital part of the products' identity and brand value.

However, the type and quality of packaging is crucial, as it's the first thing that a potential customer sees, as first impressions count. It's been found that on average, a customers' attention span is only 3 seconds, so the presentation packaging has to be as attractive as possible.

It follows that the packaging needs to be as high a quality as possible. The more value a customer sees, the more they're likely to pay and potentially the more they'll buy!

Wood Veneer Single Product Round Gift Boxes

Many companies however, face a dilemma. If they have a high quality, high cost product, then it makes sense to use let's say wood gift boxes, as wood is a natural, organic material that resonates well with the traditional image of whisky but may be beyond . 

When people think about small gift boxes, they generally see rectangular, custom wooden boxes, that are often designed for high quality, high cost products, such as for example single malt whisky!

Most high quality, low cost products however, use simple, plain, relatively cheap packaging, like paper, cardboard and plastic. These cheap materials will do very little for the product itself, except perhaps to tell you what it is and the reason of course is cost!

Wood Veneer Round Gift Boxes As Gift Sets

One possibility is to use wood veneer round boxes for products. These types of custom wooden boxes have a number of important advantages, as follows...

1: They're inexpensive and small quantities of these specialty gift boxes can be ordered, so you can test the market, without breaking the bank! 

2:  They're visually appealing, so attract more customers!

3: They can be supplied in a range of vibrant natural wood and colour stains, which means your products will stand out from your competitors'!

4: They can be over-printed with a logo and/or text or supplied with self-adhesive printed labels, for a more personalized, branded finish!

5: These types of custom made boxes have that 'unique' quality of natural wood that many people find irresistible, so customers will often pay more!     

Veneered round wooden boxes are ideal for high quality, low cost products, either as single product gift boxes, or as multiple product gift sets. They stimulate the senses, add value and ultimately boost your sales. Isn't that what we all want? 

     

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Herbs: How Did We Get Here?

People have used herbs for thousands of years, for a wide variety of purposes, including for cooking, perfumes, currency, disinfectants and of course medicinal remedies.

Ancient Herb Garden

You may well have a ceramic or glass jar and/or a herb window box in your kitchen full of herbs from your herb garden. Cookery books nowadays have a myriad of recipes that include herbs.

Commercial Herbs Growing In Pots

People over time have learned to use herbs from ancient chroniclers. Hippocrates, the famous Greek doctor for example, regularly used herbal remedies, as did the Druids long before the Romans invaded England. 

In the Middle Ages monks in Europe grew their own herbs and in the 17th century Nicholas Culpeper published a book showing ordinary people how to prepare their own medicinal herbal remedies.

The value of using herbs for medicinal purposes has long been proven. Drinking herbal tea for example, is one of the most effective ways to treat a variety of common ailments, such as insomnia and indigestion.

Polmac Wooden Herb Pots With Lift-Off Lids

 

Some herbs today are being used to develop affordable, alternative medicines that can fight cancer, stress and other mental health issues, with fewer side effects that are often associated with traditional drugs.

Herbs are used extensively today in food and medicine and are so popular that many businesses grow them exclusively to sell into an ever expanding market.

By using only a small selection of herbs, you can 'spice up' and add more flavour to your food, take charge of your own health, improve the quality of your life and live longer. Isn't that what we all want?

For information about Polmac (UK) Ltd customized, wooden herb boxes and herb pots...CLICK HERE       

Japanese Bowls - Stylish & Elegant Eating!

Ceramic bowls and dishes are used at every meal in Japan and lend a degree of elegance and charm to the eating experience. The Japanese also believe that a beautiful bowl, or dish adds flavour to food and makes eating more of a pleasure.

Japanese rice bowls, 'Miso' soup bowls, noodle bowls, serving bowls and tea bowls make great gifts because all Japanese use them, so they're readily available and inexpensive. They often come in  in wood gift boxes as nested sets, so just shop around and choose the ones that you like.

Japanese Ceramic Bowls

Japanese bowls are made from a variety of materials, like ceramics, wood and even plastic. However,  porcelain bowls are the most popular and these are always at the centre of Japanese meals. 

The Japanese like to eat rice as a staple and they'll often do so separately from the main course but if you like Italian food, just put some pesto, vegetables, or pasta into your bowl and no-one will take any notice.  

Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese 'Chawan' bowl is used to drink green tea called 'Matcha' in the Japanese tea ceremony. This probably originated centuries ago when the first tea bowls and tea were imported from China. However, Japanese tea bowls soon developed their own distinctive style and character. 

Japanese bowls are versatile, elegant and suitable for every day use, so impress your friends and family by giving them meals with that authentic Japanese touch! 

For information about Polmac (UK) Ltd customized, wood presentation boxes for Japanese ceramic bowls and china and glassware, please CLICK HERE     

 

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How Essential Are Aromatherapy Carrier Oils?

Aromatherapy carrier oils are used to apply, or 'carry' essential oils onto the skin. They're often called base oils, or vegetable oils and are extracted from nuts, kernels and seeds. In a practitioners  essential oil carrying case, they're usually kept in large bottles!

Carrier oils are extracted by cold pressing and unlike essential oils are non volatile. In aromatherapy and massage, they're used to dilute highly concentrated essential oils and absolutes, before being applied to the skin. 

Aromatherapy Carrier Oils

Absolutes are concentrated oily plant extracts, similar to essential oils, that are also used in the perfume industry.

Concentrated essential oils and absolutes can cause severe skin irritations and reactions to some people, if applied directly to the skin undiluted. It's therefore important that they're applied by a professionally qualified practitioner!

Different types of carrier oils have different therapeutic properties and characteristics. These will include aroma, colour and shelf life, so the choice of carrier oils will depend on the therapeutic benefits desired. 

Polmac Single-Tier Aromatherapy Starter Kits

What is formulated could be a simple essential oil blend, a more complex natural moisturizing skin care product, such as a lotion, cream or lip balm. 

Carrier oils like essential oils should be kept in dark coloured air tight bottles and stored in a cool dark place, for maximum shelf life. Carrier oils have a relatively short shelf life compared to essential oils, so they must be stored correctly! 

Many practitioners like to keep their essential oils, carrier oils and accessories in a special essential oil carrying case, made from wood, because natural wood compliments the 'essential' organic nature of the aromatherapy business!

For more information about Polmac (UK) Ltd customized, wood aromatherapy boxes, practitioner cases and starter kits, please CLICK HERE

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Tea Caddy Fightback!

Household tea storage was originally supplied in small containers or jars, often with tea caddy spoon. In Europe, the earliest tea caddies were made from Chinese porcelain and also from china clay with classic blue and white designs.

Chinese Porcelain Tea Caddy with Stopper

Later, a variety of materials such as wood, pewter, tortoise shell, brass, copper and even silver were used. From the late 18th century, tea caddies made from exotic hardwoods such as mahogany and rosewood were very popular.

The word 'tea caddy' derived from the Malay word 'kati', which was a measure of weight. However, up until about 1800 tea caddies were called 'tea canisters'.

Polmac Traditional Wooden Tea Caddies

Georgian tea caddies were often embelished with polished brass trim, as well as ivory, ebony and silver inlay, to provide that extra special mark of quality.  

Many earthenware tea caddies were made in Delft, a small town in Holland that had distinctive blue and white Dutch motifs such as windmills and people in traditional national costume. 

Factories in England also produced high quality earthenware tea caddies. However, as jars for green and black teas became less popular, wooden tea caddies with locks and keys were used.  

As the modern era approached, it was important for manufacturers to brand their products, as competition was fierce. This could be more easily achieved using wood tea caddies.  

Polished brass locks are still used today, particularly for high-end tea caddies but they're expensive and labour intensive. Plated metal catches are more often used these days, as they're inexpensive, readily available and do the job just as well! 

In todays disposable society, traditional wooden tea caddies are becoming more and more popular, as people try to find more distinctive and better quality containers for their favourite loose teas!

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Horn Cutlery Boxes - Never 'Boaring'!

For centuries, bone, cow and ram horn, boar tusks and deer antlers have been used for making tools and other implements.

Ancient Roman horn clasp knives have been found in England and Chaucer wrote about a 'Thwytel', or knife in the 14th century, which was probably hafted in horn or bone.

Stag Antlers Lock in Battle

From the start, horn cutlery makers obtained their materials from local 'Knackers Yards', slaughter men and / or when cattle were 'de-horned'.

A major trade in stag antlers also flourished between gamekeepers and wardens in England and Scotland, although the main supplies came from London auction houses.

The Victorians substantially improved the quality of horn cutlery and began to sell their products in cutlery boxes and cutlery gift sets. 

 Polmac Abbeyhorn Cutlery Set

The finest horn cutlery was beautifully crafted in polished steel with silver plated ferrules and handle caps. So, horn cutlery became very popular, particularly in England, for all types of cutlery.

Deer horn has always been popular in the cutlery industry, because it has a fine, contrasting appearance and a visually appealing, wire-like texture. Early supplies of deer horn in England and Scotland mainly came from local deer parks.

Unfortunately, fashions changed and in the late 1920's prices for stag horn and bone rose sharply and it became extremely difficult to sell horn cutlery at that time, except in small quantities.

All the major manufacturers started using synthetic materials, like plastic, celluloid, rubber and metal alloys, in place of horn, because they were more readily available and a lot cheaper.

However, the stag horn cutlery and bone cutlery industries never completely disappeared and survived by catering for more discerning tastes.

However, in recent times the use of horn, bone, tusk and antlers in cutlery, particularly in England and Scotland has revived.

More and more people are looking for premium quality cutlery products that are different and more refined, even though the slightly higher prices may be a 'bone of contention'! 

For information about Polmac (UK) Ltd single and 2-tier cutlery boxes, including horn cutlery sets, please CLICK HERE

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Aromatherapy-The Holistic Way To Well Being!

Aromatherapy is used to maintain general health and well being and offers many additional benefits. These include boosting the immune system, aiding digestion, easing muscle pain, reducing stress and improving your skin complexion.

It can also reduce tension related headaches, alleviates anxiety and helps to reduce feelings of depression! This is why aromatherapy, as an alternative holistic therapy is becoming more and more popular.

Polmac 2-Tier Aromatherapy Starter Kits

Broadly, people who practice aromatherapy fall into two groups - practitioners and consumers and both groups need to keep their aromatherapy products and accessories somewhere.

Practitioners will have practitioner cases and consumers single, or 2-tier starter kits and simple aromatherapy boxes for their essential oils.

These kinds of containers not only keep the aromatherapy products and accessories in one place, they'll also protect and preserve the essential oils for longer.

Aside from aromatherapy boxes, if you're looking to impress your friends or relatives on a special occasion such as a birthday or Christmas, what better way is there than  giving them an aromatherapy gift set.

Premium quality wood is ideal for making aromatherapy boxes and gift sets because wood is a beautiful, versatile and organic material that compliments the organic nature of essential oils perfectly.

Aromatherapy boxes and gift sets may be crafted into many shapes, sizes and styles,  depending upon individual preferences and finished with beautiful clear lacquers, or stunning natural wood and colour stains.

They can also be supplied with printed logos and / or text, for a more personalized finish.

Different people will have different ideas about the contents of aromatherapy boxes and gift sets but the basics will include essential oils, carrier oils and lotions to dilute the essential oils and perhaps a burner or diffuser.

Scented aromatherapy candles can also be included, as they provide an excellent introduction to aromatherapy, some complimentary music cd's to create a soothing and relaxing atmosphere and perhaps a book about aromatherapy if the recipient is new to aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy boxes and gift sets and the essential oils they contain will provide valuable health benefits, along with enticing aromas that create a relaxing and holistic effect on mind and body that can be truly life enhancing!

For information about Polmac aromatherapy boxes, practitioner cases, single-tier and 2-tier starter kits please CLICK HERE

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King Tutankhamun's Plywood Legacy!

In 1500 BC Egyptian craftsmen used thin strips of dark ebony to decorate the outside of a cedar wood casket found in King Tutankhamun's tomb.

The Greeks and Romans later used this technique to produce decorative objects such as fine furniture. In the 1600's this method of decorating furniture became known as  veneering and the thin strips were called veneers.

Since then the technology has advanced considerably and plywood is now made from three or more thin layers of wood veneer, glued together with an adhesive. Each layer, or 'ply', has the grain running at right angles to it's neighbour, in order to reduce shrinkage and improve strength. 

Birch Ply Round Hamper Gift Boxes

Plywood has excellent strength and stiffness properties, and therefore performs well in applications where high strength and rigidity is required. It also has good resistance to humidity and is easy to work and handle.

Most plywood is supplied in large, flat sheets with thicknesses ranging from 1.4 mm to 76 mm. The most common panel size used is 1.2 m wide by 2.4 m long.

One of the great advantages of plywood, particularly birch plywood is that it can be pressed into simple or complex curve shapes, for use in furniture, boats and aircraft, so is an extremely versatile material. 

For example, the De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito flown so successfully in World War II was built from compound sandwich panels using Canadian birch plywood.

De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito

However, plywood is also used extensively in wood box making! Among the most common uses for thin gauge birch plywood is the manufacture of round boxes such as large round hamper boxes and shaker boxes.

It's also used as the base layer of wooden boxes to provide greater overall strength and rigidity and as the top layer of larger wood boxes where solid wood would tend to warp!

Plywood has a smooth even grain pattern that's ideal for the application of clear lacquers and beautiful, natural wood and colour stain finishes, that undoubtedly add a touch of elegance and class to the finished product.

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Customized Wood Fly Boxes - A Cut Above The Rest!

Fly boxes are used as an easy and simple way to store flies neatly and safely. The inside of the fly box is usually designed to accommodate a variety of different fly sizes and types.

However, choosing the right fly box can be difficult, especially as there are so many different types available, including fly boxes made from metal alloy, plastic and wood. Plastic fly boxes are particularly popular, as they're cheap and practical to use.

So, why would anyone invest their hard earned money in a wooden fly box when there are so many cheaper versions available? Well, one of the main reasons is that wooden fly boxes can be customized!

Customized Teak Fly Boxes

For instance, you can tell the story behind the craftsmanship that went into making it. Hand-crafted, wooden fly boxes can therefore be extremely evocative, because they  connect with a person's basic emotions.

The best fly boxes comprise the finest woods available and a method of production that combines using woodworking machines with that very important, creative human touch.

The base and the lid of these high specification fly boxes are carefully routed out to allow space for pre-formed foam inserts to which the flies are attached and these are then joined together with strong internal solid brass hinges and flush magnets.

The fly boxes are then waterproofed with several coats of yacht varnish and made watertight by fitting an internal rubber gasket.

The end product is a labour of love that can be customized with an image that meets a particular emotional need, or has some personal significance, such as being related to a country, a place or a river. This kind of personalization is very powerful indeed.

Wooden fly boxes are made from a range of beautiful hardwoods, including teak, walnut, bamboo and cherry and may be embellished with decorative features, such as carvings, flush inlays and colour combinations. Teak is particularly popular as it has excellent water resistant properties.

There is no doubt that people are drawn to custom-made, hand-crafted, wooden fly boxes because they are personal and have a unique warmth and beauty that is difficult to replicate in metal alloys and plastic.

They can also be signed and dated by the craftsman, so they become true objects d'art that have a practical use, rather than just being looked at. The process of making fly boxes may take longer and may cost more but the outcome will be well worth it.

Hand-crafted wooden fly boxes make excellent gifts because they evoke feelings of pride, so they can be cherished over a lifetime and handed down as family heirlooms.

When you show members of your family, friends and colleagues your customized, hand-crafted, wooden fly box, they'll be impressed by that special quality and know immediately that you're fly fishing in style! Isn't that worth waiting for?

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How To Get A Cracked Paint Finish Onto Wooden Boxes!

Many wood gift boxes manufactured for commercial use today are made to high quality standards, with a highly polished finish!

However, authentic cracked paint finishes on wood boxes are also incredibly popular but authenticity is a rare commodity nowadays.

So, this kind of finish is often produced artificially, to provide similar effects to the natural deterioration that occurs to paint over time, particularly when exposed to daylight.

Wooden Box With Cracked Paint Finish

The resulting paint finish is unusual and eye-catching and if done correctly can provide that weather beaten, rustic, farmyard effect that you may be looking for.

So, how do you get a cracked paint finish on a wooden box? Well, there are a number of proprietary 'crackling glaze' products, that you can buy over the counter at your local DIY shop, that will get the job done for you.

The application of the paint is simple enough but you need to understand the process, if you want an authentic looking finish. With this in mind, a little practice on some wood off-cuts you've discarded, until you get it right, makes good sense.

Proprietary crackled glaze products will provide instructions on how you can apply their paint successfully. However, to achieve the very best results, you need to use a combination of water based emulsion paint and crackle paint.

Use two base coats of emulsion paint, then one base coat of proprietary crackle paint. After the first coat of emulsion, add the crackle coat, brushed in the same direction as the emulsion paint underneath.

The second coat of emulsion paint should be applied at right angles to the first. Naturally, each coat of paint needs to be thoroughly dry before the application of the next coat.

Here are three tips to help you, when applying your paint finishes ...

Tip 1: Avoid applying the crackle paint in straight lines. You'll get a far more natural looking finish by painting randomly over the whole box.

Tip 2: Apply the crackle paint quickly, as the crackling process starts almost immediately.

Tip 3: Avoid overdoing the painting. If you paint back and forth too many times, you'll smear over the cracks and spoil the effect.

To provide a more interesting finish, you may wish to use two paint colours. For instance, you can use white emulsion paint as the base coats and red crackle paint as the finishing coat. Your wooden boxes will be painted red overall, with white cracks showing through - a terrific effect!

After drying, you can apply the crackle paint top coat which will seal and protect the crackle effect you've produced.

The process of applying your crackle paint finish is easy and straightforward, once you've had a little bit of practice. 

If you proceed step by step, with a little care and attention, you'll give your wooden boxes a great vintage look and feel that will impress not only your customers but maybe those farmyard animals as well!

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How To Store Your Dutch Oven!

Dutch ovens are large earthenware or cast-iron cooking pots and are used as simple ovens that are heated by placing them under or near hot burning cinders.

They're thick-walled cooking pots with tight fitting lids used for cooking such things as stews and casseroles and have been used for centuries.

During the 17th century the Dutch produced a technically superior design. A similar design was subsequently patented in England, so the term 'Dutch Oven' has endured!

Pinewood Dutch Oven Container

However, once you've used your Dutch oven what do you do with it? Well, you can leave it lying around the kitchen to gather dust and get in everybody's way, or you could obtain a wooden storage container, specially designed for the purpose.

Using pinewood would be my choice of wood, as it's robust, hard-wearing and inexpensive, with lots of knots. The construction of your container needs to be substantial. The side panels should be between 15-20 mm thickness and include a tight-fitting, hinged or lift-off lid to prevent dust incursion.

You can use butt joints, or tongue and groove joints to hold the side panels together, which are easier and cheaper to form but I would recommend glued finger joints for a stronger, more permanent solution.

Pinewood is a soft wood, so is susceptible to dents and scratches but minor impact damage such as this, over time tends to enhance rather than detract from it's rustic quality!

Pinewood also has a long tradition of use in cooking. For instance, pinewood has been used to make dough boxes for hundreds of years and many Italian Pizzerias even today use them to make their pizzas crispier.

Pinewood baking boxes are also used today to bake traditional fruit, pumpkin and chocolate fudge cake. This makes the cakes uniquely moist and infuses that delicious, natural pine aroma from the natural oils and resins into the baking.

Pinewood Dutch oven containers will make a great addition to your kitchen and will protect your Dutch oven for many years. You'll only need to obtain one, unless of course you buy another Dutch oven!

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Why We Love Memory Boxes!

Our homes are stuffed with objects that hold personal memories. Putting these items into memory, or keepsake boxes as they are sometimes called, is a way of retaining these objects and the memories associated with them, so we can stay in touch and others can discover and learn from them.

Memory boxes can contain objects that help us recall people and events from the past. They can be based upon a particular theme or era and may contain items such as photographs, letters, a toy from childhood, music, or even a recorded message. For instance, baby keepsake boxes are incredibly popular nowadays!

Polmac Hand-Painted Keepsake Box

Though it may take some time to find which keepsakes to store in your memory box, it's certainly worth the time and effort, as they can provide a continuous and fascinating time-line to the past, for future generations.

Memory boxes can be made from practically any material. Keepsakes can even be stored in an old trunk if nothing else is available. However, if a memory box is to be created from scratch, wood is the ideal material, as it's natural warmth and beauty resonates so well!

Wooden memory boxes can be inscribed with a personal message and/or decorated with natural wood and colour stains, carved, or hand painted with colour motifs to provide a particular theme. They can also be left unfinished, if the natural, raw quality of wood is preferred.

Ideally, memory boxes should be small enough so they can be lifted easily and large enough to accommodate a range of keepsakes of different shapes and sizes that can be easily accessed.
 

Wood memory boxes can be designed with compartments if necessary, for different t5ypes of keepsakes and provided with a lock and key to help keep the contents secure!

You can create several memory boxes with different themes. For instance one memory box can be dedicated to children and another for a favourite hobby, or sport and so on.

Memory boxes are being used more and more nowadays to engage with people suffering from dementia and similar illnesses, where memory may be a huge challenge, providing them with an opportunity for mental and even physical stimulation.

Creating a memory box, particularly if it's an activity undertaken with friends and relatives can take time but it can also be a lot of fun and it may someday be a great memory itself. Now there's a thought, or is that a memory!

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Wood Turning & The Art Of Producing Beautiful Round Boxes!

Wood turning is the art of using a wood lathe with hand-held tools to cut shapes that are symmetrical around the axis of rotation.

The wood lathe can be used to create many beautiful forms, including hollowed out cylindrical wooden boxes, needle cases and urns etc.

Before the industrial revolution in England, wood turnery was a difficult skill to master, because the turning mechanisms used were primitive. This is why turnery at that time became known as 'the misterie'!

Wood Turned Box With Lift-Off Lid

However, once mastered, wood turning is a great way of transforming small pieces of wood into beautifully crafted objects, using creativity and skill.

Most woods, including alder and linden wood can be used to make turned boxes, although a fine-grained hardwood is probably the very best wood to use.

Irrespective of the choice of wood, it's essential that it's properly cured and seasoned, to avoid any moisture movement which could lead to warping issues.

Wood turned boxes may be created as stand-alone artwork, or as functional and economical storage containers, with or without lift-off lids!

They are usually small and round, due to the lathe-turning process and so their lithe appearance differs quite significantly from square or rectangular boxes

Lids may be designed in a variety of ways, including ...

1: Sitting loosely on the base.

2: There is some resistance between the lid and the base but any sharp movement will dislodge the lid.

3: The lid is retained on the base securely and will not fall off if the wooden box is overturned!

In the case of 1 and 2 above, lid restraint can be easily improved by the use of tiny, flush mounted, lid magnets, if required

Beautiful turned boxes may be made from single pieces of wood, laminated woods and even segmented woods and despite the special skills needed, they can be very economical to produce.
 

They can be decorated with stunning natural wood and colour stains and clear lacquer finishes, to bring out the natural warmth and beauty of wood. 

For more exotic finishes they can also be embellished with metal, or hardwood inlays and hand carved decorations.

Whatever the style or finish chosen, the only limit on the design of wood turned boxes is your imagination!

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Tramp Art - Why This Art Form Is Being Re-Discovered!

Polmac (UK) Ltd is always curious about art forms that include the production of wooden boxes and the construction and decorative techniques used to make them, to see what we can learn.

One of these is 'Tramp Art', an art form that evolved around the world when small fragments of wood, from discarded shipping crates and cigar boxes were carved into complex geometric shapes.

 

Tramp Art Carved Box

The outside edges of each layer was 'notch carved', or made in the form of a 'crown of thorns'. Tramp Art was popular in the years between the 1870s and the 1940s, after which it began to rapidly decline.

Simple tools such as pocketknives were used to carve the wood and assemble mainly utilitarian objects. Thousands of tramp art objects were produced worldwide but mostly in the USA where the art form took root.

The most common objects produced were carved wooden boxes, such as jewellery boxes and picture frames, although objects of every conceivable shape and size, including full sized furniture were made.

Tramp Art was a democratic art form made wherever suitable raw materials could be found. It is thought that in the USA 50 different ethnic groups were involved in making tramp art objects.

It appealed to anyone who was proficient at whittling wood with a penknife, because making tramp art objects was relatively quick and easy. Tramp art was mostly made in the home environment by people from all walks of life.

Tramps or 'hoboes' as they were called in America, also made tramp art but not in very great quantities. The name tramp art was conceived in modern times and was believed to have been created by skilled German or Scandinavian immigrants to America, although some people dispute this.

Tramp art is an important art form and is a testament to the ability and creativity of ordinary people, with little, or no training in the arts, to produce objects of great artistic merit and beauty.

The Tramp Art movement was among the first to use discarded materials to make objects of art, as well as every day utilitarian objects. Many of these objects are truly stunning and it is no surprise that the art form it being discovered once again.

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Traditional Materials & Premium Spirit P.O.S. Displays!

Whisky and other premium spirit suppliers spend millions creating 'touch points' for their brands, because it's known that most buying decisions are made at the point of sale.

However, consumers are inundated with thousands of marketing messages every day. So, there's a great deal of white noise to be overcome before their message is heard.

With such a high degree of impulse buying and severe competition, whisky and other premium spirit brands are under huge pressure to be creative with their point of sale displays, in order to make their products stand out from the crowd.

Jura Whisky Counter-Top Display Stands

It's crucial therefore to research the demographics and the motivating factors, in order to understand the target market.

Is it the image, the kudos obtained by being seen ordering a premium spirit, the unique taste, or is it that wonderful warm feeling that people get when the spirit goes down? These factors can and will influence point of sale design.

When certain visual cues are triggered they send signals to the brain which converts them into buying impulses. For instance, if someone can smell a product, pick it up, feel it and inspect it, they are almost twice as likely to buy it.

That's why traditional, wood display stands are such effective marketing tools for whisky and other premium spirits.

What's more, consumers today are becoming more and more environmentally aware, so they  react positively to displays made from traditional materials obtained from managed and sustainable sources. Sustainability is a deep-seated, emotional benefit that persuades many consumers to buy.

With counter-top displays, visual impact will be the main impulse, so this has to be as evocative and stimulating as possible. The more senses that are engaged at the critical point of purchase, the better the sales figures will be!

In today's competitive market, using virtual imagery is popular because it can bring point of sale displays to life. However, traditional materials such as wood will always have their place, because they resonate so well with people's emotions and senses!

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Why Use Wood To Manufacture Whisky Boxes?

For centuries whisky distilleries have stored their whiskies in oak barrels or barrels made from other 'pure' woods, to give the whisky it's 'flavour'.

Oak is most often used because it has unique, physical and chemical characteristics that seem ideal for whiskey making!

Oak Whisky Barrels

Whisky derives it's colour and character from direct contact with the wood, particularly if the barrels have previously been used to store different spirits such as rum, sherry and red wine.

In fact, many Scottish and other distilleries around the world use barrels previously used to store bourbon to age their whiskey and this process takes a minimum three years.

When these oak barrels reach the end of their useful life for whisky production, they may be ground down into wood chips and used in barbecues, or sold off to be made into quirky pub furniture!

It is this traditional connection in the production of whiskey that makes wood resonate so well with the 'elixir of life'. In fact, wood is the only material that can transcend a purely functional product into one that is truly beautiful! Yes, it's true!

Other materials such as aluminium, cardboard as well as fibreglass try to mimic the warmth and natural beauty of wood but fail to do so.

Wood whiskey boxes provide incomparable design and finishing possibilities that add real 'value' to the whisky inside, even if it's a 'special' and an extremely valuable distillation!

Furthermore, choosing wood for packaging whiskey boxes will give whiskies, particularly single-malt whiskies, that crucial competitive edge, because the unique quality of wood will make them stand out from the crowd!

Inherent characteristics such as colour, texture, grain and lustre all come into play in wood's visual appeal. For instance, a wood that has lustre appears to have a natural sheen that's difficult if not impossible to replicate in other materials!

Wood from the same tree may look the same but there are always differences due to it's organic nature! These are the subtle qualities that make wood such a beautiful, diverse and desirable material in the manufacture of whisky boxes.

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Tak a wee dram afore ye go!

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How To Display Military Memorabilia!

During the course of their military careers, many people accumulate items that have personal and / or historical significance. Some of these will be stored,  some  discarded, whilst others are displayed, as a reminder of their time in service. Sadly,  the display will sometimes serve as a memorial to a family member, or friend who has been lost!

Military memorabilia is a very broad category and is often referred to as 'militaria' and may include any, or all aspects of military life, from small items like medals and ribbons to larger items such as uniforms and equipment!

When organizing military memorabilia there is often a need to display these items in custom made, wood display cases and / or frames. Wood has unique qualities that resonate well with the traditions of military service and is used extensively.

Militaria Display Cases

The framing and display of military memorabilia is very personal and depends upon the materials available and the required size and style.

However, to create a great display, the details are always important. The first consideration is the importance and significance of the items to be displayed. They may have a personal significance, or they may simply be a collector's display, acquired for some other reason, such as an investment.

Then there arises the more practical question of how extensive the display is and the nature of the items, their size and quantity. The most popular displays are wall-mounted and often comprise glass-fronted wooden display cases, or wood frames rather like picture frames.

These may be either fixed displays, or with some kind of easy access, either at the front or the rear. With wall mounted display cases, the glass panel at the front will often be hinged and have a lock.

If a collection has particular significance it may even be displayed on a specially designed table, or other piece of free standing furniture. The display will have a glass top, or front for protection and so it can be clearly seen.

Military display cases and frames are important personal possessions. Invariably they'll occupy a place of honour in the home, that will provide a focus of attention for family members and guests.

Militaria display cases and frames are a testament to a person's achievements and military career and  represent an important aspect of a family's heritage. For these reasons, the design of the display, the materials used and workmanship should always be carefully considered.

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Why Use Tubes In Wood Presentation Packaging?

In the commercial world, companies vie with each other to stand out from the crowd, so potential customers are drawn to their products rather than a competitors'. That's why innovation in product design is so important!

When people think of wooden boxes, they probably imagine a square or rectangular wood box. However, in recent times and particularly in the premium spirits sector, tubes are being used more and more as an economic alternative to traditional rectalinear shapes.

Whisky Boxes In Tube Format

They can be made from thin gauge plywood, such as Finnish birch ply that can be easily bent to a tight circumference, then lapped and pinned with copper, or plated metal studs at the vertical joints. These may be straight, or shaped to produce a wave pattern, or saw tooth effect, for greater decorative impact!

Tubes can also be made from natural wood veneers, which are popular because of the range of beautiful veneers to choose from. Natural, wood veneers are readily available, economic, stable and very practical to use.

Veneers are thinner than plywood, so are normally glued to an inner core for greater strength and stability, either as flat sheets, or to provide a winding, spiral effect.

Once the tubes have been made, solid wood bases and lift-off lids can be added. Lift-off lids may be traditional, lapped or flush style, or cut at forty five degrees at the base, to provide a more contemporary look and feel!

Thin gauge plywood or wood veneered tubes can be decorated using a wide range of natural wood and colour stains and clear lacquer finishes, if the natural warmth and beauty of wood is preferred.

They can also be branded with a company logo and/ or text by printing directly onto the wood surface, or using engraved, or etched metal plates.

Thin gauge plywood or natural wood veneered tubes are quick and easy to make. Where practical,  economic and innovative design solutions are required to replace traditional rectilinear shapes, they can provide a stunning alternative.

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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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