r/Packaging

Hello! I'm a marketer by profession, so please excuse my lack of packaging knowledge.

I'm curious to hear from people who actually work in the packaging industry, or studying to enter it, including structural designers, packaging engineers, material scientists, converters, manufacturers, etc.

Do you feel that packaging innovation is slowing down, or are we still in the early stages of major innovation?

From the outside, it sometimes feels like most packaging formats have already been invented, so I'm wondering:

-Are there still "unsolved problems" that the industry is actively trying to solve? -Are there areas where you think we'll see significant breakthroughs over the next 10–20 years? -Are there ideas or technologies that people outside the industry don't realize are already being developed? -If you were entering the packaging industry today, which area would you bet on as having the biggest future?

Thanks!

Hello Everyone, I was looking to buy an Industrial stretch wrapper which can wrap 30+ pallets each hour and which won't break and give me any trouble during operations. Any recommendations guys? The current ones which we have break a lot. Thank You

After spending time in a packaging and printing business, I've noticed that many brands focus heavily on product quality but underestimate the impact of packaging.

Good packaging improves perceived value, brand recall, and customer experience.

I'm curious:

What's the most memorable packaging you've seen recently, and what made it stand out?

Disclosure: I work with Pack-Smart Inc., so I’m close to this topic. I’m sharing this because connected packaging is often discussed as a consumer engagement tool, but the harder issue is usually upstream in production.

A package can carry a QR code, GS1 Digital Link-enabled 2D barcode, NFC tag, RFID label, serialized mark, or smart label. That can connect the product to authentication, instructions, loyalty, traceability, warranty registration, recycling guidance, or product education.

But the code itself is not the system.

The real question is whether the product identity behind that code was created correctly, applied to the right package, inspected in-line, rejected or reworked properly when needed, reconciled against the job record, and connected to the right digital destination.

A few practical failure points I see in connected packaging programs:

• Codes are printed but not verified.
• NFC or RFID tags are applied but not encoded or validated.
• Serialized identities are created but not reconciled.
• Rejected products stay active in downstream systems.
• Scan destinations are disconnected from actual product status.
• Marketing platforms and production records do not share the same truth.

That creates a gap between the customer experience and the production reality.

For connected packaging to be trusted, the package, data carrier, governed identity, and digital destination need to stay aligned. Otherwise, the package may look connected while the underlying data remains unreliable.

Curious how others are approaching this:

Are connected packaging projects in your organization led mainly by marketing/brand teams, or are operations, quality, controls, and data teams involved early enough?

I work in the printing and packaging industry, and one thing I’ve noticed is how quickly people judge a product just from its packaging — even before using it.

For me, small details like finish and texture can completely change the perception of a brand.

What’s that one packaging detail that instantly signals “premium” to you?

Some examples I’ve seen people mention:

• Matte vs glossy finish
• Spot UV or foil accents
• Thick, heavy cardstock
• Minimal, clean design
• Custom inserts or unboxing experience
• Or something else I might be missing

Would love to hear real opinions from a buyer’s perspective.

I wanna know what are disadvantages of online printed custom pouches
is there any or it's just perfect.

I am designing the packaging for boxes that are:

• 50" x 28 x 10
• 32" x 32 x 17
• 42" x 32 x 14

Each box weighs around 37lbs. Since these boxes are pretty big, I imagine that UPS will corner walk these in the warehouse or on delivery. I really need to protect the products bc they are very expensive.

I plan on using double walls, 1/2" foam lining the inside and bubble wrapping the product.

Someone in this sub mentioned that I should use V-boards or corner guards on the INTERIOR of the box (between the box and the 1/2" foam)

This sounds like a really good idea but I don't know what size the corner guards should be?

I am asking specifics because I have a 3D printer and can print the corner guards but have absolutely zero idea what size would be effective at protecting the corners without also be unobtrusive and taking up too much space.

Any input would be very much appreciated!

By 2032, CA will no longer accept non-recyclable materials (by their definition), which currently includes ALL Flexible Plastics - ie, polybags.

I’ve been struggling to find alternatives that won’t scuff and scratch up products with nice surface finishes…. And can be purchased affordability.

Fiber based bags seem to scuff our product finishes and cotton bags are an astronomical cost up when multiplied across the company. Plus, I’m not even sure cotton bags are an ‘acceptable’ alternative for CA as they don’t seem to consider them ‘recyclable’.

What alt material are you planning to switch to?

Hi everyone, i'm coming to Pack Expo in Chicago this October and since we have developed a cool automatic packaging machine for pouches i'd love to get in touch with US pouch bags producers so i can announce my attendance in Pack Expo. Can anyone recommend where I can reach people with interest in automation for the end of the line - packaging pouches?

Thank you very much.