Category: Packaging Insights

Assortment of packaging created by Great Northern

When to Refresh vs. Redesign Your Consumer Packaging

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Key Takeaways: A packaging refresh updates visual elements like graphics, colors and typography while preserving your existing structure and brand equity. A packaging redesign involves more comprehensive changes, such as new materials, structural adjustments or a complete reset of your packaging identity. Refresh signals include dated design trends, outdated graphics or minor functional improvements that don’t require reworking the core structure. RedesignRead more
A hand holding out a carboard box

Stock Packaging vs. Custom Packaging — Making the Right Choice for Your Brand

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Key Takeaways: Would you prefer packaging with quick turnaround times and low up-front costs, or a robust marketing asset with precise product fit? Either path has potential advantages and drawbacks to consider as you strategize ways to set your brand apart from the competition. Stock: Ships within days, requires minimal investment and is ideal for product testing, seasonal items andRead more
Example Dippin' Stix packaging created by Great Northern

Reducing Shipping Costs Through Smart Packaging Design

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Key Takeaways: Strategic packaging optimization reduces dimensional weight fees, lowers material costs, improves space use and decreases damage-related returns that cost retailers billions annually. Learn to slash shipping expenses with these three strategies. Right-sizing boxes: Match packaging to actual product dimensions to avoid paying for empty space and wasted materials. Using structural design: Replace void fill with engineered corrugated insertsRead more
Examples of different types of packaging filled with foam

How to Determine the Right Packaging Size for Your Product

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Key Takeaways: Right-sizing your packaging reduces dimensional-weight shipping fees, prevents in-transit product damage and creates a better unboxing experience. Choose standard boxes for varied inventory, custom sizes for high-volume products or ISTA®-tested packaging for fragile, high-value items. Key steps: Measure your product's length, width and height to the nearest quarter-inch. Add a one- to two-inch cushioning buffer on all sidesRead more
Cardboard box packaging from Great Northern Packaging

A Guide to Packaging Layers — What Are Primary and Secondary Packaging?

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Key Takeaways: This guide gives you a breakdown of how the three packaging layers work — and how to use them strategically: Primary packaging is the layer consumers interact with, making it critical for product protection and brand experience. Secondary packaging groups primary packages for shipping and retail display, and serves as a point-of-purchase marketing tool. Tertiary packaging handles transport andRead more
Example packaging solutions from Great Northern Packaging

Complete Guide to Packaging

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Summary: This complete packaging guide covers how to develop a strategic approach that protects products, builds brand presence and increases profitability for CPG and e-commerce companies. Learn which signs indicate it's time to partner with a certified expert that offers custom production flexibility, design and testing capabilities. Three core pillars: Select protective materials and designs that prevent damage through corrugatedRead more
Beauty packaging created by Great Northern Packaging

Luxury Packaging in the Beauty Industry — Creating a Premium Experience

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Packaging design is highly influential, especially in the beauty industry. Customers form an impression about a product the moment they pick up the box, long before they try what is inside. Luxury beauty packaging is the first way a brand communicates with its audience. For skincare, fragrance and makeup brands, investing in thoughtful packaging is crucial for earning consumer trustRead more
Brown and white shipping boxes

How to Properly Reuse Boxes for Shipping

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Shipping costs increase when businesses need to purchase new packaging materials. At the same time, recycling systems handled over 33 million tons in 2024, demonstrating the significant amount of packaging removed from service each year. This total includes large volumes of corrugated shipping boxes that may still have a usable life. This waste drains your budget and accelerates environmental damage throughRead more
Different types of consumer packaging made by Great Northern Packaging

What Are the Best Materials for Consumer Packaging?

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Packaging does far more than contain a product — it simultaneously shapes durability, cost, sustainability and brand perception. The challenge for today's leading companies is finding solutions that protect their goods without driving up expenses or compromising the customer experience. That choice carries real-world consequences. Flimsy materials can expose products to moisture, crushing or impact damage, while poor sealing orRead more
Consumer packaging for BelGioioso and Crosse & Blackwell

What Is the Difference Between Consumer Packaging and Industrial Packaging?

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Consumer and industrial goods require different packaging for product integrity, safety, efficiency and marketing purposes. Since each type offers unique advantages, you must choose the correct one for the application at hand. What Is Consumer Packaging? Consumer packaging focuses on branding, aesthetics and convenience to communicate product information and attract buyers. Its primary purposes are to be engaging and increaseRead more
Product packaging examples from Great Northern Packaging

How Does Corrugated Packaging Compare to Other Materials in Strength and Sustainability?

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Consumer packaged goods companies need solutions that protect their products from the rigors of shipping and handling, align with their brand values and meet growing consumer demand for sustainability. Wise decision-making involves balancing strength, cost and environmental impact. This guide defines corrugated boxes and examines the strengths and sustainability profiles of frequently used materials to help you make an informedRead more
Shelf-ready packaging for Crunch Pak Dipperz

What Are the 5 Requirements for Shelf-Ready Packaging?

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Variety is the first thing you'll notice when walking into any big-box, mass-market retail store. Thousands of SKUs line the aisles, each competing for your attention. With roughly 70% of buying decisions made in-store, retail-ready packaging is crucial for connecting with consumers and securing shelf space. The most effective shelf-ready packaging solutions fulfill the industry's “five easies" — a set of criteria thatRead more
Understanding G7 Certification: Why It Matters for High-Quality Packaging

Understanding G7 Certification: Why Does It Matter for High-Quality Packaging?

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Did you know that even slight color inconsistencies in your packaging can weaken your brand’s presence on the shelf? Crisp, true colors are essential for making an impact. For companies managing multiple SKUs or seasonal product lines, achieving consistent color across every box, display and label is critical. That’s where G7 certification comes in. As a recognized global standard forRead more
good culture and brownie brittle club store packaging

What Are the Elements for Successful Club Store Packaging?

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Cost-conscious shoppers flock to warehouse and corporate clubs to save money by purchasing essential household goods in bulk quantities. In addition to low prices, these clubs entice buyers with an array of membership perks, big-ticket deals and the convenience of one-stop shopping. If your company sells goods to club stores, you face unique packaging challenges and considerations compared to workingRead more

Why Packaging Durability is Important for Home Improvement Products?

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Durable, resilient packaging is important for home improvement products, as it protects them from damage and excess moisture and enhances branding efforts. In the home improvement industry, product quality is everything. Sturdy packaging can help items remain in tip-top shape from transit to the shelves to customers' homes. Explore the top benefits of durable packaging, including improved customer experience, sustainabilityRead more

How Does Packaging Design Impact Brand Perception in Online Retail?

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When you start a business, you must do thorough market research, set up a budget and brainstorm marketing campaigns. One other key business aspect is branding. Your branding is more than a color palette or a logo — it must represent your business's personality, values and messaging. You can attract, relate to and retain customers with a solid brand identity.Read more

How to Choose the Right Packaging for Home Improvement Tools

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Home improvement tools help customers make their houses more comfortable, but what can companies do to highlight their product's benefits? Choosing suitable packaging makes home improvement products stand out and persuades shoppers to make a purchase. It also plays a crucial role in reflecting the product's quality and the brand's values. Learn the top factors to consider when choosing toolRead more
How Packaging Affects Consumer Choices in Home Improvement Stores

How Packaging Affects Consumer Choices in Home Improvement Stores

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Did you know that brands have seven seconds on average to make a good impression before a customer moves on to the next option? That's why packaging plays a part in consumer behavior, including home improvement store packaging. Packaging is about more than simply protecting a product — the design, color and materials used can greatly influence what shoppers decideRead more

What Is the Impact of Minimalist Packaging on Health and Beauty Products?

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The packaging you select plays a significant role in whether a shopper picks up your product. So, what makes minimalism an effective design choice? The concept of “less is more” is especially true in the health and beauty sector. Embracing this philosophy allows brands to create products that speak for themselves and resonate with customers' desires. Explore Health & BeautyRead more

What Role Does Packaging Play in Enhancing Brand Identity?

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Packaging and brand identity form a symbiotic relationship. Understanding how to use packaging to communicate with your customers can take your business to the next level. By incorporating key elements of your brand's unique personality into product packaging, you can resonate with new and existing customers, build trust and enhance loyalty. Discover how your business or company can create memorableRead more
Halloween packaging by Great Northern Packaging

Holiday Packaging Guide

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During the holiday season, most stores explode into festive colors, and we owe much of that to holiday packaging. Limited-edition packaging can add a fun, exclusive touch to your product and appeal to seasonal sentiments, like the joy of spending time with family or the excitement of special peppermint flavors. Read More...

A Guide to Packaging and Branding Alignment

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Packaging and branding are two essential facets of marketing that help businesses communicate their value to consumers. While these concepts are different and can't be used interchangeably, they complement each other to ensure businesses market their products effectively. Brand and consumer alignment ensures a company's brand identity resonates with its audience. It requires consistent public touchpoints that reflect the brand'sRead more

How Sustainable Is Corrugated Packaging?

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Corrugated packaging is a traditional material used to protect and transport products. We can attribute its widespread adoption and growing popularity to its environmental friendliness and ability to reduce carbon footprints. Using sustainable corrugated cardboard packaging can attract environmentally conscious consumers and improve your brand's reputation. Read More...

Understanding Eco-Friendly Packaging Certifications

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As more people and organizations become environmentally conscious, businesses seek ways to demonstrate to their consumers and other stakeholders that they are part of the positive change. One of the areas a company can focus on is its packaging — the first thing a customer sees when they buy an item or their goods are delivered. Read More...

What Role Does Packaging Play in Shipping and Logistics?

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Shipping has made it possible for companies to transport goods and products quickly and efficiently over long distances. In turn, packaging plays a major role in shipping and logistics by protecting products during transportation, ensuring they arrive safely at their destination. Various types of packaging designs exist for different products along with protective packaging materials to provide extra support andRead more

What Is Corrugated Packaging?

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Corrugated packaging is a layered material that creates affordable, lightweight, strong and eco-friendly packaging solutions. It's highly customizable, providing different types, styles and sizes of packaging to facilitate the shipping of various products. Corrugated packaging is actually the most commonly used material for packaging and transportation in North America. Read More...

What Are the Top Packaging Trends for 2024?

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Packaging has become so much more than delivering products safely to consumers. How you package your products, what materials you use and their appearance can contribute to your business' overall success in the long run. Companies are now using different types of packaging as marketing tools to increase brand awareness and form connections with their customers. Read More...
Custom Brownie Brittle boxes by Great Northern Packaging

Complete Guide to Packaging Food in Custom Boxes

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Packaging protects your products during transportation and storage while also playing a critical role in food safety. Therefore, it's vital to package food products correctly, following Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards to ensure they arrive at their destination in optimal condition and meet food safety requirements. Read More...
Custom packaging by Great Northern

What Are the Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your Packaging?

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Your packaging does more than ensure your products reach customers intact. It changes how consumers see and relate to your brand. There is a definitive link between packaging and purchase behavior, and many businesses know how to capitalize on this link to boost their sales, cultivate brand loyalty and differentiate themselves from their competitors. Read More...
Shelf-ready product packaging

How to Make Products Stand Out on Shelves

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With so many products on the market, having unique product packaging will ensure your products stand out among the rest. Whether you sell fun food products or want to promote your beauty line, the best packaging designs are unique and help to enhance your product. Explore how you can use packaging to catch a customer's eye. Read More...
Consumer packaging for Medical Devices

What Are the Requirements for Medical Device Packaging?

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Medical devices are essential pieces of equipment necessary for completing surgeries and evaluating patient symptoms. There are strict regulations for these items, as they must be sterile and in top-functioning condition for medical professionals to use them safely. These requirements make proper packaging essential. View Our Medical Equipment Packaging Read More...
Commercial packaging boxes

How to Reduce Packaging Waste

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Sustainable packaging has much to offer everyone — including your consumers, your company and the planet. If your packaging is wasteful, you aren't doing anyone any favors. Still, reducing packaging waste can be challenging. After all, you need to protect your product and accommodate marketing materials. Fortunately, you now have extensive options for efficient, sustainable packaging. Let's take a lookRead more

What Makes Great Northern Different?

Consultative

We provide valuable packaging expertise for our customers to optimize the supply chain and stand out in the retail environment.

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Creative

Work with our award-winning design team to create impressive packaging that protects your products and makes your brand stand out.

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Cost-Effective

Our solution-focused engineering teams develop functional packaging that helps our customers achieve their ROI targets.

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Reliable

We keep our projects on track for success by staying within budget and meeting deadlines so you know when your packaging will be ready.

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Responsive

We're always available to discuss timelines, project specifications and more - reach out today to talk to our team about your packaging needs.

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Quality

All of our work is completed in-house, allowing us to ensure the highest quality for everything we manufacture.

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Great Expectations

Great Expectations is more than a tagline, it is an attitude. At Great Northern, customer challenges are met by an undying spirit to doing what others can’t or won’t. It’s in our DNA. And it is what our customers have come to expect with Great Northern.

How can we exceed your expectations?

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