Finding and producing quality products to sell could be daunting, especially if your budget is tight or if you’re in the early stages of building your business.
That is why it’s a great idea to utilize DIY packaging! Apart from the myriad of things you must carefully plan and consider, you must also find a way to set your business and products apart from competitors.
As a business owner, your priority is to ensure that your products solve your buyers’ problems and meet their needs without ripping them off. But equally important, you must also provide a satisfactory customer experience. How do you make people remember your brand, and how can you give that ‘wow factor’ every time they unbox your products? Remember, your package is the first impression for potential customers.
With just the right amount of creativity and determination, you can develop customized packaging designs that will make people want to return to your shop and purchase more products. So to do that, here is a list of excellent and affordable DIY packaging!
Why DIY Packaging?
Source: PakFactory
DIY or homemade packaging is a perfect option for businesses looking to add a personal touch to their products while keeping costs low. By making your own packaging, you have the freedom to design something unique that truly reflects your brand and the nature of your product.
Additionally, DIY packaging allows for greater customization and personalization, which can help you stand out from competitors and create a memorable customer experience. It is a great way to add value to your product and create a strong brand identity without breaking the bank.
So what are some custom DIY packaging ideas your small business can benefit from? Let’s dive in and find out!
Using Glitter on Plain Boxes
Source: Unsplash
Glitter is a great way to make ordinary boxes shiny and beautiful. This is especially effective for products such as earrings, necklaces and other accessories, as matching the bright colors of glitter with the jewelry inside the box is a great way to make your packaging pop.
On top of that, you can easily purchase ordinary boxes and glitters from department stores and begin the design process immediately. And because the materials for this packaging are accessible and cheap, you don’t need to worry too much about your budget.
Custom Stamps For All Occasions
Source: Rebecca Lee
Another excellent DIY idea is to invest in a custom stamp for less than $50. If you’re a seller of handcrafted products, boxes with custom-stamped prints of your logo can save you a lot of money, and it’s also an excellent type of packaging for brands with a minimalistic approach.
What’s even better about custom stamps is that they can be reused many times for any kind of packaging, be it a plain box for things like jewelry, paper bags for cookies and smaller items or canvas bags.
Simple Canvas Bags With a DIY Flare
Source: PakFactory
Speaking of canvas bags, these are also excellent and affordable diy packaging for small businesses. They have a minimal environmental impact, are lightweight and are not chemically treated. Commonly used for packaging favors for events such as weddings, birthdays, and baby showers, canvas bags are great for small products like jewelry, handcrafted products, cosmetics, soaps, and tea.
To make canvas bags stand out even more, adding custom stamps onto the material with your brand’s logo can also create an even more custom experience for your customers. But what’s truly remarkable about this option is that your customers can reuse the bags!
Custom Stickers and Tapes
Source: Dear Scrub
Aside from the design, customized stickers and tapes can be placed strategically to seal and tamper-proof boxes.
Stickers are easy to customize and can provide an extraordinary unboxing experience if designed and used correctly. Stickers are practical for inside and outside your package, making them a versatile DIY customization option that you can make at home or via a professional sticker manufacturer for an affordable price.
Custom tapes are a little more expensive, but if you have one with your logo printed across it, it can apply to any sized box you want and has a more significant ‘wow factor’ than stickers.
A great way to use custom stickers and tapes is alongside simple, plain boxes or food-safe treat bags for baked goods like cookies or candies. Dressing your bags with stickers and tapes is an excellent way to add customization without spending too much.
Custom Cards
Source: Unsplash
If you’re feeling artsy, this option is one for you. Designing custom cards with unique illustrations or your brand logo is a stylish and flashy way to present your product. Especially for earrings, necklaces and other accessories, this affordable DIY option is for small businesses looking to stretch their creative muscles.
Colorful Bubble Mailers
Source: PakFactory
Bubble mailers are a perfect option for businesses looking to ship larger or bulkier products. They are lightweight, easy to use, and offer a cost-effective solution for shipping products. Bubble mailers are designed with a layer of bubble wrap on the inside, providing a cushioning effect that helps protect your products from damage during transit.
Moreover, bubble mailers are easy to customize, making them an excellent option for businesses looking to add a personal touch to their packaging. You can easily add stickers, labels, tapes, or even print directly onto the mailer to showcase your brand’s logo, message, or design.
One of the best things about using bubble mailers is their versatility. They can be used to ship a wide range of products, including notebooks, shirts, books, gym clothes, and even automotive parts. The added protection the bubble wrap provides makes them an ideal choice for fragile or valuable items.
Additionally, using personalized or well-designed stickers and labels can enhance the overall look of your packaging. Even if you’re using ordinary bubble mailers, adding these touches can elevate the unboxing experience for customers and help create a memorable brand experience.
Kraft Paper, Twine & Botanicals
Source: Madeleine Steinbach
But if you want to make the entire package for your product yourself, a good and stylish option is to use renewable, natural resources like kraft paper, twine and adding dried botanicals for a more cutesy look. As a recurring theme in this article, you can even combine other DIY packaging ideas, like adding custom stickers and stamps to make your package pop out more from the competition.
Wrapping your product in kraft paper and twine lends itself well to handcrafted products, clothing, and smaller items.
Custom Fabrics
Source: Unsplash
Alternatively, if you don’t wish to use kraft paper, beautiful fabrics that can be in a modern or vintage style are a good choice. Wrapping your products with a stylish velvety fabric gives them a unique, delicate look that is perfect for items ranging from clothing to handcrafted products.
DIY Ideas for the Interior of Your Box
We’ve covered many DIY packaging options for the exterior of your packaging, but what about the box’s interior? There are also many affordable options, some of which we have already mentioned above. Stickers, stamps, dried botanicals, glitter, all of these options can doubly serve as interior customization for your box!
But if you are looking for other ideas, we’ve got you covered. Crinkle paper is an excellent homemade packaging filler that can add another dimension to the unboxing experience. You only need a paper crinkle machine and a shredder to shred the paper into strips.
Source: BATCH by Wisconsin Hemp Scientific
Using the paper of your choice — we recommend a colored paper that compliments your package or product — you can fill your container with paper that adds texture and dimension to the interior of your box.
Source: Unsplash
Other DIY packaging ideas for your interior box include hand-written thank you notes to add a degree of personalization and connection with your consumers, postcards for a stylish flare, or even free samples to entice your customers to purchase more are all viable customization options for your package!
Tips for Successful DIY Packaging
Creating effective and attractive DIY packaging is crucial in making your product stand out in a sea of competitors. Homemade packaging can be a fun and cost-effective way to add a personal touch to your product. But, to ensure that your packaging is successful, you should consider the following tips:
Source: PakFactory
Source: PakFactory
In summary, DIY packaging is not only a cost-effective way to add a personal touch to your product but also a way to build a stronger connection with your customer base, provide endless customization and flexibility, and support brand values like sustainability.
Utilizing these tips and ideas in your DIY packaging can create a memorable and effective packaging solution for your small business. So if you are ready to start, don’t hesitate to contact us!
It’s Packaging Week at Maker’s Row! Get free access to our Packaging email course + $10 off membership when you sign up your brand with code “PACKAGING.“
Finding the right packaging is always a challenging project for many companies but looking for the most cost-effective option & quality service is just as gut-wrenching. Luckily, PakFactory has put together the best options for your custom packaging without completely emptying your wallet. Let’s look at some popular cost-effective packaging types you can use for your products (please note that prices are based on 10,000 quantity range).
Among one of the most cost-effective packaging option is the poly bag (or plastic pouch bag). Made out of plastic film material, it is commonly used for food, chemical, flower & magazine packaging. Poly bags have also become a common & popular choice for product packaging as it is very easy to produce. It can be fully customized and provide extra protection to the products through its locking features.
Price can range from $0.03 to $0.14 depending on the size, style, design & quantity.
A popular choice for many product packaging for its customizable options from materials, shapes, style & printing while keeping costs low. It is also lightweight but durable and can be cut into any types of structure allowing a wide range of flexibility for designing. Paperboard come in different grades allowing different types of packaging requirements from SBS paperboard to environmentally friendly material such as Kraft.
A reasonable price for folding carton/paperboard standard boxes are usually under $0.30 – $0-60 per unit. This packaging option can go as low as $0.14 per unit depending on the simplicity, size and quantity of boxes produced.
Adding special processes including foil stamping, window patching, spot UV, 2 side printing & special PMS colors can go up to $1-$2 depending on quantity.
A quick and easy packing option are paper bags for product packaging. Many retail businesses have opted for paper bags to package their clothing for its convenience and cost-effective nature. Several grocery stores also use paper bags to package their food products in order to reduce environmental issues and a way to brand themselves as an eco-friendly business. Paper bags can also be fully customizable in style, printing & shape without emptying the wallet.
Prices range from $0.25 – $0.35 per unit depending on added specialization and customization.
Finding the right packaging for cosmetic cream, pharmaceuticals, liquids and other smaller products can get very pricey especially considering the additional packaging for the bottle in order for it to be retail & wholesale ready. Luckily, small plastic & glass bottles can be an affordable option at a bulk. They are reusable, small to package & reduce shelf space in retail stores. Depending on the manufacturer you choose, they can be fully customizable in print as well.
Price range are approximately between $0.65 – $1.00 depending on size and type.
Corrugated cardboard is the most common material for packaging. It is typically used for shipping, shoe & storage boxes. It has become a popular packaging option as well for e-commerce and product packaging. Subscription (or mailer) boxes typically use corrugated material to keep products from getting damaged during shipping but still maintain the design and sophistication of the structure to attract customers. Corrugated boxes are fully customizable like paperboard except have a higher degree of durability. It is, however, still cost-effective for anyone using the packaging as both the main retail & shipping box.
Price range for corrugated boxes are $0.75 – $0.95 at the standard sizes, style and printing.
Plastic boxes have been used widely in different industries from paper clips to candles. It is popular among sharper products that can’t poke through material unlike cardboard. Plastic boxes are more durable than paperboard boxes and can withstand extreme conditions especially when storing fragile products like baked goods. Lastly, it showcases the products perfectly at any angle. The biggest advantage? It’s not as expensive as you think.
Printed plastic boxes can go for $0.75 – $0.95.
Popular among the tea, coffee & baking industry, side gusset bags are meant to create a dense environment inside the packaging to help maintain the flavour of the product and helps protect it any incoming bacteria. It has also become a popular choice for bedding and clothing products to keep it secure and tight. Food, however, is typically packaged in these type of bags to increase shelf life and prevent it from spoiling.
The price range for these products can go for $0.80 – $2.50
These are the boxes you see in many high end retail & electronic stores. They are meant to provide the best looking and most durable packaging for products. Think of the Iphone 7 packaging box, that is a rigid box. Rigid box is made out of condensed paperboard four times thicker than the standard paperboard. They are the most expensive among the bunch but still affordable enough to create luxury packaging (depending on your manufacturer).
Basic Rigid Boxes can range from $3.00–$5.00 a piece or $5.00–$30.00+ for a more lucrative style, printing & special process
PakFactory is a recommended manufacturer that provides low cost, quality boxes, and great service. We also curated a list of Packaging Factories. Use the code PACKAGING to get $10 off a Maker’s Row plan and start searching!