Packaging Graphics & Label Printing

Related Pages Graphics and Brand Recognition Design Consulting Barcode Printing Label Printing

Packaging has been an enormous part of the graphic arts for decades and continues to be one of the fastest growing segments of the graphic communication industry. It is the only segment that has not been negatively impacted by the Internet and the World Wide Web, and in fact has grown.

Packaging graphics is a diverse field emphasizing digital file creation, technology, and printing. The field also involves an understanding of structural design and food packaging as they relate to consumer and industrial print packaging. Other important facets of packaging graphics are marketing, digital graphic creation, and print reproduction processes combined with in-line and off-line converting processes.

The packaging field enjoys huge annual sales through its five sub-segments: folding carton packaging; flexible packaging; metal decorating; label printing; and corrugated board printing. Most facets of packaging graphics require some of the highest quality control standards in all of the graphic arts because of the need to reproduce colors that look natural - such as food, flesh tones, wood grains, and more.

This segment of the graphic arts industry faces environmental concerns related to non-biodegradable packages and issues of recycling packaging materials. Government and concerned citizens routinely exert pressure to counteract the proliferation of packages that are not recyclable and, hence, add to landfill disposal sites.

An interesting trend in the field has to do with the growth of short-run package printing with the use of digital printing presses. Nearly every major producer of digital presses is developing technology designed specifically for package printing.

The packaging graphics field is highly creative and only experienced people who can help product manufacturers stay competitive through unique graphics that portray the products contained within. There is stringent competition among such companies. It is often package design and structure that will make or break a company.