Finishes for packaging refer to the surface treatments applied to packaging materials. Finishes for packaging are techniques used to make your product stand out on the shelf, protect it from wear and tear, and create a memorable unboxing experience that delights your customers.
There are three main categories of finishes used in packaging: protective coatings, dimensional finishes, and metallic effects. Protective coatings increase resistance to scuffs, scratches, and fingerprints. Dimensional finishes create raised or lowered patterns. Metallic effects add shine to the packaging. Finishes aåre popular in several industries like cosmetics, electronics, and food.
How should a brand choose the right finish? A brand’s choice depends on brand identity, protective function, budget, and sustainability requirements. For example, luxury brands often choose soft-touch lamination and foil stamping. Food packaging uses aqueous coatings, whereas e-commerce boxes rely on matte lamination.
In this guide we will look at the 11 most popular packaging finishes and their categories. Each part explains the finish, its benefits and applications. After, you will get clear guidance on how you can choose the right finish for your brand.
Protective Finishes
Protective finishes are fundamental treatments applied to the surface of the packaging. These finishes create another layer to the surface, enhancing durability of the packaging. The new layer protects the surface from scuffs, dirt, fingerprints, and wear. Aside from protection, protective finishes enhance the aesthetic and tactile qualities of the packaging.
The two types of protective finishes are:
- Coating: involves applying a liquid finish to the surface, which is then dried or cured.
- lamination: Involves adhering a thin plastic film to the packaging surface.Â
Gloss Finish
A gloss finish is a shiny, mirror-like surface achieved through coating or lamination. It enhances the visual appeal of packaging by making colors vibrant and saturated. This makes it excellent for highlighting photographic details. Gloss finish also creates a durable surface that resists dust and fingerprints. Yet, gross finish can produce glare under bright lighting, which can affect visibility.
Gloss finishes are common in cosmetics, electronics, and premium packaging.
Matte Finish
A matte finish is a treatment that gives a surface a dull, non-shiny, and non-reflective appearance. It reduces glare, which makes text and graphics easy to read. It also gives a product a premium, high quality feel by creating an elegant look that feels smooth to touch.
While it enhances elegance, a matte finish can make dark colors appear less vibrant. Because matte surfaces scatter light, finger prints and smudges are easier to see. Matte finishes are commonly used in luxury goods, technology products and publishing. Matte and glossy finishes are sometimes paired to make glossy elements stand out.
Soft-Touch Finish
A soft-touch finish is a lamination or coating that gives packaging a texture like velvet or suede. Its main benefit is the memorable tactile experience it creates. Soft-touch finish has a velvety and matte surface that feels warmer and softer. The finish encourages customers to touch and remember the packaging.
The finish also deepens printed colors without adding shine. This makes designs appear richer and more refined. Soft-touch finish does not create glare under bright lights, making text and images easier to view from many angles. Additionally, Soft-touch finish resists fingerprints and smudges.
Soft touch finishes signal elegance, and high-end products. They are popular in cosmetics, fashion accessories, and consumer electronics. Perfume boxes, clothing folding boxes, and smartphone rigid boxes use soft touch finishes.
UV Coating
UV coating is a high-gloss liquid coating applied to a surface and then cured by ultraviolet light. Often called a “wet look” UV coating creates the highest level of gloss. It also provides strong resistance to scratches and chemicals. UV coating can be applied to the whole surface( called Flood UV) or just specific areas( called Spot UV).
Spot UV
Spot UV is a UV coating applied only to specific areas of packaging, such as logos, images, or text. This finish adds a clear, glossy coating to those areas to make them stand out from the rest of the surface.
Aqueous Coating
Aqueous coating is a clear, fast-drying, water-based liquid applied to printed materials. This finish is the most eco-friendly coating option because it is water-based and biodegradable. It provides basic protection against scuffs and dirt while remaining non-toxic and safe. That is why aqueous coating is ideal for food packaging. Additionally, this coating is cost-effective and comes in gloss, satin, and matte finishes.
Because aqueous coating is the greenest choice, many brands use it to support sustainability.
Coating vs. Lamination: what’s best?
Choosing between coating and lamination depends on your brand’s needs and priorities. Coating is cheaper, lighter, more eco-friendly and gives basic protection. For example water-based aqueous coatings. lamination is stronger and gives a premium, special feel like soft-touch or glossy surfaces. But, it is less eco-friendly.
Dimensional Finishes
In packaging, dimensional finishes add tactile feel by creating raised or indented texture on the material. To create these finishes, metal dies or plates press the material to form a three-dimensional effect.
Dimensional finishes attract attention and give packaging a sense of luxury. Again, they create tactile engagement, creating memorable experiences for customers. Dimensional finishes focus on sensory appeal and physical dimension unlike protective finishes.
Dimensional finishes are eco-friendly if applied on recyclable materials. This is because they don’t affect the recyclability of the packaging. Then can enhance visual appeal, at the same time being a sustainable choice.
The main types of Dimensional finishes are:
- Embossing which creates a raised design on packaging material.
- Debossing which creates an indented effect on packaging material.Â
Embossing
Embossing is a type of dimensional finish that creates raised patterns on the packaging surface. It enhances design and adds tactile feel to the packaging. This makes the design stand out and give the packaging a refined look.
Debossing
Debossing is another type of dimensional finish that creates indented or lowered designs on the surface of the packaging. Debossing gives a packaging a premium feel. By pressing the design inward, it elevates the value and elegance of the product. That is why it is popular in cosmetics, jewelry, and high-end food and beverage packaging. Again, Debossing enhances brand identity and makes it stand out. This is because debossing emphasizes details like brand logo or name.
Blind vs. Registered
Blind or registered refers to the methods of applying embossing or debossing. Here are the differences:
- Blind involves pressing impressions (raised or indented) into the surface without any ink or foil. Blind creates texture that can be felt, but the design does not have added color or shine.
- Registered involves aligning the raised or indented designs with ink or foil on the surface. This makes the design look stronger and more noticeable.Â
Metallic Finishes
A metallic finish is a surface treatment designed to imitate the shiny, reflective effect of metals on packaging. Metallic finishes grab the customers attention because of their shiny, reflective surfaces. The imitation of metallic colors, such as gold or silver, shows the premium value of a product. Additionally, metallic finishes highlight logos or brand details, which make the brand more memorable.
The three main types of metallic finishes are hot foil stamping, cold foil stamping,and metallic inks.
Hot Foil Stamping
Hot foil stamping is a finishing technique that uses heat and pressure to press metallic foil onto the surface. It creates a shiny, reflective look that makes packaging appear more bright and luxurious. It is used in packaging to highlight logos, brand names, borders, patterns, and labels. That is on premium boxes for cosmetics, jewelry or chocolates.
Cold Foil Printing
Cold foil stamping is a finishing technique that applies metallic foil to a packaging by using a UV-curable adhesive. Cold foil doesn’t need heat like hot foil. This makes it faster and more cost-effective for large production runs. Again, cold foil supports more flexibility in colors and designs. Hence, brands can add metallic effects in many colors beyond gold and silvers.
Metallic Inks
Metallic inks are inks that contain small metallic particles, which give packaging a subtle shimmer or shine. Metallic inks are applied directly through standard printing processes. This creates detailed metallic designs without needing foil. This method is cost-effective and offers a flexible way to add metallic elements to design.
How to Choose the Right Finish
Choosing the right finish for your packaging affects how your product looks, feels, and performs. Choosing the right finish depends on key factors like your brand identity, protection function, budget and sustainability requirements. Below are the factors that you need to consider while choosing the right finish.
- Brand identity. Your brand should reflect your brand personality. If your brand is a luxury, you may use soft-touch or metallic finishes to show elegance. If your brand is eco-friendly, aqueous coatings are a great choice to emphasize sustainability.
- Protective function. Consider also how much protection your packaging needs. You may choose lamination or UV coating to prevent scratches and scuffs, if your product is handled often. Choose soft-touch or glossy coatings to keep the packaging clean if fingerprints or smudges are a concern for you.
- Budget considerations. Think about how much you want to invest on your packaging finish. If your budget is not high, simple coatings like aqueous and cold foil stamping are cost-effective options. But if you want a more premium look, there are many options to consider. Those are hot foils stamping, soft-touch lamination, or metallic inks. These finishes make the packaging premium, but come at higher cost.
- Sustainability requirements. Consider options like aqueous coating or lamination if environmental impact is your priority. By choosing eco-friendly finishes, your brand can attract customers who focus on sustainability practices.Â
What are the finishes for folding cartons?
The finishes for folding cartons are aqueous coating, gloss varnish, and matte finish. These finishes are ideal for folding cartons because they protect printed surfaces. They also enhance visual appeal and create a premium feel of the packaging on store shelves. A folding carton is a type of packaging made from paperboard. Paperboard is smooth and easy to print on, making it ideal for applying finishes that enhance color, graphics, and branding.
Aqueous coating provides basic protection against dirt, dust, and fingerprints. Aqueous coating dries quickly on paperboard without affecting print quality. Gloss varnish gives a shiny, reflective surface to the folding carton. Matte varnish creates a soft, non-reflective look that feels elegant.
What are the finishes for rigid boxes?
The finishes for rigid boxes are matte or soft-touch lamination. Rigid boxes are used for high-end packaging to convey luxury. Hence, they are paired with premium finishes to enhance elegance and tactile experience.
Matte or soft-touch lamination gives the surface a smooth and premium feel while reducing glare. To highlight important details such as logos or text, finishes like foil stamping and debossing are used. Spot UV can be applied to create visual contrast, making key design elements stand out on the rigid box. These finishes work together to make rigid boxes more luxurious.
What are the finishes for corrugated boxes?
The finishes for corrugated boxes are varnish and basic lamination. The finishes for corrugated boxes focus on durability and protection. This is because corrugated boxes are usually used for shipping and storage. Varnish and lamination prevent scratches, dirt, and moisture from damaging the box.
More decorative finishes like foil stamping or Spot UV are only effective on the corrugated box that has a smooth top layer like litho-laminated sheet. On standard or rough corrugated surfaces, those finishes cannot be applied properly.
