Flat is in. Well in the world of packaging that is. flatpack, or flat packaging, is a new type of concept. The goal is to store and keep everything flat, and only bring it out when it’s needed. The concept is to minimize the storage space, and also shipping costs.
Flatter materials cost less. Some are even a set amount of money. For some companies, especially ecommerce and retail, going flat is the way to go, and here, we’ll go over some of the design aspects of flatpack, and why it matters.
Designing for Flatness
Flatpack is flat as a concept, but that requires some changes to the types of packaging, and the materials utilized.
Foldable materials are one example of this. These are materials that fold up or down. down to be stored away, and up to be utilized. It does save a lot of space.
Magnetic closures are another. Instead of wasting time on tape, there’s magnets that are used in order to help close the items, and keep them flat.
Snap-together designs are the third one. Some packaging utilizes snaps, which you adhere to, to create the box. It’s a little more complex, but it does work. Many homemade goods might use this type of packaging to help keep space properly optimized.
So many companies use this type of packaging. If you’ve ever gotten a box that’s flatter than it should be, chances are it’s flat packaging. Makeup, clothing, and other industries are using this, because it’s efficient, and also looks good too in a lot of cases.
Environmental and Logistical Benefits
Many times, reducing the carbon footprint is down with this type of packaging. You’re spending less space on items. The storage solutions will be cheaper, and well, you need less, saving space on storage facilities. But in the concept of shipping, it also saves money too. it optimizes the transport, and also keeps the carbon footprint low for any packaging that can be put in these small containers.
It also lowers the waste. Compact storage costs much less in terms of storage. You’re not spending money on materials costs. With the magnetic and snap closures, it also reduces the need for tape, especially non-sustainable plastic tapes. Again, lowers the waste on all fronts, and helps with improving your own efficiency.
Many companies are using this. Some clothing brands have started to go flat with their packaging. It offers a lot of environmental and cost benefits, so it’s not something to discount.
The future of Flatpack
With flatpack, we’ll probably see even smarter designs. Right now, most of them are boxlike, with only a few variants. But these days, we may also see smarter flatpack designs and even self-assembly instructions, so that the brands can put them together without getting them pre-made before shipped out.
We also may see some multi-functional collapsible packaging. So this means that the packaging may be used for a lot of different reasons, especially after you’re done with using the packaging.
Simply put, there’s a lot of different packaging needs that you’ll want to consider. A whole lot of unique ways to utilize your packaging for cost savings and environmental benefits.
With packaging, you have control of a lot of the various factors that go into this. for a lot of people, this type of packaging can change the industry on so many different levels. Adding more diversity to the packaging plays a critical role, and it will help with ensuring that you have packaging that’s sustainable, and also something that will really make it shine as well.
