Printing is a widely used packaging process that transfers ink onto materials such as paper, fabric, metal, plastic, and leather through a series of steps, including plate-making, inking, and pressing. This process is what makes the colorful and diverse packaging seen in retail stores possible. Below, we introduce five common printing methods used for custom packaging boxes.

Flexographic Printing

In flexographic printing, the content to be printed is raised on a rubber printing plate. The plate is first inked, and the inked image is then transferred onto the printing surface. This technique can be used on paper, plastic, metal, cellophane, and other materials. Flexographic printing is mainly used for packaging and labels, with limited application in newspaper printing. A key characteristic of flexographic prints is a slight halo effect around the printed content.

Gravure Printing

Gravure printing is less commonly used compared to other printing methods. It is mainly applied in producing magazines, catalogs, and some packaging materials. This process involves engraving an image onto a printing cylinder. Ink is applied over the engraved surface, and a special blade removes excess ink from non-image areas, ensuring that only the recessed areas hold ink. The ink is then transferred onto the material under high pressure. Due to the high cost of engraving, gravure printing is typically used for large-volume production, making it less common for custom packaging boxes.

Offset Printing

Offset printing, a type of lithographic printing, is one of the most widely used industrial printing techniques. It is primarily used for printing packaging boxes, brochures, catalogs, and other commercial materials. In this process, ink adheres only to the image areas of the printing plate. The inked image is first transferred onto a rubber blanket and then onto the printing material. This method provides high-quality prints with fine details, making it a popular choice for custom packaging.

Screen Printing

As the name suggests, screen printing relies on a fine mesh screen. The non-printing areas of the screen are coated with a non-permeable material, while the ink is pushed through the open mesh areas onto the substrate. The advantage of screen printing is its versatility—it can be used on a wide range of materials, including paper, textiles, glass, ceramics, wood, and metal. This makes it an excellent option for custom packaging that requires unique textures or special ink applications.

Letterpress Printing

Letterpress printing is one of the oldest printing techniques. Traditionally, text or images were carved into wooden blocks, raised above the surface, inked, and then pressed onto paper. The oldest known letterpress-printed book in China is the Diamond Sutra.

Today, letterpress printing is done using specialized machines. Ink is evenly distributed by the inking system and transferred to the raised printing areas. Since the raised portions of the plate receive ink while the recessed areas do not, only the text and images appear on the final printed material.

Printing text and graphics on packaging boxes is a common practice. When customizing packaging, businesses should select the appropriate printing method based on the characteristics of each technique and the specific requirements of their packaging design.