How can gift wrapping be made easier and faster?

Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, St Nicholas’ Day… There are those times of the year when gift fever reaches a fever pitch. For your customers, this means a frantic search for the perfect gift. For you, as a retailer or owner of an online business, it means a large number of orders that require special attention. Because during the festive season, it’s only natural that you put extra effort into your packaging. Elegant, colourful and durable: the “ideal” gift wrap has to meet many requirements and can therefore be a time-consuming and expensive task for you… Fortunately, this is no longer the case! In this article, we look at all kinds of solutions that will help you wrap quickly and elegantly. This way you can save time at the packing table and give your customers a nice surprise.

The needs of a physical retailer are not the same as for an online business: manning the counter in a shop and handing over a parcel to a courier service are two very different tasks. We conclude by listing the main benefits and applications of custom packaging. Consider packaging with a thank you note, a logo label or a tape with a promo code. All useful extras to give your gift wrapping a truly unique and professional look.

Contents:

1. Wrapping gifts fast in 5 steps for physical retailers
2. Wrapping gifts fast in 5 steps for online retailers
3. Benefits and applications of customised packaging

1. Wrap gifts quickly in 5 steps for physical retailers

As a physical shop operator, special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Easter or Mother’s Day require you to gather all available staff. Every customer wants bright and festive packaging. How can you easily manage this situation in busy times without wasting countless hours at the counter? In 5 steps, we show you how to quickly make beautiful gift wrapping on the counter. And the good news is that most of them are made from environmentally friendly materials. This way, you can improve the ecological appeal of your shop.

Do you have an online shop? If so, our tips are waiting for you in part two.

► Step 1: Pack faster with bags with handles

Handle bags are an ideal solution for wrapping a gift quickly, without too much effort. Preferably use a flat-bottomed bag with side gussets to easily slip the goods in. For a more natural look, opt for a brown kraft paper bag. There is also a colourful version that fits perfectly with your brand’s style or the festive season. Take inspiration from some examples below.

Handle bags come in all possible sizes and shapes. Some varieties are designed to pack specific products. For example, there is the practical “bottle bag” for presenting, packing and transporting up to 3 bottles, or the “flower bag” for offering a bouquet in a simple and elegant way. This way, the customer can take them safely to their car or home. Read on and find out how to make your bag festive.

► Step 2: Wrap faster with gift bags or boxes

For small items, a bag with handles will probably be too big. Instead, a gift bag will work well as a takeaway package. Preferably use a bag with a bottom gusset to keep it upright during filling. Berlingot boxes are another option. These strong boxes are easy to close by simply folding the sides. They are ideal for small and strong products.

Are your goods fragile and delicate? In that case, a solid cardboard gift box is a better option. Such a gift box is quickly ready for use. It can be used to pack cosmetics, perfume, candle holders, glasses, etc. The empty space inside the box can easily be filled with coloured paper crimp or wood crimp. This protects the products from damage and adds an extra touch of colour and originality to the gift wrap. Find out more about this in the rest of this article.

► Step 3: Protect with soft tissue paper or strong Geami paper

Do you want to festively wrap a delicate item? Then we recommend the use of tissue paper. Its very soft texture eliminates the risk of scratches. Tissue paper is available in a wide range of rainbow colours. Perfect for matching your packaging to the brand’s style or gift colours.

For an even better look, choose the Geami Wrappak. It combines a layer of kraft paper with a layer of tissue paper. The tissue paper protects against scratches – you already know that – and the kraft paper reinforces against shocks. The Geami Wrappak ‘punctures’ the kraft paper, creating a sort of honeycomb relief. This texture is ideal for securing the contents. You can wrap this paper around any product, in any shape. This is probably the most original and fastest way to wrap gifts. The Geami Wrappak is available in different versions and is really clever for shops or start-ups.

► Step 4: Add originality with eco-friendly gift wrap

If you have more space and time at your counter, you might consider wrapping your gifts in a festive way with colourful gift paper. At RAJA, there are various types of eco-friendly paper available, made entirely from recycled materials and recyclable after use. The wrapping paper is usually made of kraft, but there are also very original varieties made of grass. The result is quite unique. Watch the video below and see for yourself!

► Step 5: Finish with bolducs and gift tags

The finishing touch… It’s all about this! Whether you’ve chosen a bag with handles, a gift bag or a gift box, a good finish is crucial. To make it easier, there are labels. You can use them mainly as decoration, of course. They are very practical as a closing tool for bags, pouches or boxes. Choose from standard pre-printed labels (slightly cheaper) or make up your own design with a logo or personal message. Add a bow or a gift ribbon and you’re done!

2. Wrap gifts quickly in 5 steps for online retailers

As the holidays approach (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.), you’ll probably see an increase in orders from your online shop. That’s great! But what’s the best way to wrap up these orders quickly and festively? You want to be able to get each order to your customers quickly – and preferably with nice, original packaging. Below is an overview of the materials that should not be missing from your packing table during the holidays. These products are designed to make preparing gifts much quicker and more festive. Then simply send them out by courier.

► Step 1: Wrap faster with automatic bottom boxes.

It all starts with the crate: the basis for most shipments in e-commerce. The trick is to choose one with an automatic bottom. This type of crate is also known as an “autolock” crate, because the bottom of the crate swings out of the way (auto) as soon as you press the sides (lock). Such a self-locking crate takes only 9 seconds to form. A standard case takes an average of 22 seconds. This saves a packer 250 parcels per day 1 hour of work! It is good to know that all RAJA autolock crates are made of recycled and recyclable materials. A nice touch for an ecological look. Another tip: if you choose a crate with a white interior, the goods and the padding will contrast even better.

► Step 2: Pack faster with custom boxes

Prefer to avoid any cushioning at all? In that case, the solution is customised, made-to-measure packaging. Such packaging does not have to be expensive. For a number of popular products, there are already customised crates available that can be used in an instant. The most common examples are crates for books, bottles or flowers. Each one has unique properties that are perfectly suited to the product you want to send. For example, flower boxes have a special insert for a pot. Book boxes have grooves on the sides that can be folded and adjusted to the thickness of the book. This way, not a single piece of material is wasted and you can be sure that your gifts will be sent safely on busy days or holidays.

► Step 3: Protect with bubbles or tissue paper

For fragile products, it is recommended to choose additional protective material. This sounds logical, but what is the best cushioning to choose? You can pack individual products in a bubble bag, for example. This way they are very well protected against shocks. If you need to pack products with a surface that is sensitive to scratches, soft tissue paper is best. These items are available in a wide range of colours. They can be matched to the season, the holiday (e.g. red for Valentine’s Day), the brand style or the colour of the product. All these solutions are quick and easy to use. They give packages that extra touch of charisma and professionalism.

Do you really want festive, original and durable protection? The Geami Wrappak and its protective paper are designed for this purpose. The latter works in conjunction with beautiful kraft paper. A sort of honeycomb pattern is cut out of the paper and folded. The great advantage is that this folding technique is very effective in absorbing shocks. The Geami Wrappak can easily be combined with a layer of soft tissue paper – the ideal protection against scratches. Good to know: this type of paper protection is completely antistatic and suitable for packaging electronic equipment.

► Step 4: Fill in with cushioning curls

For a beautiful and successful package, you should definitely avoid leaving too much space inside. But if the products are too small for the inside of the crate, they may collide with each other and get damaged. Dealing with return orders in poor condition is often much more expensive than investing in the necessary cushioning. Prevention is better than cure, they say. So how do you best fill empty packaging spaces?

A popular solution is paper frills or paper packing particles. Friezes are available in many different colours, so that you can enrich the packaging of festive and other items as you wish. The second option is dunnage particles, which are easy to pour into a box. The folded particles adhere to each other and prevent the contents from moving. The chip shape provides just enough spring to absorb the biggest shocks. In short, an ideal shock absorbing pad! Both materials are made from a renewable resource – paper – and are therefore easily recyclable after use. See below for the best way to use these cushioning particles.

► Step 5: Close with custom tape

Last step, sealing the box. How to do this in an original or festive way? Firstly, with paper tape, for example. Have it printed and personalised: an inexpensive and effective way to give the packaging an extra appeal.

For urgent parcels, choose shipping boxes or bags with integrated adhesive tape. Simply remove the tape, stick on the closure and you’re done! For a nice finishing touch on the outside of gifts, consider labels, for example. They are available with different messages, suitable for all occasions and holidays.

3. Benefits and applications of customised packaging

Packaging in an original and festive way becomes much easier if you have personalised packaging. A label with your logo, a ribbon with your typical message, a box with a thank-you note… The possibilities are endless. Not yet convinced of the power of personalised packaging or need an overview of the possibilities? Read on below.

► What are the benefits of personalised packaging?

• Strengthen the customer’s relationship with your brand: if you only have an online shop, the packaging is often the first and only physical point of contact between it and its customer. The packaging is therefore the ideal communication medium to highlight your brand. For a retail shop, on the other hand, packaging is a way to spread the word about your brand far and wide.
• Save on marketing costs: a customised ribbon or label is often a cheaper way to display a promotion or highlight an action to a wide audience.
• Improve the unboxing experience: a printed or coloured package says much more than a boring brown box. Create a positive unboxing experience and strengthen your relationship with the customer.
• Save on packaging materials: customised packaging is often also customised packaging. This reduces the amount of air and cushioning material, and saves on transport costs.

► What packaging materials can you customise and print?

• Tape: tape is often the most economical way to stand out. It doesn’t require you to change your packaging process. It’s the best value for money for many shops.
• Cases : You can have a case printed on the outside and inside. Choose durable inks that do not interfere with the recycling process. A crate is also an ideal material for custom packaging.
• Bags with handles : perfect for those who have a shop or are attending an event. The brand remains visible as soon as customers leave the shop or exhibition stand.
• Sachets and envelopes: These allow for very compact packaging. In addition, shipping bags are a good alternative to crates for sending textiles, for example.
• Labels: There’s no better way to share short messages. For example, you can have a label printed with a warning on how to open the package or mention a specific promotion. Very easy to integrate into a packaging table, at minimal cost. su_spacer]
• Cushioning material: this solution offers, among other things with tissue paper, a printed variant to compose yourself. A real success for the unboxing experience.