Materials matter

When transforming a folding carton into luxurious packaging the raw material you choose becomes more important. Different materials have different perceived values and this becomes visual and haptic. The furnish of the material can play a big part in this, a more textured board adds further tactility to your packaging, increasing its perceived value. Other effects can also increase the perceived value, including board with a pearlescent finish, creating a shimmer throughout the packaging. You can also choose boards produced from by-products that lend themselves to your brand’s story e.g. Notpla a paper manufactured from the by-products of the industrial processing of seaweed.

High-end decoration

By adding print finishing to your packaging design you can elevate the value of your product it houses. At FACER you can choose from foil blocking, embossing or debossing and water-based coatings. All offer something different.

Foil blocking is more than just shiny gold and silver, with a full spectrum of colours available in variety of finishes: metallic, gloss, holographic, matt and clear. This technique is a relatively cost effective way to add a touch of luxury to your packaging design. But you can take this to another level with sculpted foil embossing, taking the foiled area from 2D to 3D – this is probably the most highly decorative finishing technique.

Embossing and debossing is a more subtle, yet still very effective and very cost effective way of adding value to your packaging. One of our favorites! 

Finally you can change the feel of your packaging with water-based coatings, from high gloss to matt, depending on what you want to communicate to your consumer, through tactility.

Structural details

Considering the details in your structural design is what can take a folding carton from standard to luxury. Considering the type of lid you use, for your consumer to access your product with ease time and again. The addition of a sleeve can create a more luxurious opening experience, as your consumer unveils the packaging underneath. Create bespoke shapes within your packaging with apertures that hint to your story.

If you think this sounds complicated, it is! We also encourage studying some of the world’s most renowned luxury brands packaging, and you will see these subtle, yet incredibly effective, techniques at play.

Need some guidance? Talk to the team.

The post How to turn a folding carton into luxury packaging appeared first on Facer.

Swapping a classic shape for an organic one

Last year nibs etc. entrusted us with their new packaging design. In the initial design, a generic shape was chosen for the aperture to reveal their slow roasted granola, but this time we lent into their graphic design. The hand drawn image of an apple dominates their packaging as they produce their granola with upcycled British apple pulp and now the aperture forms part of that apple design. Instead of a highlight to represent the shine of the apple you have the window to the granola, now a completely organic shape. Making more of the design and creating a difference for the shelf.

Subtle print finishing techniques

A recent pack we’ve produced was for brand Longbottom & Co for their Virgin Mary (a spiced tomato juice). It was elevated from a standard, print only can multi-pack with waves of spot gloss varnish. This subtle effect creates an iridescence that the light in store will pick up and will catch the eye of consumer. When paired with the perfect tomato red and iconic branding using Elizabeth I (famously known as the Virgin Queen) a pack that cannot be ignored is created.

Same design, inverted colours

Another pack that recently passed through our presses was for Reclaim. Again a multi-pack can packaging, this time it stands out through a simple flip of colours. They took their can design and inverted the colours for the outer pack. Making it instantly recognisable and different at the same time. 

Graphical choice

By choosing a gradient vignette to emulate “gold” but simply printed from CMYK, this elevated Mezcal Reina’s packaging design. It makes the whole design appear to shimmer without breaking the budget by adding metallic foil. Again making it stand out beautifully on shelf and tie with the brand’s luxury positioning.

Are you ready to level-up your packaging? Discover more small details that can have a big impact on your packaging design, by getting in touch.

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Swapping out single-use plastic

The first thing to do was to remove the single-use plastic without compromising the display and security of the product. It was realised that if the inner fitment works as it should, keeping the product secure and in place, there was no need for the window in the outer packaging to have a plastic film. Paper-based board is used to create the inner fitment structure, instead of using a molded plastic tray. This eradicates single-use plastic from this style of packaging.

Mono-material packaging reduces waste

When the same paper-based board is used for both the outer packaging and inner fitment (mono-material) it has many sustainable attributes. The first being it reduces waste. Being able to produce both the outer packaging and inner fitment from the same material, means we can use each sheet of paper-based board more efficiently. Reducing waste that can result from using multiple materials.

Recycling is easier

It is far easier to recycle packaging when it is produced with the same material. Your consumer will no longer need to separate the inner fitment from the outer packaging when doing their household recycling. 

Keeps design consistent

By using the same paper-based board for both your outer packaging and inner fitments all print and print finishing will look the same. As the material chosen for your packaging impacts the visual of the print and print finishing of your design. 

Reduces cost

With all components yielding from the same material, there are less production set-up costs. There is also less tooling involved too, as the product often now only requires one cutter opposed to several. Plus if your brand is adding decorative finishing processes such as embossing or foil blocking, it minimises die tooling costs.

Choose a mono-material packaging solution to eradicate single-use plastic, reduce waste, reduce cost, make recycling easier and keep your brand design consistent. To find out more, get in touch.

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Bespoke fitments

For multiple items in one pack, for example gift packaging. When a selection of items have been curated to sell together. To ensure they are secure and in some cases displayed, a bespoke fitment can be included in your packaging. This is a structurally engineered, cut and creased piece of board that fits with ease inside your folded carton. It keeps your products in place, it displays them, and it protects them.

Folding cartons designed for your product

There are plenty of off the shelf folding carton structures that you could choose for your product. However, like all one size fits all solutions, they will not take into consideration what your product is and what your packaging needs to engage your consumer and the further powers of packaging. When choosing a folding carton design for your product, you want it to be made to fit. This includes the following considerations:

• The size of your product
• The weight of your product
• Is the product going to be stored in the packaging long-term
• Is the product likely to be tampered with
• What messaging you want to communicate to your consumer
• What will make you stand-out from your competitors on the shelf
• Differentiation!

All of these considerations impact the structural packaging design you choose for your product. 

Consumer experience

Poorly fitting packaging for your product can leave a lasting impression on your consumer. From rattling around, to too snug – you really want your folding carton to be the goldilocks of packaging, just right. 

Shelf appeal

To stand-out from crowded shelves, you need to choose a packaging design that thinks beyond function and pretty graphics. Think about storytelling, how you can use structural shapes, brand messaging in unusual places and print throughout your packaging (nothing is more luxurious than a flooded internal), along with decorative finishes to take your made to fit packaging to the next level.

Do you want packaging completely designed for your product? Get in touch.

The post What made to fit packaging actually means appeared first on Facer.

World Land Trust Certification

World Land Trust is an international conservation charity that protects the world’s most biologically significant and threatened habitats, patroned by Sir David Attenborough. For the last 5 years we have been certified by the World Land Trust and we’re proud our work directly helps the World Land Trust to protect some of the world’s richest biodiversity and endangered species.

How much carbon has been saved?

By carbon balancing our printed packaging we have saved 199 tonnes of carbon in 5 years that equals:

721,119 miles driven in average car

94.9 cars taken off the road for one year

6,163.4 laps of driving around the M25

97.5 return flights from London to New York

Carbon balanced packaging is an award finalist

The Mermaid Gin miniatures gift set is a World Land Trust Carbon Balanced Pack. Balancing the equivalent of 4,796kg of CO₂e to-date. Enabling World Land Trust to protect 917m2 of critically threatened tropical forest. 

Made of mono-material, printed with vegetable oil-based inks and water-based coatings, fully recyclable. Both the outer carton and inner fitment yield from the same production sheet of Billerud CrownBoard Prestige with minimal waste. The pack is now a finalist in the Packaging News Sustainability & Impact 2026 Summit & Awards.

Being responsible is a key FACER. value

As part of our core company values we have being: Responsible. This includes our impact on our environment. As well as being Carbon Balanced we also now have 100% green energy electricity.

100% Renewable Energy

Our electricity is supplied by a combination of energys that come from renewable resources that are constantly replenished:

Wind

Solar

Hydro

Every time we power anything on, from a computer to a printing press, it’s all done using green renewable energy.

Do you want to make a positive impact on the environment with your packaging? Yes, get in touch.

The post Top 1% in the UK: Delivering Carbon Balanced Packaging appeared first on Facer.

Values, Vision & Mission

We are a values-first company, however, not only are we driven by our values, but a clear vision and mission. How we envision the future of FACER: Be known as the single authority in empowering progressive brands and captivating their consumers globally. By solving complex challenges and creating the most compelling, ecological packaging that facilitates an unforgettable connection.

The Mission to Achieve the Vision

There are four components to our Mission:

Challenge & Educate

Work in partnership with brands that are at the right stage in their packaging journey to be open to ‘package differently’, solving complex challenges in highly collaborative, educational, creative and sustainable ways.

Engage & Innovate

Proactively engage clients in ongoing research and development of new products that are highly creative in structural design, packaging process, print and decoration. Fill the FACER ideas bank, register intellectual property wherever possible.

Underpin every single communication and manufacturing touchpoint with relentless proficiency. Always sharpening our tools to facilitate clean execution and dynamic delivery, end-to-end. We do exactly as we say we are going to, when we say we are going to.

Share & Contribute

Attract more brands by making our beliefs, ideas and achievements known. Whilst using FACER as a vehicle to positively impact our shared local, national and global environments and the wildlife that inhabits them. As without them, we would not exist.

Values Present Daily

Every day our values are present throughout the factory. Equally, they are a fundamental “why” we work with the brands we work with and are openly communicated to our clients. They are a constant, that also get celebrated monthly with our team Values in Action Champion. 

This is FACER:

F is for Family

Values learned within a traditional family unit, typically those of high moral standards & discipline… 

• We are one single FACER unit, related by purpose & cause. 
• We are a team, not a collective of individual players. 
• We play to our strengths whilst tackling our weaknesses. 
• We practice & refine our skillset. 
• We support each other in our development.

A is for Authentic

Of undisputed origin & not a copy; genuine… 

• We are FACER & we do not allow norms to dictate or limit our beliefs or behaviors. 
• Negativity & egos do not enter the FACER unit. 
• FACER’s soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts. 
• We maintain unwavering faith that we can & will succeed. 
• We have the discipline to confront the facts, whatever they might be.

C is for Collaborative

The action of two or more individuals working together to produce something in order to complete a task or achieve a goal… 

• We challenge ourselves, our clients & our audience. 
• We educate ourselves, our clients & our audience. 
• We engage each other, our clients & our audience. 
• We serve each other, our clients & our audience. 
• We are willing to do whatever it takes & dismantle barriers, we never create them.

E is for Explorative

Serving in or intended for exploration for the purpose of discovery. To investigate closely; to scrutinize; to examine… 

• We create. 
• We learn. 
• We educate. 
• We fail. 
• We win.

R is for Responsible

The state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one’s power, control, or management… 

• We know that how we do one thing reflects how we do everything. 
• We live & die by our ability to successfully deliver for our clients. 
• We do exactly as we say we are going to, when we say we are going to. 
• We enjoy the freedom that comes from delivering on our promises. 
• We make all decisions with the future sustainability of our actions at their core.

If these values align with your consumer brand and you’re frustrated with your packaging – get in touch.

The post Packaging Manufacturer Driven by Shared Values appeared first on Facer.

How video shows what we really do

With our videographer friends Olympix Media we capture a whole host of video content. But, the best performing videos which you can view on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube (yes, we’re on all of those social media platforms) are those showing our KOMORI presses and BOBST finishing machinery in action. 

You can see our factory floor producing printed folded packaging. Blank sheets of board enter the press and strikingly printed sheets exit. These same sheets get cut and creased and then enter the glue line where they are folded and glued and brought to life. And this is all captured on film, every variety of packaging we produce and it has been mesmerising our online audience. 

How video helps us explain

Talking head video has allowed Luke and the team explain directly how things work at FACER. From answering frequently asked questions such as ‘what’s your minimum order quantity’ to going into detail about different print finishing techniques, for example embossing and debossing. By educating our online audience through video they can make more informed choices about their packaging.

How video creates a stronger connection

We are in the fortunate position to produce packaging for amazing brands, packaging we showcase in our videos. Now, when we started doing this we never envisioned the impact it would have. The brands we work with have not only liked these videos, they have shared them onto their platforms. One of the best comments we’ve ever had was when Co-Founder of PerfectTed, Marisa Poster called a video featuring their matcha packaging ‘a packaging thirst trap’.

How video content makes us more fun

Chris Coote, Co-Founder of Olympix Media comes to us with a bunch of ideas (some of them pretty crazy) and somehow he convinces us as a team to do them. And you know what, it makes us laugh, it makes us cringe sometimes too, but mostly laugh. When we share these ‘silly’ videos we show the heart of FACER and team who’s number one value is FAMILY. 

Binge our video content and see exactly why we love it.

The post Why as a packaging manufacturer have we leaned into video content? appeared first on Facer.

Four colour litho printing

Traditional lithographic printing takes four colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. From these four colours creates a full spectrum of colour. The printing process sees your chosen packaging material pass through four printing plates each with your graphic design in the four colours. At the point of setting up your project to print, the colour is inspected by our expert team and digitally measured for ink weights and densities. This colour specification is then saved and used every time your packaging is printed, ensuring outstanding colour quality and consistency.

Pantone colour matching

You can take your colour matching one step further. Achieve outstanding colour by choosing a Pantone colour reference for brand and spot colours. This enables you to have a specific colour that can be used in the physical and digital world. At FACER. we use Pantone X-Rite eXact. This is a digitally controlled colour matching system that measures a Delta-E reading to an ISO tolerance. Guaranteeing not only a stunning colour but a colour that will be recognisably you, whether on a shelf in store or on a social media post.

Endless colour with foil blocking

Now, if you want to amp up your colour, why not choose to print finish your packaging with foil blocking. Often, this gets mistaken for just being metallic, but truthfully you can not only choose from a huge array of colour, you can also choose a variety of finishes: metallic, gloss, pearlescent, satin, and matt. This can be used to create visual highlights that are difficult to ignore. Another way to achieve outstanding colour for your packaging.

Multiple levels of colour

Whether you use traditional litho print, Pantone spot colour or the decorative finish of foil blocking, you can be confident with the colour that will be achieved at any or all these levels to make your packaging uniquely your brand. Are you ready for colourful packaging? Get in touch.

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Why add gift packaging to your range

There are multiple reasons as to why you should add gift packaging to your range. If you have a range of products that complement each other and are likely to be purchased together, create a gift pack. Or you have an everyday product that needs a spotlight during the gifting season, consider adding a gift with purchase and create a gift pack. Perhaps you have specialist products produced for the gifting season, create a gift pack. Make your consumer feel like they are making a special gift choice with a greater perceived value (whether it’s for someone or themselves!), by elevating the packaging for key dates in the year and increase your sales at the same time.

How to elevate your gift packaging

The most impactful way to elevate your gift packaging is through structural design and decorative finishing. Make your products are the hero by displaying them with smartly engineered plastic-free paper-based fitments. Ensuring your products are secure and enticing in equal measure. Gift packaging is also the perfect opportunity to elevate your packaging design with print finishing. Flourish with foil blocking, add sophistication with spot gloss varnish, a bit of bling with blind emboss, and present it all beautifully with bold print. Really showcase your brand to the max. More is definitely more when producing gift packaging.

Repurpose your gift packaging

It’s easier than you think to update your gift packaging for different gifting seasons. Our top tip is to keep the structure the same and let the graphic design and print finishing do the heavy lifting. Switch from a festive metallic foil to a romantic red, or a pretty pearlescent, or even striking monochrome. Change up the messaging to your new target audience. Even swap the products to better suit the season. A cost effective way to achieve seasonal or promotional changes on your gift packaging is by adding a sleeve that carries the seasonal or occasion messaging.

Is gift packaging for you?

Most brands can benefit from the impact of gift packaging. If you want to know more about how you can achieve this, book a consultation with the team.

The post The impact of gift packaging appeared first on Facer.

Step 1 in packaging production is printing

Your chosen material will arrive in sheet form, ready for the first step. In order to print your chosen packaging design, the printing plates need to be originated. The plates we use for the lithographic printing process are the Kodak Sonora Process Free plates. These sustainable plates, save time, money and water (and you will never see plate origination costs from FACER.).

Alan and James will then prepare our Komori lithographic printing presses, typically with at least four inks. The lithographic CMYK printing process consists of the four colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black). Each unit of the press is prepared with vegetable oil based inks. You can also include further colours, by using specially formulated inks to create particular Pantone colours or entirely bespoke mixes unique to your brand. The perfect way to truly translate your brand to colour. Now is time for your chosen material to travel through each unit, the plates and rollers transferring each colour, building your design until it looks like the artwork you signed off with Justin.

Step 2 in packaging production is converting or print finishing

The next step is all about decorating and transforming. If you have chosen to enhance your design with one or more of the many print finishing techniques available from FACER.:

• Foiling
• Coating
• Embossing
• Debossing
• Die-cutting
• Varnishing

This is when it will be applied, directly onto the printed sheets. If you want to learn more about print finishing, we explain it in detail in our blog post: What is print finishing? The flat sheets are now ready for transformation.

Step 3 in packaging production is cut & crease or die-cutting

Using a flatbed BOBST and a tool called a cutting forme, this is where the structure of your packaging comes into existence. Each sheet is precisely cut and creased to ensure the printed design will form once assembled as it should. This includes specialist cuts such as perforations and scores. To eradicate waste, we print as efficiently as possible, to get the most out of every single sheet of material. We remove all excess, and the flat cut-out pieces are ready for the next step.

Step 4 in packaging production is folding and gluing

The step where the 3D magic happens (one of the best machines to watch in action!). On the BOBST folding and gluing machine we fold and glue the flat, printed and cut die-cut blanks to create the finished folding carton packaging. We always deliver the packaging as a glued, flat structure, which passes under a compression belt to ensure the glue bonds securely. This process combines speed and precision, completing up to 14 units of packaging every second.

This is the final manufacturing step in the FACER. Packaging process. We put it through quality control before sending it to our clients for packing. We can even handle contract packing, placing your products directly into your packaging.

Every single step happens at FACER. HQ in Leeds, Yorkshire. Do you want British manufactured packaging for your brand?

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