Materials: a communication tool

Packaging materials: what they are and how they're used
Each project has its material: packaging design cannot disregard an in-depth knowledge of substrates, raw materials and consumables.
When we talk about packaging, communication cannot disregard printing, enhancement, labelling and cross-media, even if the very structure of the packaging or the type of material chosen already communicates something, either positively or negatively.
Innovation in this field brings with it an infinite number of solutions and new ideas. The raw and consumable materials (typically inks and adhesives), often technologically advanced, are decisive in deciding the healthiness, safety and machinability of the packaging, as well as the quality of the printing. One example for all of them: the wholesomeness of a package results from the efforts of formulators, legislators, technicians, analysts, and it decides the wholesomeness of the packaged product. Not meeting the requirements - which also involve the converting and printing process - means taking serious risks. (Source: Package Printing White Paper 2017 by ACIMGA - ARGI).
Printlovers explores the world of multilayer laminates, paper, cardboard, self-adhesive films, plastic films, metal laminates, wood and its derivatives, tapes, leather and its derivatives, pigments, cloth and fabrics: all materials used in various packaging sectors, with particular reference to Luxury, where plastic tends to be absent, unless as a marginal component. Each material is a universe in itself, offering infinite possibilities and combinations to produce any type of project. If we consider paper alone, we face a vast world: each has its characteristics and possible applications. Grammage and finish are the most essential qualities for the choice; a paper can be natural or matt, silk or satin, gloss, recycled from various types of fibres, dyed in the paste or made special with metallic finishes, embossing, plasticization and processes that faithfully reproduce the textures of other materials, from leather to fabrics, from wood to metals. Eco-compatibility plays an increasingly important role in the choice of materials and the production processes, including Luxury, and is expressed in materials from renewed and renewable sources and the creation of new sustainable materials.