Ever picked up boxes at Aldi to shop with?

I really enjoy shopping normally. I loved to go and head to Aldi and try and find a box to use as a bag for the whole trip.  But now shopping in 2021, I found that I had to change up all the normal routines in order to stay safe and that has changed a lot over the year.  It was not an easy task to learn to keep safe and also make sure that my family was safe as well.  I ended up changing stores and learning that boxes were a great way to help protect items and to make getting the groceries in home a little easier.  I also like using Aldi boxes too.

I know that now shopping is less fun, so I try to just pound it all out at once.  I didn't want to travel to many locations and also purchase food for only a week.  I decided that in order to cut down on possible pandemic exposure and just the fear of shopping in the wild with crazy people that I would shop at Costco and go only once a month.  Well, the answer was doing it all at the same time. 

Costco is not the best for bagging anything as a matter of fact they don't do it at all.  My friends told me that they had to carry all of their items out from the cart to the car and from the car to the home.  But then another friend said they had boxes that they could use to line your cart.  I decided this was the best way to protect my items from being touched or exposed to COVID-19 and also to carry them when I was out of the store.  So I made sure to ask for boxes before I went shopping and every time they have been provided to me.  But getting a box is really the best answer there. 

It really is better for travel too.  It keeps things together and cold.  Just be careful not to put all your items in mixed boxes.  I ended up shopping and getting my favorite candy boxes mixed with a hot chicken and it melted all my candy boxes and left me with one heck of a mess when I got home.  This was a silly mistake on my part but just remember to separate the items out.  Now I would also suggest trying to be very careful in stacking your items so you don't crush anything either.  When you shop for a month the weight of your cart gets much heavier than normal.  But be smart about what you stack together so as not to ruin anything. 

It is probably smart to put on a smile with your eyes and fake happiness as well.  Fear is simply rampant in the United States and being paranoid and mean is simply not a good way to shop.  It is already not fun seeing scared people running around.  We also stopped wiping down all our items after we got home.  Being outside kills the virus anyway so all your items are safe by being in the sun.  Enjoy shopping again and try and be chill. There really is not a better option than to find joy in life! 

Lego Set Packaging Tips

Lego is one of the most favorite games of children as well as adults. While combining colorful blocks and creating objects of different shapes through a lego set is a fascination in itself, the packaging this set comes in is also not less interesting these days. Modern-day packaging practices have allowed game manufacturing companies to produce some of the most interesting Lego set packaging designs.

This brand is 88 years old, and it was founded by a carpenter whose whole business had gone bankrupt. He then started creating toys with leftover materials. His children were quite excited about those new toys. That’s where he worked on launching these products on a larger scale. A bit of modification to create stackable wooden pieces allowed him to create Lego sets we know.

In this article, we will discuss some most fascinating Lego set packs.

The first to discuss is a pack that reminds the history of the most famous bricks. This pullout box with white background represents a number of scenarios related to a working environment. The image used in the photograph is in the foreground. There is no logo, but the product itself is self-explanatory. The alert position at the top left side of the box speaks for the product's originality.

The next product is an illustration of a wider architecture. Enclosed in a rollover hinged lid box, this Lego set is the favorite of children and adults. The black background in the packaging design makes this toy product a bit luxurious. The architectural representation is of Venice. The architectural notes included in the packaging are in both Italic and English.

The next Lego set is the children’s favorite: Super Mario. It may be worth mentioning here that the first Lego characters didn’t have any real details. It was 1978 when anthropomorphic figures were first introduced.  The mini-series of Lego characters didn’t have movable legs and arms. There were no face features either. These characters are popular, even in this era. That is why Lego SuperMario Minifigures are very much in demand.

The best thing about Lego sets is that they add spice to existing games, making them more interesting. For instance, fans may find a Lego jewelry box set quite an interesting and interactive product. This product usually comes with a lid that can be redecorated with Lego bricks. The outer packaging of this product usually provides illustration regarding how to use it.

Another quite interesting product is a cube box with a wavy window to let the customers view the original product, which represents the head shape. This head is actually a cookie jar, showcasing its Lego character. The overall packaging of this product is quite attractive and unforgettable.

If you want to make a statement with your product packaging, you will need to make it interesting same as the Lego set packaging. While you don’t have to follow the exact same patterns in design, you can get an idea of how to make a product packaging more interesting.

Topcoat for product labels: laminate vs. Varnish

While planning for custom product labeling, your packaging supplier may ask you to choose between laminate and varnish topcoat. It is necessary to understand the difference between both if you want to choose the right option.

The role of a label topcoat

There are multiple layers of materials used in the making of product labels. The first thing coming into the mind while thinking of product label materials is the face stock, which is a label onto which you have to print an image or design. It means that the appearance and performance of a label depend on this layer. That is why you have to choose this material quite carefully. There is another layer that is just as important as the face stock because it determines the feel, looks, and lifespan of a label.

The top layer of the label is known as a topcoat, which adds protection to a label. This layer deflects damage and scuffling. This layer also influences the feel and look of a finished label. The two material options that you can choose from are varnish and laminate.

Is there a need for a topcoat for a product label?

A topcoat layer is not required for the finishing of product labels. The purpose of this layer is to protect the packaging design. The absence of a topcoat layer results in ink from the unprotected face stock surface wearing off. It also results in the product label getting exposed to moisture, liquids, oil, dust, and other factors.

Varnish topcoat

This topcoat consists of a silicon-based liquid covering a printed label. These topcoats are ideal for indoor use labels. These topcoats are not much resistant to moisture and are more prone to the impact of scuffing and smudging.

Varnish topcoats are usually available in matte, gloss, and satin finishes. They provide only basic protection to everyday product labels.

The varnish techniques used for label protection are the following.

• Flood coat: This technique results in the topcoat covering the entire product label because it flows to the edges of the face stock and printed images.
• Spot varnish: This topcoat covers only a part or parts of the image or face stock. This layer maximizes the contrast between gloss and matte surfaces.
• Dimensional varnish: This varnish involves the use of several layers to give a label some dimensional qualities. It is a way to create textures without embossing or de-bossing.

Laminate topcoat

This topcoat involves the application of a film, typically made of polyester. It serves as a plastic barrier that keeps the face stock well-protected. These topcoats are more effective in preventing damage from moisture, oils, UV, scuffs, and smudges.

These topcoats come in both glossy and matte finishes. They also prevent a label from the impact of thermal transfer during secondary printing.

You can discuss with your packaging supplier the type of topcoat you can use for your product labels. First and foremost, you will need to look at your labeling requirements. It will help you select the best quality topcoat according to your needs.