Proper coating is an important step in designing and producing high quality packaging. Why do we need coatings? Just as packaging is to products, coating is equally important to packaging. While packaging protects and enhances the beauty of contents inside, coatings do so to the appearance of the packaging itself. As coatings are both decorative and protective, they are an economical way, and almost a must-have to extend both the appearance and the lifespan of the package.
An important goal of packaging is to catch the eyes of target consumers, luring them to explore the package and its contents. A quality coating will greatly promote the shelf appeal by imparting additional tactile elements and adding protective gloss to printed graphics. The most common types used today are aqueous and UV coatings (especially the latter). Both are available in different finishes from gloss through satin to matte, expanding design flexibility beyond the choice of colors.
A coating protects the package from the rigors of handling all the way from assembly to shipping and distribution, and safeguards it from things like fingerprints, abrasion and scuffing. Aqueous and UV coatings both provide excellent resistance to abrasion and block; in some cases, effectively eliminating the need for lamination, shrink wrap or other protective layers.
Which is the best coating for your packaging?
That depends as much on the job as it does on the coating. When making a decision you need to weigh on many variables such as expectations of performance, appearance, quality and cost, etc. Other things to consider include worker experience, job latitude (tolerance), client preference, storage conditions and performance requirements. Below we’ll make a comparison of UV and aqueous coatings before discussing the most appropriate applications of each.
Aqueous coatings are approximately 40% solids and 60% water. The liquids are absorbed by the substrate or evaporate during the drying process, leaving the solids to form a thin film. The dried coatings are clear and odorless, and are also FDA-approved to use in food packaging.
UV coatings, however, are all solids, and take light-curing instead of heat-drying. The solids cured will then to form a durable film that provides unparalleled gloss and hardness. UV coatings offer more finishes than aqueous, such as pearlized pigments or metallized flakes. Although UV coating can be applied either off-line or in-line, in-line UV coating provides better finish quality and increased speed (thus reduced cost) compared to off-line coating.
Common: In many ways, both aqueous and UV coatings share same advantages like in-line application and rapid drying which allows for instant work and turn. Also, either type can be used with little or no spray powder, which helps improve the print smoothness and creates a cleaner working environment. In addition, both coatings can be applied either as a flood coating (overall) or as a spot coating to highlight a particular area.
The difference? Aqueous coatings cost less up front. But UV coating offers higher quality advantages and productivity gains, which usually outweigh the higher unit costs. When comparing costs it's helpful to think of UV as conferring all of the benefits of aqueous coating, but to a greater degree. For example:
UV dries faster than Aqueous
UV is glossier than Aqueous
UV provides more protection than aqueous.
UV coatings are particularly well suited for:
Applications requiring the ultimate gloss
Applications requiring the ultimate hardness
Non-absorbent print surfaces like plastic(e.g. UV-coated plastic Jewelry Box as shown above)
POS displays
Spot coating
Appropriate applications for aqueous coatings:
Food packaging (for direct food contact)
In-line heat seal blister packaging
Primer or seal coating (to enhance gluing or subsequent UV varnish over conventional inks)
Items that will be written on (e.g. mailers, postcards, etc.)
When you choose a coating you make an investment in the lifespan and performance of the package, and ultimately of the product inside. The more closely the package will interact with consumers or end users, the stronger the case for incorporating the coating into the overall design.
PacZone is a leading Custom Boxes manufacturer from China, supplies both custom-size plastic gift boxes and cardboard gift boxes!
