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If you’ve ever ordered a pillow by mail, you might have been surprised to see the box in which it came. Pillow boxes have a very unique shape which is (of course) similar to that of a pillow. Most people throw away these boxes, thinking that they are too unique to re-use. Many companies also fail to see the varied usefulness of custom pillow boxes. Let’s go over some of the many uses to which these unique boxes can be put.

Clothing And Apparel

As it happens, most clothing items will fit neatly into a pillow box when folded. The flat shape of the box is actually very helpful because it ensures that the items stay folded. Of course, you could go with a rectangular box and get the same effect, but the curved edges of the pillow box provide an opportunity to create visual appeal. Studies have repeatedly shown that brand recognition is good for business, and unique packaging is one of the ways in which you can create that brand recognition.

Custom Gift Packaging

A lot of stores offer a gift packaging service, especially during the holidays. While you could theoretically use the same paper and process for every item, that isn’t likely to bring your customers back. You don’t want them to look at the wrapping job and say: “I could have done that myself!”

That’s where pillow boxes can be a great thing. They have an uncommon shape that catches the eye, and they are well-suited for pretty much all small items. For a little extra, you could offer foil-stamped boxes to your customers. These will provide a little more shine and will be worth keeping for re-use.

Food And Medicine

Pillow Boxes have also been found to be useful in the food and medical industries. They can easily be made with an aluminum foil liner, which allows them to protect the freshness of their contents. If you’ve ever wondered why certain bags are lined with foil on the inside, that is the reason. Although they are not suitable for bulk foodstuffs or bulk medical shipments, pillow boxes have proven to be very useful for keeping individual items fresh and sterile.

Jewelry

When you are selling jewelry, you are selling beauty. That is where the appeal of jewelry comes from, so why wouldn’t you use packaging that is equally stunning? A pillow box can be custom-sized for any jewelry item and is an ideal way to package individual items for sale. Needless to say, you will want to decorate the package in an appropriate way.

That brings us to a discussion of materials. Since many jewelry items are extremely valuable for their size, you wouldn’t want to use a pillow box made of Kraft paper. Those are fine for most items, but a highly valuable item needs a thicker cardboard version. The thickness of a pillow box should depend on the value and fragility of the items within.

Custom Boxes For Mail-Order Business

Most pillow boxes will easily fit in a mailbox, so they are ideal for doing business by mail. Larger items can also make use of this package type, provided it is made of sturdy material. That brings us to another great thing about pillow boxes: They can easily be fit into a large zip-lock bag. Despite their curved edges, they fit nicely in a rectangular bag. This provides a good way to protect shipped items from the effects of the weather.

One popular option for mail-order packaging is the envelope-type pillow box. Instead of opening at the side, these boxes are made with a top flap that is tied in place. When fastened, they look like large cardboard envelopes with curved sides. Once again, don’t underestimate the importance of unique and memorable packaging. Many private online sellers have found these boxes to be great, although it is recommended to use the sturdier options for long-distance shipping.

Confections Industry

Not all pillow boxes have to be elaborate and impressive. Sometimes, all you want is a small, disposable package that also looks pleasing to the eye. This is often the case in the confections industry, where they are manufacturing consumable products. This includes things like candy, chocolates, bakery goods, etc. Pillow boxes of this type tend to be made of Kraft paper and lined with foil or wax.

One common option used in this industry is the “window” feature. Pillow boxes can be made with a transparent section made from thin plastic. This allows the customer to see what is inside and evaluate it for purchase. Most people don’t want to buy something without looking at it, especially a consumable, so this extra feature can help to drive sales.

Custom Invitations

The curvy and streamlined look of a pillow box can also be great for those who provide customized event invitations. This is another option that you can provide your customers, and you will probably find that many people choose this shape. There is something about a decorated pillow box that exudes class and sophistication, and that is what you want for a custom-made invite.

Why Custom Packaging Matters

You may have noticed a theme here: Many of these methods and ideas revolve around the use of pillow boxes for creative packaging. It is important to understand that packaging is your number one marketing tool. Advertisements of all kinds can help to drive business in your direction, but packaging has been proven to have a direct influence on the buying behavior of consumers.

Don’t take our word for the matter: Here is a study that proves the point. This was a very exhaustive study that took a lot of different variables into account, including:

• Package color
• Packaging material(s)
• Overall design
• Innovations

The study was carried out by observing the buying habits of particular consumers (in Karachi, Pakistan) and watching how their behavior was affected by changes in packaging. They came to several important conclusions:

1. Packaging is the most important of all marketing tools.
2. Packaging is the most direct way to communicate with your customers
3. The color of the packaging is probably the single most important factor
4. Packaging material had very little effect on buying behavior
5. Design and innovations are also significant influences on buying behavior

Options For Decorating Pillow Boxes

In most cases, a pillow box is not being used for routine transport or other mundane usages. They don’t stack as well as traditional square and rectangular boxes, so they aren’t well-suited for that. Pillow boxes are generally used for premium items that are worth the trouble of packaging in an elaborate and attractive way. If you just want a plain old cardboard box with no embellishment, there really isn’t much point in using a pillow box.

As such, decoration is very important for the creation of a good pillow box package. You want to show the customer that you went the extra mile and appeal to them on an emotional level. These boxes can be printed with any design you want, and it is particularly easy when they are made of Kraft paper. Still, there are ways to print on cardboard as well. Ribbons, bows, and other such things are often added, and a transparent window feature is always an option.

Metal foils are commonly used, creating brilliantly shiny colors that attract attention. You can’t really ignore something with that much shine! Embossing, debossing, and layering are also great techniques that can be used to provide a 3-D appeal. Once again, your goal is to catch the attention of customers and set your brand apart from the rest.

Conclusion

You may have noticed that we didn’t list the primary use of this box, which is (of course) shipping pillows. We left that one off because it is obvious, and we didn’t want to focus on the obvious. We wanted to focus on the lesser-known uses of pillow boxes in order to show you just how versatile they really are.

At Mid-Atlantic Packaging, we provide only the best pillow boxes, and we can customize them in all sorts of ways. No matter what kind of business you may operate, you can probably find a use for these things. If you would like to know more, you can call Mid-Atlantic Packaging today or request a free custom packaging quote.