Capabilities
Packaging printing methods we run
Run length decides the print method more often than quality does. Here is where each one wins and where it stops making sense.
Method by method
Five routes cover almost all packaging work. The differences that matter commercially are setup cost and running cost, not resolution.
| Method | Setup cost | Efficient run | Colour accuracy | Best substrates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital | None | 50 – 2,000 | Good | Board, film, label stock |
| Offset lithography | Plates per colour | 2,000+ | Excellent, spot colours native | Flat board, wraps, labels |
| Flexography | Plates per colour | 2,500+ | Good on solids | Corrugated, film, bags |
| Rotogravure | Cylinders, high | 10,000+ | Excellent | Flexible film |
| Screen printing | Screens per colour | 100+ | Heavy ink lay | Fabric, rigid wraps, thick stocks |
How each method behaves on a real job is compared in the printing methods guide.
Choosing between digital and plate-based printing
Digital carries no plate cost, so its unit price is close to flat regardless of quantity. Plate-based printing carries a fixed setup that spreads across the run, so its unit price falls steeply as volume rises.
The crossover usually sits between 1,000 and 3,000 units, earlier for one-colour work and later for six-colour designs with foil. Ask for the same job quoted at your quantity and one band up — two points reveal the shape of both curves.
Run length is the deciding factor, and the wholesale order guide shows where the crossover falls at each quantity band.
Colour handling
Offset and flexo reproduce spot colours directly from named inks, which is what you want if a brand depends on an exact Pantone. Digital simulates spot colours with a process build, which is close but not identical.
On uncoated and kraft substrates all methods print duller and warmer than they do on coated white board. That is the material behaving normally rather than a printing fault, and a proof on the real substrate is the only reliable check.
Colour behaves differently again on an unbleached stock, which is covered across the recycled and kraft range.
Print advice
Find out which print route fits your run
Send the quantity and the number of colours. The crossover between digital and plate-based printing is the single biggest lever on your unit price.
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Request a quote
Send us the product details and quantity. We reply with a specification and a written price, usually within one business day.
Answers
Questions about packaging print methods
Which printing method should I choose?
Under about 1,000 units, digital almost always. Above about 3,000, offset or flexo depending on substrate. Between the two, ask for both prices at your exact quantity.
How many colours can I print?
Digital handles full colour with no per-colour cost. Plate-based methods add a plate and a press pass per colour, so colour count directly affects setup cost.
Can you match a Pantone colour?
On offset and flexo we print the Pantone ink directly. On digital we produce the closest process build, which is very close but not an exact match on critical brand colours.
Is digital print quality good enough for retail packaging?
For most retail packaging viewed at arm's length, yes. Offset holds finer detail in small type and large solids more evenly, which shows under close inspection.
Can you print inside a box?
Yes, on mailers, folding cartons and rigid boxes. It matters most when the product does not fill the pack, because that is when the interior is visible at opening.
What is litho-lamination?
A paper sheet printed offset and then bonded to corrugated board. It gives photographic print quality on corrugated, which flexography cannot achieve. It costs more than direct flexo.
Do you print white ink?
Yes. On kraft and clear substrates white is printed as an underbase layer so colours above it stay accurate. It adds a pass and a cost.
Can I print different designs in one run?
On digital, yes, at no extra setup cost — this is the main advantage of digital for versioned products. On plate-based printing each version needs its own plate set.
What resolution do images need?
300 dpi at the size the image appears on the finished pack, not at its original size. Scaling an image up in the layout reduces effective resolution proportionally.
How consistent is colour between production runs?
Offset holds the tightest run-to-run consistency. We retain colour targets on file so reorders match, and where colour is critical we recommend agreeing a printed reference standard.
Next step
Tell us what you are packing
Send the product dimensions and the quantity you need. We come back with a specification, a lead time and a written price.