Tariff-Proofing Your Packaging Sourcing: A 2026 Strategy Guide
Section 232 duties reprice cans, tins, and aerosols at the invoice level every order. Here's a working framework for mapping your tariff exposure and...
John Marlon·
Blog
Fishwife Packaging Case Study: How an Illustrated Tin Turned Canned Fish Into a Lifestyle Brand
Fishwife treated the tin as its primary marketing channel, not an afterthought. Here's how illustrated, one-color-per-SKU packaging built a lifestyle...
John Marlon·
ECT vs Burst Strength: How to Spec the Right Corrugated Box for E-commerce Shipping
Two numbers decide whether your corrugated box survives shipping — and most brands spec the wrong one. Here's ECT vs burst strength in plain terms, th...
John Marlon·
Robotic vs Conventional Palletizing: Which End-of-Line System Fits Your Volume in 2026?
Robotic arms and cobots dominate new palletizer sales, yet a high-speed conventional line still wins on a single unchanging SKU. A blunt screen for de...
John Marlon·
EU PPWR Compliance: What Actually Changes on August 12, 2026 — and What Can Wait
PPWR isn't one deadline — it's a staircase of them stretching to 2040. Here's what's legally binding next month (PFAS limits, heavy metals, conformity...
John Marlon·
2D Barcodes Are Coming for Your Packaging: How to Design for GS1 Sunrise 2027
By the end of 2027, retail scanners are expected to read 2D barcodes at checkout — which means your packaging needs a QR code, placed and printed corr...
John Marlon·
PCR Plastic Packaging: What Recycled Content Costs in 2026 — and Where the Law Now Requires It
Recycled resin used to be the cheap option. Now food-grade rPET trades above virgin PET while California and the EU write minimum-content percentages...
John Marlon·
Chamberlain Coffee Packaging Case Study: How Animal Mascots Carried a Creator Brand Into 10,000 Stores
Chamberlain Coffee is the rare creator brand whose packaging doesn't need the creator. A look at the mascot system, the custom typeface, and the desig...
John Marlon·
Paper Padded Mailers vs Bubble Mailers: Which Should Your E-commerce Brand Ship In?
Paper padded mailers have closed the protection gap with bubble mailers — and they go in the curbside bin. Here's the honest comparison on protection,...
John Marlon·
Aseptic Packaging vs Retort: Which Wins Shelf-Stable Without Refrigeration?
Both make food shelf-stable without a fridge. But aseptic and retort get there in opposite ways — one cooks the product in seconds, the other cooks it...
John Marlon·
Molded Fiber Packaging: What It Costs, the Four Types, and When It Actually Beats Foam
Molded fiber pulp is the go-to foam replacement — but it's four different materials, not one, and it only wins on cost past a volume break-even. Here'...
John Marlon·
Mushroom Packaging vs Styrofoam: Can Mycelium Actually Replace EPS Foam?
Grown-to-shape mushroom packaging has reached cost parity with EPS foam and composts at home in about 45 days. Here's where mycelium genuinely replace...
John Marlon·