Design for Recycling: 9 Rules That Get Packaging Recycled
Most packaging fails at the sorting line, not the bin. These nine Design for Recycling rules — mono-material, detectable color, clean-release labels,...
John Marlon·
Blog
How to Design Limited-Edition Packaging That Sells Out
Limited-edition packaging sells out when scarcity is visible and margins stay intact. A practical guide to drop hooks, edition numbering, premium fini...
John Marlon·
8 Packaging Technologies That Extend Food Shelf Life Without Preservatives
A third of all food is lost or wasted, much of it before anyone eats it. Eight packaging technologies — from MAP to edible coatings — that do the work...
John Marlon·
How Tiffany & Co. Turned a Blue Box Into the Most Valuable Packaging in Retail
A small robin's-egg-blue box can raise a buyer's heart rate before they see what's inside. How Tiffany turned a color into a trademark, a ritual, and...
John Marlon·
How to Build a Packaging Spec Sheet That Eliminates Supplier Errors
Most packaging defects start in a vague email, not on the factory floor. A section-by-section guide to the spec sheet that kills reorder errors, settl...
John Marlon·
Anti-Counterfeit Packaging: How Holograms, NFC, QR Codes, and Blockchain Stop Fakes
Counterfeits cost brands $467B a year and most fraud wins at the package. A breakdown of holograms, serialized QR, NFC chips, and blockchain — what ea...
John Marlon·
How Graza Turned a Squeeze Bottle of Olive Oil Into a Brand Worth Copying
Graza scaled from a 2022 launch to national retail by putting premium olive oil in a squeeze bottle. Here's how one packaging decision became the enti...
John Marlon·
Anti-Static Packaging Explained: How to Protect Electronics from ESD Damage
Static-shielding bags, anti-static foam, and dissipative pink poly each fight electrostatic discharge differently. Here's how to pick the right ESD pa...
John Marlon·
How to Calculate the True Cost of Packaging (Beyond the Per-Unit Price)
The unit price on your packaging quote is often only 40-60% of what each package really costs. Here's how to build a total-cost-of-ownership model tha...
John Marlon·
How to Choose Coffee Packaging: Valve Bags, Barrier Films, and Degassing Explained
Coffee staling is a packaging problem before it's a roasting one. Here's how to choose the right barrier film, one-way valve, bag format, and closure...
John Marlon·
How Tony's Chocolonely Turned an Uneven Chocolate Bar Into a Packaging Statement
Tony's Chocolonely made its chocolate bar deliberately uneven and wrapped it in clashing colors to indict the cocoa trade. Here's how packaging became...
John Marlon·
How Luxury Brands Make Packaging Sustainable Without Cheapening the Experience
Premium brands are cutting packaging waste 30-60% without losing the unboxing ritual. Here are the material swaps, structural tricks, and refill syste...
John Marlon·