Simulation of various textures in flexible packaging

Consumers use all their senses when choosing products on a store shelf. At the same time, it has been proven that more than 45% of people are kinesthetic, that is, they better perceive information from touching objects, therefore, in the struggle for the attention of customers, the tactile attractiveness of packaging plays a decisive role. The addition of sensory coatings to the structure of flexible packaging makes the potential buyer unconsciously want to pick up the product, after which it usually ends up straight into the basket. Special tactile varnishes add different types of sensory sensations to flexible packaging, through which the manufacturer reflects the important characteristics of the product.

Tactile varnishes

They are a special type of varnish that is used for the targeted treatment of printed surfaces. Provides printed designs with an authentic texture. Tactile varnishes can be water-based or UV-composite, they have a thick consistency, they are applied using special equipment, depending on the base of the varnish and the characteristics of the material being processed.
To varnish the surface of polymer films, which are used in the production of flexible packaging, gravure printing technology is needed. With it, the varnish is applied with a specially prepared impression cylinder, on which the corresponding engraving is created. The result is a three-dimensional structure of varying heights and thicknesses, with tactile effects that simulate different surfaces.
The most popular in flexible packaging are tactile effects:

• paper;
• sand;
• soft coatings.

Varnish coatings can be applied to the entire surface of the package or to those parts of it that need to be accentuated.

Main functions

In addition to imitating various surfaces used to attract customers and distinguish products from a number of analogues, varnishing performs a number of other functions:

• Protection of the paint layer of the packaging from damage during transportation and storage and from the effects of external conditions.
• Acquaintance with the properties of the product. For example, an imitation of a soft coating can be used for flexible packaging of a detergent and sensory «inform» the client about the gentle effect of household chemicals on the skin of hands or fabrics, and the similarity to paper will emphasize the brand’s environmental friendliness.
• Anti-counterfeiting protection. Since the technology for applying tactile varnishes requires special equipment, it is problematic and costly to counterfeit, which guarantees brand protection.
• Among other things, the resulting coatings are resistant to heat and aggressive chemicals.

You can order polymer packaging imitating various textures using tactile varnishes at our own production facilities of NTL Packing. We are rightfully the technological leaders of our industry in the CIS market and offer our customers many effective solutions with high quality performance.