All articles by Chris Lo
Chris Lo
New tricks: repackaging heritage brands
Long-standing brands trade on their heritage, a quality that is reinforced by familiar packaging design. But heritage brands often need a revamp to move with the times, address new competition or appeal to a new generation of customers. John Clark of brand design agency Coley Porter Bell describes the balancing act of introducing new elements to iconic products.
The invisible industry: finding the future packaging workforce
Packaging companies need to attract new talent to drive future innovation, but to many students packaging is an invisible industry. Chris Lo consults experts from industry and academia to find out how the sector can promote itself to a new generation of young professionals.
Luxury packaging: beauty and the brand
The luxury goods market has weathered the downturn’s storm, but in a post-recession world it’s important to convey quality without breaking the bank. Chris Lo discusses beauty, budget and brand with MW Creative’s Toby Wilson.
Printed electronics: high tech on a small scale
Could printing with electronic displays or RFID usher in the next generation of packaging? There are still obstacles standing in the way of its progress in the packaging world, but as Chris Lo finds out, some impressive advances in nanotechnology and conductive ink have already been made.
Private label packaging: challenging the big brands
Private label products are gaining ground on big national brands, with packaging playing a major role in changing consumer perceptions of own-brand ranges. Chris Lo talks to Ian Schofield, of brand and packaging specialist Sun Branding Solutions, to get some insight into the unique requirements of this growing market.
The future of flexible packaging
Modern developments in flexible packaging are bringing pouches, films and foils to the market on an unprecedented scale. We profile some of the flexible packaging market’s most promising innovations to safeguard product quality, enhance visibility, improve environmental sustainability and more.
Supporting eco-friendly packaging: green inks
The ever-improving performance of eco-friendly alternative ink is making waves in the printing and packaging world. Covering water-based and biodegradable inks and UV curing methods, Chris Lo finds out how the eco-friendly printing market is gradually turning ink green.
Material world: innovative packaging components
Today’s packaging material is expected to play a greater role in product integrity and sustainability than ever. Chris Lo explores the world of polymers, plants and plastics to reveal some of the industry’s best and brightest packaging materials.
Sleeve-labels: The growth of a shrink market
The presence of sleeve-labels on store shelves and within the packaging market is growing faster than ever. Chris Lo looks into the advantages of heat shrink labelling and other techniques to discover the secret of their success.
EU labelling: The facts behind the figures
New EU labelling laws are forcing companies to look more closely at the accuracy of product information. Chris Lo looks at how standardising European labelling regulations will affect packaging companies, food producers and retailers.