The Ultimate Packaging Terminology Post

This is the mother of all packaging terminology posts!

We hope you find it useful when you’re designing packaging for your brand or for your clients. You may use other packaging terms in your line of work. We’d love to know what packaging terminology you use. Feel feel free to email us if you have any questions about any of the terms, info@taylorbox.com.

Board Packaging Terminology

 

Against the Grain

Folding or feeding paper at right angles to the grain direction of the paper.

Anti-Tarnish

Board that is made with a low sulfur content to help prevent silver from tarnishing.

Beater Dye

Paper or board in which dye has been added into the beaker producing a sheet with consistent color throughout its thickness.

Blank

The unfinished cardboard base or lid of the box still flat.

Chipboard

Made from recycled paper products and virgin Kraft. Material is ground and combined with other materials in a beater to form pulp. The pulp is then spread on a screen to remove excess water.

Pasted Board

Chipboards which have two or more lightweight boards glued together to form a thicker sheet.

Stained Board

A board in which stain is applied to only one side.

Vat Board

Chipboard to which a layer of bleached (white) pulp has been added. Can be applied to both sides.

 

Decoration

 

Blind Embossing

A design which is stamped (raised) without metallic leaf or ink, giving a bas-relief effect.

Blind Debossing

A design which is pressed without metallic leaf or ink, giving an indented effect.

Deboss

A process similar to hot stamping where a pattern or design is slightly pressed into the paper with hot stamping foil.

Emboss

A process similar to hot stamping where a pattern or design is slightly raised on the paper with hot stamping foil.

Hot Stamp

A printing method in which metalized or pigmented foils are applied to a sheet with a heated metal die or plate.

Thumbcuts or Thumbholes

A semi-circular or other shape cut made in sides or ends to facilitate removal of lid from base or contents from base.

 

Design

 

CAD/CAM

Acronym for Computer Assisted Design/Computer Assisted Makeup or Manufacturing.

Camera Ready Art

Original artwork which is ready for photography; or artwork prepared on computer with all necessary files.

CMYK

Acronym for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black – subtractive primary colors. Printing colors for “4-color process” color reproduction.

 

Paper

 

Basis Weight

The weight in pounds of a ream (500 sheets) of paper cut to a given standard size for that grade; e.g. 500 sheets 25 x 38 in. of 50 lb. text paper weighs fifty pounds.

Bulk

The degree of thickness of paper. In book printing, the number of pages per inch for a given basis weight.

Beater Dye

Paper or Board in which dye has been added into the beaker producing a sheet with consistent color throughout its thickness.

Caliper

The thickness of paper, usually expressed in thousandths of an inch (mils) and written in decimals.

Coated Paper

Paper with a surface coating which produces a smooth finish. Surfaces vary from eggshell to glossy.

Curl

In paper, the distortion of a sheet due to differences in structure or coatings from one side to the other, or due to absorption of moisture on an offset press.

Deckle

In papermaking, the width of the wet sheet as it comes off the wire of a paper machine. The Deckle Edge is the untrimmed feathery edges of paper formed where the pulp flows against the deckle.

Embossed Finish

A texture applied to paper or lightweight board after the manufacturing of the sheet. Textures often resemble another material such as leather.

Embossing

A process in which paper is pressed between metal dies to create an image in relief. Used as overprinting, with foil, or on blank paper (called Blind Embossing).

Grain

In papermaking, the direction in which most fibers lie which corresponds with the direction the paper is made on a paper machine.

Kraft

A paper or board containing unbleached wood pulp (brown in color). Usually not recycled.

Matte Finish

Dull paper finish without gloss or luster.

Papers

Commonly used as wraps in the manufacture of Set-Up or Rigid Boxes. They could be hand-made, stock purchased from a Paper Mill, printed 4-color process, coated or uncoated.

Web

A roll of paper or other flexible material as it moves through a machine in the process of being converted.

Wrap

The covering material that is glued to the chipboard base and/or lid of a set-up box. Material may be paper, book cloth, bonded leather, plastic, vinyl, etc.

 

Plastic

 

PVC

Poly Vinyl Chloride: a clear plastic used for making lids.

 

Print

 

Bleed

On a printed sheet, an extra amount of printed image which extends beyond the trim edge of the sheet or page  break for color. In artwork and composition, to separate the parts to be printed in different colors.

Chokes and Spreads

In printing, overlap of overprinting images to avoid color or white fringes or borders around image detail (also called “trapping”).

Coating

A protective layer added to a printed sheet including varnish, u.v. coating, peroxylin, nitro cellulose, acrylic, etc.

Film Lamination

This is the finest coating applied to printed board or fine paper. Although it is not recommended for textured stocks, film lamination adds durability to the printed sheet and allows for constructions that would not be possible with unlaminated paper. There are several different degrees and weights of matte and gloss film laminations available.

Aqueous Coating
A water-based coating that is applied to seal the entire sheet, creating a smooth finish that is available from matte & satin to gloss.

Varnish
A coating that is applied for protection to a printed sheet. Varnish is available in different finishes & tints and can be applied to specific areas to create subtle effects or to coat the entire sheet. Clients should note that varnish has a tendency to slightly yellow a printed sheet.

UV Coating
A high gloss liquid coating that is applied off line as a screened process. Although UV coating appears quite glossy, it is not as durable as film lamination.

Acid Etching
This process is an application of an acid-based varnish to a gloss laminated product that introduces areas of matte to the glossy product.

Digital Printing

Printing by plateless imaging systems that are imaged by digital data from pre-press systems.

Draw-Down

In inkmaking, a term used to describe ink chemist’s method of roughly determining color shade. A small glob of ink is placed on paper and drawn down with the edge of a putty knife spatula to get a thin film of ink.

Electronic Printing

Any technology that reproduces pages without the use of traditional ink, water or chemistry.hairline register
In printing, register within plus or minus 1/2 row of dots.

Hickeys

In offset lithography, spots or imperfections in the printing due to dirt on the press, dried ink skin, paper particles, etc.

Iris Proof

Brand name for a type of color proof.

Letterpress

A printing method in which ink is transferred from a metal plate directly to a sheet of paper or board.

Lifts

Stacks of paper which are separated as they come off a printing press to prevent off-setting. Or stacks which are cut together.

Match Print

A type of color proof for offset printing in which film positives for each of the printing plates are fused together.

Offset Printing (Lithography)

A printing method in which ink is transferred from a plate to a smooth rubber “blanket” roller that transfers the image to paper (or paperboard).

Off-Press Proofs

Proofs made by photomechanical or digital means in less time and at lower cost than press proofs.

Press Proofs

In color reproduction, a proof of a color subject made on a printing press, in advance of the production run.

Proofing

Any of a number of ways of testing artwork and/or structure before final plates or tooling is made.

Varnish

A coating applied to give a smooth glossy or matte finish.

 

Production

 

Bundling

Wrapping a number of finished boxes together in paper for shipment or storage.

Case Maker

Machine used to produce turned edge panels or folders.

Combination Die

A plate or die which applies foil and embosses at the same time.

Corner Cut*

Removing the waste material from a scored board blank or wrap blank which is typically all four corners.

Cutscore

In die-cutting, a sharp-edged knife, usually several thousandths of an inch lower than the cutting rules in a die, made to cut part way into the paper or board for folding purposes.

Die Cutting

The process of using sharp steel rules to cut special shapes for labels, boxes, and inserts from printed sheets or embossed papers. Die-cutting can be done on flatbed or rotary presses. Rotary die-cutting is usually done inline with the printing.

Drop Test

A procedure used to test the safety of package contents during shipping; determines the resistance of a filled box to shocks caused by dropping it during rough shipping and/or handling.

Mitre

*See corner cut (wraps only).

Nesting

Placing trays or covers of the same size, generally for shipping, or boxes of varying sizes, one within another.
poly bag

Scoring

Making an impression or crease in a box blank to facilitate bending, folding, or tearing; feeding boxboard sheets through a scoring unit.

Skived Blank

A surface blank.

Stay

Material used for reinforcing corners of a base, lid or tray. This may be made of paper, cloth, a combination of paper and cloth, wire or metal.

Steel Rule Die

A die in which a steel rule for cutting, creasing, or scoring is held in place by grooves cut in plywood.

 

Structural Attributes

 

Base

The lower portion, or the receptacle portion of a set-up box.

Easel

Support attached to a box or other items (i.e. picture frames, display cards) to sustain an upright position for display.

Flange

A protruding rim, edge, rib or collar, as on a wheel or a pipe shaft, used to strengthen an object, hold it in place, or attach it to another object.

Flap Lid

A lid that has no sides or ends and is hinged to the box base. Also called a panel lid.

Folder or Panel

A panel is a flat piece of board without folds. A folder is a group of two or more panels hinged together.

Hinge

The method used to attach a lid to a base. Also refers to area that bends on a folder.

Insert

Any construction of chipboard or other material (Vac Form, Foam, etc.) placed or attached into a box to hold product.

Lid or Cover

The top, or covering portion of a Set-Up or Rigid Box.

Lid Support or Ribbon Stop

Tape or ribbon that is used to hold hinge lid in position when box is open.

Loose Wrapping

Process of covering a lid with paper on a wrapping machine or by hand, with the adhesive applied so as to adhere to the edges only.

Master Carton

A carton that is used to pack and ship smaller cartons within

Neck

A tray or collar inserted in a base to form a shoulder box, attached by adhesive, and extending above the base into the lid when box is closed.

Partitions or Dividers

Slotted or folded pieces of boxboard fitted together to form a series of compartments to be placed in a base without being attached or glued into a base to isolate a section.

Skeleton

A setup base or lid which is not wrapped.

Sleeve

A tube with both ends open. It could be plain or wrapped.

Slide Box

Box in which the lid is the form of a shell into which the base is inserted at the side or end.

Spine

The back of a bound book connecting the two covers or in box making, the back of a slipcase.

Telescope Box

A box in which the sides and ends of the lid are cut the same depth as the sides and ends of the base and the lid fits over the base (“full telescope”). When the depth of the lid is more or less than the height of the base, the lid depth should be stated separately. Thumbcuts are recommended unless it will be a loose fit.

Tight Wrapping

This is the process of covering the base, lid or tray with paper on wrapping machine, or by hand, wraps usually being in one piece and with the entire surface covered with adhesive.

Tip

A rectangular wrap applied to finish wrapping a box or to cover the turn-in of a folder.

Tray

A receptacle to which no lid is made. turn in The part of the wrap which ends up on the inside of the box.

Turned Edge

A folder, tray, or case on which the edges of the board are covered by the wrap vs. raw edge.

Turn-In

The portion of the paper which wraps on the inside of the box.

Universal Product Code (UPC)

A printed code on containers and other forms of packaging that provides information about the product for purposes of inventory control and retail pricing.

 

Packaging Terms for Box Styles

 

Rigid Paper Box

A chipboard paper box of rigid construction formed, or “set-up”, ready for use. A Rigid Paper box is usually wrapped, unlike a folding carton or a corrugated shipping container.

Slipcase

A case into which a book or binder slides into usually significantly deeper than its width. Receptacles for other purposes of similar proportions and structure.