In most houses, there will be a few boxes that were never disposed off. A watch box sitting in a drawer. An old letter box filled with old letters. The carton that came last week was automatically recycled. The same purpose, entirely different fate. Why the difference and why it is a real commercial advantage.
Maintaining a Box is a decision.
No one wants to store packaging. It occurs in an instant, typically immediately after opening, when someone asks themselves, “Is this box going to help or hinder me? It occurs in a split second, usually when you’re about to open the box and ask yourself, “Is this box going to help me or hinder me?
It takes about the blink of an eye to make that decision and it’s usually instinctive. A good-looking, sturdy box is set aside. If it doesn’t feel sturdy, it gets recycled. The product within is typically the exact same either way. It all depends on the packaging.
The decision on the keep is based on:
- The durability of the box from the feel.
- Whether it looks like it’s worth keeping.
- Whether it might contain something else.
Recognizing that the present moment is the most important factor in designing for it.
The first requirement is to structure.
A box that is stored must be able to be stored. Again, it seems like a no-brainer, but most packaging will fall short of this standard right off the bat.
A folding carton will collapse when emptied, and cannot stand up unsupported. The rigid box is self contained, snaps correctly and remains square. This structural independence makes it usable for storage. Luxury Boxes are constructed this way and have thick board that will not deform.
Structure allows re-use in the following ways:
- Board that holds its shape.
- A tightly-fitting lid.
- Corners which remain square.
The box will not be stored if it does not stand up when empty. All other things follow from this.
It Must Be Useful for Something Else
There must be a reason to keep a box. People aren’t saving packaging just for sentimental reasons; they’re saving it because it may come in handy.
Boxes that are sensible in shape and size, with a suitable lid are used for jewellery, keepsakes, cables and stationery. No matter what the quality is, awkward shapes, boxes that can’t be closed, and sizes that fit none get recycled. Usefulness is a design attribute.
Useful boxes have characteristics that include:
- A size and form that is usable.
- A lid that is closed multiple times.
- A clean inside free from product residue.
- Design a box that might fit another object and your chances of survival skyrocket.
Appearance Has to Justify the Shelf Space
Boxes that are not seen get kept. They are in the drawers, on the shelves and in the wardrobes and people only keep the ones that they don’t mind looking at.
This means that any label that has been printed for shipping, barcodes or a lot of promotional material will be excluded. It prefers a clean design, a limited brand and a finish that it wouldn’t look out of place in a home not a warehouse. Luxury Boxes typically outlast other boxes because they are designed to be attractive when on display.
Kept boxes require:
- Neat and simple exterior aesthetics.
- No labels for shipment, no clutter.
- A finish which is appropriate for a house.
- A box that somebody is willing to show off is a box that will remain.
The Opening Experience is a catalyst for Attachment.
Here’s a less pronounced factor. The way a box is opened determines whether someone feels attached to it or not, and attachment is related to keeping it.
A box of this kind that opens perfectly, has a nice lid or is magnetic, will make a small positive moment. This moment is attached to the object. A bit of scissors and a carton is torn open, and nothing is created. It’s not sentiment really, but it does change the call.
The first moment is important because it:
- Establishes a good feeling.
- Makes a suggestion that the box was constructed well.
- Thinks that disposal is a wasteful thing.
Folks aren’t so keen on discarding a product that they were satisfied with opening. This pause is usually enough.
Displays and boxes that are kept up and running for your brand.
Now switching to the business side of it – that’s the part that really matters to you.
A recycled box is only as useful as long as it is not emptied. A kept box in a home for years, usually with your logo visible, that is opened every time that person opens the drawer. It’s also viewed by other individuals. That is FREE, never ending packaging exposure, and it is something you already paid for.
A kept box will provide:
- Many years of rest of visibility.
- Circumstances relating to other people.
- A sustained quality-bonding.
- That’s why it’s important to design for retention, not as a happy accident.
Reuse is the Honest Eco Argument
There is a sustainability aspect to this and it is one of the few that is not easily dismissed.
Once used and recycled box still required material and energy to produce. A box that is held and reused for years really replaces other purchases and postpones the addition of material to the waste stream. A box that is meant to be reused is a better environmental outcome than a recycled box as reusing is a higher priority in every waste hierarchy.
Reuse is effective because it:
- Reduces waste of material.
- Stands on a higher level than recycling.
- Substitutes other storage expenditures.
This is a claim that can be made because it is very simple and easy to state.
Final Thoughts
Boxes are retained when earned. Structure is primary as a box that collapses when emptied is not usable. Then usefulness, for people still package that may contain something else, not something they don’t.
The appearance is important since kept boxes are visible, clean design and minimal branding wins over shipping labels and promo clutter. And the first experience instills a small attachment that makes disposing seem like a waste.
The commercial return is unusual if these are got correct. If you keep your Luxury Boxes, they will keep on working for years and years of time, and you’ll have your name on them long after you buy them. That’s real value of packaging that you’ve already paid for combined with environmental good that’s up to the science test. Design for drawer, not delivery.
