American and die-cuttings: how to choose the right product according to your needs

Today, for many Italians, buying an Italian apple, choosing a local cheese, or preferring a national brand is a gesture that carries economic, social, and cultural value. This is what emerges from the new edition of YouGov's Behavior Change report, which snapshots the buying habits of over 15,000 consumers across 21 European countries. See also: “Sustainable packaging: what influences Italian consumers' purchases” Consumption as a conscious choice 64% of Italians are convinced that their purchasing choices have a concrete impact on society. This figure is well above the European average of 44% and reflects a change: consumption is no longer just an individual act, but an opportunity to support fairer and more sustainable economic models. Unlike other countries, such as Denmark or Serbia, where boycotting is a widespread practice for ethical or geopolitical reasons, a constructive approach prevails in Italy. Only 19% resort to boycotting, while the tendency to reward local and national producers is growing: 50% of Italians choose local products (compared to the 45% EU average) and 46% prefer Italian products (compared to 40% in other European countries). The strength of made in Italy Attachment to the local area is increasingly evident. 47% of Italians declare they want to increase their support for local producers in the coming months. Confirming this trend, 83% state they prefer "made in Italy" products and 75% opt for local brands, with a higher concentration in Southern Italy. Major brands are also seizing the value of this trend. Examples include initiatives such as the special edition of Nutella dedicated to Italian landscapes or the regional communication of Mutti, which highlights its production roots. The message is clear: local identity is a strategic asset. Quality, savings, and the fight against waste When it comes to choosing what to put in the shopping cart, product quality is the top criterion for 41% of Italians, followed by discounts and promotions (40%) and the commitment to reducing waste (38%). One in five Italians is willing to try new brands or products, especially in the personal care, detergents, confectionery, dairy, and bakery sectors. The comparison with Europe In the rest of Europe, the climate is more marked by insecurity and pessimism: 71% of respondents fear for global stability. The main concerns relate to economic crises, climate change, and family security. In Italy, too, however, the environment is at the top of the priorities: concern about climate change (40%) even surpasses that for the household budget. To protect their purchasing power, many European consumers are adopting defensive strategies: looking for deals, cooking more at home, and preferring budget brands or private labels. In this scenario, hard discounts are the only channel to record a positive balance between those who intend to increase purchases and those who want to reduce them. Health remains central A common trend across Europe is the focus on health and well-being: over 30% of people state that they exercise regularly and limit alcohol consumption. Interest in sugar-free, high-protein products with nutritional benefits is also growing. For companies like Cart-One, operating in the sustainable packaging supply chain, this scenario confirms how important it is to enhance regional identity, support local industry, and offer packaging solutions consistent with new consumer styles. Want to find out how our packaging can enhance your local products? Contact us To learn more: “Packaging, sustainability and the role of the responsible consumer: a global challenge”

Corrugated cardboard is a real resource, also ideal for unleashing your imagination. This material, in fact, can form the basis for numerous DIY creations, perfect for embellishing the home with an object made with your own hands. All you need is a little corrugated cardboard, tempera or colored fabrics and glue to create many masterpieces, especially if you have children and want to complete some DIY projects to spend your time messing around happily! Coated cardboard frames A classic cardboard work is represented by frames, to be imaginatively decorated to contain the most important and significant moments of our life. To make the frames you need corrugated cardboard, fabric or tempera for decoration, hot glue and scissors. Cardboard frames The first thing to do is cut out the perimeter, the inside of the frame and the rear part. At this point you can proceed in two ways: you can create thicknesses to be glued on the base in the corners, so as to leave a small slot in which to insert the photo; alternatively, you can glue the photo onto the base and then adhere the upper part of the frame, always using glue or double-sided tape. At this point, all that remains is to cover the frames with colored fabrics. Proceeding with hot glue points, the fabric must adhere to the surfaces. Another system consists in using colored tempera. Before proceeding with the painting, it is recommended to apply a coat of white, especially if the cardboard is brown. The frames can be completed with beads, buttons, or with molds always made of corrugated cardboard, to give the frame a pleasant 3D effect. Cardboard boxes Recycled cardboard boxes Turn a big box into little boxes? It is easy to say: just create the shape and cut it on the cardboard, fold the margins and glue them together, then coat or paint the boxes according to your taste. The boxes thus created can be used to store candies, sugared almonds or chocolates inside, so as to thank guests with a delicious DIY idea. DIY baskets DIY baskets with recycled cardboard A box can also be the perfect base for creating a design container to be displayed in any corner of the house: just have some cloth for the craft or a cotton string, cloth, ribbons and hot glue. To begin with, wrap the rope around the perimeter of the box, insert the cloth into the compartment and turn it upside down. Stop the fabric with one or more turns of rope and glue and decorate with colored ribbons or other applications. A box: and the fantasy never stops! Those with parenting experience are well aware that for younger children, packaging represents a real world of opportunities. Nothing triggers more fantasy than a box! By cutting and repositioning the flaps, in fact, you can get a house, a car, or even a rocket. All that remains is to give the children the opportunity to scribble the box according to their imagination, and let the game begin! Finally, if you have a "crafty" spirit, you could also make pretty DIY cabinets and accessories from a box! By cutting and reassembling the flaps you can get a small cabinet with cardboard shelves, or create a jewelry box for your dressing table, a book holder or an organizer for your desk.

When you need to ship any goods, you need to get the right box and packaging. Tin, objects, fragile goods, products for Food & Beverage distribution must be properly packaged to preserve their integrity. During transport, in fact, the goods could be subject to compressions, vibrations (for example, those that occur in transport by road or rail), or to accidental blows during loading and unloading operations. To ensure that transport does not damage the content, it is necessary to pay attention to the type of box and the protections to be inserted inside, in order to improve the safety conditions during the transport and sorting of the product. What should the packaging box be like? Types and sizes The external packaging must be of quality, new and made with strong cardboard. You can choose between different types of corrugated cardboard, including American and die-cut boxes, based on the size and type of product. The differences between American and die-cut boxes are quite clear, so before choosing a product it is required to inquire about the best options. In addition, the size of the box must be commensurate with the product, so that no voids or spaces are created that could cause the packaging to fold; on the contrary, one must also be careful not to load the box too much, to prevent the bottom’s collapse. Always on the corrugated cardboard box it is always advisable to indicate whether the product transported is fragile or not, but this does not however exempt you from obtaining a robust and well-made packaging. Inside can be placed bubble wrap, dividers and polyurethane foam sheets to further protect the goods. For more delicate objects, it is possible to think of modular packaging in which one box is inserted into the other for greater protection. Once our box is composed, the latter must be properly sealed with a quality adhesive tape. Each product has its own shipping box The choice of the right box also passes through the type of product to be packaged, as we have mentioned several times. Glass bottles and tin containers If our company deals (for example) with the production of wine, we will have to adopt compliant, approved packaging that must be approved by the carrier who will transport it. The bottles, in fact, must be arranged inside the box in such a way that they are fixed and isolated from the bottom and from the side walls of the box in order to cushion and minimize the impact on the product. To transport aluminum tins, it is necessary to create packs that are not too heavy, to avoid that they are unloaded and loaded with difficulty and that therefore they can be accidentally damaged. Fragile objects For more fragile objects a two-flute corrugated cardboard box is needed, to better maintain rigidity, especially if the boxes are superimposed. If paintings or prints are sent, the first thing to do, before inserting the object in the appropriate box, is to block the glass with insulating tape, if present. Also insert corner covers, so that the edges of the frame do not damage the box and at the same time are protected from knocks. Electronic items Even for electronic items such as PCs, mobile phones and other products already boxed, it is mistakenly believed that the original packaging is sufficient to protect the product. In fact, it is always better to insert the product in an additional packaging box, which can withstand the various loading and unloading operations, so as not to ruin the original packaging and at the same time to preserve the goods from damage. Furniture and furnishings Furniture and furnishings can be placed on pallets and duly wrapped in ad hoc films and packaging or in approved boxes. Paper material For paper products (such as books, folders, brochures, documents, etc ...), CDs and vinyls and other types of products that may be affected by humidity, it may be useful to use a transparent film before depositing the product inside a punched cardboard box. The product can, at a later time, be placed in another box. The importance of careful packaging: final considerations As we have seen so far, careful packaging is essential for getting your goods to their destination intact. In summary, the first step is to get a box that is suitable for our needs and that is suitable for the automation line, or that is easy and quick to work manually. The box must be accompanied by the right internal packaging, so as to further cushion vibrations and blows by providing the right support and adequate protection. Finally, in the case of specific products, it is necessary to use approved packaging, internal dividers and additional protective layers to allow the transporter to carry out his work safely.