Custom Printing FAQ

Everything you wanted to know about custom printing disposable packaging.

General Information
Why should I custom print my disposable packaging?
If all of the big players see value in custom printing their packaging, should I find it valuable too?
Isn't custom printing far too expensive?
Are there minimum order quantities for custom printed packaging?
How long will it take for my printed packaging to arrive?
Will it take longer over Christmas?
Is all custom print packaging manufactured in Australia?
Your Artwork
Who will do my artwork?
What format should my artwork be in?
How do I send my artwork to you?
Can you check my artwork for me?
I want to do my own artwork. Do you have any hints and tips for me?
Where do I get the templates for my custom printed packaging from?
Ordering Custom Printed Packaging Online
Is it safe to order custom printed packaging online?
Do you expect full payment up front?
Do you process credit card payments securely?
Can you provide me with a written quotation?
Can I talk to you on the phone, or come in to see you first?
Can I order custom printed packaging at your warehouse, or over the phone?
Delivery and Storage
Do I have to accept the full consignment, or can you warehouse it for me?
How will my custom printed packaging be delivered to me?

General Information

Q: Why should I custom print my disposable packaging?
A: Developing a consistent marketing message and business image by Custom Printing on your packaging will help to promote your business. Think BIG, Grow BIG. Combine custom printed food packaging cartons with printed cups, printed wraps, printed napkins and more to complete your image and stand out from the competition.

If you have a special message that you've always wanted to promote to your customers, printed packaging is the way to achieve your goal. Look at MacDonalds - they promote their brand on every piece of packaging that they give to their customers. Additionally, they promote health related information (C-Tick Approval), competitions and more via custom printing. Every burger, carton of chips, cup of coffee and more is an independent advertisement for MacDonalds. This example alone shows that power that MacDonalds sees in custom printed packaging. You can harness this branding and advertising power too!


Q: If all of the big players see value in custom printing their packaging, should I find it valuable too?
A:
We always say "Think BIG, Grow BIG". The big players in the market like Gloria Jean's, KFC, Subway and so on are custom printing their packaging for a reason - it's advertising. There are too many positive benefits to asserting your brand in the market, and this is clearly displayed by the fact that so many vendors in the market continue to custom print their brand on their disposable packaging. If you saw two chicken shops side by side - one totally unbranded using generic packaging, and the other fully branded with custom printed packaging, signage and so on, which of the two shops would you be more likely to enter?

Q: Isn't custom printing far too expensive?
A:
Surprisingly, custom printing some products is actually cheaper than purchasing them with a standard print. Not all custom printed products fall into this category however. The main thing to be aware of is that there are always minimum order quantities (MOQs) associated with custom printing your packaging. You need to be prepared to purchase all of your custom printed stock in a single batch. Purchasing in this way does have benefits, however, as your purchase price becomes a more advantageous bulk purchase price.

Q: Are there minimum order quantities for custom printed packaging?
A: Yes there are. The minimum order quantity, or MOQ, depends on the item that you would like to print. For example, the MOQ for custom printed double walled coffee cups is only 1,000 cups. However, producing custom printed cups in such small quantities is expensive, and best suited for events rather than ongoing takeaway business purposes. We have special custom printed cup offers just for cafes too Coffee cups aside, our MOQs have been set at a point where the printed item represents best value for money. Our website notes what the MOQ is for each custom printed item.

Q: How long will it take for my printed packaging to arrive?
A: This varies between products. For the most part, the deciding factor is the country of manufacture. For custom printed packaging manufactured in Australia, you would routinely expect to wait about 3 weeks from artwork approval. For items manufactured overseas, a lead time of 8-10 weeks is generally the standard.

Q: Will it take longer over Christmas?
A: Yes, it usually does take longer to have your packaging printed over the Christmas period. Most manufacturers have a cut off for processing in the same year of mid to late October. For locally printed items, you may be able to order as late as November. Please chat with us if you're concerned about timings over the Christmas period and we'll provide you with accurate lead times based on the product that you're interested in.

Q: Is all custom print packaging manufactured in Australia?
A: Not all custom packaging is manufactured here in Australia. Having noted that, we currently custom print greaseproof paper, paper bags, plastic bags and short runs of paper cups (under 50,000 cups) right here in Australia.  It's quite common for manufacturing to take place offshore as well. You'll need to remember that the lead time will probably be between 8 and 10 weeks for items that are produced overseas, and about 3 weeks for locally printed packaging. Our website shows the expected lead time for each product.

Your Artwork

Q: Who will do my artwork?
A: You'll need to engage a graphic artist to do your artwork for you. Alternatively, many of our customers are aspiring graphic artists and elect to do their own artwork. We're also happy to introduce you to our local graphic artist.

Q: What format should my artwork be in?
A: Your artwork will need to be in vector format. Adobe Illustrator is commonly used by graphic artists, who provide us with artwork in AI or PDF format (all layers intact).

Q: How do I send my artwork to you?
A: You can email your artwork to us at sales@wfplastic.com.au. Alternatively, if your artwork is over 10mb, we have an FTP server that you can upload your artwork to. As a final option, you can always post your artwork to us on a CD or DVD, or drop it over to our warehouses.

Q: Can you check my artwork for me?
A: We certainly can. We check all artwork prior to accepting a deposit. Once we're sure that your artwork will produce great results, we'll settle the deposit with you.

Q: I want to do my own artwork. Do you have any hints and tips for me?
A: We have lots of hints and tips. Generally, you need to adhere to the following pointers
  • Use the outline tool to convert all text portions of the artwork to outlines to remove any font dependencies
  • Specify any pantone spot colours if required
  • Preserve all layers in the document, and add all graphics to new layers.
  • Please don't flatten the document prior to saving it
  • If your finished template is over 10MB, we have an FTP server available for file upload
  • Please back save to CS5 if using a newer version of Illustrator

Q: Where do I get the templates for my custom printed packaging from?
A: We'll email the templates to you once you have settled on the items that you would like to have custom printed. We'll also send you a list of hints and tips that you can pass on to your artist, or use yourself. Please feel free to contact us along the way if you'd like to chat about your progress.

Ordering Custom Printed Packaging online

Q: Is it safe to order custom printed packaging online?
A: It's completely safe to order custom printed products online with WF Plastic. We're a bricks and mortar company that has been established for over 18 years. We don't operate obscurely from a PO Box and email address, and we welcome our customers to visit us onsite. Additionally, we don't require any payment until your artwork has been finalised by you, and approved by our custom print team.

Q: Do you expect full payment up front?
A: WF Plastic doesn't require any payment from you until your artwork has been completed, and approved by our custom print team. Once your artwork is approved, we'll settle your deposit with you and provide you with an updated tax invoice clearly showing how much you have paid to date, and how much remains. You can elect to pay your deposit via credit card or direct deposit. There are no fees for using your credit card at WF Plastic.

Once your custom printed stock has been checked and is ready for dispatch, we'll settle the remainder of your invoice with you. We'll provide you with a hard copy tax invoice with your consignment or can provide a customised packing slip if you would prefer us to ship directly to a client.


Q: Do you process credit card payments securely?
A: If you elect to pay online via credit card, your card will be processed immediately via our secure eWay payment gateway. Your transaction will be encrypted and secured by our Comodo Site Security Seal (SSL). Additionally, eWay is fully PCI DSS compliant and is tested daily for compliance. PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of standards created by card issuers such as Visa and MasterCard to ensure the security of credit card details online.

If you're concerned about credit card payments please chat with us for further details. Alternatively, we also accept EFTPOS, EFT, PayPal and cash (onsite only). We'll provide you with a receipt / statement for any payment that you make to us.


Q: Can you provide me with a written quotation?
A: We're more than happy to provide you with a written quotation to consider. There are no strings attached to our quotations, and we will never hound you to make a decision. We will, however, be really happy to hear back from you once you have considered our quotation.

Q: Can I talk to you on the phone, or come in to see you first?
A: You sure can. We're more than happy to chat with you in person or over the phone. We have samples at our warehouses at Warwick Farm for you to look at as well.

Q: Can I order custom printed packaging at your warehouse, or over the phone?
A: Of course. You can pop in to our warehouses at Warwick Farm during business hours for a chat, or to order. We would usually provide you with a quotation for you to consider first, but are happy to take your order immediately if you have already completed your research and are ready to make a decision.

Delivery and Storage

Q: Do I have to accept the full consignment, or can you warehouse it for me?
A: You can choose to accept the full consignment if you have room. Generally, customers who aren't local to us elect to have their whole consignment delevered to them. Our local customers sometimes ask us to warehouse their custom printed stock for them for a fee. This charge is shown in the detail screen for each item that we offer for custom print on our web site. We're also more than happy to discuss your storage requirements with you in person, via email or over the phone.

Q: How will my custom printed packaging be delivered to me?
A: We will usually send your custom printed packaging to you on pallets, using one of our shipping partners. We pass all freight charges on at cost price, and always try to find the best value freighter for your location. Alternatively, we're happy to load your pallet/s onto the freighter of your choice. We work hand in hand with you at every step of the custom printing process, and that includes final delivery.