Cellophane, Shrink Wrap, or Both?

November 19, 2008 · Filed Under Wrapping Materials · Comment 

Remember: Enter the gift basket business contest. Get details here.

Only one budding designer enrolled at one of my recent gift basket workshops. Did I cancel? Heavens, no!

I don’t penalize an excited new gift basket maker because others decided not to join in on the fun.

The two-hour session turned into a mini consultation. She and I made gift baskets from the bottom up, and I instructed her on each step. When finished, I put my design aside and coached her on shrink wrapping.

She handled the heat gun well, and her work was beautiful. She’s never made a gift basket but shrunk the wrap perfectly to a crystal clear finish.

Then I coached her on making a bow, but before adding it, I asked her if she wanted to add cellophane to the outside of her completed gift basket design.

More ideas about ribbon and bows are on this page.

Some of us shrink wrap our gift baskets first and then add printed cellophane outside of it as a second wrapping. The shrink wrap acts as insulation against shifting and breakage during transport, and the cellophane provides a soft, personalized appearance.

The new designer loved her work and declined the cellophane option. She then added the bow. I answered more of her questions before ending the workshop and watched her leave with the basket in hand and a big smile on her face.

Here’s where you’ll find more information on shrink wrapping and cellophane.

Is adding both cellophane and shrink wrap part of your gift basket making style, or is only one type of closure material added around your designs?

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Which Wrap is Right for You?

June 3, 2008 · Filed Under Wrapping Materials · 2 Comments 

Did you immediately invest in a shrink wrap machine when you started making gift baskets, or was cellophane your first choice?

Years ago, the price for a shrink wrap machine and accessories topped the budget. It was incredibly expensive, which is why shrink wrap was a product used solely by large firms.

Thankfully, the cost for these machines is now within most budgets, but before you invest in one, consider this:

  • Visit competitive firms to see which type of wrap is around their designs. This research will help you determine how best to differentiate your gift baskets as you make them.

  • Do you see yourself making gift baskets in the next five years or more? Then buying a shrink wrapping machine within one year of starting your enterprise may be a wise investment.

  • Does the supplier that sells the machine also include an operations Video? That’s a crucial component to learn how to master this tool.

    • You’ll find, as you vary your gift basket design style, that there are times when cellophane is the best option and when shrink wrap is mandatory.

    There’s more information about both products and basket bags starting here.

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