We Print Custom Boxes for Your Amazing Products

We hope you had a great 4th of July!  In honor of this patriotic month (and vacation season), we'd like to show you something very cool that one of our clients makes - life-sized sculptures of historical figures!  

When we printed this box for Studio EIS, we had no idea how amazing their sculptures really were.

It wasn't until seeing their life-size, historically accurate bronze sculptures at Signers' Hall in the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia that we appreciated how incredibly detailed their work is.  Signers' Hall features 42 bronze statues of the delegates who signed the United States Constitution.  To get the full effect check out the 360 degree tour! 

Images via

If you're looking for a fun summer trip, you should definitely check out Philadelphia and the National Constitution Center!

Cookbook Printing & Happy 4th!

Over the past few years, we've had the privilege of photographing, designing, and printing several cookbooks. We love these projects because not only do our clients receive a beautiful end product, but sometimes we get to serve as taste testers. Tough job, but somebody's gotta do it!

To produce these cookbooks, we'll usually do an on-location photo shoot at the client's kitchen where we style and photograph the food for the recipes. Then, the client may chose to come to our studio to work one-on-one with our designers. This way they are an active part of the layout and design of the book, and the printed product is just the way they envisioned it.

Since July 4th is tomorrow, we wanted to share a grilling recipe from one of the cookbooks that could work for your BBQ celebrations...

Rib Eye in Maple Soy Sauce Marinade
Contributed by Avi Pifko, Grilling Expert & Aficionado

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (peeled & grated)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup beer
• 2 rib eye beef steaks (approximately 1-1/2 inch thick)

Prep: Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well to combine.

Marinate: Add steaks to the marinade, turning to coat. Cover & marinate for at least 1 hour up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.

Grill: Preheat grill to high. Grill steaks for 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to grill for 4-5 additional minutes for medium rare. Remove steaks from grill & allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe from Dash: Inspired Kosher Recipes for the Seasoned Palate - Torah Academy for Girls

And, here are a few of our favorite cookbook photos from over the years...

If you're interested in purchasing one of the cookbooks, click below:

Dash: Inspired Kosher Recipes for the Seasoned Palate
Rebecca Naumberg and Sori Klein for Torah Academy for Girls

Temptations: Modern Kosher Recipes for Every Occasion
Congregation Keter Torah

A La Carte: Recipes from Simple to Sublime
Erika Sabbagh for Flatbush Hatzoloh

Taste: A Collection of Contemporary and Traditional Kosher Recipes
Yeshiva of Flatbush

Hope you have a great holiday!

Brief Thoughts on Graphic Design

When we approach a graphic design project at Laserwave, we ask ourselves, "What is the message we're trying to convey with this piece?"  Whether we're designing packaging, marketing materials, or books, we want our clients and their buyers to love the design and have the piece's message be conveyed clearly and concisely.

Photography Friday

We love a good beach photoshoot!  And, by working with our great clients at Ocean Drive and Vintage Havana, we've had the pleasure of shooting at some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. This photo was taken at this year's shoot in Aruba for their product line's catalog (which we also had the opportunity to design and print). 

7 Ways to Take Your Packaging from Average to Awesome

1.  Design with your CUSTOMERS in mind

When designing packaging for your product, the most important thing to keep in mind is the end-user.  Ask yourself - Does this packaging convey the key points about the product?  Is it easy to use?  Does it drive customers to purchase?

When we developed this packaging for Just Wireless’ cell phone accessories, we focused on creating a positive user experience.  No more wrestling with scissors and plastic shards just to get your product free from the packaging.

Photo found here

2.  Think about the RETAILERS - and their guidelines

Most retailers (small and large) have a set of packaging guidelines that they require the products they stock to follow.  Make sure you’re adhering to those guidelines at the beginning stages of packaging development to make sure you don’t spend unnecessary time and money re-designing your packaging later on.

3.  Don't forget about the EARTH

Not only is creating eco-friendly packaging good for the earth...it’s good for business.  By doing things like re-designing packaging structures to reduce waste and by using 50/70/90% post-consumer recycled paper and biodegradable materials - you’re not only creating a more eco-friendly product line, you’re meeting the packaging standards of retailers like WalMart, Target, & Best Buy.

We worked with MicroInnovations to re-design this packaging line to reduce the amount of plastic material used.  And, the packaging for these EcoSpeakers from Merkury Innovations uses recycled paper.

4.  Upgrade your packaging by focusing on the details

Details matter when it comes to packaging.  They are a great way to catch a buyer’s eye and add to the perceived value of your product.  Upgrades like die-cutting, foil stamping, roll embossing, and specialty finishes are affordable when you print in China and can really add that “something special” to a piece.

We helped upgrade this Steve Madden packaging by producing a foil stamped logo and spot UV pattern.  This Dylan's Chocolate "it" Bar packaging includes a custom roll emboss pattern plus embossed logos.

5.  Think about the part and the whole

When you’re designing your packaging line, don’t just think about the individual components.  Think about how your line will look as a whole.  How will the pieces look together when they’re in a retail display or on the wall of a store?  Does the line have a cohesive look?  Are each one of the products identifiable as part of the bigger brand? 

6.  Think outside the paper box

Paper boxes and plastic inserts may not be the best fit for your product.  Sometimes other materials (like wood or tin) are a better choice.  If your product is a luxury item or has a higher retail value, customers may appreciate the fact that they can keep the packaging and re-use it after they remove your product. 

Instead of using a traditional paper box for chocolates for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, we helped the client develop a bamboo box that serves as a traveler's keepsake from their stay.  Dylan's Chocolate decided a custom printed tin was the best fit for their Ralph Lauren chocolates.

7.  Work with experienced professionals

You’ve worked long and hard on your product line.  Don’t overlook the value of creating stellar packaging for it.  Make sure you’re working with professionals who are not only experts in designing the look of the packaging but are also well-versed in developing the structures required for testing and the logistics of production. 

At Laserwave, our team is made up of not just designers but also PACKAGING DEVELOPERS and PRODUCTION EXPERTS.  We’d love to discuss you’re latest packaging project with you!