Diamond Packaging continues their annual tradition of producing a corporate calendar, a popular promotional item given to customers and suppliers. Diamond set out to create a promotional piece that illustrates many of Diamond's internal capabilities, including creative design, stochastic printing, spot coating, foil stamping, and embossing.

This year's calendar introduces the Diamond greenbox initiative – our commitment to packaging solutions that are innovative and sustainable. Diamond set out to minimize paperboard and energy usage, yet still retain the popular three-month design.

By thinking creatively Diamond was able to minimize paperboard and energy usage, yet still retain the popular three-month design. The overall presentation imparts unusual depth and distinction through innovative structural design, material selection, spot coating, foil stamping, and multi-level embossing.

Diamond reduced the overall calendar weight, which offered the most significant opportunity to conserve raw materials and energy, reduce greenhouse gases, and minimize discards.

Diamond eliminated a backer panel by printing one of the months on an insert which is placed in the three dimensional header. Diamond also re-sized the calendar pages and shipper to reduce their environmental impact.

The dimensional header features an embossed image of a seedling within a folding carton set against a multi-level embossed image of trees in the background.

The backers feature an image of a windmill and a wind energy logo, highlighting the fact that the calendar was produced using 100% renewable wind energy – a green energy source which provides the greatest environmental benefits.

Solid bleached sulphate (SBS) paperboard was chosen for the header and backer panels due to its performance characteristics and the fact that it is 100% recyclable. The shipper was produced utilizing Kraftpak®, a high-yield, low density paperboard which offers a significant source reduction advantage compared to regular-density paperboard grades.

The result is a calendar that demonstrates Diamond’s commitment to innovation and sustainability today, tomorrow, and into a greener future.

To receive your free Diamond Packaging 2008 calendar, contact Dennis Bacchetta at (585) 334-8030 x229.

When designing a piece with embossing, whether single- or multi-level, the type of stock selected is critical to ensure a clean impression. This segment is the second in a two-part series that will discuss why paper selection is so important to the overall success of the job when utilizing embossing as your design medium.

Stock Suitability

Many stock characteristics such as dry vs. coated, recycled vs. virgin, and textured vs. smooth can impact how an embossed image will look on the finished piece.

Coated stocks have a tendency to crack when embossed, although with proper preplanning and communication with your diemaker and foil stamper, this challenge can be avoided.

Textured stocks with embedded patterns such as linens, wovens, and ribs will actually flatten out where the image has been embossed. When blind embossing, this can be a great effect that many designers plan in their design. It is important to know how a stock will react and/or be compromised before the job is run and the die is made.

Recycled stocks pose fewer issues with embossing than foil stamping, although the composition of the stock is still altered and should be tested prior to running the job.

Additionally, the thickness of the stock is a key element in choosing a stock that will ‘hold’ the embossed image – particularly with multi-level embossing where a thicker stock is required to accommodate all the levels of the embossed image. In this case, the stock should be tested prior to having the die made.

Finally, paper that has been sitting on a shelf for too long a period of time can become brittle and can create serious problems when embossing, such as cracking.

What Your Diemaker Needs to Know

Details such as the type of stock and weight are imperative for the diemaker to have prior to producing an embossing die. Providing your diemaker with samples is always optimal. If there is any question about the stock you choose for your project, the diemaker can test the stock with a house die to see how it will perform for your particular design – before your die is made. The diemaker also will need to know what type of press the piece will run on, as press tonnage can play a key role in assuring a quality emboss – especially if the image is very large. Your foil stamper usually orders the dies and takes care of these details, which is why communication in the design process is essential for a successful project.

Artwork

To obtain a checklist to guide you in creating your artwork for embossing dies, visit the Designer's Club page on the FSEA website.