Packaging is the science and art of enclosing products for storage, sale, and use. Packaging is actually the third largest industry in USA and there are more than 10,000 packaging manufacturers in this country. Evidently, packaging is no joking matter. So after an inventor is through with the tedious process of creating a product, he often feels out of his depth when it comes to creating a package for the finished product.

But the complete process of packaging can be boiled down to a handful of simple rules. Just get your grasp on these five easy steps, and you won’t be overwhelmed by the though of packaging ever again.

Do Your Groundwork

Find out what the packaging conventions are regarding the product that you wish to package. Check out the markets and stores and get a good idea about what the prevailing trends are.

Select Your Packaging Material

Different products need different kinds of packaging… e.g., if you want users to be able to see your product, selecting plastic is a good idea. Here too the rule of the thumb is to see what packaging is being used for similar products.

Optimize the Package Design

This determines how much space your product is going to take on the store shelf. You should try to have as small a footprint as possible. Think creatively, check out all the other product packages, and opt for what best suits your needs.

Get Feedback

You may know your product best, but you must look at packaging from the viewpoint of the customer. Test your packaging with people who do not know much about your product, and listen to their feedback carefully.

Be Practical

You may have big dreams, but you may need to start small initially. Look for a good vendor first. You may also consider using stock items that can be customized. Packaging can change and evolve with time, so don’t think you have to get it right the first time. Keep your options open and try to be creative… but start small to achieve your big dreams.

From the United States Patent and Trademark Office

•Provisional Patent Application - www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/provapp.htm
•Registered Patent Practitioners - http://des.uspto.gov/OEDCI/GeoRegion.jsp
•Patent Information - http://www.uspto.gov/main/patents.htm
•Depository Libraries – www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/ptdl/index.html
•Independent Inventor Program - www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/iip/index.htm
•General Information - www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/doc/general/
•Web Patent Database - http://patents.uspto.gov/

Copyright and Trademark Information

•From the US Patent and Trademark Office - www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm
•For Trademark information - www.inventored.org/trademark/
•For Copyright information - http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/
•Franklin Pierce Law Center, US Patent, Trademark and Copyright Information - www.fplc.edu/tfield/ipbasics.htm

Invention Evaluation

•UIA Innovation Assessment Program - http://www.uiausa.org/Default.aspx?page=129
•US Dep’t of Energy’s Inventions & Innovations Program - http://www1.eere.energy.gov/inventions/
•Washington Innovation Assessment Center - http://www.business.wsu.edu/iac
•Wisconsin Innovation Services Center - http://academics.uww.edu/business/innovate/default.htm

Patent Related Information

•United States Patent and Trademark Office - http://www.uspto.gov
•Patent & Trademark Depository Libraries - http://www.uspto.gov/go/ptdl
•National Patent Association - http://www.nationalpatent.com
•National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts - http://www.nesta.org.uk/withflash.html
•Franklin Pierce Law Center, US Patent, Trademark and Copyright Information - www.fplc.edu/tfield/ipbasics.htm

Funding Sources

•Energy TechNet - http://www.energytechnet.com
•National Science Foundation - http://www.nsf.gov
•FinanceNet - http://www.financenet.gov
•SBA Procurements and Grants Hot List - http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/hotlist/procure.html
•Small Business Innovation Research Program - http://www.sba.gov/SBIR
•National Institutes of Health Grants & Funding Opportunities - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/index.cfm

Help for Inventors

•Center for Design & Business - www.centerdesignbusiness.org
•R.R. Enterprises, Inc. - http://www.rjriley.com
•InventNET: The Inventors Network - http://www.inventnet.com
•Energy TechNet - http://www.energytechnet.com

Marketing and Licensing

•Small Business Administration - http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/starting/businessplan.html
•Licensing Executives Society - www.usa-canada.les.org
•Ed Zimmer’s Entrepreneur Network - http://tenonline.org/index.html
•Licensing Consultants and Brokers Directory - http://www.usa-canada.les.org/consultants/directory.asp

Legal

•Cornell Law School - http://www.law.cornell.edu
•Franklin Pierce Law Center - http://www.fplc.edu

Manufacturing

•ThomasNet - www.thomasregister.com

Oh, what a time it was. Frolicking through meadows of grass, playing hide and seek with the neighbors kids, and showing off your latest and greatest toys to friends. No, I’m not talking about childhood, I’m talking about the 2008 International Toy Fair in New York last week! (minus the meadows and hide and seek games unfortunately).

We took a trip up to see what was on the minds of 1300 of the greatest toy inventors and companies in the world. Needless to say, it was an rejuvenating experience. From remote control miniature construction equipment, to funky shaped frisbees, yes, the Toy Fair had it all.

The show covered the two floors of the Jacob Javits Convention Center, on the west side of Manhattan. To keep the show professional, they screen every attendee and prohibit children (adults with child-like minds are allowed though). Parts of the show were categorized, such as board games, or plush toys, or art and design toys. Although many of the booths were for Toy Inventors, there was a small corner section dedicated to early-stage inventors. In this section, booths were smaller, and cheaper, which allowed inventors, that otherwise couldn’t afford to exhibit, the chance to present.

Even our very own Lisa Lloyd was there exhibiting her latest product, TC Pets. To really get a sense of what happened, check out this video or see our photo gallery:

I recently read an article in Inc Magazine about a toy inventor that decided to manufacture their toy in China. In terms of timing, they were selecting one just as all the lead-paint in toy reports were coming out in the press. I thought it was a great story because it confronted many of the challenges a first-time inventor will face when manufacturing overseas, and especially put it in context for recent issues.

To start off, the inventor and his business partners put forward about $75,000 for design, prototypes, and a manufacturing run of 12,000 units. After getting some excellent designs, they contacted local entrepreneurs about where to manufacture in China. They went with one factory that had been recommended by several of their contacts. However, when they initially wrote up the contract, it was too biased in favor of the company, and put too many constraints on the manufacturer. So the manufacturer did not even respond to the offer! They lessened some of the requirements and finally got a response from the manufacturer.

After negotiating quality control issues, they agreed to a rough contract and began manufacturing in early fall, soon enough that they might be able to make the 2007 Christmas season (they weren’t for sure at the time). In the end, they BARELY made their shipment date and had to do a lot more of the customs legwork than intended. But their products made it to store shelves, and thus in the hands of customers on time. Here are their overall recommendations when looking at Chinese manufacturers:

• Meet your maker: go to the factory, meet management, tour facilities
• Drive a hard bargain, especially when it comes to quality control. Institute product testing, ethics agreements. Set contractor and subcontractor rules. Reward for compliance.
• Communicate industry compliance standards, tell them that if they don’t follow them, the factory will be hurt as well. Put critical documents and contracts in Chinese.
• Diversify if possible: have two primary suppliers to reduce supply interruptions. If too expensive, spend more on testing one factory.
• Expect delays: product recalls have thrown China into a tizzy. Testing labs are backed up. Recalls affect logistics and shipping schedules.

So for those of you far enough along that you’re looking into China, make sure you take into account these issues. Read the full article.

With all the hubbub about led and other potential hazards coming out of China, I have had to face the choice to manufacture in china or not. I am making plush toy organizers and some time ago ALL the plush toy manufacturers left the US, so I have no choice but to go out of the country. I have had trouble finding a good manufacturer in Mexico, I looked. So, I am left with China. TIA (www.toy-tia.org) has standard for the industry and I am looking exclusively for mfg.s that adhere to them. I think the bottom line is that this problem didn’t just start, it has only just been discovered. Right now I am working with the same manufacture that makes Cabbage Patch Kids and am very pleased with their quality. So, Yes, I think China is as safe (or dangerous depending how you look at it) as it has always been. I will just do all the QA in China and our own QA in the states, working with factories that carry all the certifications possible to be sure we deliver a safe product to our customers.

Happy Inventing!

Lisa Lloyd