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If you pay attention to the news at all, you likely recognize the name of the ship “Ever Given.” The ship blocked all traffic in the Suez Canal, leaving more than 400 cargo ships blocked from passage for nearly a week. Paired with an already overwhelmed and inconsistent shipping industry still reeling from the worldwide pandemic, shipping has become an unpredictable nightmare in many cases. The slowdown has negatively affected just about every industry that depends on products from overseas. Here is a quick rundown of the current freight situation to help you understand what’s going on. What Happened? In February 2020, when the factories closed in Asia due to the COVID-19 shutdown, vessels began canceling their shipments to adjust to falling demand. The first and second quarters of the year were uncertain and volume dropped by 15% as the steamship lines reduced their capacity. Demand began picking up in July, however, and by October, large volumes were hitting U.S. ports—some in catch up mode, putting high pressure on the current infrastructure. When things began to pick up again, the vessels in Asia experienced space and container shortages, port congestion, and delayed sailings. As importers pushed to get their goods into the U.S. for the holiday season and to restock shelves that had remained empty during shutdowns, the increased demand caused the steamship lines to encounter further critical container shortages at ports in Busan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Vietnam, and India. 2020’s challenges sadly did not curtail with the onset of a new year. The lingering effects of the pandemic, shipping delays, and a volatile economy have carried into (and in some cases worsened in) the first and second quarters of 2021. And if you’ve placed an order that required shipping, those lingering issues could currently be affecting your shipment. Rolling With The Tides Though 2020 and 2021 have been challenging years for freight shipments, and the scale of the setbacks is off the charts, delays such as these are far from unprecedented. From our experience dealing with them in the past, we’ve compiled a few pointers to help you roll with the shifting tides of shipping. Place your orders early. This may seem a bit oversimplified, but the best way to avoid issues caused by shipping delays is to start your order earlier than you think you need. Prior to the delays, we estimated a 4-6 week ocean and domestic freight schedule. However, we’ve adjusted that timeline to a 6-8 week estimated schedule. With that shift, the possibilities of your product arriving early greatly outweigh the chances of it arriving late. Be flexible with the types of containers you choose to use. Standard large-sized (40’) containers are traditional for ocean crossings, but shortages of those containers is part of the problem. Explore other options, like NOR (Non-Operating Reefer) containers or 20’ containers, to ensure a place on a vessel without having to wait for the more rare 40’ containers. You could save yourself weeks of waiting. Ship by LCL (Less than a Container Load) instead of FCL (Full Container Load). With the recent rush on shipping, there have not only been issues with supply, but also an increase in the congestion of ports and loading docks that affect timelines, as well. Shipping less than a full container load can lessen wait times for unloading in the port. Trans-load FCL shipments onto a truck. When dealing with a full container, many people will utilize multiple forms of transportation—inland rail, trucking, etc—once the product arrives in port to move it across the country. Using a singular method of transportation can save you time, bypassing all of the time and work of loading and reloading. It can be more costly, however, than utilizing the shared trucking routes. Use alternate port routes into the U.S. The Los Angeles port has been greatly impacted by all of the shipping changes and congestion caused by the pandemic, and that impact has only grown into 2021. Though the LA port is the busiest in the U.S., there are other very capable ports that can provide more economic pricing with lesser offloading wait times to consider, like Oakland or Savannah. Choosing one of those ports can mitigate potential delays. Use upgraded premium services. Certainly, premium services come with premium price tags, but they can provide such advantages as container guarantee, space access, and expedited rail time. In a shipping climate like the one we are in now, those benefits can mean the difference in how successful a product could be. Strong demand and volume increases are expected to continue which, unfortunately, will cause shipping rates to increase and tension on the infrastructure to persist. We are hopeful that this situation will improve as we continue through 2021. But until it does, we are here to handle all of the crazy confusing details for you so you can continue to focus on growing your business and delighting your customers! Partner with CōDRA to create the right product and let us handle all of the shipping frustrations. Contact us here .

One of the most widespread misconceptions about overseas production is that doing so requires you to sacrifice quality. And while it's true that there have historically been some cheap products imported, myriad offshore producers do impeccable work based on very high production standards. Many European countries may have wonderful facilities for producing certain types of products, and parts of Asia have greatly improved their plant facilities and are known for producing delicate, intricate work. So the question is, how do you know which plants to utilize and how to maintain quality control over a piece being created thousands of miles away? It can be incredibly intimidating trying to identify the right plant and to simply trust them with your money and, maybe more importantly, your idea. A few key characteristics can help you identify a plant with a trustworthy team: Good Communication From the very beginning, communication is absolutely key, which can be very difficult, especially if you're literally speaking different languages. Find a team that is eager to communicate and works to keep you informed, even without you asking questions. That sort of communication will help put your mind at ease, knowing that you will be fully up-to-date throughout the project and not miss important deadlines or problems that may arise. Transparency That brings us to transparency. Certainly, as with any printing or manufacturing, the process can run into a number of issues that affect timelines or require changes. Find a plant with a track record of owning up to their own mistakes and communicating any problems that arise quickly and clearly. A trustworthy team keeps you aware, warns you of possible trouble ahead, and works with you to quickly adjust as needed to keep the project unimpeded. Efficiency Finally, you'll need to find a team with a track record of efficiency throughout the process. There are many, many benefits to overseas production , but shipping to your destination certainly adds to the production timeline. Add to that the fact that time zones create the need for a lot of asynchronous communication, and you can only conclude that each step of the process needs to be efficiently designed and the plan rigorously guarded and implemented. Finding a team that offers all of these components is critical and will save you lots of time and future headaches, ensuring that you deliver a product that enhances your brand and pleases your customer. You'll also want to find high quality plants that produce high quality products, of course. In recent years, the labor laws in Asia have changed, meaning the workers have better environments, conducive for offering the best service. The employees are able to pour time and care into every single order that comes in—evaluating the files, catching design details, and supporting the Stateside team. That sort of plant will also offer physical assurances throughout the process in the form of a dummy, a proof, and a pre-advanced copy to evaluate how production is going on any print products. A dummy is a blank mockup of the product you wish to create. A proof is a sample of the text pages. A pre-advanced copy provides a way to ensure the pages are correct before they are bound and finalized. Printing and manufacturing overseas can be difficult, but the benefits far outweigh potential bumps in the road when you have the right production partner. CōDRA has been building relationships with production plants throughout Asia for more than 30 years. Our team can communicate with the plants in their languages, and we fully understand the process. If you'd like to take advantage of the amazing benefits of offshore production, CōDRA is the collaborative partner you need! If you're ready to delve into the world of overseas printing and manufacturing, c ontact us here to get started today!

"When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and white, you photograph their souls!" Photojournalist Ted Grant Black and white imagery can be absolutely stunning. The striking contrast conveys a depth of emotion that, honestly, is often lost in the color version of the same photo. Color images can add beauty and contour that their black and white counterparts lack. Your project may not be imagery or even include much (or any), but color vs. black and white is an important decision, and it shouldn't just be based on cost. Here are a few things to consider to help you choose which distinguishing elements are right for you. Black and White Printing Black and white printing is a popular choice, not only for books, but for planners and journals, as well. The most obvious reason it is chosen is cost—it's an inexpensive and simple printing choice to consider, especially if this is your first print run and you are new to CMYK files. Amazing print-ready files can be created quickly and easily when only using black since there will not be need to color match or assure your files are in the correct conversion. Black and white printing is also a great option for journals that have repetitive deigns where most if not all the text pages are the exact same artwork. This is mainly for lined or dotted journals that have no revisions to text. Keep in mind that black and white is more accurately described as greyscale, so the ability to add depth and texture remain, and some incredible products can be created in black and white. Full Color Printing Full color printing is a more popular option for a number of products and for a number of reasons. Full color projects are often highly visually pleasing and capture the attention of consumers. Of course, with more colors often come a lot more opportunities for creative liberty. Color-dependent brands require more color in their products, but also find a lot more opportunity to bring life and personality to your products that undergird your brand. Full color printing is also a great option for children’s books and other products, since vivid illustrations are often key for the stories they hold. If you're ready to create the perfect print product to please your customers and enhance your brand, contact us here , and let's create something great together.

All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites. —Marc Chagall Assuming you've created a product in the past, you're likely familiar with the Pantone Color System . For those of you who are new to product design and manufacturing, Pantone is the universal color language used by designers and creators worldwide. In industries ranging from interior decorating to clothing design, beauty products to illustration, Pantone is an absolute necessity to control color throughout the process. Pantone was launched by a man named Lawrence Herbert, who purchased and revamped a color card company that once employed him. Since that time, it has become the worldwide standard for color matching in design. Pantone is helpful for a couple of reasons. It creates a reference for people from all backgrounds. People with different levels of experience and who may even face language barriers are able to collaborate because of the system's simplicity. It also helps designers working with CMYK colors determine what ratios are needed to produce desired colors. Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black) are the components of 4 cylinder printing, whereas Pantone printing uses a singular dye. Pantone is an incredible resource for both printing systems and can help designers meet their needs with ease. Pantone Color of the Year Pantone names a “Color of the Year” on an annual basis and gives a short analysis of the color and a forecast for popular colors that brands and designers might use throughout the year. They've always done an exceptional job of capturing the forecasted palettes of the coming year’s marketing and design. 2022 is the year of “Very Peri,” a color " whose courageous presence encourages personal inventiveness and creativity ." It's a modern twist on a traditional violet, and Pantone offers a number of possible color pallets in various moods for your consideration. This practice of keeping designers in the loop with popular and unique colors can be a big help for designers and product creators. Pantone System vs. CMYK One final topic is the difference between the printing systems, Pantone and CMYK. Capable print companies know that there are many variables when it comes to the color printing process. Four color processing, better known as CMYK, is an abbreviation for the colors used in the printing color process: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (key). It is typical for most home and office printers. CMYK works by mixing the four colors to create specific secondary colors. To achieve more color specific printing, Pantone is the way to go, because it prints with highly specific mixes of inks to create precise colors. The most notable difference between CMYK and Pantone systems is the level of precision in the colors. Pantone systems lead to more consistent and specific color production when creating digital designs. Pantone printing can be a more costly option than CMYK printing, so it might be easier for small or first time print runs to go that direction. For products that require consistency for branding, Pantone is the more popular choice. For products that require less precise colors, CMYK is a good choice. Choosing between the two really depends on your expected product outcome and your budget. Ready to build a relationship with a collaborative partner to create amazing products to please your customers and enhance your brand? Contact us here , and let's create something great together.

If you have a small business producing new products, the topic of pre-sales has most likely come up at some point. Offering your customers a chance to purchase items before their release can add a lot of value, as pre-sales can be a great tool to connect with your audience and build excitement. Here are a few advantages of pre-sales for your next product. Cash Flow By offering an item before its release date, you receive capital you otherwise would not have. Especially for small businesses who watch every penny by necessity, front loading some of the profit you'll make from sales before laying out all of the cash for production can be a huge help. This will increase your cash flow and ease the burden and pressure of not knowing if your product will generate income. Creativity The proliferation of funding sites like Kickstarter, Indigogo, and GoFundMe has proven that there are myriad wonderful product ideas out there that would never see the light of day without pre-sales. Running such a campaign allows your business to test the consumer waters and maybe try some products you might otherwise consider too risky. Anticipation When a new item is introduced but not quite yet “attainable,” hype builds. Excitement grows. Anticipation intensifies. It's human nature to want what we can’t have and to make sure we have the opportunity to grab it (see any product release for which people line up around the block or camp out for days). By offering a pre-sale, you are essentially playing into that desire and offering the buyer the chance to attain something they otherwise would have had to wait for. They become part of a special club, as it were, and builds loyalty when done right. Free Social Proof Pre-sales create multiple opportunities for fun, exciting marketing campaigns. But the best ones create opportunities for free marketing. Social proof. There is no better marketing than when your customers become advocates on your behalf. When your customers begin to share your product because they were able to get in and order early—and they want to do that; you just have to give them the chance—all of their friends and followers will feel the pull and you're product will begin to make the rounds. This can happen at any point in the life of your product, but pre-release offers unique opportunities that can be incredibly valuable. Freight Relief Any business owner understands the pressure and stress of relying on freight to have your product in hand—especially if you've been shipping products in the last year. By offering pre-orders, you can ease the stress on your mind of having to have your product in hand by an immediate date. Pre-orders buy you time with freight instability because you're not trying to stock shelves to get sales. You're simply delivering products that have already been sold in the most efficient and effective manner possible, but it doesn't affect your bottom line. Customer Loyalty Customers like to feel special. They want to feel like they have insider information or special access to something that other people do not. Pre-sales are a great way to offer your customers exclusive access to your brand. This builds loyalty, and helps create customers for life. If you're ready to create brand-developing products that connect with your customers and enhance your brand, CōDRA is the collaborative partner you need. Contact us here .

One of the great joys in life for many business owners is creative collaboration. Brainstorming ideas with like-minded people has led to some of the greatest inventions in history. Nailing down concrete ideas and details can be a bit tricky, though, especially when your product is being produced overseas. Your printer can be an amazing collaborative partner, so here are a few quick guidelines to help boost your collaborative opportunity, particularly with an overseas partner. Determine the Big Ideas Before Involving the Printer While your printer can offer suggestions on materials, packaging, or add-ons, the initial meeting will flow much more smoothly if you already have drawings, links, photos, and firm ideas of the product you are looking to build. You don't need the details, but you need a nice pitch deck, of sorts—something to clearly communicate where you're headed so the printer can offer helpful feedback and ideas without steering you the wrong direction because of misunderstanding. Take the time to do as much of the background research as possible before your initial meeting with the printer and save yourself time and extra stress in the first step with your partner. Organize Organize Organize One of the most detrimental issues for partnering well is disorganization. It doesn't only affect your personal process; it adds undue weight to the relationship with the printer. For example, you'll need to share design and content files with your printer. Sending them piece by piece in separate emails followed by emails with edits and revisions is a recipe for disaster. Instead, create a singular place and process for sharing and updating files with a repository and notification ability. Even if your file due date needs to be pushed back in order to add all files together, you'll save yourself and your production partner a lot of headaches by doing so. Other helpful practices include: Appoint one point of contact for the duration of the project Specify one address for all samples to be delivered Plan for two sets of proofs if those who will approve them are not in the same place While some of these ideas may seem like common sense, it's not uncommon to see them overlooked, which can add a lot of unnecessary headache and time to your project. Pump Up the Branding One of the benefits of overseas printing is the ability to create items at an extremely effective and efficient price point. Take advantage of this opportunity and add in the extra marketing piece(s) to share the story of the product, display your logo on a belly band, or create a branded card to share behind the scenes photos of the process. People are drawn to great story, and you can take full advantage of low cost overseas partnership to add in a little something extra to tell your story and help your product stand out from the pack. Ready to build a relationship with a collaborative partner to create amazing products to please your customers and enhance your brand? Contact us here , and let's create something great together.

Printing your custom products overseas could give you the extra boost you need to enhance your brand. We've laid out a few reasons why here . But when you move things overseas, some of the measurements, terminology, and other details may look a bit different. Outside the U.S., most other countries use the metric system of measurement, so you'll need to make some simple conversions to match the construction of your product. Here is one you'll need to keep in mind if you want to print a paper product overseas. Paper Measurements In the States, it is typical to calculate paper thickness in pounds (lb.). Notebooks, planners, and journals most often utilize 70 lb. paper. The measurement denotes the weight of the paper if one were to weigh 500 sheets (a ream) of a particular paper. This measurement is only used in the U.S., however, so those that follow the metric system measure another way. Grams per Square (GSM) When moving your manufacturing overseas, you would need to convert your measurements to grams per square meter (GSM), which, of course, follows the metric system. An equivalent for the standard 70 lb. paper is 100 GSM paper. GSM is measured by cutting a sample sheet to one square meter in size. No matter the length or width the paper is produced in, the weight measurement is always taken from the square meter sheet. Conversions The conversions from lb. to GSM and vice versa are fairly straightforward. For the former, multiply the weight in pounds (lb.) by 1.4802 to determine its equivalent GSM. For the latter, multiply the number of GSM by 0.6756 to obtain its equivalent in pounds. There are also many helpful charts and conversion tools available in various places online, but these formulas will get the job done. If you're ready to create brand-developing products and enjoy the savings found in doing so overseas, CōDRA is the collaborative partner you need. Contact us here .

The expansion of choice has become an explosion of choice. —Sheena Iyengar One of the most underrated battles a business owner faces is too many options. When there is an overwhelming amount of possibilities, analysis paralysis can kick in. Planning a book, journal, or planner includes a long list of decisions and options are broad for most. One of those decisions relates to your cover design—what material will you use? Here's a little information to help you weigh the pros and cons of cloth cover versus paper covers. The most commonly selected option for planner covers is paper, because it offers a classic look and limitless design. A brand known for unique design and creativity often chooses paper, since it creates a wonderful canvas on which to display their eye-catching, brand-inspired designs. Scuff-free lamination adds protection against stains and scratch marks making paper a safe bet for someone who is always on the go. Paper is also the right choice for intricate designs that include multiple layers and dimensions. The major downside with paper is the limited texture options that are available for this sort of application. Cloth has grown increasingly popular of late as a cover option for journals, planners, and even some books. Whether you prefer linen, burlap, velvet, or cotton, the variety of materials allows your designer to craft stunning products that are visually stunning with the added bonus of wonderful textures. It's a tactile experience that engages your customer through multiple senses. One drawback of cloth covers, however, is that staining can be an issue, especially when utilizing light colors. It can be hard to add extras to these covers, as well. For example, have foil stamping on the cloth is difficult if the weave pattern is thick with multiple ridges, or if the design of the stamp is intricate. During the planning and design process, partner with your printer early and make sure you hold samples of the possible products in your hands and see examples of how they can be used. Consider your options early and don't let this decision hold you captive. Get the right product to match your design, further your brand image, and delight your customers. Ready to create the product to please your customers and enhance your brand? Contact us here , and let's create something great together.

Cost effectiveness is a priority for every organization when it comes to creating products to enhance the brand. But nonprofits, in particular, value economic efficiency in order to focus as much resource as possible toward furthering their cause and accomplishing the mission. If you are contemplating product development to help boost your brand, offshore printing might very well be for you. Here are a couple of reasons why. It's Cost Effective The most obvious benefit of manufacturing and printing products overseas is financial savings. With large enough order quantities (minimums typically start at 1,000 units), you can see tremendous savings printing your products outside of the United States because of more cost effective labor rates. Lower rates, of course, beg the question, "what about the working conditions for those who are being paid less?" That is a perfectly understandable question, and it's one we continually ask of our printing and manufacturing partners, as well. In recent years, countries like China have worked extremely hard to develop and enforce laws that protect against harsh labor practices. The improvement in working conditions have been staggering, and that is one of the reasons we value our relationships with our plants. They care about supporting their workers and are committed to safe practices that value human life and flourishing in the workplace. Working with such excellent partners is a great way to save money and produce great products overseas. Variety Another advantage to printing overseas is one simple word—variety! You can simply find more options offshore. And many times you can find options that are simply too expensive to produce Stateside but fit the budget when produced offshore. Offshore printers often have a greater number of options, like raw materials binding options foil colors linen and fabric options etc. When you are looking to customize your products and create unique pieces for your donors or partner base to treasure for generations, more options can spur ideas or give you the ability to produce far more personalized or customized products. All-Inclusive A final perk is that, generally speaking, plants overseas offer an all inclusive price, while most North American plants often tack on additional fees, especially if they have to import the raw materials. However, Asia has a plethora of raw materials being transported from South America to the plants, which means the importing costs are already built into the price. And most of those plants will also generally build an option to add freight into their cost, as well. Many overseas plants are simply outstanding partners, and many more state of the art plants have sprung up in recent years, leading to higher levels of competition, quality, and partnership. And that partnership can be just what you need to create the perfect product to enhance your brand and further your mission! If you're ready to create brand-developing products that connect with your donors and partners and further your mission, CōDRA is the collaborative partner you need. Contact us here .

If you are not taking care of your customers, your competitor will. –Bob Hooey You’ve done it before, right? Visited a store or a website to purchase something you needed only to find it’s really difficult to spend your money? You weren’t able to find what you needed, or the process to buy it was just, well, awful. Sadly, it’s a common reality for consumers. Creators and business owners spend whatever is required to produce a useful product, but the focus on the customer’s experience finding, purchasing, and utilizing it is often secondary, at best, or completely forgotten, at worst. When designing for your project, your customer’s experience has to be just as important as the product design itself. While it certainly does not make up the whole of your customer's experience, your packaging can be a very important part of it (see the unboxing trend that began in 2006 and continues today). Whether it’s a fully printed box or a special material pouch, the way that you package your product can aid or hinder the experience. Here are four helpful suggestions to help you design your packaging and delight your customers. Unique Design Your packaging will be the first thing your customer sees when they purchase your product—the first tangible interaction with it. Consider their experience—how it appears, how it feels in their hands, what it communicates. You'll want to mock it up and hold it in your hands. Open it. Play around with logo placement and any copy that might be on it. See how you feel opening it and imagine the experience you can create for your customer. Your manufacturer should be able to provide templates and physical samples that can help you visualize your packaging in order to help create a pleasing experience for your consumers. Unique Elements Part of creating a unique design is finding ways to make your packaging stand out from your competitors. Foil stamping, embossing, and full-color elements can spark the interest of your customers and give your packaging an elegant look. Those extra creative pops can also encourage excitement and activity in social media. Content that centers around reviews, unboxing, and grand reveals of products can be a huge win for your marketing, and a great—maybe even surprising—experience can fuel it. Use and Function Some of the most creative packaging stands on its own. It isn't just thrown away once the product is removed. Once your customers get their hands on your product, make sure that the packaging and any additional elements included with it can be utilized in some creative or useful way. For instance, nice, unique boxes or pouches can be used as storage or decoration in your customer's homes, which will be a reminder of your brand each time they see or use it. And a creative enough use could even create opportunity for a conversation piece and possible new customers. Safety During Shipping Though aesthetics and functionality are important for your packaging design, the safety of your product can't be an afterthought. Beautiful packaging is great, but it loses its luster if it can't keep the actual product safe and sound. Packing products like bubble wrap and packing peanuts can be an option for protection during shipping, but well-designed, sturdy packaging that doesn't require those extras can keep it clean and elevate it much more. If you're ready to create the perfect packaging to enhance your product, please your customers, and enhance your brand, contact us here , and let's create something great together.