Guides
Our guides section is for buyers who need practical answers before placing print, packaging or branding work. Use these notes to compare methods, plan artwork, and choose finishing and delivery options that suit the job.
What This Guides Section Covers
This section brings together practical advice for businesses ordering printed material, cartons, displays and branded graphics. It is written for day to day buying decisions, whether you need a short run of flyers, a bulk carton order, vehicle graphics for a small fleet, or event material that must travel safely to site.
We cover digital, lithographic and flexographic printing, along with packaging cartons, point of sale work, vehicle branding, outdoor graphics and common finishing steps. The aim is simple: help you match the job to the process so you get clean print, sensible turnaround and packaging that works in real handling conditions across South Africa.
Choosing Between Digital, Litho and Flexo
The right print process depends on quantity, substrate, artwork detail and how the finished piece will be used. There is no single best option for every job, and a buyer usually saves time by deciding the purpose first, then the method.
- Digital printing: useful for short runs, quick repeat jobs and version changes. Good when quantities are lower or artwork may need updates between batches.
- Lithographic printing: suited to larger runs where consistent colour and a neat commercial finish matter. Often chosen for brochures, leaflets, folders and carton work in volume.
- Flexographic printing: commonly used for packaging applications where print must work on board or other packaging materials in longer production runs.
If you are unsure, compare the order size, the material being printed, and whether the job is promotional, protective or display based. A short campaign run may fit digital better, while regular nationwide carton supply may point to litho or flexo depending on the pack type.
How To Match Packaging To The Product
Packaging has to do more than carry print. It must protect the product, stack properly, fold cleanly and arrive ready for filling or dispatch. Carton choice should be based on product weight, shelf presentation, closure style and how the pack will move through storage and transport.
- Straightforward cartons: suitable for many retail and promotional packing needs where simple filling and neat presentation are important.
- Crash lock or glued cartons: helpful when faster assembly is needed or when the base must lock into shape with less handling.
- Point of sale packaging: useful when the pack must also present the product on counter or shelf.
- Eco conscious options: worth considering where material choice, reduced excess packing and practical disposal matter.
Artwork should also allow for folds, glue areas and cut lines. Fine text placed too close to a crease can become hard to read, and heavy ink coverage on fold points can mark if the board is not planned properly.
Finishing Matters More Than Many Buyers Expect
A printed sheet or carton blank is only part of the job. Finishing turns it into a usable product through cutting, creasing, folding, gluing, bundling and packing. These steps affect how cleanly a brochure opens, how neatly a carton closes, and whether stock can be packed efficiently for despatch.
Die cutting is used where shape matters, especially for cartons and point of sale pieces. Folding and gluing need proper registration and board choice, otherwise cartons may spring open or sit unevenly. For promotional pieces, careful trimming and packing help prevent edge damage in transit, which is important for deliveries going beyond Durban and across KwaZulu-Natal.
It sounds basic but many delays come from finishing choices made too late, so it helps to confirm the final use of the item before print starts.
Planning Vehicle, Event and Outdoor Branding
Branding work is exposed to daily wear, weather and handling, so planning should start with the installation environment. A vehicle travelling coastal routes faces sun, rain and humidity. An event graphic may need to be set up quickly, packed down the same day and used again later. Outdoor pieces may also need to consider local site rules or centre requirements before production.
- Measure the actual application area, not just the general vehicle or panel type.
- Check where doors open, handles sit and body curves affect text placement.
- Confirm whether the branding is for a once off event, a seasonal campaign or long term use.
- Think about transport, setup time and safe packing after the event.
- Allow enough lead time for artwork approval, production and despatch to site.
Clear layouts tend to work best at distance. Too much copy can be lost on a moving vehicle or busy event floor, and outdoor work must stay readable in bright daylight.
A Practical Way To Compare Your Options
When you have more than one possible route, use a simple comparison list before requesting production. This helps avoid ordering a method that suits the budget but not the job, or a material that looks right but packs badly.
- Run size: short campaign, repeat monthly order, or bulk national supply.
- Material: paper, board, carton stock or branding media.
- Use: handout, shelf pack, transit pack, vehicle graphic or event display.
- Finish: flat sheet, folded item, glued carton, die cut shape or packed set.
- Delivery: local Durban requirement or despatch to another province.
- Timing: urgent short run, scheduled replenishment, or phased delivery.
Once these points are clear, the next step is easier and the quotation can match the actual requirement. If you need help weighing up the options, send the job details through the enquiry form on our contact page and we can advise on a practical route.
Explore the range
Choosing between digital and litho
A practical guide to matching your print run, finish and deadline to the right process.
Read more
Preparing artwork for packaging
A practical packaging artwork checklist for smoother print, die cutting, folding and delivery.
Read more
Planning vehicle and event branding
A practical guide to planning branded vehicles, event graphics and display items for real working conditions.
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Questions we get asked
When should I choose digital printing instead of litho?
Digital printing is often the better fit for shorter runs, faster turnaround and jobs that may need artwork changes between batches. Lithographic printing is usually more suitable when quantities are higher and you need consistent commercial output across a larger run.
What details should I prepare before asking about packaging cartons?
Have the product size, weight, packing method, estimated quantity and intended retail or transit use ready. It also helps to know whether you need folding, gluing, die cutting, inner packing or national despatch.
Can branding and printed goods be sent outside Durban?
Yes. Work can be packed for delivery within Durban and KwaZulu-Natal, with despatch arranged across South Africa depending on the type of item and how it needs to be protected in transit.
Ask for a quote
Send the print, packaging or branding details, sizes, quantities and delivery town through the contact form, and MGP Services will reply with a quote for the work.
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