Both businesses and consumers are becoming more aware of the necessity of shipping products in today's economy. Successful businesses have realized that, in order to build a large and loyal customer base, they need to be able to ship products, sometimes in large quantities, anywhere in the world. Consumers have come to expect that they can avoid the hassle of going to a brick-and-mortar store by shopping online, which offers more convenience, a vastly greater selection, and better opportunities for price comparison. With the sharp increase in shipping in recent years, many businesses are trying to make their products more appealing and more professional, as well as increasing brand awareness, by utilizing printed packaging.

Printed packaging is an important aspect of shipping, for a variety of reasons. A product that is shipped in printed packaging, as opposed to a plain brown box, will look better, and make a company look professional and reliable. It also increases brand awareness by showcasing the company's logo, motto, or other custom labeling. Printed packaging can come in a variety of forms, including tape, boxes, and other shipping supplies, and there are quite a few companies, such as American Packaging Specialists (also known as APS Tape), who create custom printed packaging for many different companies in a variety of industries.

One of the most popular forms of printed packaging is logo tape, a custom packaging item which is carried by retailers such as American Packaging Specialists. Companies can order tape made from a variety of materials - including polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), paper and gummed tape - and have it custom-printed with their logo, slogan, or other text and images. The tape is functional, in that it is heavy-duty enough to last in a variety of applications and helps to increase the security and tamper-resistance of your packaging, while fulfilling the other purposes of printed packaging, such as increasing brand awareness. Other types of printed packaging sold by companies like American Packaging Specialists include boxes, envelopes, and tape printed with generic text or images (such as "fragile" or "perishable") instead of custom logos.

American Packaging Specialists established themselves as one of the premier vendors of packaging and shipping supplies in recent years. Established in 1977, they have steadily grown to become major distributors, and sell printed packaging in a wide variety of materials, in addition to dispensers, envelopes, boxes and many other shipping supplies. They offer 24-hour shipping on over 500 products; custom printed packaging necessarily has a longer lead time, for obvious reasons. Businesses hoping to thrive in the twenty-first century must be able to ship their products anywhere in the world at a moment's notice. Customers can be found anywhere, and for most people, ordering a product and having it shipped to their door is much more convenient and less time-consuming than going to a brick-and-mortar store for the same product. It is important, therefore, to keep all necessary supplies on hand, and when you're looking to ship securely and in style, printed packaging is one of many great ways to do so.