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L E K A C S O U R C I N G LT D .
2026
THE ULTIMATE PACKAGING ZINE
FA L L E D I T I O N
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LEKAC SOURCING LTD. Editor in Chief Gabrielle Ho Art Direction Samneet Mann Editors Gabrielle Ho Graphic Designers Samneet Mann Zoe Chan Writers Gabrielle Ho Cover Photo Samneet Mann
PHOTO BY ELENA_ SHER FROM PEXELS.COM
TABLE OF CONTENTS A Message from the Team
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Fall '26 Moodboard
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The Packaging Audit: Customer Retention
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Featured Product: Double Wall Front Tuck Box
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Brand Guide Breakdown
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Step by Step Ordering with LeKAC
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Learn with Lenny: Packaging Dictionary
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Packaging FAQs
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A MESSAGE FROM THE TEAM The crisp autumn air is rolling in, and with it comes a fresh wave of creative inspiration! For those just joining us, we are a Canadian-based team specializing in custom packaging, branding, and sourcing solutions for brands across the country. This issue is designed to help you prepare your brand for the cozy, bustling season ahead! Inside, we kick things off with our warm, pattern-filled Fall '26 moodboard, followed by expert strategies in our packaging audit to keep your buyers coming back. We're also spotlighting a versatile, secure folding carton box, and wrapping up with a helpful breakdown on how brand guides keep your visual identity sharp. Dive in to spark your creativity, and contact us today to get your seasonal projects started! Sincerely, The LeKAC Pack
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Join the LeKAC Pack For a first look at upcoming new client promotions, trend forecasts, holiday ordering deadlines, and more! Visit LEKAC.COM to sign up for our email list today
Learn with Lenny! Check out pages 20–21 to f ind Lenny teaching you about packaging terms you’ll f ind useful the next time you order custom packaging!
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The PACKAGING AUDIT 5 REASONS YOU’RE LOSING CUSTOMERS
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PACKAGING AUDIT Running a thorough packaging audit reveals whether your current boxes and bags actively build brand loyalty or quietly push buyers away. Business owners often pour massive amounts of energy into marketing, product development, and customer service. However, they often overlook the physical package that bridges the gap between the digital checkout and the doorstep. When customers finally hold your product, your packaging acts as your brand ambassador. If it fails to impress, shoppers simply take their business elsewhere next time. You can easily spot the hidden cracks in your fulfilment strategy by watching for 5 distinct warning signs…
every other generic parcel on the porch, you blend into the background.
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LACK OF MEMORABLE IMPACT
Adding custom printed tissue paper, branded tape, or a personalised thank-you card transforms a standard delivery into a memorable event.
Plain brown corrugated boxes with zero branding have their time and place, don’t get us wrong. However, they can often be a missed golden opportunity to connect with your client base.
Ultimately, memorable moments inspire customers to share your products online and return for future purchases.
Furthermore, unboxing videos dominate social media channels, turning everyday deliveries into free marketing moments. If your packaging looks identical to
Nothing kills customer excitement faster than a smashed item or a leaking bottle upon arrival.
PRODUCTS FREQUENTLY ARRIVE DAMAGED OR COMPROMISED
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CATEGORY|CHOOSE CUSTOM
EXCESSIVE MATERIALS LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN COSTS
Oversized boxes filled with miles or plastic bubble wrap frustrate eco-conscious shoppers and inflate your overhead.
Dimensional weight pricing means you pay extra for empty space every single time a carrier picks up your orders. Moreover, modern customers actively judge brands that generate unnecessary waste with their shipments.
A proper packaging assessment ensures your products fit snugly within appropriately rated corrugated boxes or reinforced mailers. Investing in structural integrity protects your bottom line and safeguards your hard-earned reputation.
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Flimsy materials and incorrect structural engineering fail to withstand the rough handling of modern shipping networks. Consequently, you deal with costly returns, frustrated emails, and negative reviews that scare away prospective buyers.
Right-sizing your packaging eliminates empty air, reduces material costs, and lowers your overall carbon footprint. Streamlining your dimensions keeps your shipping expenses predictable while showing customers that you care about the planet. SUPPLY CHAIN INEFFICIENCIES AND DELAYS
Relying on multiple disconnected vendors for your boxes, tape, labels, and inserts creates a logistical nightmare. When one component arrives late, your entire fulfilment operation grinds to a halt during your busiest seasons. Furthermore, juggling different
TAGS|CUSTOM BAGS, CUSTOM BOXES, CUSTOM PACKAGING, PACKAGING AUDIT
suppliers drives up your administrative costs and leads to inconsistent colour matching across your packaging suite. Partnering with one dedicated team solves these headaches by streamlining design, production, and delivery under one roof. Proactive planning protects your inventory levels and ensures your packages are always ready when orders surge.
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NO CLEAR STORY IS BEING TOLD Confusing designs, cluttered typography, or outdated logos make it difficult for buyers to understand your core values. If your packaging does not reflect the actual quality of the item inside, a painful disconnect occurs. Customers want to support brands with a clear identity and a polished aesthetic
from the first glance. Elevating your visual presentation builds immediate trust and positions your enterprise as an established industry leader. Clear messaging on your exterior and interior surfaces guides the buyer smoothly through your brand story. PUT YOUR PACKAGING AUDIT INTO ACTION Spotting these warning signs in your current fulfilment strategy means you can take immediate action to fix them. Now is the ideal moment to review your shipping materials and plan your next evolution. The LeKAC Pack can help you explore custom packaging solutions, conduct a packaging audit, and help you design packaging that impresses your customers and protects your bottom line.
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Featured Product
DOUBLE WALL FRONT TUCK BOX SECURE LOCK | DURABLE FORM | SHIPS FLAT
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Giftable packaging, made affordable! Engineered with a sturdy double-wall build and a clean front-tuck closure, this box delivers foolproof security and upscale appeal for everything from spiced artisanal pastries to luxury gift bundles. Smart, secure, and effortlessly gift-ready! Contact us today to learn more about our corrugated packaging solutions. 13
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BRAND GUIDE BREAKDOWN THE ULTIMATE KEY TO BRAND RECOGNITION
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Think of your favourite brands; you instantly recognise their colours, typography, and logo style whether you spot them online, on a billboard, or holding a custom-designed mailer box. That seamless recognition does not happen by accident. It is powered by a strategic brand guide. For small- and medium-sized business owners and decision-makers, navigating the world of visual identity can feel overwhelming. However, creating a clear blueprint for your company changes everything. KEEP READING 15
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CATEGORY: BRANDING
Brand Story and Voice Definine who you are as a company. Establishing core business values and outlining how you speak directly to your target audience to foster genuine connections.
Logo Guidelines Outline different logo variations, clear-space rules, and a logotype family so your brand looks sharp anywhere. This often extends to a full logotype family and playful alternatives for specific merchandise.
Colour Palette Pick 4-6 colours that you want to represent your brand without any words. Find out the exact HEX, CMYK, and RGB codes so your colours match every across print and digital media without variation.
Packaging Suggestions Align your physical presentation, and custom packaging with your visual identity. Ensuring that pieces like custom business cards, shopping bags, and labels tie directly back to your brand core.
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TAGS | CUSTOM PACKAGING, BRAND GUIDE, BRANDING, BRANDING ELEMENTS
SO WHY DOES YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS A BRAND GUIDE Consistency builds trust, and trust drives sales. Customers may hesitate to invest in your products when your marketing materials look disjointed. A structured brand guide protects your business identity as you scale. Having branding standards saves valuable time and operational expenses. Building a cohesive brand identity requires more than just picking a favourite colour. It takes strategic insight, so..
DO YOU HAVE A BRAND GUIDE? DO YOU NEED BRANDING? LeKAC offers marketing services and branding packages ranges from basic typography and logo design options to deluxe solutions featuring complete brand style guides, business card designs, and expert packaging consultations. Read more about how a brand guide can help your business at lekac.com/blog
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WHY CHOOSE LEKAC? Avoiding going custom because you think it’s too expensive or just too much effort in general? At LeKAC, we strive for excellence across all boards. Our consultants work tirelessly to ensure the journey with us is as smooth as possible. We also work to get you the most competitive price on the market. Customers are more likely to return to your business if they have a reminder of it - and what better way to do that than creating a memorable packaging experience? By using custom packaging, you’re also benefitting from extended publicity and brand awareness! Best of all? You’re getting packaging that’s exactly what you want!
HOW IT WORKS
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LEARN WITH LENNY !
PACKAGING DICTIONARY AUTHENTICITY Packaging and designs uniquely crafted for your brand, without relying on assets or layouts recycled from others. An identity that is crafted directly just for your brand.
IMPOSITION The arrangement of individual packaging pages or box nets on a single large press sheet to maximize efficiency and minimize waste.
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ARCHETYPE The foundational personality model used in brand building to shape how a company speaks, feels, and connects with its audience.
SUBSTRATE The underlying physical material. sometimes refered to as base material upon which designs are printed Examples include natural brown kraft paper, rigid board, or cotton fabric.
VIGNETTE A design style where a graphic or color pattern fades smoothly into the background, often seen in atmospheric seasonal moodboard layouts.
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PACKAGING FAQs YO U AS K E D, WE AN S WE R E D . WHY ARE SHIPPING RATES INCREASING SO MUCH? There are actually a few reasons rates have been increasing lately. Due to the various political issues, global supply chains have been disrupted! That, coupled with limited staff available to work and increasing fuel prices, lead to delayed shipments. While we’re optimistic that things will go back to normal in the near future, our team is dedicated to keeping costs down for clients. Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do since this is a global issue, but if you’re in need of packaging soon, you may want to opt for premium or expedited shipping! WHEN SHOULD I ORDER MY PACKAGING? Ideally, ASAP!!! The order process normally takes approximately 4 months, but we recommend ordering your packaging as far in advance as possible.
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ARE THERE ANY HIDDEN FEES I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT? No! Our pricing includes shipping/handling, customs/duties and plate charges. The only fee that can vary is the local delivery fee which your consultant will let you know about ahead of time. If anything changes, rest assured your consultant will let you know as soon as possible I NEED HELP DESIGNING MY PACKAGING. DOES IT COST EXTRA? We’ve got you covered! Our in-house graphic designer can help you bring your custom packaging vision to life. This includes the design layout and even 3D mockups! The best part? This service is included in our price!
I DON’T NEED PACKAGING, BUT I LOVE YOUR WORK! IS THERE ANOTHER WAY I CAN WORK WITH LEKAC? Definitely! If you like our design work, but aren’t necessarily looking for packaging, try our custom Branding and Graphic Design services instead. Work with our Marketing team to bring your vision to life! CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT WE OFFER.
HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? LEARN MORE ON OUR WEBSITE: WWW.LEKAC.COM
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ECIALIS E L E VAT E YO U R PA C K A G I N G G A M E EXPLORE INNOVATIVE DESIGN IDEAS & THE LATEST INDUSTRY TRENDS ON OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIALS.
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207-590 Alden Road Markham, ON L3R 8N2
7645 Rue Cordner LaSalle, QC H8N 2X2
1 (866) 996-6818 www.lekac.com
@lekacsourcing
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LeKAC Sourcing Ltd.
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FALL 2026