How to Work With Roastar to Nail Your Holiday Packaging

Whether you're releasing a holiday blend, rolling out gift sets, or dressing up your signature product line in some tinsel and flair, your launch date isn’t when the work starts—it’s when everything needs to be done.

Start by figuring out when you want your product to hit shelves (or ship to customers). Then count backward for:

• Packaging production

• Proof approvals

• Shipping and delivery

• Co-packing or filling

• Any custom touches or bonus items (hang tags, gift boxes, insert cards)

Example: Want your packaging in hand by mid-November? That means ordering by early October—and having your final proofs approved earlier than that. Roastar’s standard lead times are quick, but keep in mind that they change based on order volume. During our fall rush, things book up quickly and extend lead times. Hesitating on your order could throw off your whole timeline, so make sure to plan ahead and place orders early.

The good news is that your packaging ships straight from our facility in Wausau, Wisconsin, so you’ll get it much faster than if it came from overseas.

You know your brand better than anyone…but holiday demand has a way of surprising even the most seasoned business owners. If you ran out of bags halfway through Black Friday last year, you already know this pain.

This year, consider:

• Order for growth! Consider upping your initial order for your holiday promotions to ensure you have enough stock for a successful selling season. As a bonus, you'll benefit from price breaks at higher volumes tiers!

• Placing a second “just in case” reorder early so it’s already in the queue

• Grouping SKUs into multi-use designs to simplify inventory and packaging needs

Need packaging fast, but still want it to look custom? Our stock bags and custom label combo is a holiday season lifesaver. You get the speed of on-hand materials, the flexibility to change your label design quickly, and the polish your product deserves.

Perfect for:

• Holiday bundles and samplers

• Flash sales or small-run seasonal SKUs

• Events and markets where you need packaging ASAP

Want festive packaging to coincide with the season, but don’t have the time or designer budget? In Roastar Design Lab^TM, our online design tool, you can choose from a variety of fall and holiday patterns, or use our AI-powered Text to Design tool to generate your own festive pattern. Personalize it with your logo and add some images, shapes, and text.

Minimums start at just 1 tin can, 25 gusset bags, 25 stand up pouches, and 100 flat bottom bags.

This approach works well for:

• Limited edition products

• Smaller packaging needs

• Fast customization without the need for a designer

Specialty features are very doable, but they take time, especially when sourcing materials or coordinating multiple production stages.

Order a sample pack if you haven't, and loop in your rep early if you’re:

• Exploring a new material

• Changing your bag size or format

• Adding new finishes or features

• Switching to labels for a new product

Seeing, feeling, and testing new materials, sizes, features will set you up for success (and avoid last-minute surprises). Don’t sweat—we are here to help!

No customer service bots. No generic ticket numbers. At Roastar, you’ve got an actual person on your side, ready to help you navigate the chaos of Q4. Reach out early. Ask the “what if” questions. Confirm timelines. Bounce ideas off us. We love this stuff, and we’re here to make sure your packaging shows up looking great and right on time.

We want your packaging to arrive before the first snowflake hits the ground (or at least before your customer starts panic-ordering gifts). The best way to make that happen? Start now.

Early birds get the custom bags. Late birds... might get stuck in the shipping queue.

Looking for more help with conquering the holiday rush? Check out our previous post about how to make sure your business (not just your packaging) is ready for the most wonderful time of the year.

If you’re ready to start prepping, request a quote, explore our products, or reach out to your rep to map out your holiday game plan.