Combining Multiple Designs (SKU) in One Print Run

What is design combining (ganging)?

Ganging — in Polish printing practice also called "SKU combining" or "multi-project mounting" — is a production technique where different packaging graphic designs are placed on one printing web and realized within one production order. Instead of ordering 4,000 pcs of one design separately, you can e.g. order 4 designs at 1,000 pcs each — totaling the same 4,000 pcs, but with 4 different graphics.

In traditional rotogravure printing, ganging is practically impossible — each design requires a separate cylinder (plate), generating 3,000–12,000 PLN cost per variant. Digital printing eliminates this barrier completely because it doesn't use physical plates.

Why is SKU combining worth it?

Digital printing economics

In digital printing, setup cost is fixed — regardless of whether you print 1 design or 20. This means:

• Plate cost: 0 PLN (vs. 3,000–12,000 PLN per design in rotogravure)
• Design change cost: 0 PLN (digital change, not physical)
• Design change time: seconds (vs. 1–2 hours in rotogravure)

Reducing minimum order quantity per SKU

With minimum order of 4,000 pcs, combining allows lowering effective MOQ per design to even a few hundred pieces:

Number of SKUs	Pcs per SKU	Total quantity
1	4,000	4,000
2	2,000	4,000
4	1,000	4,000
8	500	4,000
10	400	4,000

Smaller warehouse inventory

Instead of holding 4,000 pcs of one variant (of which 3,000 wait for sale for months), you can have 1,000 pcs of each of 4 variants — inventory rotates faster, less capital is frozen in stock.

Practical SKU combining scenarios

Scenario 1: Tea brand with 6 flavors

• Situation: An artisan tea producer offers 6 flavor variants. Each flavor has a different graphic design.

Option	Technology	Quantity	Plate cost	Print cost	TCO
A: Rotogravure	Intaglio	6 × 10,000 = 60,000 pcs	6 × 5,000 = 30,000 PLN	~36,000 PLN	~66,000 PLN
B: Digital (separate)	Digital	6 × 4,000 = 24,000 pcs	0 PLN	~33,600 PLN	~33,600 PLN
C: Digital (ganging)	Digital	6 × 1,000 = 6,000 pcs	0 PLN	~9,600 PLN	~9,600 PLN

Option C — ganging 6 designs in a 6,000 pcs run — is 7 times cheaper than rotogravure and allows testing the market with minimal risk.

Scenario 2: Specialty coffee — single origin from different regions

• Situation: A roastery offers 4 single origin coffees (Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil, Kenya). Each has a unique design with regional map and flavor profile.

Ganging: 4 designs × 1,000 pcs = 4,000 pcs total run. The roastery gets professional packaging for the entire portfolio at the price of one order.

Scenario 3: A/B packaging testing

• Situation: A cosmetics brand wants to test 3 graphic design variants before choosing the final one.

Ganging: 3 designs × 1,500 pcs = 4,500 pcs. Each variant goes to a different sales channel. After 2 months, result analysis indicates the winner — next order is a full run of one design.

Scenario 4: Seasonal and limited edition products

• Situation: A snack producer wants to release 4 limited summer flavors.

Ganging allows ordering 1,000 pcs per flavor without risk that 3,000 pcs of an unpopular variant will sit in inventory until next year.

Technical requirements for combining designs

Ganging isn't completely without limitations. Here are requirements that combined designs must meet:

Same physical format

All designs in one order must have:

• Identical pouch dimensions — width, height, bottom depth

• Same laminate material — e.g., PET/ALU/PE 12/7/80

• Same closure — zipper, tear notch, valve (or none)

You cannot combine in one run a 160×240 mm doypack with an 80×120 mm sachet — these are two different converting processes.

Different graphics — without limitations

Within one format, you can freely change:

• Graphic design (colors, photos, typography)

• Text (ingredients, flavor descriptions, languages)

• Barcodes and QR codes

• Batch numbers and expiration dates (versioning)

Minimum quantity per SKU

Technically, digital printing can produce even 1 piece of a unique design. When ordering as part of a combined order totaling 4,000 pcs, you can flexibly divide the total quantity among different SKUs based on your needs.

Ganging and personalization — go further

Digital printing enables not only combining designs but also full personalization of each piece. This opens possibilities unavailable in any other packaging printing technology:

Versioning

Each pouch in the run can have a unique element — e.g., serial number, QR code leading to a dedicated page, random graphic pattern. Cost is identical to standard printing.

Mass personalization

D2C brands can print packaging with customer name, dedication, or chosen color variant — all within one production order.

Variable data (variable data printing)

Variable data — e.g., nutritional tables, ingredient lists in different languages, allergen information — can differ between individual pieces without affecting cost and production time.

How to order packaging with ganging at Paczki na Wymiar?

The process is simpler than for standard orders because all designs go through one workflow:

1. Send brief — SKU list, dimensions, material, closure

2. Submit designs — PDF/AI files for each variant (or commission design from our studio)

3. Receive collective quote — one quote for entire run, divided by SKU

4. Approve digital proof — visualization of each design for approval

5. Production and delivery — 10–15 business days, packaging sorted by SKU

Details of the ordering process for printed packaging are described in our guide.

Typical mistakes when combining SKUs

Based on Paczki na Wymiar production experience — here are traps to avoid:

1. Different formats in one order — combining doypacks of different sizes requires separate converting runs, eliminating ganging savings

2. Uneven quantity distribution — ordering 3,000 pcs of one SKU + 1,000 pcs of another is technically possible but doesn't optimize setup costs

3. Lack of visual consistency — although designs can be arbitrary, multi-variant brands should maintain consistent graphic line for shelf recognition

4. Neglecting barcodes — each SKU must have a unique EAN code; mistake in ganging means risk of mixing variants in logistics

Ganging vs. rotogravure — when to choose which?

Criterion	Ganging (digital)	Separate designs (rotogravure)
Quantity per SKU	200–5,000 pcs	10,000+ pcs
Number of SKUs	2–20+	1–3
Plate budget	0 PLN	3,000–12,000 PLN per SKU
Lead time	10–15 days	25–40 days
Change flexibility	Full	None (new cylinder)
Best use	Startups, testing, limited editions	Stable products, large volumes

Summary

Combining designs (ganging) in one digital print run is one of the most underrated packaging cost optimization strategies. It allows multi-variant brands to enter the market with a full product portfolio at a fraction of rotogravure costs. The condition is maintaining a uniform physical format (dimensions, material, closure) — but within this format, graphic creativity has no limits.

---

Want to combine multiple designs in one print run? The Paczki na Wymiar team will help plan optimal run distribution and prepare files for printing. Contact us — we'll prepare a quote within 24 hours.