Unlocking Brand Success: The Crucial Role of Puzzle Quality in Children's Toy Market

While the children's toy market is saturated with a diverse range of products, puzzles and logic games like dominoes or memory games continue to hold their popularity and prestige. But to make your mark in this market, creating an engaging design isn't enough. The quality of puzzles is the key to your brand's success. Choosing the right puzzle manufacturing company is an indispensable step in creating and launching your product.

How to choose a puzzle manufacturing company with your own design?

Quality of puzzle production - why is it so important when creating your own puzzles?

The quality of puzzles is a critical factor that determines the user experience. From the shape and fit of individual pieces, to the quality of the images that form the final picture, every detail matters. Low-quality puzzles can result in frustration, deterring children from further play, often impacting the perception of the entire brand. Therefore, it's worth paying attention to several aspects that indicate the high quality of puzzles.

1. Premium puzzle material on demand

The material properties of puzzles are key to their quality and usability. Puzzles should be durable, resistant to damage, and at the same time safe for users, including children. It's crucial that they are made from non-toxic materials and are easy to clean and stain-resistant.

Solid cardboard of 1.5 mm thickness is the most commonly used material in the production of traditional paper puzzles, but it's worth noting that puzzles made of wood or plastic are also available.

In on-demand traditional puzzle production, puzzle thickness is a factor that can be adjusted to individual needs. The thickness of the cardboard can go up to 2.5 mm. Choosing the right material thickness is important both for the comfort of putting puzzles together and for their aesthetics. However, we do not recommend choosing materials with a thickness above 2.5 mm - not due to technological limitations, but for the aesthetics of the final product. Too thick puzzles may not look aesthetically pleasing on the edges.

2. Shape and fit of individual puzzle pieces

The shape and fit of puzzles is another aspect to consider. Pieces should fit together perfectly, there should be no loose connections or overly tight spots. This ensures a smooth play experience and satisfaction with the end result.

3. Quality of puzzle images with your own theme

The image quality on puzzles is incredibly important. Clear, vibrant colors and detailed illustrations draw attention and inspire play. Therefore, it's worth paying attention to the quality of printing and the technologies used.

The puzzle manufacturing company - what should it offer to the puzzle creator?

1. Cooperation in designing unique puzzles

When choosing a puzzle manufacturing company, pay attention to its willingness to cooperate in creating the project. The company should offer support at every stage of the process, from the choice of illustrations, puzzle cutter project design, through material selection, to the final production of our puzzles.

2. Flexibility in tailored production

Flexibility in production is another feature you should consider. Your puzzle manufacturing company should be able to adapt to your needs, whether you need 1000 or 10000 units. This is especially important for companies planning large-scale production.

3. Understanding the Children's Puzzle Market

The company you plan to partner with should have a good grasp of the puzzle and logic game market. They should be able to advise you on current market trends and help you tailor your products to meet the needs and expectations of consumers.

What Makes a Puzzle High Quality?

1. They don't delaminate, especially in custom puzzles

Delamination is a phenomenon where the puzzle breaks down into layers of paper and cardboard. This is one of the most important aspects to consider when assessing the quality of a puzzle. High-quality puzzles should be durable and not prone to damage during assembly or transport. Puzzles that delaminate easily can cause frustration and also shorten the lifespan of the product.

2. Good interlocking of pieces

Puzzles that fit together well enhance the overall puzzle assembling experience. Too loose connections can lead to accidental disassembly of already arranged sections, while too tight connections can make it difficult to separate pieces. The optimal strength of interlocking often depends on individual user preferences.

3. Accurately reproduced puzzle print colors

Color fidelity is an important aspect of puzzle quality assessment. Puzzles should reproduce the colors of the original image as accurately as possible. Distorted or improperly reproduced colors can be discouraging and misleading during puzzle assembly.

4. Appropriate thickness of puzzle pieces

The thickness of the puzzle pieces is a key aspect that influences user comfort. Puzzles with a thickness less than 1.5 mm may be prone to breaking or bending, leading to damage and frustration. On the other hand, puzzles that are too thick can be inconvenient to store and assemble, and may take up a lot of space.

However, there is a certain exception to this rule, especially when it comes to the production of multi-piece puzzles, such as 500, 1000 pieces or more. In these cases, to achieve the optimal result, manufacturers often opt for cardboard of 1.2 mm thickness. Why?

In such large sets, the dies used to cut the puzzles are set relatively close to each other. This leads to a phenomenon referred to in the industry as "dies colliding". It means that the dies may start to run into each other, which in turn requires an increase in the pressing force to cut through the cardboard. By using cardboard of 1.2 mm thickness, we significantly reduce this phenomenon, while still maintaining good properties and puzzle quality.

The thickness of the die relative to the thickness of the cardboard is therefore an important parameter to consider during the production of high-piece puzzles. Using cardboard of the appropriate thickness not only helps in the production process but also guarantees the comfort and satisfaction of the end user.

5. Pleasant texture of puzzles

The texture of the puzzle, i.e., how it looks and feels to the touch, is an important element of the puzzle assembling experience. Some people prefer puzzles with a matte finish that do not reflect light and are pleasant to the touch, while others might prefer glossy puzzles that add aesthetic shine to the image.

6. Non-offensive puzzle smell

The cardboard often used to make puzzles is made from recycled paper. Unfortunately, some puzzles may have an unpleasant smell if the cardboard is of low quality or poorly processed. Good puzzle manufacturers should ensure that their products do not have an unpleasant smell that could discourage play.

7. Myths - The Color of Puzzle Cardboard and Its Quality

Does the color of the cardboard from which puzzles are made matter for their quality? You can find various opinions on this matter in the market. Some companies claim that true puzzles should only be blue, red, or even gold (which is, of course, a sarcastic statement). However, the reality is that the color of the cardboard does not affect its quality parameters.

The color of the cardboard results from the addition of pigment during the manufacturing process, and it doesn't influence the properties of the cardboard itself. Moreover, the same cardboard in different colors might come from various suppliers and differ in quality. An exception would be if a particular factory implemented a quality standardization system and used a specific pigment to indicate the level of quality - but we haven't encountered such a phenomenon.

In practice, blue cardboard from one supplier might turn out to be of lower quality than natural, grey cardboard from another supplier. Therefore, color isn't a measure of quality, but an individual choice of the manufacturer and customer, depending on their preferences and related associations.

It's also worth remembering that in the case of double-sided puzzle printing, the cardboard is only visible at the edges, which further diminishes the importance of cardboard color. What really matters for puzzle quality are cardboard parameters, such as its durability, flexibility, and resistance to damage.

What Sets an Experienced Puzzle Manufacturer Apart?

At first glance, most puzzles seem similar. However, for a true puzzle enthusiast, there are certain features that will help you identify a manufacturer who truly knows their craft. These details stem from years of experience and understanding of the manufacturing process.

1. Quality of Edges and Cut Lines after Punching the Puzzle

Most printing companies in Europe have already adopted quality standards that ensure smooth and non-frayed puzzle edges. A genuine puzzle manufacturer will have perfectly finished edges that are smooth and don't give the impression of being unfinished or frayed. The edges and cut lines will look precise and carefully made, contributing to user comfort.

2. Print of Double-sided Puzzles - Full Customization

The print of double-sided puzzles is key to verifying puzzle quality. In the case of single-sided puzzles, it's possible to mask some "imperfections" during the cutting process. If the puzzle is under-cut, the cardboard is pulled and torn, which can be disguised by the uneven texture of the cardboard. On the other hand, double-sided puzzles, with smooth printed paper, are more demanding. Tearing and chipping are easily visible and cannot be concealed. A poor operator might try to alleviate this by padding the table, but this leads to improper distortions, called warping, which are unacceptable.

3. Shape of Puzzle Corners

Setting up the puzzle die, which precisely cuts the puzzle, is not easy and requires significant skill. The places where the blades intersect should be smooth and not tear the cardboard, which could lead to peeling off the tips. A genuine puzzle manufacturer will ensure that the tips are smooth and well-fitted.

Invitation to Use Our Custom Puzzle and Jigsaw Services

If you want to experience true puzzle quality, we invite you to use our production services. Our years of experience, combined with a high-quality standard, guarantee that our puzzles are nothing short of a true piece of art. Try it yourself and experience the difference.

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