Start with how it will be used
Describe the food or drink, serving temperature, portion size and expected holding time. For takeaway packaging, include the lid, stacking and transport requirements. A drawing with dimensions is more useful than a photograph alone. For a straw, specify cup depth and beverage texture as well as the preferred length and diameter.
Prepare artwork and approval points
Ask for the correct dieline before placing artwork. Identify the logo, colour references, print area and any required text. Provide files you have permission to reproduce. Screens can display colours differently, so agree the proof or physical sample used for approval. Review folds, seams and rim areas as well as the main printed panel; avoid placing critical information where construction may obscure it.
Make quotations genuinely comparable
State quantity per design and size, inner-pack count, outer-carton requirements and delivery destination. Ask the supplier to separate sample or tooling charges, production time and transport time. Keep an approved specification and sample reference with the order. If a later revision changes the material, print or packing, request an updated quotation and approval instead of relying on an old sample.