More Than Merch: How Jaded Creations Is Winning with Custom Packaging

In Indianapolis, Indiana, husband-wife duo Brandon and Hailey Dinsmore operate Jaded Creations, an apparel and merchandise shop catered to those who create.

"We’re an elevated print and custom decoration shop," Brandon shares. "We specialize in working with tattoo artists, brands, and screen printers to take their artwork to the next level. Our core lineup includes high-end apparel, headwear, custom stickers, keychains, banners, drinkware, and specialized hard goods."

In addition to apparel, promotional products, and signage, Jaded Creations offers custom packaging, bringing its customers turnkey solutions while keeping all production and shipping in its Indianapolis facility. Not outsourcing to third-party printers, brokers, or overseas suppliers gives the shop control over print quality, consistency, and turnaround times.

The shop's mission is to create high-value, retail-quality items, giving artists the logistical support they need to grow their brands will keep standards high. | Credit: Jaded Creations

How Packaging and Kitting Gives Jaded Creations and Its Customers an Edge

Custom packaging and kitting have become a big part of its offerings, ensuring its customers receive all their needs from one provider.

"We intentionally built a competitive moat around our business, so we’d never be just another promo shop," Brandon explains. "By diversifying our capabilities without overextending ourselves, we can handle virtually any client's needs under one roof. Whether a company is onboarding a new hire or trying to land a high-value client, we build complete custom promo boxes that help them cut through the noise and stand out immediately."

This not only allows Brandon and Hailey to stay competitive, but it gives their customers and their products an edge as well.

"Almost all of our custom packaging and kitting projects are designed for high-impact account acquisition," Brandon adds. "In a market where sales can be tight, retaining existing clients and winning new ones is everything. The brands winning right now are the ones being hyper-intentional — using custom, hyper-targeted packaging designed specifically for a single client or opportunity rather than sending generic swag."

To make custom packaging and kitting a reality, they're leveraging Roland DG's TrueVis LG-640 UV and TY-300 direct-to-film printers for these projects.

"They’re the workhorses of our operation," Brandon explains. "The LG-640 UV printer handles our rigid and specialty print needs — printing directly onto cardstock for custom infographics, fold-over packaging, and specialized box sleeves with high-end tactile finishes. The TY-300 DTF printer drives our apparel production, giving us vibrant, high-speed garment decoration. While we’ve experimented with DTF on dimensional packaging, keeping the LG-640 focused on packaging and the TY-300 on apparel gives us the exact high-end aesthetic we want."

Credit: Jaded Creations

The impact of adding these capabilities to their production lineup have been well worth the investment, eliminating production limitations and improving the speed, quality, and versatility of the shop's offerings.

"For example, we landed a seat at the table with a major national fitness brand simply by sending them a custom, fully kitted promo box," Brandon shares. "That single high-end presentation gave us the foot in the door we needed to pitch new product ideas for their line."

For other shops or promo producers who haven't dabbled in packaging, Brandon says it can't be overlooked.

"They’re missing out on the presentation power," he says. "Packaging isn't just a container; it’s an experience. Curating custom packaging allows you to showcase new product lines in a way that feels premium or helps your clients show their top tier customers how much they value the relationship. If you only supply the product and not the box it arrives in, you're leaving revenue and impact on the table."

Looking ahead, Brandon sees huge opportunities for businesses providing both branded merchandise and custom packaging.

"Custom onboarding packaging is going to be the next major trend," he predicts. "Whether it’s a boutique gym welcoming a new member, a commercial jobsite onboarding a contractor, or a dealership delivering a vehicle — nothing creates an immediate connection like a custom, high-end package built specifically for that individual employee or customer. Businesses that can deliver both the merch and the custom unboxing experience in one seamless package will win big. I would also add in a world where everything is catered to a person's specific tastes, they expect everything to be catered to them, and generic offerings will never be impressive."