We all strive for speed to market – faster launches means getting products onto shelves before the opportunity passes.
So it’s understandable that any ‘extra steps’ in the process feel like they would slow things down. But there is an exception, (especially where Alexir is involved) – and that’s white samples.
What are white samples?
White samples are physical, 3D prototypes of your packaging, before print is applied. They typically have no branding, no colour, but the structure, format and feel that gives you a tangible product to test. It’s the moment where an idea stops being theoretical and becomes something you can actually hold and assess.
With a white sample you can see how it opens, how it holds the product, whether it feels right in the hand and whether it does the job it’s meant to do on shelf. These are things that drawings and PDFs simply can’t answer properly.
Why do white samples matter for speed to market?
With white samples, any necessary changes are caught early on in the process, removing delays later on.
Once you move into full production, changes can become much more costly and halting production can cause severe delay. Carton manufacturing alone can take six to eight weeks after artwork is approved, so if something isn’t quite right at that stage, you’re not making small tweaks, you’re starting again.
White samples allow you to spot issues early, align stakeholders quickly and make decisions with confidence. The faster you can get white samples in front of people, the faster the entire process moves forward, eliminating potential production delays.
How can Alexir produce white samples so quickly?
The issue with white samples is that for many brands, sampling isn’t as straightforward as it should be. Design might sit with one agency, print with another supplier, and manufacturing somewhere else entirely. Each step introduces another handover, another interpretation and more time.
So sometimes what should be a quick validation step can easily become a bottleneck. But this is where Alexir approaches things differently.
White sampling isn’t treated as a separate stage – it’s part of our connected in-house creative and manufacturing process, which removes a lot of the usual friction.
Typically, white samples can be turned around in 48 – 72 hours from the point of request (with exceptions for extremely complex designs). That kind of speed makes a real difference, particularly when decisions need to be made quickly. It also means teams aren’t waiting around to move forward. They can review, refine and progress without losing momentum.
What is the Zünd cutter?
A big part of that speed comes from our new Zünd cutter, which is an investment we’ve made to allow us to move from concept to physical sample almost immediately, without the need for traditional tooling.
The samples produced aren’t rough approximations, they’re structurally accurate, giving a clear representation of how the final pack will behave.
Combined with in-house print capability, we make things move even faster, with no need to pass files between multiple suppliers or wait for external production. Everything happens in one place.
White sampling at Alexir isn’t limited to cartons. The same approach applies across a range of formats, including rigid boxes, corrugate outers, pouches, sachets and pots. That flexibility is important, especially for brands exploring new formats or testing different ways to present their products.
It gives you the freedom to experiment properly, rather than being constrained by what’s easiest to produce.
How do Alexir white samples improve speed to market?
White samples, (especially Alexir Partnership white samples), can have a direct impact on how your products get to market. Here’s how we make a difference:
- Immediate physical prototypes, not just concepts
White samples allow brands to hold, assess and sign off real packaging formats early, speeding up decision-making from the outset.
- Rapid iteration using in-house cutting technology
With tools like the Zünd cutter, Alexir can produce multiple format variations quickly. That means ideas can be tested, refined and approved in days rather than weeks.
- Early-stage problem solving before production
Structural, material and packing challenges are identified and resolved during the white sample phase. Fewer surprises later means fewer delays when moving into full production.
- Seamless transition from sample to manufacture
Because design, sampling and production sit under one roof, what’s approved as a white sample is already aligned to real manufacturing capability, with no handover friction.
- Faster customer and retailer sign-off
Physical samples make it easier for stakeholders to visualise the final product. Speeding up internal approvals and retailer acceptance gets products onto shelves sooner.
When speed matters, start here
For launches where timing matters, whether that’s seasonal products, retail opportunities or new product development, speed matters. White samples are just one part of the process, but they have a disproportionate impact on how everything else flows.
When they sit within a connected system that includes design, print, co-packing and delivery, the entire journey becomes more efficient. That’s where Alexir, with full creative and production capability in-house, is strongest.
If reducing time to market is a priority, get in touch to find out more.
