It’s a wrap HP Indigo customer lands Shark Tank investment for custom digital printed gift wrap

Looking to add a special touch to holiday giving? DigiWrap, a startup that offers customized digital printing services, has your gifts covered with customized tissue wrapping paper printed with HP Indigo technology.

ABC's hit business reality show, Shark Tank, thinks it's a good idea, too. Last week, Chicago-based DigiWrap landed a $150,000 investment on the holiday themed episode that aired December 9 of the TV show where fledgling businesses pitch a tough investor crowd.

Co-founders Brad Boskovic and Charlie Williams set up DigiWrap in 2014 as a digital spinoff from a 25-year-old family print business that was struggling in the face of competition. DigiWrap prints its custom gift wrap products on the HP Indigo 5600 Digital Press, using a special process developed and patented for printing on tissue paper. In just two years, its annual sales have reached $500,000, according to the company.

Custom gift wrap was a tough sell to the Shark Tank investors, who were each initially presented a gift bag personalized with their image and name.

"DigiWrap is about making gift packaging personal," Williams said in his pitch.

Williams was challenged to explain the unique value proposition of DigiWrap to accept and deliver orders with no minimum required.DigiWrap can serve single-order customers – who might request custom tissue paper and gift wrap for a wedding or other special event-- thanks to short-run printing on HP's Indigo 5600 digital press. Its 13 x 19 inch platform offers advanced digital printing services on an extensive range of media – tissue paper included. It can also print on canvas, thick synthetics, paperboard and transparent, with the ability to vary every print.

Customers can submit artwork, including photos and logos, to the DigiWrap site for high-quality HP Indigo printing. DigiWrap also makes use of HP Indigo ElectroInk's extended digital color gamut, including white, fluorescent pink and on-press Pantones.

DigiWrap sells customized tissue paper direct to businesses, such as retailer Victoria's Secret. It also takes orders for the tissue and bags through the web storefront of Zazzle, a personalized products provider that also uses HP Indigo digital presses.

"Personalizing an event experience with on-demand printing of highly customized products is gaining popularity," Boskovic said. "Millennials especially enjoy taking something from their virtual, online environment and turning it into a tactile, memorable experiences."