1. Preparation before installation

Tool

• bucket
• putty knife
• Hacksaw
• Tongue and groove pliers
• cleaning cloth
• pipe wrench
• plumbers tape

Material

• pop up drain kit
• Plumber’s Putty

2. Pop-up drain pipe installation steps

Pop-up drains are one of the most popular drain styles. When you press the lift lever, usually located behind the faucet spout, the lift lever causes a pivot lever under the sink to raise the drain plug, opening the drain so water can flow through. Instead, when you pull the lift lever up, the pivot lever pulls the drain plug down, sealing the drain.

If the drain seal isn’t as tight as it once was, it may be time to replace the pop-up drain assembly. Another reason to replace your drain assembly is if you are remodeling your bathroom or replacing your sink. Once you’ve selected your new pop-up drain assembly, you’re ready to install it. We’ve listed the general steps for this process below, but always follow the specific instructions for your drain kit.

1) Remove the P-type trap

Before you get started, learn about the various parts of a pop-up drain. They include:

• Tailpiece: The long cylindrical base of a drainage assembly.
• Pivot Rod: The horizontal rod extending from above the tailpiece.
• Pivot seal and gasket: Where the pivot rod meets the drain assembly.
• Lift Rod: A vertical rod that rises from a pivot rod
• Trevis Band: Thin metal band with holes for pivot rods.
• Flange and Gasket: The part of the drain assembly that connects to the tailpipe. Once installed, the flange will cover the hole in the sink drain.
• Plug: The upper part of the drainage assembly, which can be lifted and lowered.
• When you pull the lift lever, it moves the pivot rod and the stopper lowers.

Cover the floor or inside of your dresser with newspapers or plastic bags. Place a cleaning bucket under the sink to catch water.

• Locate the water supply valve under the sink. Designs vary, but most have rotating knobs. Turn this knob to turn off the water supply.
• To access the existing drain pipe, you will need to first remove the P-trap. The P-trap is a U-shaped pipe that connects the sink tailpipe to the drain pipe.
• Use a pipe wrench to hold the nut at the top of the P-trap. Place one hand on the end of the handle and the other under your head, and twist to the left. Remove the nut from the bottom of the P-trap in the same manner.
• Slowly pull out the P-shaped trap. Set it aside until later.

Tip: Take this opportunity to deep clean the P-trap. Use a flexible pipe brush and a bucket filled with warm water and dish soap to scrub it down.

2) Remove the drain pipe and flange

• Remove the existing drain assembly. You will need to remove the clevis strap and the spring clip attached to it. Hold the pivot rod while unscrewing the washer. Once the gasket is off, slide the pivot rod off the tailpiece and lift the plug out of the sink.
• Use a pipe wrench to completely loosen the nut on the drain tailpipe. Push the tailpiece upward to release the drain flange. If the flange won’t budge, wiggle the tailpiece until the seal breaks. Finally, lift the entire tailpiece off the sink.
• Use bathroom cleaning products and a sponge to clean your sink. Dry the sink with a towel. Now you are ready to install the new flange.
• Take a small piece of piping putty and roll it between your fingers. Pipe putty is a flexible substance that seals sink drain pipes. Continue applying the putty until it warms and softens.

Tip: Apply the plumber’s putty to the narrow bottom of the new drain flange. If necessary, use silicone caulk in place of pipe putty.

3) Replace the drainage tailpipe

The next step is to replace the drain tailpipe.

• Insert the washer and washer into the top of the tailpiece. Apply pipe joint compound to the side of the gasket that fits the sink. A pipe joint compound is an adhesive used in pipe work. The compound forms a tight seal with the drain pipe.
• Slide the drain tailpipe under the sink through the drain hole. Slide the flange into the drain opening and screw it onto the tailpiece.
• Hold the tailpiece with one hand while hand-tightening the nut. Continue until it no longer moves easily, then tighten it with pliers. Turn the drain tailpipe so that it aligns with the pop-up assembly behind it.

4) Insert the drain plug

Check the sink to see if there is putty pushed past the flange. Use a putty knife to gently lift it up. Slide the pop-up drain stopper through the sink and into the flange. The hole in the end of the stopper should face the back of the sink.

5) Reinstall the popup component

The pop-up assembly drain parts need to be assembled now.

• Slide the pivot rod and ball into the opening in the tailpiece. It is important that the ball fits snugly into the opening. Slide the ball nut onto the pivot rod and thread it onto the threads of the drain tailpipe.
• Push the pivot rod through one end of the spring clip and through the nearest hole in the U-clip strap. Then, thread the other end of the spring clip through the rod to secure it in place.
• Before the last step, stop and check that the drain assembly is working properly. Keep an eye on the drain plug as you pull and push the lever.
• If everything is working properly, the stopper should open and close completely. It should move smoothly. If not, check to see if the pivot rod nut is too tight and needs to be loosened. If the stopper does not close completely, adjust the pivot lever by pinching and moving the spring clip.
• Test the plug again and continue adjusting the pivot lever until the plug lowers and raises correctly.

6) Reconnect the pipes

Just reconnect the pipes and you’re done. Apply plumber’s tape to tailpipe threads and drain branch pipes to ensure the pipes don’t leak. Make sure the P-trap is connected to the drain tailpipe and drain pipe. Turn the water supply back on.

To check the results of the work, close the sink stopper and fill the sink with water. If the water doesn’t drain out, the pop-up assembly will work. Drain the sink and check the bottom for leaks.

7) Clean up

Use a dry cloth and putty knife to clean away the remaining plumber’s putty and other debris. Wipe away dust, dirt, and water.

3. Conclusion

Installing a drain assembly is a DIY job that can be completed in just a few hours using a few tools and some basic plumbing supplies. Now that you know how pop-up drains work, you’re ready to fix the problem.

The post How to Install a Pop-Up Drain appeared first on CSG.

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The vast majority of packaging is plastic. Most products come in some type of plastic, from transparent plastic film, molded plastic trays, rigid plastic containers, and plastic-coated cardboard boxes to plastic shipping mailers and Styrofoam packing pellets.   

Some plastics are recyclable, but the reality is that only a tiny percentage of plastics are recycled. So, how can we do better? What are the best options? As more people become aware of the issues around plastic and seek alternatives, there has been tremendous growth in the sustainable packaging industry. 

There are now many innovative and effective alternatives to plastics! However, many are not easily accessible in terms of distribution and cost. That is where good old-fashioned cardboard comes in!

Cardboard packaging has been around for many years, and it has been refined and perfected into some of the most effective, inexpensive, and sustainable packaging options.  Keep on reading to learn more about what makes cardboard the most affordable and worthy packaging solution:

1. What is Cardboard Packaging?

Cardboard packaging refers to boxes made from cardboard, it is made by a special Boxmaker Machine. Examples include boxes, gift boxes, shipping boxes, molded cardboard to hold items in place within their packaging, egg cartons, shredded cardboard to protect delicate items in transit, and many, many more.

2. How Widespread is Cardboard Packaging?

Cardboard packaging is very popular. Almost every e-commerce business that deals with shipments and logistics uses cardboard boxes to protect their goods during transportation. Many retailers and crafting companies also prefer cardboard because of its lightweight, low price, and easy customization.

Some small and mid-size businesses also use cardboard packaging to demonstrate that they are eco-friendly brands. And even though cardboard boxes are indeed the most widely used packaging supply, there are also cardboard fillers in high demand.

As a consumer, choosing cardboard and plastic-free reduces the impact of your consumption considerably. This is especially true if the packaging is sustainably sourced or made from recycled material and is recyclable (most plastic-free paper products are!).  

3. What Makes Cardboard Better Than Plastic?

There are many reasons why cardboard is a better packaging choice than plastic. 

As a start, cardboard is the go-to environmental choice. Regular cardboard is recyclable, unlike some kinds of plastics. Cardboard is made of timber, while plastic is not a renewable resource. 

So when it comes to decomposition, cardboard is biodegradable and can fully break down in 2 or 3 months under current conditions. On the other hand, plastic is a hazardous contaminant and takes hundreds of years to decompose. 

Another advantage of cardboard packaging is it uses less space when stored since most cardboard boxes are collapsible and fillers can be flattened out.

The most deal-breaking difference between cardboard and plastic packaging is the price point. Cardboard is considerably cheaper and more affordable than plastic. You can get high-quality, fully customized cardboard for the same price as the lowest-quality plastic packaging.

When it comes to transportation and logistics, cardboard wins again. Shipping products in cardboard packaging costs considerably less compared to plastic packaging because cardboard is super lightweight. 

4. 5 Reasons to Choose Cardboard Packaging for Businesses and Consumers 

There 5 reasons to choose cardboard packaging for businesses and consumers.

1) Offers Protection and Durability

Preserving products to their best quality during storage and logistics is an important step every business must take. Investing in cardboard often is the best solution to protect goods and keep products intact without using plastic. 

Cardboard boxes are designed to ensure maximum safety for your goods. This type of packaging is very durable, hard to penetrate, protects products from vibrations and external aggressors, and can prevent serious damage to what is inside the box. 

As consumers, products packaged in cardboard are more likely to arrive undamaged and intact. Win-win! 

2) Eco-friendly

Cardboard packaging is exceptionally environmentally friendly. When compared to alternative packaging materials, cardboard manufacturing decreases oil and CO2 emissions by more than 50%—making it one of the materials with the least ecological impact.

Cardboard is a recyclable and biodegradable material. To minimize waste generation, the best way to dispose of cardboard would be to recycle it. In case cardboard packaging ends up in nature, decomposition time is only a few months until the complete breakdown (under the right conditions). It can even be composted at home!

Cardboard is easily recycled and takes little effort on the part of the consumer. Unlike plastic, there is no rinsing, no sorting, and no searching for facilities that accept different types of materials.   

And the best thing is, once recycled, cardboard does not lose its durability, or any of its other qualities. That means that, unlike plastics that lose quality with every recycling, they can be reused again and again. This also makes cardboard even more affordable and cost-effective. 

The energy required to recycle cardboard is 50% less in electricity and 90% less in water, compared to the manufacture of virgin packaging materials.

3) Highly Customizable

For businesses, another reason to choose cardboard packaging for your business is the easy customization. Cardboard boxes are unique package materials that are fully adaptable. With just a few adjustments, cardboard can fit the needs of your company and your customers.  

Printing over cardboard is a very fast and easy procedure. And so are sticking labels. Even if you have a very small budget, a custom cardboard box branded with just your logo is often enough to make your products recognizable. But if you can afford to spend a few extra bucks, fully tailored cardboard packaging to the best way to go about your brand. 

Also, cardboard is one of the easiest packaging materials to cut and amend. Shaping and resizing cardboard to fit products of different forms and proportions is almost effortless. Securing a package could be done with just paper tape, glue, or staples.

For consumers, the easy customization of cardboard packaging translates into receiving less packaging for every item delivered. This often cuts down on shipping costs and also means you have less excess packaging to deal with and recycle. Durable cardboard boxes can be reused or upcycled for storage too.  

4) Cost-Effective for Small Businesses and their Customers 

Packaging is an extra expense for businesses, but it is an inevitable one. You cannot sell items without that outer layer of protection and presentable cover. Otherwise, you risk exposing your products to damage and having them wear out faster, damaging your brand reputation and losing your customers. 

So now that we have established that packaging is a must, it is time to find the most long-term and cost-effective option, right? 

Packaging costs and customization costs often play a major role in decision-making for small companies. That’s why most small brands choose the most affordable option – cardboard packaging.

The price of cardboard is very reasonable. Especially when you compare it to the cost of alternative packaging options like plastic thus, in the long run, choosing cardboard would save you the most money and help you make a positive impact on the environment.

For consumers, cost-effective packaging translates to less expensive products. When the packaging costs less, the products usually cost less too. 

5) Cardboard is Highly Versatile 

There are no better packaging boxes than cardboard boxes! Super lightweight, and easy to carry and transport, cardboard is an excellent packaging solution. 

Since cardboard is easily customizable and comes in various sizes and shapes, you can store different types of products. You can package almost anything in a cardboard box – from souvenirs, cosmetics, and tiny accessories to books, clothes, electronics, and gifts. 

This is great for sellers but also great for consumers who can reuse or upcycle cardboard boxes for storage – in the shape and size they need for just about everything!

5. Frequently Asked Questions

There are answers to frequently asked questions.

1) Is cardboard packaging sustainable?

Yes. Cardboard is considered a sustainable type of packaging because it is made from renewable raw materials, is durable and reusable, is widely recycled, and does not lose quality with recycling so it can be recycled again and again, is biodegradable and, in the right conditions, it is compostable. Check out the full guide for more info on what makes cardboard a sustainable packaging choice.

2) Is cardboard packaging more expensive?

That depends on the type of cardboard packaging you need, as it varies depending on the weight, strength, shape, and design you require, as well as the type of material it is made out of. In general, cardboard is an affordable option, which often costs significantly less than other types of packaging for the same applications. Take a look at the full guide for more info.

6. Conclusion

Cardboard is an eco-friendly, sustainable, and effective alternative to plastic packaging. It is also easily accessible, cost-effective, convenient, and easy to recycle after use. Choosing cardboard is a win-win for both consumers and the businesses they buy from!  

The post 5 Reasons to Choose Cardboard Packaging in 2023 appeared first on CSG.

In today’s guide, we will focus on what types of carton packaging are available. Read on for more information.

1. Why Is Carton Packaging Important?

“The goal of a successful trader is to make the best trade. Money is secondary“- Alexander Elder.

These meaningful words from a teacher of traders help us understand that boosting up your business and establishing your brand is more important than the monetary benefits you would gain from it. Carton boxes help you a great deal in making your trade a success.

Carton boxes are the perfect innovative packaging solutions for several industries, like the food industry, cosmetic industry, pharmaceutical industry and many other industries.

But there is a wide range of carton boxes, and each type serves its purpose. So it would be best if you are careful about choosing the one that would cater to your needs. And also remember not to get swayed away by superficial aspects such as appearance and colour. Instead, consider its functional aspects such as its durability, build and capability.

Now let us examine each type of carton packaging in detail along with its uses.

2. What Are The Different Types Of Carton Packaging?

One can broadly classify carton packaging into two types.

1) Folding Cartons

These types of cartons are made from a single sheetboard. And are also known as paper board cartons or paperboard boxes, because they are mostly made of paperboard. At times, it is also made of corrugated board or fibreboard. The single sheet that is made is die-cut and then folded to make a box. It can be further styled with print and by finishing the surfaces with lamination, embossing, foiling, glueing and other features. The best examples of folding cartons are cereal boxes and pizza boxes, in which you see that a single sheet board is folded to make the top, sides and bottom.

2) Rigid Cartons

These types of cartons are entirely different from folding cartons and are also known as telescopic cartons. In rigid cartons, the top and the bottom parts are detached from each other and are, made from two different sheets of cardboard. Rigid cardboard is more sturdy and does not collapse or fold. They are mostly used for products, in which the perceived value is of greater importance and also for products which are heavy and need extra support. You can find rigid cardboard packaging in shoe boxes, clothing items and electronics items—e.g…., an iPhone box.

3. What Are The Various Carton Boxes in Use?

Folding and rigid cartons are manufactured in various forms, to cater to everyone’s needs. A few of them are:-

1) Boxboard/Paperboard cartons

Boxboard paper is something that is made from a thick paper-based material, and it has grammage above 250 GSM. The advantage of using paperboard is that it can be folded intricately and printed with rich colours; moreover, you can also line it with other materials. The finished products are eye-catching and therefore, they are perfect to be used for retail items which can be placed on supermarket shelves. For added strength and water-resistant properties, the boxboards are laminated.

These types of boards are commonly used in cosmetic packaging, electronic packaging, stationery packaging and so on. If metalised ink is not used, and when it is left unlaminated, a manufacturer can easily recycle paperboard boxes.

2) Corrugated boxes

These are the most widely used kind of carton boxes that are also known as shipping boxes, corrugated fibreboard and combined boxes. These boxes are made from a corrugated sheet, which has three layers. The middle layer is known as the flute, which is wavy, and it aids in providing a cushioning effect to the product that is packed in it.

This layer is covered on both sides by flat outer layers which are known as liners. This structure gives the box a higher bending rigidity. Though corrugated boxes are light in weight, they are strong and durable, so you can rely on them. These boxes are available in different densities and thicknesses. It is also manufactured as double or triple-walled boxes, depending on the requirement.

3) Braille Cartons

This type of carton is specially made for sightless customers and is used mainly in the pharmaceutical industry. These cartons are embossed with braille characters, for the customers to touch and read.

4) Slotted Cartons

This type of carton which is mostly made of corrugated paper is useful for storage and shipping purposes. They are secured with staples and tapes, and the production of slotted cartons costs less. Because it is slotted, it is strong and holds the product in it very safe.

5) Aseptic Cartons

These are multi-layered sustainable packaging ideas that are useful in storing liquid food items such as soups, juices, desserts and baby foods. By using heat or adhesives, the multi-layers of polyethene, paperboard, aluminium barrier and more plastic layers are attached. Because of these layers, it isn’t easy to recycle them. But when used for food items, apart from increasing the shelf life, it preserves the colour, texture and nutritional value of the product. These unique properties of aseptic packaging are that it withstands high temperatures and does not corrode even when it contains acidic items for a long time.

Aseptic cartons with a separate plastic cap are known as gable top cartons. These are useful in storing refrigerated food items like milk and juices. Concerning its caps, the liquid food can be poured out whenever needed, and you can reuse the cartons several times.

6) Five Panel Wraps

In this type of carton, a large sheet of cardboard is bent to create five sides or panels; because of this unique design, they are also known as smarty boxes. Five-panel cartons are primarily used to pack long items such as hockey and golf sticks, tennis rackets, bats and other such things.

4. Conclusion

These are the types of carton packing we introduce to you. You know what? These cartons are made by a special boxmaker. If you wish to get any type of high-quality carton boxes from a trusted manufacturer, you can visit the Aopackmachine.

The post A Quick Guide for Types of Carton Packaging appeared first on CSG.

We’ll help you answer these questions and so much more in this comprehensive guide.

1. What Is The Lifespan Of A Mattress?

While many factors contribute to how long your mattress will last, most quality mattresses will require an upgrade every 6 – 8 years. How long a mattress lasts can be influenced by the frequency of usage, the weight of the person using it, how well it’s cared for, as well as the material used to make it.

Traditional beds such as spring mattresses, latex mattresses, and water beds tend to have a shorter mattress lifespan than more recent innovations such as memory foam mattresses and hybrids. However, when cared for correctly, the best memory foam mattress can last up to 15 years.

One thing to keep in mind is that a deteriorating mattress isn’t the only reason you might want to upgrade. Your comfort and support needs are likely to shift as you age, experience pain, or face other sleeping difficulties.

Most people choose to buy a new mattress before it reaches the dire end of its life expectancy because sleeping on a lumpy and uncomfortable bed can do more harm than good for your sleep health.

2. Side-Effects Of Sleeping On An Old Bed

Sleep is a vital function that impacts all facets of human functioning. One of the critical roles of sleep is to recuperate the body and repair damaged cells. An old bed can make this recuperation process difficult because an unsupportive bed will place additional strain on pressure points, muscles, and joints. Not to mention, it can negatively impact sleep quality.

The result? You can actually wake up in more discomfort and extend the effects of body aches and pains. It may come as a surprise to you, but putting your mattress upgrade on hold can also trigger allergy symptoms and significantly worsen the air quality of your bedroom.

Mattresses are notorious for trapping dust, dust mites, dead skin, sweat, and other allergens. The danger of keeping a mattress for too long is that you can end up breathing these particles into your airways each night. So buying a new mattress before the end of its lifespan will help your body, as well as protect the air you breathe.

3. 6 Signs It’s Time To Replace Your Mattress

There isn’t a precise expiration date on your mattress, but there are ways to identify the right time to upgrade. Signs of wear and tear on your mattress will range from how your mattress looks to how quickly you fall asleep, and importantly, how your body feels when you wake up each morning. Here are six key signs that you need a new mattress:

1) Waking up tired

One of the most prominent telltale signs that you are ready for a new bed is that you wake up each morning feeling like you haven’t slept at all. If you are sleeping between 7 –  8 hours each night, you should wake up feeling rested enough to start your day full of energy.

An uncomfortable mattress may cause you to wake up multiple times throughout the night. This is because you break your sleep cycle and affect your circadian rhythm, which can lead to annoying morning grogginess. When you sleep, you transition through 5 stages of sleep. Each stage plays a crucial role in helping you repair and rejuvenate.

Any disturbance to your sleep cycle, such as waking up constantly due to discomfort, will contribute to morning fatigue.

2) The mattress is sagging

Nothing is more unsightly than a sagging mattress. Over time, most mattresses will sag due to the intensity of usage. While some people will act at the first sign of mattress sagging, others will delay a mattress upgrade, thinking that the wear and tear is normal.

Foams used in mattresses soften after years of use. This creates sagging, and as a result, you will feel like you are sinking into your mattress. In most cases, when you sleep on a sagging mattress, you will find it challenging to get up or change your sleeping position throughout the night.

A sagging mattress will not benefit your sleep health and should be disposed of and replaced with a comfortable and supportive mattress.

3) You feel more body pain

An aging mattress can place significant strain on the body and leave you waking up with aches and pains in new places. Waking up with a sore body is a clear sign that the life of your mattress is reaching an endpoint.

You will spend over a third of your life in bed, so it’s essential to invest in a bed that will guarantee comfort and support. Unfortunately, a mattress with too much wear and tear won’t deliver the sleep benefits you need to wake up refreshed and rejuvenated.

4) You experience night sweats

Sleeping hot can be frustrating, especially if you experience night sweats. One of the first features that start dwindling as your mattress ages is airflow and breathability.

When layers compress too much, it can be close to impossible for the mattress to regulate temperature. As a result, hot air can get trapped between the layers causing you to overheat and disrupt your sleep cycle. Those who naturally sleep hot can also experience extended periods of night sweats which leads to fatigue.

5) The mattress moves or shakes

Does your mattress sink or shuffle with even the slightest movement? It’s definitely time for a mattress upgrade. The reason older mattresses shake and slide is that they cannot isolate motion.

When sleeping with a partner, an old mattress will cause the opposite side of the bed to bounce when your partner moves or gets out of bed. This can be highly disturbing throughout the night. If you upgrade to the best mattress, you can expect it to isolate motion with ease and remain entirely still even if there is movement around you.

6) You have frequent allergies

Over 10 million dust particles and other allergens can get trapped between the layers over the lifespan of your mattress. In some cases, this build-up can even cause your mattress to triple in weight! This is bad news for allergy sufferers who are sensitive to air pollutants.

Laying on a mattress full of dust can aggravate allergies leading to breathing difficulty and skin irritation. If you feel your allergies are flaring up, it may be best to consider a mattress upgrade sooner rather than later.

4. How To Select The Best Mattress

By now, you are well equipped to identify the signs that indicate it’s the best time to buy a new mattress. But with so many options, how do you know which mattress is right for you and which one guarantees longevity? It’s pretty simple when you know the type of mattresses available and the benefits that they deliver.

• Memory foam mattress: Memory foam mattresses are one of the most durable in the market. The viscoelastic foam is highly adaptive and contours to the body, making it one of the best mattress types for contouring. Unlike other foam mattresses, memory foam isolates motion really well, so you can sleep undisturbed all night.
• Hybrid mattress: As one of the best new mattress types in the market, hybrid mattresses take all the fantastic features of a memory foam mattress and combine them with the benefits of coils. This combination creates better stability and a slight bounce for extra pressure point support.
• Innerspring mattresses: While some people prefer traditional spring mattresses, they do not have a long lifespan, so it may not be the best choice if you are seeking durability. Springs can’t withstand as much weight, and after a while, broken or damaged springs can make the mattress feel bumpy.
• Latex mattress: Latex mattresses are considered durable and are a good option for people who may enjoy a much firmer feel. Unlike memory foam which confirms, latex isn’t as adaptive.

To make your mattress last longer, ensure you buy one that has a washable mattress cover. Also, keep an eye out for a hypoallergenic stamp. Hypoallergenic mattresses repel dust and prevent the build-up of dust mites and other allergens.

5. FAQ’s

Here are some answers about mattresses.

1) How long does a mattress last?

Depending on how much you use it and how well you care for it, most mattresses will last between 6 – 8 years. Some can last longer, especially if you’re a solo sleeper or have a light body weight. To protect your investment, always upgrade to a mattress with a lifetime warranty so that you know it will last the test of time. In addition, you can prolong the life of your mattress by purchasing one that has a stain-resistant and washable cover. Also, ensure you read mattress reviews to ensure customers back the brand’s promise of quality.

2) What mattress types last the longest?

Two of the best mattress types for durability are memory foam mattresses and hybrid mattresses. Both of these mattress types are designed with longevity in mind. Premium memory foam is highly durable and innovative to support 350 lbs on each side of the bed. Furthermore, memory foam is a conforming material that NASA designed to adapt to the body. The innovative formulation of memory foam is why it is considered one of the most durable materials.

3) When to replace a mattress?

It’s a clear sign that you need to replace your mattress if your mattress is sagging, causing aches and pains, or if you are waking up tired and groggy, even after 8 hours of sleep. Another sign that you need to upgrade your mattress is if your sleep needs have changed and your old bed doesn’t provide adequate support.

4) Can a mattress last 20 years?

It depends on the usage, but it isn’t recommended to sleep on an uncomfortable or unsupportive mattress. Most mattresses won’t last 20 years if used every night as they will experience inevitable wear and tear.

5) How do I know if a mattress is worn out?

You will know your mattress is worn out if it shows obvious signs of physical deterioration. For example, you may notice lumps, your mattress may be very heavy, the foam might be sagging in places, it could have a bad smell, or it may even feel hot. In addition, your mattress needs to support your sleep, and if you think it’s not helping you sleep better, it’s a clear sign that it may be time for a mattress upgrade.

6. Conclusion

Achieving better sleep is only possible when you have a mattress that supports you in all the right ways. By now, you can answer the question ‘How long does a mattress last.’ Once your mattress reaches 6 – 8 years in its lifespan, and it’s not supporting your sleep health, you should start looking for a new mattress.

A new mattress is an essential investment in your health. The best mattress will help alleviate pain and allow you to feel restored each time you wake up in the morning. You have an endless choice of a new mattress to choose from no matter what your budget is.

The best thing? You can buy an award-winning mattress like Ueesleepy from the comfort of your own home.

The post Upgrade Mattress: All You Need to Know appeared first on CSG.

With so many fantastic smartphone accessories, it might be tough to know where to start. We rounded up the best attachments and add-ons to help you get the most out of the mobile device. Scroll down to check out our picks, below:

1. Apple AirPods Pro (second generation)

It’s no surprise that the Apple AirPods Pro are the best wireless earbuds. They feature excellent and rich audio for music and podcasts, top-of-the-line noise-canceling to block out ambient and background noise, and they sync seamlessly to the iPhone via iOS and Apple Keychain. These earbuds also have spatial audio features that make listening to your favorite music an immersive experience. Meanwhile, the AirPods Pro is designed to complement the Apple smartphone, while perfectly matching its style and premium build quality. These are the very best AirPods you can buy right now.

With the launch of the iPhone 15, you can also get the AirPods Pro with USB-C charging if you want it to mesh with the rest of your devices.

2. Smartish Slim Case

The iPhone is an expensive and delicate piece of tech. Although it’s prone to shattering if dropped, we recommend wrapping your phone in a lightweight, yet durable case – like the Smartish Slim Case.

Made from tough hard plastic and rubber, this case features cushioned corners that absorb and disperse impact away from the phone itself to prevent cracking, if dropped. It’s also designed with raised bumpers, so the display won’t sit flush with a flat surface when faced down. Meanwhile, the Smartish Slim Case is made with MagSafe built-in for wireless charging and other accessories.

It comes in nine colors and styles, including black, blue, transparent, purple, and more. There are plenty of great iPhone cases to choose from, depending on what you’re looking for.

3. Anker USB-C 736 Charger

Equipped with two USB-C and one USB port, the Anker USB-C 736 Charger is a workhorse with 100 watts of power inside of it. Although the iPhone caps out at 30 watts for charging, this charger will still juice up your device a little bit faster than a standard wall charger – which caps out at 20 watts. Considering that it doesn’t even come with a wall charger anymore, it might be a good idea to pick up one that’s speedy and can support fast charging for up to three devices, including a MacBook and a pair of AirPods, at the same time.

4. iOttie Velox Magnetic Dash Mount

It’s illegal to hold and use your iPhone while driving. It’s a major distraction from the road. However, you can use your Apple device hands-free, if it’s mounted on your car’s dashboard or windshield. The iOttie Velox Magnetic Dash Mount attaches to your car with a strong suction cup, while its powerful magnets keep your device in place to use in either landscape or portrait modes. It’s even a wireless charger too, so your device will get some juice via your vehicle’s cigarette lighter.

5. Apple AirTag

If you want to keep track of your belongings, the Apple AirTag is fantastic for any iPhone user. Pair one of these small circular pieces via Bluetooth and then attach it to a few of your things, such as keys, handbags, wallets, and others. Now, if your items go missing, then you can find them with the Find My app and your Apple device. You can even enable your AirTag to emit a loud and sharp noise to lead you to its location.

It’s a great accessory to have, especially if you keep losing your things around the house.

6. Ferilinso Screen Protector

Made from tempered glass, the Ferilinso Screen Protector will keep your device’s display and rear cameras scratch-free and pristine, so it won’t experience much wear and tear. It’s also shatterproof and durable to help prevent your phone from cracking because nobody likes to scroll through TikTok with spiderweb cracks on the display.

The Ferilinso Screen Protector comes in a three-pack, while it also comes with a mounting frame and cleaning kit for installation.

7. Apple MagSafe Charger

Although there are cheaper options out there, the Apple MagSafe Charger is still one of the best because of its sleek hockey puck design and very strong magnet system to keep the device in place when charging. In fact, according to some five-star Amazon reviewers, it’s so strong that you can dangle your smartphone from its charging cable when attached.

Meanwhile, even if it doesn’t have MagSafe built-in, it’s still a great wireless charger for the iPhone 8 or newer.

8. Anker USB-C to Lightning Cable

While there’s no shortage of cheap iPhone cables, the Anker USB-C to Lightning Cable is one of the best charging cables – thanks to its 6-foot length for versatility, braided-nylon design for durability (it won’t fray after a few weeks of use), and its very affordable price at $12. The cable is also MFi-certified, so it gets Apple’s seal of approval for use and safety.

It also comes in four colors, including black, silver, blue, and red. If you’re planning on getting the new iPhone 15 or 15 Pro, however, you should be fine with just a regular USB-C cable.

9. Apple MagSafe Battery Pack

If you’re out and about and can’t get to a wall outlet to charge your phone, or you just don’t want to attach a charging cable to a power bank, the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack is a quick solution to get more juice out of your phone. It securely attaches to the back via MagSafe, so it can get charged up and you can use the device at the same time.

And when it’s not slapped to the back of an iPhone, you can also use the battery pack as a standalone wireless charger for a pair of AirPods or even an Android phone. If the device supports wireless charging, then it can be juiced up with the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack.

Pro tip: Add a fully-charged Apple MagSafe Battery Pack to your iPhone at the beginning of the day when both are at 100% capacity. This will greatly extend your overall battery because the smartphone will pull power from the battery pack first until it’s drained and then it will pull power from the mobile device itself. It’s almost as if you’ve doubled its battery life for the day.

10. Apple Watch Series 8

The Apple Watch Series 8 isn’t so much an accessory, but rather a companion and one of the best smartwatches overall. With 41mm and 45mm options, Apple’s smartwatch is one of the best ways to perform brief and basic functions on your mobile device without actually pulling out the mobile device from your pants pocket or purse.

While it’s a GPS, a heart rate monitor, a fitness and sleep tracker, a timepiece, and more, Apple Watch models have the ability to receive phone calls, send text messages, navigate your music, and other tasks from the convenience of your wrist. Simply pair the Apple Watch with an iPhone for an enhanced mobile experience.

11. Belkin 10,000 Portable Charger

Making sure your iPhone is juiced is important, especially if you’re far away from a wall outlet. If your device is out of battery life, then you can’t use it. However, with a portable power bank, like the Belkin 10,000 Portable Charger, you’ll always have a backup supply of juice when you need it.

At over 8 ounces in weight, this portable power bank is small enough for a backpack, purse, or even a pants pocket, while its dual USB and single USB-C ports make it possible to charge up to three devices simultaneously. Overall, it can give you up to an additional 40 hours of juice.

12. Factors to consider when buying iPhone accessories

Since the iPhone is so popular there are thousands upon thousands of attachments and add-ons to go with Apple’s smartphone. While it’s good there are so many to pick from for your phone, it may seem daunting to go to Amazon, search for a “phone case,” and get a long list of cases of various shapes and sizes from a number of different companies and brands at a wide range of prices. It’s overwhelming to scroll through it all, to say the least.

However, we put this handy buyer’s guide together to give you a better idea of what to look for in accessories. Ahead, you’ll find our recommendations and things to consider to get the most out of your Apple mobile device.

1) Functionality

With so many accessories to select, you should consider what issues you’re experiencing with your iPhone.

If you want a better listening experience, then perhaps you’d like a pair of wireless earbuds like the Apple AirPods Pro. Maybe you’d like to share your music with family and friends, so an excellent portable Bluetooth speaker like the Bose Soundlink Flex is something to consider for your next group outing to the beach or cookout at the park.

Want to extend your device’s battery life? Maybe a battery pack like the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack or a portable power bank like the Belkin 10,000 Portable Charger might do the trick to give you that much-needed extra juice when you’re far away from a wall outlet.

Moreover, with the release of the iPhone 12 in 2020, Apple started to remove accessories, like a wall charger and earbuds, from packaging for environmental concerns. It’s likely that you already have these items, while you could just reuse them from older pieces of tech lying around in your home. However, you can certainly pick these up at Amazon too.

Since there are so many different types of accessories for the iPhone, there’s a solution waiting for you when an issue with your device arises.

2) iPhone Compatibility

There are nearly 40 iterations of the iPhone (so far) since its initial release in 2007. With so many different types of Apple smartphones out there, it’s important to make sure the accessory you’d like to pick up is compatible. After all, no iteration is the same. For example, a phone case for the iPhone 12 won’t fit or match with the iPhone 14 – and vice versa.

3) Apple or Third-Party Options

From wireless earbuds to phone cases and battery packs to charging cables, Apple makes their own accessories. While these are guaranteed to work, their price tag might be too high and their styles might be too few for some shoppers.

However, there are great third-party companies, such as Anker, Belkin, and others, that make phone attachments and add-ons that are inexpensive, varied in style, and sometimes, even better than the ones from Apple. In some cases, these third-party companies even work with Apple directly to make sure they are safe and work well.

Just be warned, there are also a number of terrible third-party manufacturers that make ultra-cheap peripherals that might damage or fry your iPhone altogether. The best way to avoid these brands is to closely read Amazon shopper ratings for bad reviews and low scores. If you want to go the extra mile, use web browser extensions like FakeSpot to identify all of the baddies.

4) Price

Prices range widely with accessories from as low as 10 cents for a cheap phone case (it actually costs a lot more to ship than this item itself) to a whopping $6.3 million for a diamond-encrusted phone case. It really depends on the accessory itself and your budget.

For most people, you’d want to find items in the $10-$200 range but go over more if the accessory has a lot of use and functionality like an Apple Watch Series 8.

At the end of the day, there are a lot of iPhone accessories, but that means you have a lot of options for a solution to enhance your experience.

13. Conclusion

That’s our roundup of the 11 best iPhone accessories and how to pick the right ones. By reading this article, I’m sure you already know how to pick.

The post Top 11 iPhone Accessories in 2023 appeared first on CSG.

1. What is a bollard?

A bollard is a standalone post, typically steel, short, sturdy, and anchored in a hard surface such as concrete. The low-profile, post-shaped deterrent is built with the purpose of blocking vehicle movement from all directions while allowing for full pedestrian movement. Bollards are designed to withstand high impacts and deflect potential blows away from the object or area they’re in place to protect.

2. Understanding bollard types

Guard rail manufacturer produces various types of bollards for use in different scenarios. That offers a variety of protections.

There exists a rating system for the standards by which these bollards (and barriers) are judged. The standards are based on perpendicular impact at a certain speed, with the highest rating indicating the strongest protection (i.e., a vehicle could ram this bollard/barrier at a higher speed).

1）Anti-ram bollards

Anti-ram-raid bollards — also referred to as K-rated — are security bollards to prevent vehicles from crashing through them. K4, K8, and K12 ratings offer various levels of protection against different size vehicles.

2）Safety bollards

These bollards give your warehouse or distribution center path and road definition, diverting traffic and intrusions. If traffic flow matters in your warehouse, these bollard types matter.

3）Architectural and landscaping bollards

Though landscaping bollards offer much the same function as architectural bollards, they may differ in that they may be more focused on aesthetics than function, though function is still achieved.

3. Where are bollards used?

Bollards can be used throughout many different areas of your facility. A pair could be installed to mark a doorway, one to protect a high-traffic corner, or they can even be spaced in series to define an area in place of a full guardrail. They can be used as filtration of sorts, creating lanes to separate vehicle and equipment traffic from human traffic.

Typical areas you’d find bollards in a facility include: in front of utilities, sprinkler systems, or machinery — really any area you’d like to protect against potential vehicle impact but still allow for pedestrian thoroughfare.

4. Typical bollard maintenance

Once a bollard is installed, assuming it never comes in contact with a vehicle, there’s very little maintenance you’d need to perform to ensure that the bollard continues to function properly. But as with most protective guarding products in your warehouse, that’ll likely never be the case: it will probably come in contact with a vehicle. As small impacts occur, bollards tend to get scraped and scratched and can even rust as their finish wears off.

These small impacts, while seemingly low in priority, can add up to a lot of maintenance in order to keep your facility looking nice. Our FlexCore Bollard is engineered to be self-maintaining, so repairs and repainting are fully eliminated from the maintenance budget.

But it’s the large impacts that’ll cause the most headaches for your team. As most bollards are steel, core-drilled, filled with concrete, and/or embedded deep into a hard surface, major problems are caused if a vehicle were to come in contact at a high rate of speed or carrying a heavy load.

If such an accident occurs, it’s likely to cause extensive damage to the vehicle, the bollard, and likely the concrete the bollard is embedded in. If the bollard is surface-mounted, it might pull up the anchors and surrounding concrete, requiring immediate repair. Consider a flexible safety bollard as a better alternative — that way, relaying concrete and welding a bent steel bollard won’t eat away your maintenance budget.

5. What is a barrier?

A barrier is just like a guardrail. As a material handling solution, it offers more linear protection than a bollard. Barriers are used to prevent both people (in the case of guardrails) and vehicle movement (in the case of crash barriers), across a large area. Barriers are typically constructed of steel or concrete and are designed with the sole goal of protection.

6. Where are barriers used?

You’ll find a barrier in place to protect wide stretches of racking and walls in a facility. You’ll find them mounted to the floor, with a small amount of space between the barrier and protected assets in case of impact. They’re used at rack ends, to protect utilities, around machines and conveyors, and anywhere you want to designate and segregate a space.

Guardrail barriers are typically painted a highly visible color and can be used to define the working areas in a facility. In a manufacturing setting, a well-placed system of guardrails will serve as a visual cue for where pedestrians and vehicles are — and more importantly, aren’t— supposed to be.

7. Typical barrier maintenance

Much like the bollard, barriers are prone to scratches, dents, and abrasions when a vehicle comes in contact with its surfaces. As the finish wears off these products, catching and tripping points become a constant concern for damage to both vehicles and pedestrians that cross their path.

With barriers, larger impacts tend to cause extensive damage to the vehicle and can even cause severe injury to the driver themself as the impact is redirected back into the vehicle. In addition, steel barriers often fail after a single impact. They get dented, or mangled, or they, like bollards, pull out their anchors and damage the concrete.

With a shock-absorbing, modular barrier or guardrail system from McCue, you can safely protect racks and perimeters, while keeping your employees safe in the process. They can take a hit more than once and they’ll treat your equipment more gently. As your facility grows, these damage prevention products can evolve in turn as they are easy to install and relocate to meet the needs of your facility. With a product line that has a consistent look and feel, you can ensure your facility not only looks great but is as safe as it looks.

8. Conclusion

This guide summarizes the difference between guardrails and bollards, Now do you know the difference between them? Believe that you can make a clear choice between them.

The post Bollards VS Barriers: What is the Difference? appeared first on CSG.

After all, they are personalized medals that are customized according to the client’s preferences and needs so that they can get the most out of their medals. These are the reasons why you might be more willing to buy for your next upcoming or organizing event.

However, before you do so, you need to be fully informed about these personalized badges. What are custom medals? If you want to know what custom medals are and how to find them, order them, or use them for your event and how they can benefit you, read on.

1. What is A Custom Medal?

Custom medals are medals customized by the medal manufacturer according to the customer’s instructions. This is turning customers’ imaginations into reality. All the client has to do is share what’s in their head about the personalized medal they want to look forward to. Customers have complete freedom to choose materials, colors, and other aspects of custom medals. That’s why custom medals are perfect for any type of event and competition.

You will get all these benefits if you buy these types of personalized medals from us. We can add your logo or message to the medal. Whether it’s an exhibition event or a sporting event, custom medals can always wow the event while satisfying every participant.

Even if you are looking for badges that will be given to employees of your company, custom badges are the best option because you can easily add the employee’s name on the badge and provide them. This will greatly increase their work speed and dedication to the company, helping them to be more productive. For example, I have a client who is an environmental test chamber manufacturer. Every year, he would wholesale many medals with the names of his company’s employees from me. He said these medals are used to reward employees who work hard, which will increase their motivation.

Custom medals are perfect for displaying your company brand name, product name, or sports mascot in the best possible light. No matter the type of event, our custom medal options will be the perfect solution for your event. Depending on your choice, you will also be provided with engraving options to complete the look of the medallion to your specifications. If you can think about it, then we can make it into a real medallion.

2. How to Creatively Design Custom Medals?

If you want to stand out from others with the highest quality medals then you must use custom medals because only with the personalized medal system you can unleash all your creativity. If you want to be one of a kind, then you need to start with a blueprint. Without a creative and unique design, your medal may look like a copy of other medals. When you decide to go creative with custom medals, you are in for the best solution.

Many people choose to use medals that they have seen, used, or used by others before. Some others simply use any stock design without giving it a second thought. That’s not the way it should be. People can become creative in all areas of life. The same goes for metal manufacturing. You don’t necessarily have to stick to the usual methods. You can design your medals outside the box.

For this, you will have to choose the custom medal option, where you can use all your creativity to bring the medal from your idea to reality, which will be unique while impressing everyone and making you stand out. Creative designs can easily and effectively send the right message to the right people with these custom medals.

Creative design is an absolute must if you wish to create a strong impression, build a strong brand identity, tell your story, communicate key messages and build consumer trust. Custom medals are an absolute must if you want to make medals with the most creative designs because you cannot apply your full creativity to any other type of medals other than personalized medals.

3. High-quality Customized Medals:

What makes a medal high quality, or anything good? If we want to find something of good quality, it has to be eye-catching, durable, and useful in every way, as well as efficient. The same goes for medals. Getting quality medals means the medals look great; they will last a long time and stay like new, and they will provide all the benefits of any medal. How do you get these medals? If you want to have all of them in one place, you have to use the custom medals option.

1) Choose the Best Material

If you choose the custom medal option, you can choose the best material for your medal, the best material means the medal will have a smooth finish and will look like new in good condition while lasting a long time.

2) Color Quality

You can choose the color quality. If you choose the best color quality, the medal will have the same color as new even after many years and at the same time the medal will look eye-catching and very stylish. You can then choose how useful you want to make your custom medals.

You have the option to add your brand logo and text, which makes the badges very useful. That’s why custom medals are always your premium medal of choice. If you want the highest quality custom medals, then you must work with the best medal manufacturers, we are the best choice for you. From metal to any other type of medallion, our high quality manufacturing styles and materials will elevate any concept you have in mind.

4. Perfect Company Branding:

Many organizations buy medals and organize different events to amplify their brand. Custom medals are the best option to fully and effectively grow any type of brand. Stock medals allow you to add your logo and text, but if you want to present a medal to the world that effectively showcases your company’s branding concept, then you must use custom medals.

1) Enhance Public Image

With a high-quality custom medal, you will be able to add all the necessary information you need in the medal, which will allow you to properly grow and represent your organization. With a personalized medal, you have a great opportunity to showcase your company values ​​through your medal design so that you can share your company values ​​with many people. Custom medals can not only brand your company but also enhance the public image of your organization or company.

If you want to provide higher level badges then custom badges are your only option. So, you can go a step further with custom medals, which will show your audience that you care about recognition. This will increase your brand value to everyone. In this way, a personalized medal can help you let everyone see that you care about investing in celebrating others, which will instantly create a positive image for your company.

2) For Various Events

Here’s why custom medals can be a better and larger investment for you than the pre-made personalized medal alternatives available. Great things won’t happen if you avoid risk all the time. So, you have to develop the best move to use custom medals in order to get the most out of any kind of event, be it a corporate event, a sporting event or anything else. Only if you have a good plan and vision, you can bring great success to your company through any kind of recognition program by using custom badges. All you need is a plan and a vision, and we’ll bring it to life for you to apply to your recognition program and appropriate branding.

5. Custom Medals for Stronger Relationships:

You already know that if you use custom medals, the quality of the medals will be of the highest and best quality. A premium badge will catch everyone’s eye, that’s a fact. When you get the attention of everyone at your event, participants and medalists alike, they realize that you put a lot of effort into creating these medals.

Those tangible, personalized medals will let them know you respect the achievements of all involved. This will ultimately lead to a better connection with your organization and those people. This way your company or organization will be able to earn more in the future. Most of us think relationships are important in our personal lives, but they’re not just important in our personal lives.

For business owners, relationships are important outside of your personal life. If you can build better professional relationships, then you can manage your reputation well, retain existing clients and acquire new ones. It is for these reasons that custom medals exist in the first place. Custom medals not only help people build good relationships with other outsiders, but also help create better connections within the company.

You can offer each employee who has worked so hard for your company a custom premium custom medal, which will show how much the company respects that particular employee’s hard work. This is how you build great working relationships, ones where everyone in an organization or company enjoys their work. It increases productivity and helps employees to come up with new ideas for the growth of the company by being more focused on their work than before. These are ways custom badges create stronger relationships between colleagues and those outside the company.

6. The Process of Creating A Custom Medal:

Now that you understand what a custom badge is, you should understand the process of creating a custom badge. When you understand these things, you will be able to select and order the perfect custom medal design for you.

1) Details of Custom Medals

First, you must focus on the important custom medal details. Medals are usually not very large, as large medals are too much for the recipient. That’s why all beautifully designed medals are usually compact. With its compact size, you don’t have much space to write on.

2) Innovation Use of Custom Medals

Therefore, you need to think more about how to make full use of the small space of custom medals and express the most effective information with less words. Your goal should be to make the message more meaningful but shorter. Don’t forget to add your organization’s name and the name of the event or program. Then you can simply reshape the medal’s tradition.

Medals have been around for centuries and you’ll see the same old designs everywhere. You’ll see people around you using the same old style medallions. But you can challenge the norm and create something super unique by thinking outside the box. You can reinvent tradition by creating something truly bespoke.

3) Function of Custom Medals

Now that you’ve paid attention to design and details, you must focus on function. What’s the use of medals without proper functionality, right? All you have to do is contact us and we will provide you with the best quality and functional custom medals.

7. How to Choose the Appropriate Custom Medal ype?

There are many types of custom medals in the market, such as die-cast medals, colorMax medals, molded medals, insert medals, spin-cast medals, glass medals, acrylic medals, PVC medals, wooden medals, etc. Whichever medal you choose for your event is entirely a matter of personal preference.

First, think about what you want. Then think about your budget and what you can get from that budget. Then also consider the purpose of using the medal. With these in mind, you can choose right away. Once you have made your decision, the specific requirements for design features, medal quality and budget will come automatically.

If you knew the details of every manufacturing process and every material used to personalize your medals, you’d probably be hooked. If you are stuck then all you have to do is contact us and our experts will help you determine the correct type of custom medal you need. We’ll guide you through the rest of the ordering process so you can go through the process with ease.

8. What is the Custom Cost of A Custom Medal?

Now that you know a lot about custom medals, you need to be aware of the fact that custom medals have a custom cost because many factors can affect the price when you use personalized medals. At the end of the day, we can’t tell you the cost without knowing what your requirements for the medallion are, and no vendor can do that. All you have to do is talk to our experts and they will tell you the exact cost once they get the specific details.

9. Other Tips for Custom Medals:

Don’t forget to consider when your campaign will start, as some custom medals take more time than others. Make sure we can send you a personalized medal before your event. Therefore, please contact us as soon as possible. Decide how many personalized medals you need, as the number of medals will determine production time and cost.

However, whether you use custom medals or stock medals, factors such as medal accessories, medal finish, size, thickness, quantity, medal type and design features will always come up. If you’re using custom medals, there are ways to minimize costs. If you can choose a great design for your medal, you can get a unique custom medal with desirable features.

You don’t need a lot of features, because more isn’t always better. You can add some features and at the same time get a high quality personalized medal to impress your participants. Order early and don’t delay, if you order larger quantities then costs are minimized.

The post Custom Medals: What is It and How It Works appeared first on CSG.

Ordering pins varies from retailer to retailer. Custom pins can be ordered on hundreds of online sites quickly, easily, and affordably. This service is also available from local factories, merchandise designers, and individuals. In this article, we will describe how to create your pins step-by-step.

The post A FAQ Guide to Order and Design of Custom Enamel Pins appeared first on CSG.

1. What is Hard Wax?

hard waxing is a hair removal technique that became popular in Brazil in the 1970s. When full thong bikinis became popular on Brazilian beaches, so did the desire to remove all the hair “out there” you want! The hard wax beans make the genital area completely hairless from front to back.

2. Hard wax vs. Bikini Wax

A hard wax removes all hair from the inner thighs to the entire pubic area and back. A bikini wax will only remove hair from the sides and top of the pubic area.

A good way to differentiate a hard wax from a bikini wax is to think of a bikini. In Brazil, thong bikinis show it all, so a hard wax removes it all. In other countries, a bikini is generally considered to cover a larger portion of the vagina/buttocks, so a bikini wax only removes the hair that is visible while wearing a bikini (the outside seam of the bikini).

3. Benefits of Brazilian Hair Removal 

Once you are consistent with the hard wax, you can go about 3-4 weeks between appointments. Since hard waxing removes hair at the root rather than cutting it short like shaving, the hair grows back much slower.

Another benefit of Brazilian hair removal is fewer ingrown hairs! We all know that one of the most common areas for ingrowth is the common area. Hair is usually coarse and frequent shaving can irritate it. Pores in this area can easily become clogged due to the inevitable buildup of sweat and the friction between skin and clothing during any kind of exercise.

While hard wax does reduce the chance of being ingrown, the area is still very sensitive and prone to irritation. Good before and after care products, such as those in our kit, can help greatly reduce irritation.

4. Preparing the Hard Wax

If your client is using hard wax for the first time, or even if they are an experienced Brazilian client, they will be very nervous, this is normal! One thing that really helps with pain relief is educating them on a good prep routine.

For women, taking your menstrual cycle into account is key to Brazilian hair removal. People are more sensitive to pain in the week before and during menstruation due to lower pain tolerance.

The second thing you can tell your client to do in preparation for the wax is to take ibuprofen or an anti-inflammatory medication an hour before the service.

Another important preparatory step is exfoliation. Clients should exfoliate at least 24 hours prior to waxing to ensure the removal of dead skin cells to reduce pain and prolong smooth results!

Doing a hard wax can be overwhelming! The most important thing is to be very intimate, most of the time you know your client expects to feel pain. However, once you learn the tips and tricks to perfect Brazilian hair removal, the service can be as routine as any other.

The first thing you need to do is prepare your customers well. Use your pre-care product of choice and make sure the entire area is clean and dry from front to back.

Then, position your customers in a comfortable and highly visible manner. The most common pose is Butterfly, where the client’s feet are spread out and tilted to the sides like a butterfly.

Some beauticians also like to do a one-sided figure 4 at a time, with one leg bent, one foot resting on the opposite thigh, and the other leg straight, because it makes clients feel less vulnerable. You can experiment and find out what works best for you!

5. Which wax is best for Brazilians?

The best type of wax for hard wax is hard wax. Hard waxes are best as the hair in the bikini area is usually thicker and therefore requires multiple waxing sessions.

Due to its blending nature, Nova Wax is the best wax for Brazilians. It grabs the finer hairs on the bikini line, as well as the thicker hairs on the pubic area. Specially formulated for sensitive skin, Nova Wax is a gentle, hard wax that goes on smoothly without irritating the skin. For the intimate area, the choice of wax is crucial as it is a very sensitive area and any irritation can be uncomfortable and possibly painful.

With Nova Wax, you can trust that your clients will receive a uniquely comfortable waxing experience with flawlessly smooth results. Not only is it gentle on the skin, but the formula is strong enough to grab the hair and leave less on the skin.

This means you can work more efficiently, and clients don’t have to put up with so many strips on their skin. Additionally, Nova Wax has a low melting point, making it more comfortable on the client’s skin. Nobody likes burning hot wax underneath!

Another reason why hard wax is recommended to Brazilians is for pain relief. The bikini area is often very sensitive and hard wax is much better than soft wax for pain!

6. Performing a Hard Wax on a Client Tip

There’s nothing normal or comfortable about taking your clothes off in front of strangers and trusting them to know what they’re doing. As beauticians, it’s our job to put our clients at ease, especially when providing a  service like hard waxing, where the client’s body is fragile and pain is often feared.

One thing that can be very helpful for pain relief is asking the client questions. The questions can range from “Would it help if I counted down the clock” to “Would it help if I explained which area I am headed to next?”.

Asking questions like this breaks down the barrier between you as an esthetician and your client. It makes clients feel like they have some control and knowledge of the process, so they feel more comfortable expressing their needs, such as asking for a break, to help relieve pain.

Just like asking questions, having a conversation with your customer can really help the process. As a beautician, it’s not only important to have good conversation skills to build a relationship with your clients; however, talking can also be a great way to help calm your nerves. Talking can take the client’s mind away from the pain. (Pro tip: If the conversation takes a break – people love to talk about their pets!)

Proper education is also important so they understand the process. Discuss with them the hair cycle and why it is important, as this awareness will help them understand that just one wax may not produce the perfect results they expect.

Explaining to your clients that waxing is a  routine and not a one-time service will help them manage expectations and ensure you get multiple appointments to really show off your work! How long a bikini or hard wax lasts is entirely dependent on the client’s hair growth, but once a routine is in place, the fixed time frame is three to four weeks.

7. How much is Hard Wax?

On average,  the price range for a hard wax is  $50-$100. Of course, depending on where you live, checking with salons in your area is a great way to get a better idea of ​​the exact price points.

It turns out that hard waxing is one of the most lucrative services for beauticians. After the initial fear of Brazilians wears off, customers come back time and time again when the service is done well.

8. Tips for doing Hard Wax therapy at home

Whether you’ve mastered what to do for your clients and want to try it yourself, or you’re just trying to save some money, doing a  hard wax at home is definitely possible.

One thing that really helps in doing this successfully is having a  professional wax warmer that keeps the wax at an optimal temperature. There’s nothing worse than waxing too hot, especially in an extremely sensitive area like the bikini area.

Another thing that really helps in learning how to give yourself a hard wax at home is having a good mirror. Most of the areas you’ll be waxing during hard waxing will be hard to see, so standing in front of a mirror is a great way to make sure you don’t miss any major areas! Good visibility also helps you ensure that the strip spreads smoothly and evenly.

9. Final thoughts

hard wax  Aesthetic Folklore!  While everyone can tell you stories about their first hard wax, getting familiar with the service as a whole will make it a lot less intimidating. As a beautician, it is very important to put the client as relaxed as possible, either by talking or explaining.

When it comes to full nudity, preparation is key. Letting your clients know that exfoliation and strategic planning will ease their pain is a great way to win repeat customers.

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