Package design is that dreamy place for us designers where we can play in a 3-D space and tap brand identity while incorporating pattern work. The layers of “make” excite this designer to the absolute max!
A few of Hart House Creative’s recent fave packaging delights are highlighted in the header for an example of how we marry identity with function in packaging. Packaging is an opportunity to think about customer experience and make a memorable impression on your audience. At the core of a good brand is its ability to think about customer value first. Below are a few brands I’ve been personally blown away by when ordering their products and a couple of resources for getting inspired and building stellar pieces for your products to make a home in until they meet their intended audience.
INSPIRED PACKAGING
All of these brands have shown up at my door and blown me away with their thoughtfulness and design precision.
All Birds I love this product and they do an exceptional job of weaving in sustainability facts and functional care instructions with shoe inserts you’ll want to keep using to help them keep their shape. It’s a happy experience. I’ll just say that.
Goodr The brand is fun and quirky and they weave in their cheeky personality with functional information like care instructions. The bag and box are useful for traveling with your new sunglasses.
Simply Impress Feels like a present and the box can be used to store favorite cards or letters after opening.
PACKAGING RESOURCES
Bonnie Christine This woman is lovely, and she gives lots of free info about pattern making, design inspiration, and surface design both on her website and Instagram. If you become fully obsessed like me, you may also consider connecting with her and her tribe of surface design proteges in her Immersion Course.
Pacdora If you’re doing package design, die lines are mandatory. This site has some excellent resources to pull from.
Template Maker Self-explanatory–So useful.
Sustainable Package Guide It’s always important for us to think about how we can be kinder to our planet. This is a great guide to get thinking in that direction.
It’s like a crash course on designing anything e-commerce, focusing on boxes, but also covers bags, mailer envelopes, labels, etc.
The channel features:
· Unboxing videos that focus on the packaging (not the product)
· Terminology and manufacturing/printing processes
· Substrate and format options
· Custom vs. stock
· How to Think about sustainability choices.
· Note that they are a supplier, but this channel is such a robust resource.
INSPIRATION TO FOLLOW The Die Line
Author/Editor: Jennifer Hart
Associate Editor: Vicki Goebner
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Hart House Creative Team
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