All great packaging designs influence your customers and strengthen your brand. So much so, 7 in 10 customers think packaging design can influence purchasing decisions.

Your packaging goes farther than packing everything correctly and ensuring nothing gets ruined during transit.

The packaging design also matters. This includes everything on the box exterior that makes your package unique as well as any personal anecdotes featured inside.

Are you ready to start packaging products with style? Here’s everything you need to know.

Packaging Products: Essential Factors in Your Packaging Design

Many elements go into your branding that you can express through your packaging. Here are a few examples.

Logo

Your logo should always be somewhere on the packaging. If your product requires a sleeve, such as a food item, you can print your logo directly on the sleeve.

What if your product doesn’t require a protective sleeve, such as clothing? If you ship your products, you can still use your logo on the shipping materials.

If you have a vector file, you can print your logo on the box or the bag. If not, include a paper insert with your logo and other personalized information.

Colors

Your color scheme makes up a large part of your branding. If you store products in a box, see if you can find a box in these colors. You can also use colored bags or wraps as an alternative.

Fonts

The font you use is synonymous with your branding. Even for text that isn’t your logo, such as a slogan or an “about” area, your customers will recognize your font as your brand. It’s important to print this on all packaging.

Imagery

This isn’t required, but imagery can help strengthen your brand message. You can print a photo on the box or bag that holds your product.

Required Content

Some products, such as cosmetics and food items, require additional content, such as batch numbers and expiration dates. Include this information in an area not directly front-and-center but still in an easy-to-find area.

Essential Steps in the Packaging Design Process

After you know the information and the general idea of the style, you can start designing your packaging. Here are some essential steps to follow.

Choose the Right Type of Packaging

Packaging consists of multiple layers, which we will go over in another section. For now, we will focus on your product packaging options.

Common examples of product packaging include:

  • Boxes
  • Bottles
  • Bags
  • Labels
  • Tubes
  • Cups/mugs
  • Packets
  • Dispensers/spray bottles/droppers/squeeze tubes (such as for cosmetics)
  • Wrapper

For some brands, the packaging option is obvious. If you are selling a beverage item, such as alcohol, you’ll want a bottle with branding or a standard bottle with a branded label.

But some products are more complex. For example, if you’re selling a food item, such as chocolate, you can decide between a bag or a wrapper.

Design and Print

First, you should know the design and who will design it. Take the logo, color, and font advice into consideration. Hire or outsource a designer and always ask for their opinion.

From here, it’s time to print. Like a designer, you should also outsource professional printing. The printing company will need this information:

  • File and formatting specifications
  • Dieline templates
  • Digital vs offset printing
  • Color requirements

From here, you can print your packaging and put your products together.

Design All Packaging Layers

Packaging has three layers: outer packaging, inner packaging, and product packaging.

Outer packaging is the very thing that protects your products from the elements. Common examples include a box, bottle, can, and bag. This is mainly used if you’re shipping.

Inner packaging is what keeps the product in the packaging. Tissue paper and bubble wrap are common examples. This is also used if you’re shipping but can also make a good décor item.

Product packaging is what most people think of — the very thing that holds your product together and presents itself to the customer. For example, if you sell snacks, the product packaging is the bag it comes in.

Other examples include labels (such as for bottles and cans) and tags (such as for clothing).

You will have to include designs for all of these. They can be as simple or intricate as you want.

For example, the product packaging should be the most detailed, while the inner and outer packaging can feature your logo or your color scheme for minor personalization.

How to Know Your Packaging Works

The key to successful packaging is knowing what works and what doesn’t before the development phase.

First, collect packaging from brands you like and from your competitors. Study their packaging and know why it’s successful.

There are other useful sources, such as Pinterest, to give you more ideas about packaging design. Look for ones that receive the most pins.

While you can try and research beforehand, it’s difficult to know if your packaging will work until you get it out to the masses. You can always do packaging testing and measure the results. Read this article for more information.

Other Questions to Ask Yourself

Are you still stumped about your product packaging design? Ask yourself these questions:

  • What will work best for your product?
  • What will hold the product the best?
  • What will your customers like?

Don’t be surprised if your product packaging requires some trial and error. Eventually, you’ll land on a selling design.

Your Guide to Product Packaging Design, Completed!

If you sell products, you know they require a package or a way to protect them from the elements.

Packaging products should involve more than just placing a product in a box or a bag.

This is your chance to hone your creativity and everything that makes your brand unique. Follow these steps and advice to achieve the best product packaging.

If you’re still stumped then do some research, testing, and get to know your products and customers better.

Continue reading our blog for more business advice!