Commercial packaging is critical to the success of any brand, especially if your product has an impact on public health. Packaging design is not just about looking cute, it’s about being safe. A package can be your first impression and one of the most effective ways to communicate with consumers. It’s also important to consider how your package will be disposed of after its used. This article discusses packaging design and includes a checklist that you can use as a reference when trying to find a solution for your brand.
Why is packaging important?
Packaging is a critical part of your brand. Packaging is essential to the success of any brand, especially if it has an impact on public health. A package can be your first impression and one of the most effective ways to communicate with consumers. It’s also important to consider how your package will be disposed of after its used.
Types of packaging
- Metal cans
- Plastic bottles
- Bags
- Sustainable materials
- Packaging with an impact on public health or environmental sustainability
- Packaging that can be recycled or repurposed
Checklist for product packaging design
You will have to consider the following questions when trying to find a solution for your brand:
- What is the product?
- What is it made of?
- How do you plan on packaging the product?
- Will your package be made of plastic, metal, or paper?
- Will your package ever need to be recycled or composted or reused?
- How wide will the packaging be?
- How deep will the packaging be?
- What type of design and color should I use for my package?
- What size should my package be in order to ship efficiently and stand out from other brands on store shelves?
- Will my package be used in any country outside of America?
- What is the intended use for my product packaging design (e.g., cosmetics, food)?
Packaging that is effective in communicating with consumers
The main purpose of a package is to communicate your brand. There are many ways to do this, but packaging design is usually the most effective. A package’s design should be something that people actually want and be able to use. This means that the package should have an appealing look, while also being practical in its purpose.
Packaging should also be easy to open and reuse. And if it’s not reusable, then you need to rethink your design because there is no point in making a product if people refuse to use it.
Packaging that will be disposed of properly
It’s important to make sure that your packaging is designed with the end of its life in mind. If you create a package that will be disposed of properly, this will ensure your brand doesn’t have to suffer the consequences of improper disposal.
For example, let’s say you produce a product that needs to be refrigerated. If your package is not designed for proper storage while in transit or at the point of sale, it could potentially become contaminated and result in food poisoning.
Packaging that is environmentally friendly
Packaging that is environmentally friendly is crucial for your brand. One way to make your packaging more environmentally friendly is to use FSC-certified paper. FSC-certified paper is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which ensures that it’s made without harming any forest and ensuring long-term sustainability. So, if you want to make a packaging solution that’s eco-friendly, go with FSC-certified paper.
Another way to be environmentally friendly with your package design is by using recycled content. Recycled content products are created from old materials, like bottles or tins, instead of virgin materials like pulp or wood fibers. It can also be sourced from sustainable sources. An excellent example of a company that uses recycled content in its packaging design is the Nintendo Switch games packages. The Switch game packages are made from recycled cardboard but still have a sleek and attractive design. For a brand trying to be environmentally friendly and have an attractive design at the same time, there’s no better option than recycled content products by Nintendo Switch games packages.
Another thing you should keep in mind when we’re talking about environmentally friendly packaging design is printing inks used on the package itself. Printing ink used can greatly impact what happens after the package has been shipped out because ink sticks around on the surface of the product, getting into air and water quality as well as affecting wildlife habitats when left behind on landfills or forests when thrown away along.