TOP TEN DESIGN TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE PACKAGING AND LABELING

 

What you are going to create

Designing packaging can seem daunting at first, but it doesn't have to be - some of the most effective designs are based on surprisingly simple templates.

Whether you're looking for tips on creating cosmetic packaging, grocery boxes, bottle labels, or origami-inspired boxes, you're sure to find something here that will inspire you.

Wholesale custom packaging is the process of converting 2D designs into printed, tactile 3D creations. This is an incredibly effective way of giving a product a strong branding or helping the consumer decide to buy. In this article, we'll take a look at ten pro tips for making your packaging look stylish and eye-catching, as well as technical tips for choosing templates, software, and print finishes.

1.   Origami styles aren't just for the brave

Sometimes you come across packaging that is so pretty it just takes your breath away. Folded origami-inspired designs look amazing and turn packaging into a work of art.

Many origami-inspired designs are surprisingly simple at heart and are based on carefully thought-out templates. With so many creative packaging templates through sites like SM Custom Packaging, these complex-looking designs are no longer achievable.

Bath salt packaging template

The quirky packaging for these bath salts is tactile, portable, and looks amazing, decorated with lemon wedges.

If you're brave enough to create your origami designs from scratch, experiment with rough mockups on poor-quality paper before turning to the computer. This will help you visualize how a 2D layout will be translated into a 3D product.

Origami styles aren't always the most practical or stackable packaging designs, so they go best with display packaging.

2.   Simplify packaging with Easy labels

At one end of the packaging spectrum there are origami beauties and at the other the refreshing simplicity of an easy-to-produce label.

Soap wrap label template

Labels can be attached to bottles or loosely wrapped around items wrapped in towels. They are super-easy to make (no fiddly creases) and inexpensive to print, which is great if you are on a budget.

This doesn't mean labels do not affect - a well-designed label can create a beautiful, handmade look, like those rustic soap wrap labels.

Soap wrap label template

Labels are the perfect choice for independent businesses and other small businesses looking to make branded packaging quickly and cheaply, and they can add to the charm of the product. Labels and simple stickers are also very handy - they are easy to edit and can be quickly adapted to different products.

3.   Let your typography sell the product

 Choose a classic serif and create a distinguished product. Alternatively, you can go for a sans-serif sans serif and you are presenting a product that is suddenly cool and trendy

Wine and beer bottle packaging are some great examples of the power of typography to sell a product to a particular market.

Champagne label template

You will find that most champagne labels use traditional serif fonts or heavily traced headlines that convey luxury and high quality.

Many beer bottles feature informal sans serif or grunge fonts to emphasize the laid-back and laid-back nature of their products. Wine bottles can vary - an expensive wine could have a classic serif to justify the price tag, or a new wine on the block could use a modern bread type, as on this modern label template to appeal to younger, fashion-conscious customers.

Wine label template

When designing your packaging, try some different font styles in your original designs. Show the different designs to a market sample or a family/family. What styles did certain demographics appeal to? Does age, disposable income, or lifestyle choices influence certain groups towards one script or another?

After you've done your experiment, you'll feel better prepared to use the font style that best appeals to your target market.

4.   Use a natural color palette

The days of bold, bold packaging are over.

Natural soap packaging template

Tonal colors inspired by nature have a calming effect and steer the general trend towards commercial products that are environmentally and ethically conscious.

Use shades of lighter colors to give the packaging a wash effect, or combine colored elements with natural brown paper or cardboard, as in this packaging design for natural soaps.

Even if your products are not 100% organic or are not fresh from the farmer's market, you can add a touch of naturalness to your custom packaging USA with a restrained color palette.

5.   Combine photography with minimal styles

Packaging trends come and go, and one thing that is always in flux is the kind of graphics that feel appropriate.

Photography may not be commonplace on packaging right now, but that doesn't mean it can't look stylish and relevant when properly designed.

Box packaging template

To keep packaging photography looking sleek and modern, stick to eye-catching, graphic images and use black and white photography. Together with colorful typography, this can look very eye-catching and trendy.

Or take inspiration from these minimal cosmetic products and team color photography templates with simple sans serif type in a matching color.

Tube packaging template

By adding monochrome graphics behind the white text, the design looks ultra-modern and app-like.

  6. Go Arty!

Sure, a label is small, but that doesn't mean it doesn't make a big impact. Labels are the perfect place to get creative, and they are the dream of many graphic designers.

Many brands are looking for ways to make their products look unique, and others produce special edition products to drive customer demand.

Wine label template

Therefore, collaboration with artists is becoming more common in the world of packaging design. In the case of wine bottles, cosmetics, and clothing, in particular, labels with an artistic touch help to define products as unique, up-and-coming, and special.

When Damien Hurst isn't on the speed dial, it's time to put on your artsy hat. Quaint surfaces, unusual font styles, and hand-drawn illustrations look amazing on the packaging and will help your design stand out from the crowd.

Wine label template

If you don't have a dexterous hand with a brush, digital and vector graphics are equally desirable on modern packaging.

7. Go masculine with black and white

For products aimed at men, such as shaving products and grooming products for men, there is still a strict design code in place on the colors and font styles that are converted into sales.

While I wouldn't accept the traditional blue for boys, pink for girls (that's just plain lazy), you can add a masculine or unisex touch to your packaging designs by using a strong graphic combination of black and white. This modern packaging template does just that and is visually very strong while conveying a masculine atmosphere.

Male packaging template

Pair your black and white designs with square sans serif lettering for a modern twist on traditional masculine packaging styles.

8. Add or Feminine Touch with Pattern

A “feminine” design does not mean that your product is only attractive to women. Adding a feminine element to your packaging means adding special qualities to the design, which often have broad market appeal, including elegance and beauty?

Adding a patterned design to your packaging is a fantastic way to add a nice quality to your designs. The turn-of-the-century wallpapers give all kinds of products a retro look. Or why not try an ornate William Morris-inspired pattern, like the packaging template below?

Soap packaging template

In addition to being beautiful, patterned packaging is a great way to create a consistent series of packaging designs.

These soaps may have different fragrances, but they are grouped into the same category or brand by simply toggling the color of the pattern rather than the design of the pattern.

The pattern is also surprisingly easy to design thanks to its repetitive elements. Create a single "unit" of a pattern and copy it over and over to create an entire pattern sheet that can be easily pasted into a packaging template.

9. Think about the full range of packaging

Your packaging designs don't just stop at the box. When a product is opened, consider how the style of packaging can be expanded to include internal packaging, labels, and sub-containers.

Designing a box for a clothing retailer? How will the clothes be presented inside when the customer opens this box? Can you make a branded sticker that can be placed on colored tissue paper? Can you design a stylish clothing label that can be placed on the inside of the garment?

This full range of tea bag packaging is a great example of how packaging design can be adapted to suit different purposes. A consistent style using colors, patterns, and a strong logo is expanded beyond the main box to include the tea bag packaging and label inside.

Retro tea packaging template

Remember that packaging is not just for presentation purposes. To motivate a customer to buy back, the entire experience of opening and installing the product must be as pleasant as possible. A comprehensive selection of packaging designs will help you with this.