Packaging design plays an integral role in the development of your brand, reinforcement of your marketing message, and promotion of your product. The process of designing packaging one is also a highly creative one which requires extensive research into trends and best practices. Maintaining an appetite for innovation and creativity is key to designing packaging to stand out from competitors.
Thanks to the internet, the packaging world seems to have become inundated with non-stop images of packaging inspiration and ingenuity. But with the wealth of resources out there, where to begin? We have rounded up some of our favourite resources for packaging design, sustainable packaging materials, and box design.
The Dieline is the holy grail of packaging design inspiration and the most visited packaging website in the world. Their stated objective is “to build a global community of practitioners and to advocate the packaging industry towards more sustainable solutions through creativity and innovation”. For the past 10 years, in addition to curating bespoke packaging design content, The Dieline has also been recognizing excellence and innovation in packaging with an award which bears its namesake. The Dieline awards have subsequently become a benchmark for global packaging design innovation. Trust us, give their site a visit and you won’t be disappointed.
Check them out here: https://thedieline.com/
2. We and the Color
While not exclusively dedicated to packaging design, We and the Color is a full-stack web publication for art and design, featuring projects from multiple creative fields. Ranging from illustration, fonts, photography, fashion, and packaging, We and the Color covers it all. And while they may cover an array of creative categories, remember that design is transcendent of division or rank, and what may be trending in the world of architecture, will have an impact on packaging design.
Scope their site here: https://weandthecolor.com/
3. World Brand Design Society
World Brand Society’s mission statement is to “provide a supportive community for professionals and students within the design industry and education, while highlighting and addressing wider societal challenges”. Their focus is exclusively on packaging design. Head to their website and find a handy drop down menu where you can peruse hundreds of packaging design inspiration. They even have separate search categories for packaging materials and shapes such as boxes, pulp paper, and clamshells (just to name a couple).
Have a scroll here: https://worldbranddesign.com/
4. DesignBoom
DesignBoom first went live in 1999 and was the first digital art and design magazine at the time of its launch. Since its inception, DesignBoom has amassed a following of 3.5 monthly readers, and has set the gold standard in the realm of design. They seek out the world’s most innovative projects from both undiscovered talent and influential agencies. There is a dedicated section which covers innovative packaging design, however, to get a full breadth of what they do, peruse their site. There’s inspiration in every click.
Boom! And you’re there: https://www.designboom.com/
5. Packaging Digest
Operating since 1963, Packaging Digest “delivers news, trends, best practices and new technologies to packaging executives and engineers at end-user companies in a variety of markets”. Not only does Packaging Digest contain inspiration for design projects, they also cover topics relevant to businesses producing consumer products, such as current events. Currently, their Education section contains plenty of information about how the current Covid-19 pandemic is impacting supply chains and packaging.
Get informed here: https://www.packagingdigest.com/
Kirsten Crisostomo is a freelance copy and content writer based in Vancouver, BC.
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