Packaging Design for Products

What’s one thing that can turn a good sustainability plan into a great one? As we work to make businesses more sustainable, there’s one approach that often flies under the radar but makes a real difference: Six Sigma. Yes, the same Six Sigma that transformed manufacturing can also be a powerful tool in sustainability efforts. Here’s how. Six Sigma starts with a focus on the customer—whether that’s a buyer or the environment. It’s a way of reducing waste, spotting inefficiencies, and refining processes to reduce errors. In sustainability, accuracy matters more than ever. Six Sigma helps teams pinpoint where waste occurs, how much, and what impact it has, using data to make decisions with confidence. To break it down, Six Sigma follows five steps, each with a purpose: -Define – This is where the team starts by identifying the problem clearly. Imagine a project aiming to cut down on packaging waste. Define the specific waste issues, what success would look like, and who the key “customers” of this improvement are—whether it’s the planet, a community, or the bottom line. -Measure – Next, collect data. For instance, if packaging waste is the focus, measure how much waste is currently generated. Analyzing the flow of materials allows for precise benchmarks that ensure improvements are tracked effectively. -Analyze – This is where teams dig deep, examining the causes of waste or inefficiencies. In our packaging example, they might find that excessive or non-recyclable materials are the primary issues, pinpointing areas to change. -Improve – Now, with root causes in hand, it’s time to make changes. Teams might test out solutions like biodegradable materials or redesigning packaging to use less. Improvements are guided by data, making the process both strategic and impactful. -Control – Finally, sustaining progress means implementing control systems. Regular checks make sure that the new packaging methods continue to reduce waste and meet environmental goals. The result? Real, data-backed progress. Studies show that Six Sigma projects can reduce errors and waste by up to 50% while increasing productivity. For sustainability, that means cutting resource use, lowering emissions, and hitting those ambitious goals. Have you used Six Sigma in your work? Or Are you considering it for sustainability efforts?

The first mockup rarely works perfectly, but it reveals secrets CAD can't: - How an object feels to hold - How it lives in its context - How users interpret it - How proportions translate to reality Early in my career sketching and rendering fascinated me. I grew up with a love for art and visuals So, naturally I sketched a lot which meant tons of ideas to sift through. Probably also a result of being in design consulting for most my professional life. Now, I find joy in carefully selecting and refining ideas rather than generating hundreds. This is probably the natural transition for most designers as well. The real excitement in the process really comes from validating and knowing that your ideas work. I'll leave you with a few thoughts on building and validating: 1) Physical prototypes unlock tactile insights: CAD can't replicate the feel of a product in your hand. Build early to understand ergonomics and user interaction. 2) Context is king: Seeing a prototype in its intended environment reveals design flaws or opportunities invisible on screen. 3) Rapid iteration beats perfection: I've found that creating 3 quick, rough prototypes often yields better results than obsessing over one "perfect" version. 4) User feedback on physical objects is revealing: People interact with physical prototypes in unexpected ways, providing insights you'd never anticipate from sketches/CAD alone. 5) Prototyping develops your designer's intuition: The more you build, the better you become at predicting how 2D concepts will translate to 3D reality. Alright, that's it! happy building! #industrialdesign #productdesign

Why do I Prototype? Be it simple cardboard models, paper mockups, or iterative 3D printed models, I try to prototype a ton before finalizing my concept and progressing to the next step, and I do this for 3 main reasons: 1. Funneling concepts - Qucik mockups serve as an amazing bridge between sketch/3D models on screen and how they actually look and feel in hand - It becomes a lot easier to eliminate ideas that don't fulfill the requirements or follow constraints. Simple paper mockups early in the process help me plan how I approach modeling complicated surfaces as well. 2. Refining the Design - 3D printing different iterations helps me in fine-tuning and amplifying the attributes that add to the design. Many times, I have found my V10 design to look very different from my V1 model. It also serves as a great medium to experiment with different details. 3. Storytelling - I have recently started using my prototyping process to walk the reader through my process, what decisions I take and what was the reasoning behind them - In the image below I try to show how I am labeling different designs and why they were not picked. Over the years I have seen myself prototype in different fidelities at different stages of the process, I have also found that pitching an idea to the team with the help of quick sketches and even for fidelity prototypes helps in more rich conversations and discussions. I would love to hear how you use prototyping -where does it make sense and where do you think it might be a little overkill?

Water in milk cartons, olive oil in squeeze bottles, sunscreen in whip cream cans, moonshine in motor oil containers. While most companies can't afford to invest significant sums into custom packaging like Califia, Welly, Olly and Method, many have still found ways to punch above their weight, disrupt categories and build brand equity by appropriating stock packaging options from other categories. The key is knowing which structures to hijack and why, as simply being different for difference-sake isn't enough. Here are 5 approaches and principles to use when selecting a stock structure: 💥 Disrupt the Matrix  Stillhouse disrupted bottled spirits with a stainless steel can. Forty Ounce Wines broke the wine bottle mold with the infamous malt liquor bottle. Vacation's whip cream can turns heads in sunscreen. The more common a particular packaging format is, the greater the opportunity to standout. The key to success is blending novelty with functionality to both fit in and stand out. 🧲 Attract New Audiences Local Weather connected with Gen-Z by ditching traditional plastic bottles and becoming the first sports drink to use an infinitely recyclable bottle. Underwood spoke to consumers tired of wine's stuffy image by canning high-quality wine. Liquid Death needs no explanation. Category codes are meant to be broken, particularly as each new generation of consumers arises, which makes packaging a powerful tool to subvert entrenched norms. 🥛 Leverage Associations Paper board cartons trigger thoughts of milk, so Blue Bottle ingeniously used a milk pint for its first iced coffee product with dairy. Smart Home Farm's granola in a carton reinforces eating it with milk and enjoying for breakfast. Flo uses an ice cream pint for their tampons to cheekily hint at period-cravings. The more common a structure is in a category, the more associations is accrues, which can then be leveraged to subconsciously communicate information, so long as consumers can intuit the meaning. 🎉 Create Occasion Graza famously launched olive oil in plastic squeeze bottles to make in-home use fun, easy and fresh after recognizing this use in restaurants. Fred Water’s plastic flask bottle fit easily into the back pockets of bicycling urbanites on-the-go in cities like NYC, on top of giving it an edgy vibe. Underwood’s canned wine opened up pools, beaches and places where glass is prohibited. Novel packaging in a given category can encourage new usage occasions and consumer opportunities to great success. 🗣️ Communicate Values  Culina yogurt used terracotta pots to reinforce it's plant-based ideals. Boxed Water fights for more sustainable futures. Underwood and Forty Ounce Wines knows quality doesn't have to come in a bottle. Packaging, used wisely, can reinforce strong company beliefs amidst competitors. So while custom structural design can create immense value, so too can the appropriation of stock packaging with the right strategy and insight.

Ever notice how WILDLY different product categories speak completely different visual languages on shelf? Take a look at these two shelf pics I snapped recently—they tell a fascinating story about consumer psychology that most shoppers never consciously register: In the dried fruit/BFY snack section, it's a VIBRANT COLOR EXPLOSION. Crispy Fruit's neon purple packaging screams for attention next to Love Corn's sunny yellows. Every brand fighting to be the most visually stimulating option. Meanwhile, the granola section is practically whispering with its sea of earthy tones. Kind, Bear Naked, and Purely Elizabeth all using the same muted palette playbook. This isn't random—it's strategic color psychology: For "serious nutrition" foods, we expect understated packaging that signals authenticity, purity and premium ingredients. The muted granola packaging says "I'm a thoughtful health choice" without saying a word. But better-for-you snacks? They're competing with conventional treats for your dopamine hit, so they maintain that visual excitement while offering healthier ingredients. Their bright packaging subtly promises: "I'm still fun! Just better for you!" The takeaway for emerging brands? 👉 Your packaging color strategy should acknowledge these unspoken category rules—while critically finding that differentiator sweet spot to stand out without alienating shoppers. What do you notice about the packaging strategies on these two shelves? 👇

Costco buyers don’t care about your sleek, minimalist DTC packaging. Here’s what actually turns their heads. Many brands mistakenly assume their packaging designed to wow online shoppers will crush it at club retail. But Costco and Sam’s Club aren’t DTC scaled up — they’re COMPLETELY different worlds. When it comes to packaging for club channels like Costco and Sam’s, here’s what buyers truly value: — Shelf presence at 8–12 feet ✅ big, bold graphics readable from a distance ✅ clear value messaging (“2X More”, “Family Pack”) ✅ simple color blocking (“billboarding”) — no fine print 👉 club shoppers are navigating massive aisles stacked high. — Tray & structural integrity are non-negotiable ✅ trays must hold product facing front and upright ✅ reinforced corners to survive “grab & drag” ✅ pallet height restrictions (often 60–72 inches) ✅ optimized pallet cube design = shipping & handling savings 👉 Your packaging is also your in-store display. — High velocity, fast replenishment ✅ easy to restock — quick to unbox, handle, and replenish ✅ meets Costco/Sam’s packaging test standards (32 ECT min) ✅ right-sized packs — no handling nightmares 👉 buyers love packaging that makes floor teams faster. — Brand consistency & club channel nuance ✅ stay premium — but adapt messaging boldly for club shoppers ✅ recognize club requires clear, visual storytelling Costco and Sam’s buyers want functional packaging that pops at retail distance, survives brutal handling, optimizes pallet space, and instantly conveys bold value. #cpg #costco #clubstore #retail #packagingdesign ---- 🌭 pro tip: successful brands prioritize full-stack operational thinking early — packaging engineering, pallet optimization, and store-level shopper insight — not just pretty graphics. Done properly, club packaging drives margins, velocity, and operational efficiency. All things Costco & Sam’s buyers care deeply about.

Rapid prototyping is NOT 3D printing. But 3D printing CAN be a type of rapid prototyping. Rapid prototyping is a mindset. It's a way of thinking. A way of building. A way of learning. What's working? What's not? How to know? Build it. Test it. See what breaks. Fix that. Don't spend time on "what if"... Don't spend time on "it might..." Don't spend time on features that nobody is asking for. Don't spend time creating drawings for parts that shouldn't exist. Don't speculate about edge cases when the core functionality is not working. Build, test, learn, iterate. Learn faster, and launch sooner. Ask me how. Here, I'm testing what form-factor we should make this housing. Should it have a portrait screen orientation? Landscape? Size, aspect ratio, curves or straight? I'm using a pile of packaging foam from Wayfair as raw material. A $30 hot wire from Amazon. Look how fast I can bang out rough shapes. Look how fast I can learn. The faster I can get feedback on a design decision, the faster I can edit, and rebuild. Rapid means fast. Don't accept 2-3 week turnaround from your prototyping vendors. Find ones that can deliver in a few days. Or take the processes in-house. Get your hands dirty. Build something. Look for ways to slash time out of your prototyping feedback loop. #engineering #design #prototyping

Could unique structures be your brand's secret weapon? While visual graphics and messaging are front and center, structural design – the shape and form of the packaging itself can really help create a unique and memorable brand experience --- It's the difference between it being a brand asset vs. a stock container that any other brand can use It’s easy and cheaper to go for stock but it can be a missed opportunity for communicating through shape and even having a tactile, sensory experience 🌸 Differentiation: A unique bottle can become a distinctive brand asset- instantly recognizable and setting a brand apart from competitors 🌸 Brand storytelling: The shape can reinforce brand personality and values Is it sleek vs. playful? 🌸 User experience: Ergonomics, ease of use, and portability affect how the consumer interacts with and therefore feels about the brand --- Saw DAISE Beauty in store the other day and their choice of structure was a powerful differentiator It feels fun and carefree- love how the literal daisy shape was incorporated further reinforcing the brand recall from the logo --- I'm not their target customer but I tried the scents and they brought me back to my "youth" in a good way (lol) The packaging gives that dopamine beauty aesthetic that Gen Z loves I was very tempted to buy for the pure joy that the colors brought me And the satisfaction of the nice rounded shapes of the daisy perfume bottles in my hand --- 🌸 Have you noticed any great structural design lately? Some others that I keep buying are eos Products I especially love their egg shaped lip balms because they’re easier to grab from my bag #structuraldesign #packagingdesign #beautypackaging #brandstorytelling #brandstrategy

3 seconds. That's how long your packaging has to answer: - What is this? (non-alc aperitif) - Why should I care? (adaptogens, sophisticated flavor) - Is it worth $15? (premium cues) Here's how we redesigned our packaging to win those critical seconds… Iteration 1: The DTC Days - Minimal design, logo-forward - Small text (because who needs to read when shopping online?) - Beautiful, but ultimately invisible on retail shelves - Lesson: What works for ecommerce fails in stores Iteration 2: Retail Reality Check - Added product imagery to show what's inside - Enlarged "non-alcoholic aperitif" messaging - Highlighted tasting notes - Lesson: Clear beats clever when you have seconds to explain Iteration 3: More Pop - Bold vertical branding in white that pops - Adaptogens front and center - Premium cues that justify the price - Lesson: still learning… But here's the plot twist: We're already planning iteration 4 👀 Great packaging isn't a destination—it's a conversation with our customer that keeps evolving. What works today might not work tomorrow. The only constant? Those precious three seconds to answer: What is this? Why should I care? Is it worth it? #CPG #CPGbrands