Product Packaging Design: Complete Guide for NZ Business

We all are captivated by charming and delightful packaging designs but have you ever wondered the importance of a superior design in the packaging. We should accept that consumers don’t put extreme effort to choose a product; therefore, we only have a slender timeline to stop them and engage with your product packaging design as a brand.

Packaging design keeps updated with time. As advanced technologies and other cool packaging designs are introduced in the trade, the concepts of designing have a tremendous change.

Never mind what type of product you have; whether it’s small or big, your packaging design can attract your audience and helps increase your sales.

So let’s have a detailed understanding of the term product packaging design, and it’s essential for your business.

What is Product Packaging Design?

In simple terms, product packaging design refers to the relationship of the structure, material, font, color, imagery, typography and regulatory information with collateral design elements to build a product suitable for marketing.

A good packaging design can have the efficiency to tell a story about your brand. It can capture your customers at each level from how it looks and feels in their hands. Moreover, a good design enables consumers to know who you are, what they can expect from your product, and where your values lie.

Why Focus On Product Package Design?

When introducing a product line or reconsidering an established brand, what your product looks like is one of the essential decisions a company can make. Package design is a base for the rest of the process and is a decision that must contemplate at the business’s onset.

However, packaging has to be more than marketing, as it is accurately the front line of consumer interaction. A good packaging can drive the consumer to a homely feel, developing the point of sale purchase even more effortless.

As good quality package design has a high impact on the product, if you can work with a brand design agency, it could be the best choice to consult with one specializing in this aspect of your brand plan.

Product Packaging Materials and Design

From primitive wooden vessels to modern films and multilayered bottles, packaging materials have come a long way in the last 3,000 years.

Oji, a sushi brand of firsts in New Zealand, started using fully recyclable and biodegradable packaging, making a significant move towards other competitors. Here are some of the updated innovations designed to elevate the consumer’s experience.

1. Packaging Box Design/ Corrugated Cardboard

Corrugated cardboard is the most popular packaging material used in most industries. Typical cardboard is constructed with 90% recycled material that is used commonly in e-commerce and retail.

These boxes are made of a material of a line board and heavy paper medium. Line board is a smooth, outer surface that fastens to form.

It is majorly used in cosmetics, dry foods, clothing, jewellery and other subscription boxes.

The possibilities of corrugated box designs are endless these days, but many retailers and business owners don’t explore the various options.

Different design styles such as regular slotted, bliss style, centre special slotted, and many more designs are available in this packaging. Therefore, choose the appropriate designs suitable for your purpose.

2. Biodegradable & Compostable Packaging Materials

Recycling plastic waste was not a go through solution due to the preservative and color present, leading to other causes. In replacement of that, a substitute packaging that is environment friendly was essential. Thus, the concept of biodegradable packaging came existent.

Whereas edible packaging might be a bit too ambitious for most brands, packaging that is harmless to the environment is a step in the right direction.

Even the big players are trying to find ways to make their companies more sustainable. For example, several companies have initiated the concept of turning their packaging into eco-friendly ones.

KFC introduced an edible coffee cup that was made to resemble a regular coffee cup. Although the company never trolled out the product, it’s still an inventive example of finding multiple-use of your packaging.

3. Polyethylene Packaging 

It is a type of material composed of thin, flexible plastic film or soft fabric. These are majorly used in the transportation of food items, flowers, waste, and many more.

The usage of polybags is substantial; we can found them available from the grocery store to other large industries. The significant benefits of using polybags are that it is very flexible and varieties of design options are available. These bags usually devour less material than boxes, cartons, or jars. Therefore, they are scrutinized as reduced packaging.

The New Zealand plastic industry is highly innovative, versatile and unique. It is a vital enabler for sectors in the New Zealand economy specializing in agriculture, construction, technology, packaging and other sectors.

4. Glass & Aluminium Packaging

One of the oldest ubiquitous packaging materials, glass packaging still maintains a significant place today. These are used in the food and beverage industries.

There are specified reasons why glass is commonly utilized for food and beverage packaging. It offers an impermeable, non-poisonous surface with a high water-resistant rate and won’t sponger any defilement into your snacks, which is prospective while using plastic containers.

When it comes to Aluminium, it is a very light packaging material used in the production of cans, bottles, mailer bags and other types of food packaging.

Aluminium’s capability to form any shape and its protective qualities has made it the most flexible packaging material globally. In addition, a vital advantage is that aluminium foil, cans, and other aluminium packaging materials can be fully recycled and reuse an infinite number of times.

Also Read: Logo Design Cost in Australia : Complete Guide

Cool Packaging Design Trends

The below listed are the biggest packaging trends of 2021:

1. Illustrated Patterns

The illustrated patterns go beyond shapes and images. The more composite an idea becomes, the more significant it enhances to incorporate an illustration into the design.

While the packaging is designed to catch the consumer’s attention, it’s equally important to state a story about what’s inside of it. It is the trend where people use intricate illustrations to communicate about the product itself more than decoration or ordination.

These patterns are nowadays used majorly for indicating the ingredients and other details on food packaging. As Kiwi’s continue to become progressively health-conscious and accustomed to what is in the food consumption, most of the brands have jumped on this trend.

2. Minimalistic Design

Minimalism simply refers to avoiding unnecessary designs or elements; it’s purely about simplicity, value and elegance. It has enhanced a modern lifestyle catchword due to its exclusive features that help cope with an enormous world.

Therefore in terms of packaging, Minimalist packaging should be beyond a packaging design strategy focused on using only little resources. It’s a design selection merging aspects such as economic, usability and beauty into a distinct-looking package.

These packaging designs do not contain graphic elements that divert customers from the focal point of the packaging. Thus, a product with a minimalist design tends to stand out from others as they bear a broad targeted brand message in an immediately understandable manner.

3. Vintage Aesthetics

Vintage packaging has again become a trend, and its formerly aesthetics more gorgeous than ever. These are emerging in industries such as food and drink products, where the brands are connecting retro visuals by using nostalgic or emotional packaging.

The demand for retro designs has been exploded in the last two decades. It’s of little significance what type of product you market because executing vintage illustrations in packaging transmits legitimacy.

For example, you must have noticed such designs used in packaging to release products regarding milestone anniversaries of brands as it reminds people of a nostalgic past. Several influential brands even established standard limited editions and valuable commodities to attain customer demand.

4. Geometry Shapes

To project out from competitors and stay ahead of your competitors, sometimes you need to leave your comfort zone and invest a little more in packaging.

One of the unique and varied packaging designs found in the sector is the design with simple yet bold geometric concepts.

These pattern trends provide consumers with a preview of what a product stands for. But unlike patterns or illustrations that depict what’s inside the package, these designs are conceptual to the utmost. Though it may seem simple at first look, it’s a highly impactful method for brands to build a statement and leave a lasting impression.

One of the best examples of these packaging are cosmetic, hair, and other facial products.

5. Koru Characters

The New Zealand Koru is often used in Maori art as a sign of creation that is derived from the shape of an unfolding fern frond. The circular shape of the design delivers the idea of everlasting movement, and its inward coil proposes a return to the point of origin.

The Koru symbol is widely seen everywhere, from the Air NZ logo design, tattoos to art museums. You’ll often see the koru illustrate in jeweller that is created in New Zealand – especially which sculpture from greenstone.

Moreover, when given as a gift, the koru signifies the beginning of a new relationship, or a next step in the relationship, as the character symbolizes growth, harmony and resumption.

Koru is a popular packaging trend used by new businesses to magnify their brand image. As merging koru design in the packaging can grab the Kiwi’s attention, it is a leading trend in most organizations.

6. Contemporary design

Contemporary design in packaging has seen a paradigm shift due to increased technology and customer awareness. As feasibility and satisfaction becomes the core of the market, modern designs are the best design in the trade.

The notable shifts in the contemporary packaging design are an approach in minimal and clarified versions. In the present era, packaging gives importance to bold colors and crisp labelling that place the product in the front, not the brand.

Moreover, adhering to a particular color palette also helps to merge the brand’s different products, thus making the brand more noticeable. Nowadays, brands are also exploring unconventional materials when it comes to modern packaging designs.

7. Transparent Windows

Transparent windows packaging are one of the trendiest and can productively highlight the actual product inside. These packaging’s are tremendously used in food industries.

Even studies also stated that food packaging with transparent windows has a significant advantage in catching customer attention and their willingness to purchase.

Transparent packaging makes the food more noticeable, which result in increased food consumption.

Moreover, consumers are more likely to purchase food with transparent packaging than another packaging. People are also in a perspective that foods in transparent packaging are fresher, tastier and innovative. Thus, it is one of the prominent methods that can use to attract consumers to the products.

Conclusion

The packaging design is the absolute element that makes your product stands out from the competitors. As endless products and brands are developed in the same sector in this competitive world, your packaging design’s strength leads to attracting the customer’s attention.

If you are drafting on releasing a new product on the market, execute it in one of the trendiest trends. Always remember that an excellent packaging design communicates with the buyers about your product before they even open it.

Therefore, don’t miss the opportunity to astound your products to your customers. If you are facing any difficulties in implementing an overwhelmed packaging, you can reach to us.

We are an 18-year-old packaging design company in New Zealand, satisfying both big and small organizations with the latest Kiwi designs.