Before you can sell your physical products to your perfect customer, those bibs and bobs are going to need packaging to help sell them.

But there’s a problem.

You don’t know where to start. Should you go straight to a commercial printer? Maybe it makes more sense to use an overnight online vendor?

There’s a lot to consider, and you might even be confused about where a design agency like ours fits into the process.

Let’s clear that up by answering some of the most common questions about packaging design that we get and how we support you during projects.

You’ll design and print the package for my product, right?

No, not directly. As graphic and brand designers, we handle the creative and strategic side of the process.

This means thinking through how your product’s packaging communicates with customers to show them the benefits they can expect from it.

From there, we turn the design layout into production-ready files that fit a professional commercial (or digital) printer’s requirements. The actual physical production, manufacturing, and assembly happen with them.

It’s best to think of us as the ones who make sure your packaging looks good and prints correctly.

So, you will talk to my printer for me?

Yes, we can do that! It’s not uncommon for clients to ask for help coordinating with print vendors if they’ve never done it before or don’t have the time to do it themselves.

As a note, we don’t manage their production or fulfillment schedules because they are a separate business from ours that we have zero control over. Our role when communicating with them is to make sure we’re aligned on the details, so both we and your printer can do our best work.

What if I don’t have a printer yet?

Not a problem. We can recommend vendors that we’ve worked with before and trust.

Some of our clients prefer that we handle the entire printing process for them from start to finish. In these cases, we’re happy to step in and provide a turnkey solution that takes the stress out of production and printing.

Do you design custom inserts or cutouts?

Yes! Our team can design the inserts and dielines or “cutouts” for your package. As mentioned, we can—and often do—work in tandem with printers, especially when creating custom dielines where precision is paramount.

My product weighs a lot. How do you handle that with the design?

Good question! We keep weight and size in mind when designing because while the package acts as a marketing piece, it also has to be practical.

Why? Because not every substrate is created equally, the layout has to be able to work with it.

When people hold your product, they need to be able to read everything written on it. With this in mind, we consider how the design and information within it cover every fold and crease that reinforces your product.

Why does this cost more than I expected?

It’s easy to underestimate what goes into designing packaging because it looks so simple once it’s on the shelf. But if you peek behind the curtain, there’s a lot happening.

To start, there’s the creative end with design, copy, and prepress production. However, our team is also thinking about what your packaging is supposed to do for your business.

We’re also ensuring that the package design itself adheres to compliance and regulatory requirements. In addition, we’re also coordinating with print vendors (when requested) to make sure we’re all on the same page.

When you partner with us, you’re getting the full expertise of creative professionals who consistently bring our A-game to your business.

I’m worried about the budget. Can you work with me?

Absolutely. If your budget is tight, we can find a solution that works for it. Maybe it doesn’t make sense to start off with a custom packaging design when a label on the product could serve as a transitional fix.

What do you need from me before we start?

The conversations that happen before a project begins set the tone for its progression. For the initial discussion you have with our team, it’s helpful to already have (or have an idea of) your:

– Product dimensions (bottle, jar, box sizes, weight, etc.)
– Packaging copy, including any mandatory legal text, ingredients, medical information, etc.
– Print specifications or the printer’s contact information
– Target audience, market, and where you plan to sell your product
– Logo and brand guidelines

And if you have questions, don’t worry, we’ll walk you through what’s needed.

Real-world packaging design

Packaging design is collaborative, involving not only you and our team, but also professional printers, manufacturers, and fulfillment centers. And it’s in everyone’s best interest to make sure that your product’s packaging works in real-life situations, positively reflects your brand, and communicates effectively with your customers.

As part of this partnership, we walk you through each step of the design process, so you know what comes next, and translate “industry speak” into plain language you can understand.

What do you get in the end? A package that is beautiful but, more importantly, functional to help you introduce your latest product to the world.