Blog
Packaging guides from our studio
What we explain to clients most often, written down once. New to the terms? Start with the packaging glossary.
- ComplianceUK
UK packaging and labelling requirements after Brexit
What must appear on food, cosmetics and consumer product packaging sold in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and what changed after Brexit.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ComplianceSupplementsUSA
Supplement label design: FDA Supplement Facts requirements
A practical guide to the FDA's Supplement Facts panel and the other statements a US dietary supplement label needs, written for brands and designers.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ComplianceLabelling
Net weight on packaging: rules and placement in the US, UK and EU
Where the net quantity goes, which units to use and how big it must be on packaging for the US, UK and EU, with minimum height tables.
28 Oct 2026 · 8 min
- ComplianceAlcoholUSA
Alcohol labels: TTB and COLA requirements explained
What the TTB requires on US wine, beer and spirits labels, how COLA approval works and how to plan label space before you design.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ComplianceFoodUSA
US food packaging label requirements: Nutrition Facts and allergens
The five required parts of a US food label, how the Nutrition Facts panel works and how to declare the nine major allergens.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ComplianceRetail
Barcodes on packaging: UPC vs EAN, GS1 and minimum size
How retail barcodes work, the difference between UPC and EAN, where to get GS1 numbers and how big and where to print the barcode.
28 Oct 2026 · 8 min
- ComplianceCosmetics
Cosmetic labelling: FDA (MoCRA) and EU/UK requirements
What a cosmetic label must show in the US under the FDA and MoCRA, and in the EU and UK, with a side-by-side checklist for packaging.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ComplianceCosmetics
INCI ingredient lists for cosmetics: how to set them on pack
What INCI names are, the order rules for cosmetic ingredient lists, fragrance allergens and how to fit a long list on small packaging.
28 Oct 2026 · 8 min
- ComplianceSkincare
Sunscreen and SPF packaging requirements in the US, EU and UK
How sunscreen labelling differs between the US, where it is an over-the-counter drug, and the EU and UK, where it is a cosmetic.
28 Oct 2026 · 8 min
- ComplianceFoodEU
EU food labelling rules, including language requirements
The mandatory particulars under EU Regulation 1169/2011, minimum font size, allergen emphasis and which languages your food label needs.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ComplianceCBDPharma
Child-resistant packaging requirements for CBD, pharma and chemicals
When packaging must be child-resistant, how certification and testing work in the US and EU, and what it means for box and label design.
28 Oct 2026 · 8 min
- ComplianceCBD
CBD packaging requirements in the US, UK and EU
How CBD is regulated in the US, UK and EU, what that means for claims and labels, and how to plan CBD packaging that can adapt as rules change.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ComplianceSustainability
FSC and sustainable packaging certifications explained
What FSC labels mean, how chain of custody works, other common packaging certifications and how to make environmental claims you can back up.
28 Oct 2026 · 8 min
- PricingDesign
How much does packaging design cost? A full breakdown
What you are paying for in a packaging design project, the pricing models agencies use, and how to plan a realistic budget.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ProductionArtwork
What is a dieline? The complete guide for packaging
What a dieline is, the line types and terms printers use, how dielines are made and how to set up artwork on one without errors.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- DesignStrategy
Packaging redesign: when to do it and how to manage the project
Signs your packaging needs a redesign, how to keep loyal customers, and a step-by-step plan for managing a redesign from audit to rollout.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- E-commerceDesign
Unboxing experience design: how to plan the moment of opening
How to plan an unboxing sequence, choose mailers, gift boxes and inserts, and create a memorable opening without wasting money or materials.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- DesignAccessibility
Accessible and inclusive packaging design: a practical guide
How to design packaging that more people can read, open and use, covering legibility, contrast, opening, tactile cues and testing.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ArtworkProduction
Print-ready packaging files explained: a checklist for designers
What makes a packaging file print-ready: dielines, bleed, colour, resolution, fonts, finish layers and proofing, with a pre-flight checklist.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- ArtworkColour
Pantone vs CMYK for packaging: which should you use?
How CMYK and Pantone spot colours work in packaging print, when to use each, how materials change colour, and how to keep colour consistent.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- MaterialsRigid boxes
Paperboard grades and board thickness for boxes
A guide to paperboard grades (SBS, FBB, CRB, kraft), corrugated flutes and rigid greyboard thickness, and how to choose the right board for your box.
27 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- MaterialsStrategy
Glass vs plastic vs aluminium packaging: how to choose
How glass, plastic and aluminium containers compare on product protection, cost, weight, shipping, sustainability and brand perception.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- MaterialsStrategy
Flexible vs rigid packaging: pros, cons and when to use each
How flexible packaging such as pouches compares with rigid packaging such as boxes, jars and tins, on cost, protection, shelf impact and sustainability.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- Flexible packagingDesign
Stand-up pouch design guide: formats, features and artwork
How to design stand-up pouches: choosing a format and material, planning zips, windows and valves, setting up artwork and avoiding common mistakes.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- LabelsDesign
Bottle and jar label design guide: from measurements to print
How to design labels for bottles and jars: measuring the container, choosing label shapes and materials, laying out content and preparing print files.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- LabelsMaterials
Shrink sleeve vs pressure-sensitive labels: which is right for you?
How shrink sleeves and pressure-sensitive labels compare on coverage, container shapes, cost, application, durability and recycling.
28 Oct 2026 · 9 min
- E-commerceAmazon
Packaging for Amazon FBA sellers: protect, comply and sell
How to design packaging for Amazon FBA: protection, prep and labelling, size and weight, listing images and the unboxing experience.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- StartupsStrategy
Packaging design for startups: a practical launch guide
How startups can plan packaging on a budget: what to prioritise, how to brief, standard vs custom, minimum orders and how to scale later.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- DesignProcess
The packaging design process explained, step by step
Every stage of a packaging design project, from brief and research to concepts, artwork, proofs and production, and what you need at each step.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- DesignStrategy
Packaging design mistakes brands make, and how to avoid them
The most common packaging design mistakes, from unclear hierarchy and tiny text to wrong sizes and skipped proofs, with practical fixes for each.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- DesignTypography
Typography in packaging design: a practical guide
How to choose and use typefaces on packaging: hierarchy, legibility at small sizes, pairing, licensing, multi-language text and print considerations.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- DesignColour
Colour psychology in packaging: how to choose colours that work
How colour affects perception on packaging, why context and category matter more than colour meanings, and how to choose and test a packaging palette.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- LuxuryDesign
Luxury packaging: what makes premium packaging work
The structure, materials, finishes, restraint and opening experience that make packaging feel premium, and how to get the effect within budget.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- Private labelStrategy
Private label packaging guide: from supplier product to your brand
How to package private label products: working with manufacturers, standing out from other brands on the same base product, compliance and scaling a range.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- InternationalStrategy
Packaging for international markets: what changes and how to plan
How to adapt packaging for export: regulations, languages, units, culture, retail and shipping, and how to design one system for many markets.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- RetailDesign
Packaging design for retail shelf impact: how to stand out
How shoppers scan shelves, and how to design packaging that is noticed, understood and chosen, with blocking, hierarchy, structure and testing.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- OrderingStrategy
How to choose a packaging designer or packaging printer
What to look for in a packaging designer or printer, the questions to ask, how to compare proposals and the red flags that signal trouble.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- StrategyOrdering
Custom vs stock packaging: costs, benefits and when to switch
How stock, semi-custom and fully custom packaging compare on cost, minimums, lead time and brand impact, and when it makes sense to move up.
28 Oct 2026 · 10 min
- Rigid boxesFolding cartons
Rigid vs folding carton boxes: which does your product need?
How the two constructions differ in board, feel, cost and shipping, and how to choose between them.
1 Oct 2026 · 4 min
- SizingOrdering
How to measure your box size
Length, width and height, inside dimensions, inserts and the mistakes that make boxes not fit.
8 Oct 2026 · 4 min
- CollapsibleShipping
Collapsible rigid boxes explained
How hinged walls let a rigid box ship flat, what it saves on freight and who it suits.
15 Oct 2026 · 4 min
- PricingOrdering
Packaging cost guide: what sets the price of custom boxes
The five things that set box prices, one-off vs unit costs, and how to lower the price without making the box look cheaper.
22 Oct 2026 · 5 min
- FinishesDesign
Box finishes explained: foil, embossing, spot UV and soft-touch
What each common finish does, when it is worth it, and combinations that work.
23 Oct 2026 · 5 min
- DesignProcess
How to brief a packaging designer
The eight questions a good packaging brief answers, from product and customer to budget and sign-off.
24 Oct 2026 · 5 min
- InsertsMaterials
EVA vs card inserts: which should you choose?
How EVA foam and card inserts compare on protection, look, recyclability and cost, plus velvet, satin and moulded pulp.
25 Oct 2026 · 4 min
- ShippingRigid boxes
Shipping rigid boxes internationally
Air vs sea, why volume drives cost, packing, documents and duties, and planning the timeline backwards.
26 Oct 2026 · 5 min
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