10 Stunning Product Packaging Examples of E-Commerce Design Inspiration
This is a guest post written by Phil Forbes. Check his author bio below.
The world of packaging is vast. Within a great range of materials, finishing options, sizes and products placed inside, designers all over the world have created thousands of remarkable pieces.
What made them so great?
A lot of things.
Some designs were simply eye-catching.
Others proved that cardboard boxes can be used in very unprecedented ways.
In this article, we will present some of the finest ideas from Packhelp’s clients, but also other packaging that we absolutely love.
#1 Scent By Mail
Packaging serves an extremely important role in eCommerce.
Why?
It adds value to the product.
Scent By Mail, a British subscription box has designed one of the finest, most charming boxes around.
Their packaging is very lively and bold and comes with a ‘thank you for your purchase’ note.
There’s a catchy imprint inside, which enriches the unboxing experiences with the product. When you open the box, you see “Hello you!”, with a white line spiraling all the way down to the interior of the box.
It’s creative, it’s memorable and beautifully designed.
#2 Hims
One of the great challenges of packaging design is finding the right tone.
It gets even harder when the product is unusual. That’s exactly the case of Hims. The company produces hair loss and erectile dysfunction pills. An interesting product to market, right?
The packaging of Hims is a great example of choosing the right tone. The entire set is minimalistic - it’s the subtlety that plays the main role here. The natural brown cardboard is contrasted with a hot-stamped logo. Simple, but genius.
#3 Innocence Paris
Since we’re on the topic of minimalism, it is worth mentioning that minimalism is one of the most popular trends in modern packaging design.
Why?
Simply because less is more. Minimalist packaging is organically warm and gives a sense of closeness to nature.
Innocence Paris incorporated minimalism in its packaging too. The company creates unique albums and notebooks with photos of their clients. It’s a genuinely personal product. To stand out but also remain elegant, Innocence chose cardboard boxes with a simple black imprint. To add a stylish touch, each box is finished with a sticker.
#4 Winter Warmers
What would be the most iconic packaging design in existence? The McDonald’s fries sleeve? Starbucks cup? Amazon cardboard box?
All of these are known worldwide. However, none of these became a theme for so many art pieces like the Campbell’s tomato soup can.
The UK-based sock brand drew inspiration from Andy Warhol’s favorite. Their winter edition of packaging is a can that uses similar colors and aesthetics as Campbell’s. The creators state: “These festive winter warmers folded neatly inside a strikingly seasonal red and white striped can with a black and white label, all of which combine for a celebratory vintage feel. Sealed for freshness of course. “
#5 BMW event packaging
Cardboard packaging can be bursting with creativity. A project created for BMW includes a few memorable features.
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A blend of gold and black is an elegant mix of colors, which can be used to emphasize the upscale character of a brand. Additionally, it’s a brilliant concept for seasonal packaging.
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Sliding boxes. An extendable element adds a sweet novelty to the packaging design. In this example, it was even more surprising, because the internal part of the box was covered with a special layer of gold paper.
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Hot stamping combined with embossing. An ace in the hole - a 3D effect with a unique glow makes for an outstanding design.
#6 Yojoki Tea
Elegance in packaging is not only associated with minimalism or unique shapes with unusual finishes. Often, it is all about the artwork that covers the box.
Yojoki tea is a floral fiesta, printed on small paperboard boxes. The several packaging projects look extraordinary thanks to their artistic character.
The floral shapes are smooth, very saturated and unprecedented. The boxes also focus on heavy branding and clear communication. It’s a well thought out project, which doesn’t sacrifice branding at the cost of beautiful artwork.
#7 Handmade Memories
Have you ever heard of the psychological aspect of colors? If not, then Handmade Memories’ packaging will bring you up to speed.
Purple usually indicates creativity and imagination. This perfectly grasps the idea of the product - upscale photo albums. In this particular example, the lavender softness is matched with a cream shade of white. This entire set resonates with a calming, nerve-soothing feeling, which also emphasizes the elegance of the brand.
#8 Chivalon
Shape is extremely important when it comes to packaging. While most brands prefer very safe choices, extraordinary shapes often attract more attention.
Chivalon is a Croatian brand of olive oils. The beauty of their packaging solution lies in the way it captures the vibe of street art. As presented in the entire project outline from Packaging Of The World, the cardboard containers were all decorated with unique paintings, inspired by street art. Therefore, the brand has increased its chances of becoming a choice among design-loving customers.
#9 Happy Socks
Happy Socks is a worldwide known brand producing lingerie, socks and other clothing accessories. The brand’s main idea is spreading happiness.
The packaging set created by Happy Socks is the definition of a cheerful attitude to life. The boxes are very colorful, often making most out of striking contrasts like yellow and red. The set consists of - apart from paperboard boxes - poly mailers, bags and tapes. All of it is a recipe for success when it comes to branding.
Some clients fall in love with these joyful boxes - they even visit Happy Socks stores and ask about buying the packaging on its own!
#10 Stor
Our last inspiration mixes unusual shape inspiration with minimalism and - to put it simply - a very memorable concept of packaging.
STÓR is an Irish subscription box service for men. The company is driven by social and environmental awareness, which required a corresponding packaging solution. This is how the concept of their recycled-cardboard boxes came up. The original shape provides a novelty in product exhibition, while the label on top makes for subtle yet solid branding.
Summary
Here we are - 10 eye-catching, original and memorable packaging designs. Remember that this is only a tiny drop in an ocean of great inspiration. If you are looking for packaging for your brand, be open-minded. As some of these examples prove, even street art can resonate in packaging design.
Phil Forbes Author Bio:
I’m a bearded Australian living in Warsaw, Poland. Digital marketer at Packhelp, who enjoys helping and watching small ventures start, learn, grow and thrive. I take care of expatspoland.com and love my dog, Star Wars, heavy metal and my girlfriend – in no particular order.