Packaging Design Resources

Packaging is often referred to as the "Silent Salesperson," as it's usually the last chance for a brand to make an impression on a potential buyer in the retail environment—this is especially true with CPG products. On this page, we highlight our catalog of packaging design resources, including blogs and microlearning courses. Dive in below!

Master Packaging Design Concepts Through Microlearning

A-la-carte online courses designed by packaging professionals FOR packaging professionals!

Flexographic Print Fundamentals

ELEC-E04

Master how to produce and troubleshoot flexographic printing to produce high quality work.

$399

What You'll Learn

High quality flexographic printing on corrugated substrates has always been a challenge. This course demonstrates how to produce clean solids and line work as well as halftones and spot colors. Many typical troubleshooting issues are addressed, from dot gain and die-cutting to proper graphic design for corrugated to ensure best results. This course is based on core objectives covered in the live workshop held at Clemson’s PrintCon facility.

Course Objectives

Press Overview

Reviewing Proof

Setting the Feeder

Inks and Ink Metering Systems

Starting the Inking Process

Impression Setting

Registration

Color Adjustments

Clean Up

$399

Pressure Sensitive Labels 101

2.5

ELEC-E06

Pressure sensitive labels play an essential role in the packaging value chain – they enable your brand to stand out among the competition on the shelf and convey vital, sometimes lifesaving information. By taking Pressure Sensitive Labels 101, you will learn first-hand the essentials of the world’s leading label type.

$299

What You'll Learn

Developed and taught by UPM Raflatac’s world-renowned experts, the Pressure Sensitive Labels 101 course includes an overview of the global pressure sensitive labels market, decoration technologies and market share, label construction, press converting, end use application, performance testing and so much more. Once you complete the course at your own pace, you will be equipped with the expertise and recognition to grow your business through operational efficiency, brand impact and sales.

Course Objectives

The fundamentals of pressure sensitive labels – from composition to application and all of the stages in-between

Different categories for classifying Pressure Sensitive Labels including prime, variable and specials

How to identify the basic structure of a pressure sensitive label: face stock, adhesive and liner

An overview the manufacturing process employed to construct, coat, laminate, convert and apply a pressure sensitive label

To knowledgeably contribute to conversations regarding pressure sensitive labels

$299

Leveraging Human Factors in Packaging Design

ELEC-E03

This course applies ergonomic principles to modern packaging, equipping you with tools and insights for designs appealing to all consumers, regardless of gender, race, or culture.

$399

What You'll Learn

Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance. This course applies these concepts to modern packaging systems to show you how to win over any consumer, regardless of gender, race, or culture.

Course Objectives

$399

Introduction to Corrugated Design

2.5

ELEC-E14

Join Jane Scates, a seasoned Structural Designer, where you'll master the fundamentals of corrugated design, including identifying corrugated board and creating various packaging solutions like pads, rolls, scored sheets, regular slotted cartons, one-piece folders, trays, die-cut mailers, and trays with interlocking dividers.

$599

What You'll Learn

There isn’t a course out there that actually shows you how to design with corrugated. Jane Scates, a Structural Designer pro, searched everywhere for a basic how-to-design course. She couldn’t find one. Wanting to provide a solid corrugated design course, Jane, along with the amazing team at The Packaging School, developed this course. In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of corrugated, how to identify corrugated board, and how to use it. Using the knowledge from the first unit, you will learn how to design a pad, a roll or scored sheet, a regular slotted carton (RSC), a one-piece folder (OPF), a tray, a die-cut mailer, and a tray with interlocking dividers.

Course Objectives

$599

Sustainable Packaging

CPS-C11

Explore sustainable design with this course: learn Life Cycle Assessment, energy sourcing, design optimization, and recovery, balancing people, planet, and profit.

$399

What You'll Learn

Are you looking for ways to make more sustainable decisions in your packaging line? In this course, you’re going to get a solid foundation in sustainable design. Course material includes tools and resources you can apply today to make more environmentally conscious decisions. We will cover LCA, energy sourcing, design optimization and effective recovering. Consideration of the 3Ps (people, planet and profit) together are absolutely essential in crafting a convincing sustainable strategy.

Course Objectives

Comprehend what sustainability means for all stages of a product’s lifecycle

Embrace sustainable tools and strategies during the design workflow

Gain a foundation in thinking sustainably and learn what you can do during your packaging design process to be more environmentally conscious

Review perceptions and applications of sustainability to assess your own environmental footprint

Learn about alternative materials available for packaging

Understand how a sustainable market strategy is essential for a market launch, and how it can be implemented

$399

Package Printing

CPS-C08

Explore package development in-depth: key printing techniques, print-packaging integration, cost analysis, industry applications, graphic workflow, and expert tips.

$399

What You'll Learn

This course teaches the essential information needed to know for package development in regard to printing. Industry veterans also share useful insight into this in-depth process.

Course Objectives

Make proper decisions within package development based on essential topics such as flexography, lithography, gravure, screen printing, and digital printing

Unveil the intersection between print and packaging through artwork and design principles and terminology

Understand the advantages, disadvantages, and costs associated with each of the mentioned processes

Learn how package development processes can affect your industry projects through application

Review the graphic development workflow, beginning with color management strategies and ending with printing methods

Hear from exclusive tips from industry experts on best practices in package printing

$399

Packaging Design Workflow

CPS-C12

Master design concepts: typography, color, imagery, materials. Learn collaboration, iterative development, Dr. Andrew Hurley's RFP guides, design brief template for successful package designs.

$399

What You'll Learn

In this course, we are going to review design terminology, highlight important design theories, such as typography, color, imagery and materials. We are going to discuss how to best approach a project with your team and leverage iterative development to build winning designs. The first step is making sure you have a solid foundation and workflow when starting a project. You will receive Dr. Andrew Hurley’s RFP guides and the design brief template and strategies he’s used to launch over 100 package designs to market.

Course Objectives

Gain a solid foundation and workflow to begin projects to ensure organization and develop a successful product

Optimize your design efforts for efficiency

Learn design terminology, key design theories, and materials

Review various facets of the packaging development process

Construct a successful design survey and managing assets to develop prototypes

Define methodology and understand design criteria

$399

Pack Design Workshop

PKD-01

Students completing the workshop will design and improve a paperboard carton or corrugated container and learn how to price and order production samples of their packaging.

$399

What You'll Learn

Master the fundamentals of packaging design in this immersive, online workshop. Work through the design process from ideation to building your own digital prototypes. Completing this workshop will give you a solid foundation of the box design process as well as some hands-on software training that will allow you to directly apply your newfound knowledge to the packaging challenges you or your company are facing today.

$399

Latest Packaging Design Articles

Packaging School

Pack Design Workshop Experiences

Our online Packaging Design Workshop is an interactive program that walks you through the packaging development process—from market research to prototyping. Read what Claire, a highschool student, had to say about her experience taking the course.

2023/11/06

Nick Riedl

Kevin Keigley

Alli Keigley

What is Ergonomic Packaging?

What is ergonomic packaging you may ask? Well, if you've ever bought a squeeze bottle of ketchup, mayo, or even . . . peanut butter and thought that it worked so much better, you've just experienced the magic of ergonomic packaging. What are some of your favorite packaging improvements? What package could be helped by some innovative ergonomic design?

2020/07/10

Andrew Hurley, PhD

Nick Riedl

Clemson’s Sonoco Institute: How BrownBox Prepares Packaging Leaders

Discover how the Sonoco Institute at Clemson University is bridging the gap between students and industry through its BrownBox Agency. This student-led program offers hands-on experience and real-world projects, shaping the next generation of packaging professionals.

2024/08/26

Nick Riedl

Kevin Keigley

How Package Design Affects Sales

Packaging design affects sales because—like it or not––we all do judge a book by its cover. Consciously or subconsciously, you've been swayed by packaging design as you pondered which brand of yogurt or crackers or beer or whatever product you wanted to purchase. In this episode, we talk about Package InSight, our sister company that specializes in helping brands look their best on the shelves and beyond. They use cutting edge eye-tracking tech that will blow your mind! Know of a brand that did a redesign? Tell us what you thought in the comments.

2020/05/08

Julie Rice Suggs, PhD

Nick Riedl

Alli Keigley

Innovations in Tube Packaging

Dr. Hurley and Dr. Suggs discuss the latest trends in tube packaging, covering material innovations, PCR (post-consumer recycled content), and various barrier types like EVOH. They highlight unique designs and emphasize the importance of recycling and packaging education, stressing the role of multiple stakeholders in sustainable packaging solutions.

2024/05/24

Mitch Webster

Andrew Hurley, PhD

Top AI Tools for Packaging Design

AI tools and software are being introduced into an array of industries, including the $1.1 trillion USD packaging industry. Tools including Canva, Fotor Ai, MidJourney and more enable designers, marketers, and entrepreneurs to create effective, data-driven packaging ideas and designs. AI is not a tool that should be used in isolation and we will cover a number of tools and platforms to aid professionals in the packaging industry.

2024/04/04

Mitch Webster

Alli Keigley

How Coca-Cola and Mattel are Using AI for Packaging Design

We’ve seen AI trickling into a variety of industries over the last decade; AI tools and software have infiltrated the vast packaging industry too, and we published a blog recently covering the AI tools that can help aid in packaging design. Now, we want to look at some illustrative examples of how top brands like Coca-Cola and Mattel are using generative AI to assist in their packaging design workflow.

2024/07/17

Mitch Webster

Exploring Packaging Around The World: Sweden

In June of 2023, Mitch Webster, our Marketing lead, visited Sweden for the first time as part of his Masters in Sustainability Management program. In his week and a half exploring Stockholm and Darlana County, Mitch also took some time to capture pictures of packaging that stood out to him throughout the Scandinavian nation. Dive into this piece to explore examples of unique, memorable, and sustainable packaging found in Sweden.

2024/09/11

Nick Riedl

The Beverage Can Forming Process

Discover the making of the two-piece metal can in our lecture, focusing on its structure and fast production methods like redrawing and ironing.

2023/12/29

Make Informed Design Decisions with our CPS Program

The Certificate of Packaging Science (CPS) is designed to expose you to the business, art, and science of packaging development and design. Learn how to craft packaging designs to boost sales and make a mark on consumers today!

Explore CPS