Packaging design services provide professional experience, industry knowledge, and cutting-edge technology in the design of consumer and industrial packaging containers, shipping fixtures, and packing supplies. Packaging design can be handled by in-house design departments or subcontracted to packaging design services that specialize in custom packaging. A packaging design service can also provide information about packaging regulations, machine packing systems, and shelf placement. Material selection is another important consideration. In general, package design needs to reflect both aesthetic and functional requirements. In turn, box design differs from bag design and clamshell design.

Packaging design services help businesses to design bags, boxes and other packaging products for the protection of fragile or valuable contents during the movement of products from a distribution center to consumers. Package design is also an important marketing tool that allows a business to promote the features and benefits of individual products. With laptop computers and cell phones, product packaging design makes packaging part of the product itself. For some consumers, product styling is an especially important consideration. The clamshell packaging used with flip phones protects the cell phone while not in use, but can be flipped open when the user needs to operate the device.

Regulatory Requirements

Packaging design services comply with many different regulatory requirements and quality standards. In the United States, the relevant regulatory agencies include the Environmental Protection Organization (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Packaging design services that serve European markets should comply with relevant European Union directives (EU) regarding health and safety. Products that bear the CE Mark comply with these directives. Bag design, box design, clamshell design, and custom packaging products that meet other regulatory requirements by organizations such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) are also commonly available.