Packaging Design Checklist: 12 Decisions to Make Before You Print
Twelve packaging decisions — from shelf context and dielines to finishes, colour proofs and production files — in the order to make them, so nothing expensive surprises you after printing.
Before packaging goes to print, you need to have decided twelve things: who it's for, where it's sold, the structure, the size range, the information hierarchy, the mandatory text, the materials, the print method, the finishes, the colour proofs, the production files and the shelf test. Skip one and you usually find out when it's expensive to fix — after thousands of units are printed. This checklist walks through each decision in the order we work through them with clients.
Strategy decisions
1. Who the packaging is really for
Define the buyer, not just the user. A gift box is chosen by the giver; a children's snack is chosen by a parent. Write one sentence describing who picks the product up and what they need to see in three seconds to put it in the basket.
2. Where it will be sold — and next to what
A supermarket shelf, a concept store, an online shop and a hotel minibar ask for different packaging. On a shelf, you compete with neighbours at a distance; online, you compete as a small thumbnail and then again at the unboxing. Collect photos of the actual shelf or marketplace page where your product will sit, and design against that context.
3. What makes the range work as a family
If you have, or will have, several products, decide now what stays fixed across the range (logo position, typography, layout grid) and what changes (colour, illustration, flavour name). This is what lets you add a new product later in days instead of starting over. Our work for Tlisse is a good example of a range built to grow.
Structure and content
4. The structure and size range
Choose the format — box, pouch, bottle, jar, tube, sleeve — and every size you'll produce. Get a physical sample or a dieline (the flat template from your manufacturer) for each size before design starts. Designing on guessed dimensions is the most common cause of rework.
5. The information hierarchy
Rank what the front of pack must communicate, from first to last. A typical order is: brand, product name, the one key benefit or variant, then supporting claims. If everything is important, nothing is — most strong packaging leads with no more than three messages on the front.
6. Mandatory and regulatory information
Ingredients, allergens, net quantity, batch and date areas, barcodes, recycling symbols, manufacturer details and translations — requirements depend on the product category and every country you sell in. Get the final, approved text from your manufacturer or regulatory adviser before layout, and reserve space for it. Late legal text is the classic reason a clean design ends up cramped.
Materials and production
7. Materials
Board, paper, glass, plastic, aluminium or a combination — each affects cost, feel, shelf life, shipping weight and how the product is recycled. Ask your supplier which materials they can run reliably, and request physical swatches. The same colour looks different on uncoated kraft paper and on white coated board.
8. Print method
Digital print suits short runs and many variants; offset suits larger runs and precise colour; flexography is common for flexible packaging and labels. The method affects how many colours you can use, how fine details can be and your minimum order quantity. Confirm it with the printer before finalising the artwork.
9. Finishes
Matte or gloss lamination, spot UV, foil, embossing and debossing add perceived value — and cost per unit. Use them with intent: one well-placed finish usually looks more premium than four competing ones. Check that finishes are available on your chosen material and print method.
Proofing and files
10. Colour proofs
Screens don't show print colour accurately. Specify brand colours in the right system for print (Pantone or CMYK values agreed with the printer) and ask for a physical proof or press check before the full run. Approve colour under neutral daylight, not office lighting.
11. Production-ready files
Artwork must match the printer's dieline exactly and include bleed, safe zones, outlined or embedded fonts, high-resolution images, separate layers for varnish or foil, and a correctly sized barcode. Ask your printer for their file specification sheet at the start, not at the end.
12. The shelf and unboxing test
Before signing off, print mock-ups at actual size and test them where they'll live: next to competitors on a real or simulated shelf, as a small thumbnail on a phone screen, and in the hands of someone opening it for the first time. If your product doesn't stand out — or the key message isn't readable at arm's length — fix it now.
A simple order of work
- Brief and strategy (decisions 1–3)
- Structure, dielines and final text (4–6)
- Design concepts and refinement
- Material, print and finish selection with the supplier (7–9)
- Proofing and production files (10–11)
- Mock-ups and shelf test (12), then print
Frequently asked questions
Should my packaging design start before or after my brand identity?
After, or at the same time. Packaging applies your identity — logo, colours, typography — to a physical product. If those don't exist yet, they should be defined first or within the same project, otherwise each product ends up setting its own rules.
Do I need a different design for e-commerce?
Usually you need the same design checked for a second context. Make sure the product name and variant are readable as a small thumbnail, and plan product photos and the unboxing experience — the inside of the box is part of the packaging when you sell online.
What do I need to give a packaging designer to start?
Your brand assets (or the brief for them), product details and approved mandatory text, the dielines or packaging samples from your manufacturer, where the product will be sold, and a few examples of packaging you like and dislike.
Planning a new product or range? See our packaging design service or tell us about your product — we reply within 24 hours.