Top design trends for 2023 that will inspire you
Throwing it Back
Exciting Typography Designs
Minimalism Stays Strong
Bringing Artwork To Life
Interactive Packaging
Interior Packaging Designs
Sustainable Packaging
Mono Material Product Packaging
Every year, we see new innovation in packaging design.
This year is no different!
While 2021 and 2o22 saw an emergence of minimalist product packaging designs, 2023 will further build on this concept through a variety of design considerations.
Typically when you think of high-value luxury packaging, the first thing that comes to mind is a rigid gift box. This article is not limited to that one type of box.
By utilizing these packaging design trends, you can create a premium experience whether you are producing a folding carton or corrugated box for your e-commerce business.
Remember, these are suggestions.
Be creative and take risks with your designs. It may be the impetus for success your company has been looking for!
Throwing it Back
Bringing The 60’s Back
Have the 60’s ever really gone out of style?
Some design trends are simply timeless.
1960’s psychedelic designs have made a huge comeback over the last few months of 2022, so expect to see many more designs inspired by this time period in 2023!
Source: PakFactory
1960’s designs remind us of a more care-free and fun loving time, which is just what consumers are looking for.
With symbols of peace and vibrant colors, brands have the opportunity to shed new light on their products and address current social issues in a high spirited way.
Wavy typefaces, funky designs and pops of color are being used to enhance contemporary products such as clean beauty and vegan foods, making this design trend incredibly versatile across many different industries!
Carrying on the Y2K Trend
Although most of us remember the 2000s quite vividly, the Y2K aesthetic has once again weaved its way into pop culture, and the same goes for packaging design in 2023.
The 2000s were obsessed with the future and technology and this was heavily reflected across nearly every industry during this time.
So, it’s no surprise that the Y2K aesthetic has made an emergence in the 2020s, where once again the focus on innovation and the future of technological advancement is prominent.
Source: PRINT
We are now slowly turning our attention to more nostalgic designs that remind us of care-free and easier times.
With the use of metallic and holographic finishes paired with kitschy artwork designs, brands are capturing the controversial (and often laughable) essence of Y2K and sparking lots of nostalgia in all of our 90’s babies.
Repopularizing the 1920s
Playing further into the trends of nostalgia, the 1920s make a huge emergence with Betty Boop and Popeye inspired characters (rubber hose characters).
Rubber hose characters gained popularity in the USA during the 1920s thanks to the emergence of Walt Disney and have since evolved into more modern characters and illustrations that are gaining popularity in 2023.
With the character’s playful and mischievous smiles and elevated artwork designs, rubber hose characters once again bring a sense of lightheartedness during a time that feels quite heavy.
Source: The Dieline
This trend extends beyond packaging into fashion and apparel with many designs featuring Mickey Mouse and other original disney characters!
Exciting Typography Designs
Typography can define a design on its own, and this concept is not something to be looked over in 2023!
Text centric packaging designs have been an emerging trend over the last few years, but it’s safe to say it has made its way into the mainstream for 2023.
With the majority of shopping being done online nowadays, consumer behaviour has shifted to much more fast paced decision making.
Source: PakFactory
Initially popularized by brands like no name, text is used to communicate the product’s intent without decorating it with unnecessary elements.
This meets consumer fast paced demands in quite a simple and effective way.
Rather than focusing on eccentric artwork, brands are utilizing contrasting colors to bring text to the forefront of their designs.
Typography is a delicate and refreshing way to reinvent packaging on oversaturated shelves featuring abstract and complex designs.
Minimalism Stays Strong
Further playing into simplicity, minimalism has been a key trend for custom packaging design.
Let’s face it, minimalism is classy and timeless.
Source: PakFactory
Muted and monochromatic color schemes continue to dominate in 2023.
It adds a sense of luxury and peace to your branding while offering customers a high end unboxing experience.
Minimalist typefaces paired with matte finishes emulate a timeless feel, which consumers enjoy time and time again across any and all industries.
Flexible Packaging Design
Flexible custom packaging design is expected to be a key trend in the packaging industry for 2023.
This type of custom packaging design offers several benefits over traditional rigid packaging, including improved sustainability, product protection, and convenience for consumers.
One of the primary advantages of flexible packaging is its reduced waste.
Flexible packaging typically uses less material than rigid packaging, resulting in fewer resources required for production and transportation.
Flexible packaging is also often a more easily recyclable packaging type, and can be made from renewable materials such as paper or bioplastics.
This makes flexible packaging design an attractive option for brands looking to improve their sustainability practices.
Flexible packaging is also known for its superior product protection, which is especially important for food and beverage products.
Flexible packaging can help to extend product shelf life, reduce spoilage, and prevent contamination.
Additionally, it can be designed to offer a wide range of features, such as reclosable seals, tear notches, and easy-open options, which can increase convenience and improve the overall user experience.
Moreover, flexible packaging can be more efficient in terms of logistics and transportation.
The lightweight and compact nature of flexible packaging reduces the overall weight and volume of shipments, which can result in lower transportation costs and reduced carbon emissions.
Overall, flexible packaging design is a trend that offers many benefits for brands and consumers alike.
By reducing waste, improving product protection, and increasing convenience, flexible product packaging can improve sustainability practices while also improving the user experience.
As such, it is expected that this trend will continue to gain popularity in 2023 and beyond as brands increasingly seek to prioritize sustainability and enhance their packaging designs.
Bringing Artwork To Life
3D illustrations adding depth to designs is an innovative trend we can expect to see more of this year.
This innovative trend brings your packaging design to life and adds extra shelf appeal.
It’s definitely eye catching and will easily turn consumer’s heads when passing by. All in all, 3D designs may only be effective for certain industries.
Source: Packaging of the World
Drinks and beverage product packaging has been the most dominant industry to encounter packaging design trends in the past, with many wineries using 3D illustrations on their bottle labels.
However, the need to differentiate on shelf as well as online now a days will likely push packaging design trends across the food, beauty and apparel industries.
Interactive Packaging
Interactive packaging is a trend that leverages technology to offer consumers a more immersive and engaging experience through packaging design.
With the help of features such as augmented reality or QR codes, interactive packaging allows brands to communicate with their audience in a more interactive and dynamic way.
By scanning a QR code or using an app to access augmented reality content, consumers can unlock additional information about the product or brand.
This type of engagement can help to create a stronger emotional connection between the consumer and the brand by providing a unique and memorable experience.
Moreover, interactive packaging also enables brands to collect valuable data on consumer behavior and preferences.
With the help of tracking tools, brands can learn more about how consumers are interacting with their products, which features they are most interested in, and how they are responding to marketing messages.
This data can be used to improve packaging design and marketing strategies, resulting in more effective campaigns and better product development.
Overall, interactive product packaging is an innovative way for brands to stand out in a crowded marketplace and connect with consumers in a meaningful way.
By offering interactive experiences and collecting valuable data, brands can strengthen their relationship with customers and increase the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.
As a result, interactive packaging is expected to become more prevalent in 2023 as more brands seek to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Interior Packaging Designs
With product packaging, it’s really what’s inside that counts.
Designs in 2023 will likely embrace this concept in a more literal way and feature the bulk of their artwork designs on the interior of their product packaging.
This is especially true for the e-commerce industry.
While it is true that we’re seeing more exterior printing on mailer boxes and regular slotted boxes, this is not a maintainable expense for many businesses as artwork designs are often compromised in transit.
Beautifully crafted interiors provide customers with a sense of anticipation during the unboxing experience, adding to the impact of your branding.
Source: PakFactory
Shopping for many, has meant picking up that boring brown box from your shared mailroom or front porch.
With interior artwork designs, businesses offer an element of surprise which becomes sharable content for their brand.
Unboxing videos have gained a lot of attention over the years and continues to boom on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Brands will take more advantage of their unboxing experience to create sharable and unique packaging designs featuring interior printing.
Sustainable Packaging
Sustainability and eco-friendly shopping has been a major focal point for a while now, but this concept will get taken to the next level in 2023.
The use of raw materials has made an appearance in 2023, but we can expect this to be more dominant as product packaging design trends in 2023.
Textured materials lets consumers know more about what materials are being used and how they are being sourced.
With the great shift of consumer behavior to eco-friendly products, brands are working hard to meet sustainable packaging demands in their industry niche.
It’s becoming pretty clear that sustainable packaging is a must in almost every industry, and what better way to showcase your initiative by offering customers an eco-friendly feel right from the beginning.
Coatings and laminations were used in the past on otherwise eco-friendly packaging materials. However, this compromised the recyclability/compostability of far too many packaging solutions.
Consumers are becoming more educated on the subject of eco-friendly materials, and the issue of coatings and laminations quickly gained traction forcing many businesses to re-evaluate their sustainable packaging.
With raw materials, coatings are not required, in fact, it is encouraged not to use coatings or laminations at all in order to preserve the natural textures of sustainable kraft packaging solutions!
Source: PakFactory
Mono Material Product Packaging
Mono materials have become increasingly popular in recent years as more consumers and brands prioritize sustainability.
These packaging design trends are expected to continue to gain momentum in 2023 as brands continue to look for ways to reduce their environmental footprint.
Mono materials are often made from a single type of material, such as paper or plastic packaging, that can be easily recycled or disposed of.
This approach to packaging design offers several benefits over traditional multi-material packaging, including reduced waste and increased recycling rates.
In addition to being more environmentally friendly, mono materials can also offer a simpler and more cost-effective solution for packaging design.
By using a single material, brands can streamline their production processes, reduce their product packaging costs, and simplify their supply chain.
This can result in more efficient and sustainable packaging operations, which can be beneficial for both the brand and the environment.
Overall, mono materials are a trend to watch in 2023 as brands continue to prioritize sustainability and look for ways to reduce their impact on the environment.
By adopting mono material product packaging designs, brands can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability while also reaping the benefits of simpler and more cost-effective packaging solutions.
While 2023 continues to bring uncertainty, we can look forward to some fun loving and entertaining packaging designs across a wide range of industries.
With nostalgic caricatures, bursts of colors and strong influences by easier and more fun time period, designs will progress into exciting and innovative packaging solutions for maximal shelf impact and minimal environmental impact.
Looking for the perfect packaging solution to hold your products this year? We’ve got your back!
Browse our website and request a quote today to make an impact in 2023!
