Smells like new-age spirit: The shift in packaging design

Gen Z increasingly prioritises aesthetics that look good on their social media feeds; this includes designs featuring bold and experimental typography, vibrant colour palettes, and the integration of Indian cultural motifs.

On the other hand, the surge in eCommerce and quick commerce in India has fundamentally altered structural design requirements. Within this ecosystem, packaging must be durable to survive transit, yet visually striking enough to make an immediate impact upon arrival. In some cases, how a product's packaging looks can affect whether or not it makes it to the cart. These days, we often judge the book by its cover. This aesthetic appeal and focus on experience are dictating the manufacturing, design, and consumption behaviour of packaging and products.

Approaching the new-age

Disha Kolhe, design partner at Studio Modak, shares that her approach to packaging design typically begins with understanding the client's requirements and the packaging's overall purpose. In addition, to ensure the designs align with a brand's identity, the team analyses brand positioning, target audience, and market context.

The next steps include research, visual moodboarding, and generating design ideas engineered to maintain consistency with the brand's visual language while establishing shelf presence. Finally, discussions with the client ensure alignment. Once the direction is finalised, the team works on the sketches, making the process collaborative through continued and consistent discussions.

Beyond the functional and aesthetic aspects of packaging, the team integrates production scalability, sustainability, and user experience (UX). She explains that scalability bridges concept and industrial application, ensuring that the original design intent remains intact during large-scale production. This requires focusing on material selection, print processes, and structural practicality to avoid quality degradation during high-volume runs. In terms of user experience, the mechanics of opening, handling, and interacting with the packaging are engineered to be intuitive.

She remarks, "Small details in structure, material and finish can significantly enhance this interaction." She continues, "While these factors may not always be immediately visible, they significantly influence how successful and relevant the packaging is in the long run."

Sustainability consciousness

Complementing the focus on UX and scalability, sustainability is integrated into the design process through material selection, structural efficiency, and production optimisation. For instance, the team prioritises the use of kappa boxes over plastic-based alternatives. According to her, kappa boxes are more responsible and widely recyclable.

She shares, "We also focus on reducing excess, avoiding unnecessary layers or components and designing more efficient structures." Beyond the physical box, the team considers the broader logistics chain, ensuring packaging is optimised for both production and transportation to minimise waste.

Cultural significance

Kolhe shares insights into one of the most memorable packaging projects, Bengaluru-based Anand Sweets' Ganesh Utsav campaign. While the concept was rooted in a visual narrative inspired by Maharashtra's culture and traditions, the technical objective was to develop a compact and efficient packaging solution. This involved prioritising spatial optimisation, ease of assembly, and stackability, while maintaining a premium aesthetic and structural integrity. She notes, "The artwork draws from Marathi theatre culture, translating its visual and structural language into a functional packaging form."

As for the design, she explains, "We drew inspiration from regional architecture, art and craft forms, textiles, and traditional theatre, following a seamless narrative composition. These diverse elements come together to reflect the richness of Maharashtrian heritage in a cohesive and contemporary way."

The team incorporated gold foiling along the art outlines. She remarks, "This was inspired by the intricate craftsmanship seen in Paithani sarees, adding tactile and visual quality to the packaging." She describes how the project showcased that culturally driven storytelling can elevate a product's perceived value and drive consumer engagement. She asserts, "Although the brand is based in Bengaluru, where Ganesh Utsav is not traditionally a primary festival, the campaign received an overwhelmingly positive response. The packaging resonated with customers and sold out across all outlets, highlighting the impact of thoughtful, culturally contextual design in expanding market appeal."

Reflections and refractions

Kolhe reflects, "If you don't know how to approach something, whether it's art, documentation, or even logo design, starting by studying and imitating the work of masters can be very helpful." She adds, "It's about drawing inspiration and understanding their way of thinking, not copying or plagiarising." She opines that by internalising these methods, a designer eventually develops their own distinctive perspective, adding, "This approach has been very important in shaping how I continue to learn and grow as a designer."

On design intent, she argues that the focus should remain on clarity; she observes, "A strong idea, when executed thoughtfully, always stands out more than unnecessary complexity." She emphasises the importance of staying curious and ensuring the design works for both the brand and the consumer, while remaining mindful of the product's environmental impact. She remarks, "When design is thoughtful, user-centric and responsible, it becomes truly impactful and relevant in today's context."

In closing, Kolhe notes, "I consider myself a beginner in the packaging design industry, so for me, every experience is a learning opportunity."

First impressions

Lehar Bhatt, design lead at Studio Modak, shares a similar approach to packaging design. She spends time researching and understanding the brand, the audience, and the product space, believing that packaging often serves as the first interaction users have with a product, so the first impression matters significantly. A key aspect of this step is analysing the positioning of similar products in the market — she reveals that this step assists in determining which direction would best suit the brand.

She notes, "I try to understand what the audience responds to, whether they prefer something minimal, something bold, or something more detailed." She adds, "Once that's clear, the design decisions become much easier and more relevant." This results in the final output aligning with both the brand and the user.

A challenge persists, however — finding the right vendor, especially for complex packaging ideas, she shares. "It is easy to think of something interesting structurally, but finding someone who can execute it properly is not always straightforward," she reflects. The challenge then is not just the design itself, but ensuring its intended translation in the production phase.

Tints of tin

Bhatt describes the intricacies of designing a set of playing cards for Phool. The set called Samrajya — Dynasties of India featured tin box packaging and took four months of consistent work, from ideation to the final product. Bhatt explains, "The idea was to make the user feel like they are picking up a piece of history every time they interact with it."

The tin box featured printed artwork depicting a king on a war elephant, drawing his bow, with foot soldiers ready for battle, in addition to embossing. She reflects, "It was a long process, and I got to really go deep into the details."

Sustainably simple

Bhatt's approach to sustainability is straightforward. She notes, "I consider [sustainability] early in the process instead of adjusting things later."

Her simplistic yet effective philosophy includes assessing material choices first and avoiding unnecessary layers and combinations that are often difficult to recycle. This is in addition to attempting to reduce excess material wherever possible. She adds, "Another thing I like exploring is whether the packaging can be reused or kept, instead of being thrown away immediately."

Design insights

Bhatt highlights a lesson learnt while working in the industry, she reflects, "I have learnt that there is a lot to explore within our own culture, especially in a country like India." She echoes this sentiment further by observing, "I have also started paying more attention to my Garhwali roots and try to include small elements or references from that in my work wherever it fits." She believes that practising this adds a layer of personal connection to her designs.

In an era of sensory overload, she urges designers to embrace a "less is more" philosophy, arguing, "Not every idea needs to be added — sometimes removing things makes the design stronger." By workflow simplification and distilling ideas to their essence, designers can produce work that is both aesthetically stronger and more functional.

In closing, she asserts the cat must remain curious. She notes, "Keep reading, keep observing things around you, and don't limit yourself to just design-related content. Good ideas can come from anywhere — culture, everyday behaviour, even unrelated fields."

The message to the creative community is clear: intentionality is the key to relevance. By balancing minimalist aesthetics with a deep awareness of material impact, designers can ensure their work resonates in a world increasingly conscious of overconsumption.