Inspiring Cardboard Packaging Designs

Inspiring Cardboard Packaging Designs

Ready to be inspired? Pro Carton organises an annual competition for young designers. This year, cardboard designs have been submitted from students in 25 countries.

The judges shortlist has been made and the public vote for the best cardboard design concept is open until 30 September. The entries include practical and beautiful creations including a pencil case, a seed sowing tool and safe knife packaging. Which is your winning design?

Brimming with Cardboard Design Ideas?

As well as being a low-cost and widely available material, corrugated cardboard and carton board can be cut and folded into a myriad of shapes. Die-cut sections, embossing and a range of print and finish options add to the versatility. If you have ideas in mind, you can test them out and optimise your design with relative ease.

If you are a design student or university tutor who wants to get involved, the 2021 Pro Carton Young Designers Award opens for entries in October. There are four categories:

• Creative Cardboard Packaging: Eat & Drink
• Creative Cardboard Packaging: Other
• Creative Cartonboard Ideas
• Save the Planet

Your design could revolutionise how products are packaged, might reduce packaging waste or may inspire other designers. Further details can be found on the Pro Carton website.

Online Cardboard Art Exhibition

If you are taken with the idea of transforming cardboard into creative items, you will love cardboard art. As a cheap and readily available material, corrugated cardboard is being used in many creative ways.

You might not be travel to a gallery, but we invite you to attend a virtual exhibition by checking out five of our favourite cardboard artists:

• Sanjay Dhawan showcases the texture of corrugated cardboard and creates painterly images that adorn gallery walls.
• Chris Gilmore sculps life-sized cardboard vehicles with incredibly accurate detailing – you need to take a look at these.
• James Lake creates textured figurative art that is surprisingly emotive. He has recently extended his repertoire by designing and making items of cardboard furniture.
• Dylan Shields is inspired by classical myths, a familiar subject for Old Masters, now available in cardboard!
• Anastassia Elias has a website full of craft inspiration, photography and visual delights. Back in 2013, she created a portfolio of ‘Rollers’ – paper art captured inside toilet roll tubes. She may have moved onto new ideas, but we still love these miniature scenes.

Get Creative with Cardboard

These amazing creations evidence that corrugated cardboard is a robust, resilient material which can be shaped into all manner of forms.

These designers remind us that, when it comes to retail packaging, there is no need to stick to a standard-sized box. With a little imagination, you can add flair to your packaging design. With a unique touch, you can help to elevate your brand to new heights. At this time of year, you might start by adding that special touch to gift packaging.

Imaginative packaging design can serve another valuable purpose. It can encourage consumers to reuse or re-purpose those boxes into something new, reducing packaging waste. Now there’s a thought.

Aylesbury Box Company are happy to advise on your retail packaging design ideas, just give us a call on 01296 436888 or email enquiries@abcbox.co.uk.