Packaging and Merchandising Design - Project 1

Packaging and Merchandising Design

21.04.2025 - 00.07.2025 (Week 1 - Week 14)

Aidi Rafiq | 0353422 | Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media 

PACKAGING AND MERCHANDISING DESIGN

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INSTRUCTIONS

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Instructions for project 1

Non-Boxed Items:
The objective of this assignment is to develop your skills in creating custom packaging solutions for items that do not come in traditional box packaging. By the end of this assignment, you should be able to demonstrate your ability to design functional, creative, and visually appealing boxes that enhance the packaging and presentation of non-boxed items.

Task Description:
Item Selection: Choose two non-boxed items from your daily surroundings. The size of the item is between 15cm to 20cm. These items should not come in traditional box packaging but should be relatively small in size (e.g., a mug, a book, a pair of sunglasses, a candle, etc.).

Justification: Provide a brief justification for your selection of these items, explaining why custom box packaging would enhance their presentation and functionality.

Box Design

Box Structure: Create detailed diagrams or sketches of the box structure for each item, including dimensions, flap designs, and closure mechanisms. Ensure that the proposed box is functional and secure.

Prototype:
Create physical prototypes of the custom boxes for both selected items. You can use cardboard or other suitable materials to bring your designs to life.

Chosen Items

fig 1.0 glasses and vitamin bottle

For project 1, we have to choose a non-box items so that we can create our packaging. Each items should be between 15cm to 20cm. I chose glasses and a vitamin bottle because it didn't come with a box when I purchased it. On the other hands, I want to make it unique and attractive.

Vitamin Bottle

fig 2.0 Bottle packaging inspiration

fig 2.1 Bottle packaging inspiration

fig 2.2 box design for a vitamins

I chose this design because it’s simple to construct yet visually appealing once completed. While cardboard may not seem like the most premium material, the unique structure of the box adds enough character to capture attention. Its design creates a sense of curiosity and appeal, especially when the box is opened, making it more engaging for customers.

Glasses

fig 3.0 glasses packaging inspiration

fig 3.1 glasses packaging inspiration

fig 3.2 box design for a glasses

The reason I chose this design inspiration is because of its unique structure, the way it’s cut makes it stand out, yet it remains simple and impactful. I believe that if I used a rigid box for the final design, it would give a more premium and polished look compared to regular cardboard. However, rigid boxes are much more expensive and challenging to cut, which makes them less practical for this project.

Measurements

fig 4.0 Dieline of glasses

fig 4.1 Dieline of vitamin bottle

Laser Cutting Process

fig 5.0 vitamin bottle prototype

fig 5.1 vitamin bottle prototype

fig 5.2 vitamin bottle prototype

After several rounds of laser cutting, I encountered many issues with the measurements. It was particularly challenging to get the angles and height of the triangular pieces just right in order to form a perfect square when all the parts were assembled. The small misalignments affected the overall structure, making it difficult to achieve a clean and precise final outcome.

Mr. Shamsul advised me to change my packaging box design because the original idea was too complex and time-consuming to complete within the given timeframe. After considering his feedback, I decided to switch back to my previous concept. While this idea is easier to design and execute visually, it does come with its own challenge — sourcing the right materials. Despite that, I believe this direction is more manageable overall and allows me to focus on refining the final design effectively.

fig 5.3 vitamin bottle inspiration

fig 5.4 vitamin bottle sketch

2nd Attempt - Laser Cutting Process

fig 6.0 Final Glasses box (far right)

fig 6.1 Final Bottle box

fig 6.2 Final Bottle box

fig 6.3  Final Glasses box

Overall, the experience of laser cutting and physically assembling the box was both new and challenging. It would have been much better if I had gotten the measurements right from the start, but I didn’t fully account for the thickness of the material I was using. This misunderstanding led to inaccurate dimensions and required multiple laser cutting attempts to fix the errors.

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REFLECTION

Experience

The entire experience was quite challenging, especially since it was my first time creating a packaging box. One of the biggest difficulties was understanding how measurements need to account for material thickness. I made several trips to the laser cutting room, which shows how many attempts were needed, despite the design appearing simple at first. The most difficult part was my first vitamin bottle box, where I struggled with getting the angles of the triangular pieces right so that all four could form a perfect square. Despite the challenges, it was a valuable and completely new experience for me.

Observation

I observed that hands-on work like laser cutting requires more than just a good design, it also needs accurate planning, especially when it comes to measurements and material behavior. I also realized that what seems simple on screen can be much more complex to build physically. Repeated attempts taught me to be more detail-oriented and patient throughout the making process.

Findings

I found that precision in measurement is crucial, especially when working with material thickness and angles. Even simple designs can become complicated without a proper understanding of structure and geometry. Through multiple trials and errors, I learned how important it is to test and adjust designs before finalizing them. This experience helped me develop a better understanding of laser cutting and how small miscalculations can affect the final outcome.