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3 Must-Know Brand Strategy Frameworks for Wearable Tech

A Guide to Building a Strong, Differentiated Wearable Tech Brand

In the fast-evolving world of wearable technology, having a great product isn’t enough—you need a strong brand strategy to stand out. Whether you’re designing smart textiles, medical wearables, or consumer tech that seamlessly integrates into daily life, your brand is what builds trust, loyalty, and excitement around your innovation. At Interwoven Design, we’ve seen firsthand how the right brand strategy can transform a wearable tech product from a niche idea into a market leader. In this Insight article, we’ll walk you through 3 useful brand strategy frameworks that will help shape a compelling, differentiated brand—one that connects with users, communicates value, and carves out a unique space in this competitive industry. Let’s dive in!

Understanding Brand Strategy for Wearable Tech

Brand strategy is more than just a logo or a catchy tagline—it’s the foundation of how your wearable tech product is perceived, who it resonates with, and why customers choose it over the competition. Unlike other industries, wearable technology sits at the crossroads of fashion, health, and innovation, meaning that a strong brand must balance aesthetics, functionality, and emotional connection.

A great wearable product seamlessly integrates into people’s lives, but a great wearable brand does something more—it builds trust, creates desire, and tells a story that makes people feel like they need it. Whether it’s a fitness tracker, a medical device, or a next-gen smart fabric, how you position your brand can determine whether customers embrace it or overlook it.

In the sections ahead, we’ll break down some of the most powerful brand strategy frameworks that will help you define your brand’s purpose, differentiate it in the market, and create lasting connections with your audience. We like to have a toolkit of options, as we don’t use every framework for every project, we custom build the design process for each challenge. Let’s start with positioning—because knowing where you stand in the market is the first step to making an impact.

Positioning Your Wearable Tech Brand

Before a customer even experiences your product, they experience your brand. Brand positioning is about defining what makes your wearable tech unique and why it matters to your target audience. In a crowded market, positioning helps you stand out—not just as another smart device, but as a brand with a clear purpose and value proposition.

To craft strong positioning, ask yourself:

Who is your ideal customer? Are you designing for athletes, healthcare professionals, everyday consumers, or fashion-forward early adopters?
What problem does your wearable tech solve? Is it enhancing performance, improving health outcomes, or providing a seamless user experience?
How does your brand’s personality and messaging reflect this? Should your tone be clinical and data-driven, sleek and futuristic, or approachable and lifestyle-oriented?

Key Brand Strategy Frameworks for Wearable Tech

Building a strong, recognizable brand in the wearable technology space requires more than just great design and cutting-edge innovation—it demands a strategic foundation that connects with users on a deeper level. To create a brand that resonates, companies must define their purpose, craft a compelling identity, and establish a clear and consistent message. In this section, we’ll explore three essential brand strategy frameworks—Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle, The Archetype Framework, and The Brand Identity Prism—that can help wearable tech brands differentiate themselves, foster loyalty, and create a lasting impact.

1. The Golden Circle

Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle

At the heart of every great brand is a compelling “why.” Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle framework —starting with why, then how, and finally what—popularized by his book Start with Why helps brands connect with customers on a deeper, purpose-driven level. Wearable tech brands that communicate a strong purpose inspire loyalty beyond just product features. For example, WHOOP’s why isn’t just to track biometrics—it’s to empower users with data-driven insights to perform at their best. In contrast, brands that focus solely on what they do, like offering another fitness tracker with heart rate monitoring, often struggle to stand out. By leading with purpose, wearable brands create an emotional connection that turns users into advocates.

2. The Archetype Framework

Brand archetypes, rooted in Carl Jung’s psychological theory, help brands develop strong personalities that resonate with their audiences. When wearable tech brands embrace a clear archetype, their storytelling becomes more cohesive and engaging. For example, Apple’s wearable tech aligns with The Innovator—pushing boundaries and redefining personal technology. Meanwhile, a brand like Fitbit embodies The Caregiver, prioritizing health, well-being, and accessibility. For adventure-driven audiences, Garmin wearables embrace The Explorer, appealing to those who seek rugged, off-the-grid experiences. By choosing the right archetype, wearable brands craft a more humanized identity, making it easier for customers to relate to and trust their products.

3. The Brand Identity Prism

Jean-Noël Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism

Jean-Noël Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism provides a structured way to build a strong and consistent brand identity. The framework breaks branding into six key elements: Physique (the tangible product and design), Personality (the brand’s character and tone), Culture (values and beliefs), Relationship (how the brand interacts with users), Reflection (how customers see themselves using the product), and Self-image (the aspirational identity it creates for users). Applied to wearable tech, this framework ensures a holistic brand strategy. Take Oura Ring, for example—its physique is sleek and discreet, its personality is refined and data-driven, its culture emphasizes wellness, and its relationship with users is built on trust in its health insights. By aligning all six elements, brands create a distinctive and cohesive presence in the market, reinforcing long-term loyalty.

Case Studies: Standout Positioning in Wearable Tech

1. WHOOP

Health & Performance Optimization

WHOOP has positioned itself as the go-to wearable for serious athletes and health enthusiasts. Unlike mainstream fitness trackers, WHOOP doesn’t have a screen—it’s all about data-driven insights, personalized recovery coaching, and subscription-based access to health analytics. The brand’s positioning is clear: If you’re serious about performance, WHOOP is for you.

2. Oura Ring

Discreet & Stylish Health Tracking

The Oura Ring takes a different approach, offering an ultra-sleek, screen-free wearable that blends seamlessly into everyday life. By focusing on wellness, sleep tracking, and an elegant, jewelry-like design, Oura appeals to a lifestyle-conscious audience that values aesthetics as much as technology.

3. L’Oréal’s My Skin Track UV

Beauty & Health Awareness

L’Oréal entered the wearable space with a completely different angle—combining skincare with technology. Their My Skin Track UV sensor helps users monitor sun exposure, reinforcing their brand’s commitment to skin health and beauty. This kind of niche positioning allows them to stand out in a tech space dominated by fitness and medical brands.

The key takeaway? Positioning isn’t just about features—it’s about aligning your product with the right audience, telling a compelling story, and ensuring your wearable tech solves a clear, meaningful problem.

Aim for Early Integration

A strong brand strategy shouldn’t be an afterthought—it needs to be embedded into every stage of product development. In wearable technology, where user trust and engagement are critical, aligning brand identity with product design ensures consistency and a seamless customer experience. From the materials chosen to the user interface, every touchpoint should reinforce the brand’s core values. For instance, a company focused on sustainability should integrate eco-friendly materials and transparent sourcing into their wearable products, not just market sustainability as a selling point. Similarly, a brand positioning itself as a leader in precision health should prioritize data accuracy and intuitive user experiences. By integrating brand strategy from the start, wearable tech companies create products that feel authentic, purposeful, and deeply connected to their audience’s needs.

Create Experiences that Resonate

Effective brand strategy is the foundation of a strong, enduring wearable technology brand. Whether leveraging The Golden Circle to define purpose, choosing an archetype to build a relatable personality, or using the Brand Identity Prism to shape perception, these frameworks ensure a cohesive and compelling brand presence. The most successful wearable brands don’t just develop products—they craft experiences that resonate. At Interwoven Design, we specialize in bringing brand strategy and product development together, helping wearable tech companies create meaningful, high-impact innovations. Whether you’re launching a new device or refining an existing brand, our team is here to guide you through every step of the process. Looking to create something extraordinary? Reach out to us to discuss how we can help shape your brand and product vision.

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Redefining Design Education: Bridging Tradition and Transition

This article, co-written by Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman, Elham Morshedzadeh, Ph.D., and Annie Abell, was published in the Winter 2024 Issue of IDSA’s INNOVATION Magazine.

Design education today stands at the crossroads of tradition and transformation, demanding that we prepare young designers with both timeless skills and cutting-edge tools to address society’s most wicked problems. Traditional competencies- design research, drawing, 3D form exploration, materials expertise, and problem solving — provide an essential foundation, yet they remain insufficient if students are not also trained to critically assess which challenges merit their attention. It is not enough for aspiring designers to master techniques; they must also cultivate the curiosity, resilience, and analytical acuity necessary to navigate a rapidly changing landscape.

In an ideal setting, education serves as the launchpad for industrial design innovation, nurturing visionary thinkers who blend art with engineering to craft transformative solutions. However, equipping students with this comprehensive skill set is a persistent challenge, especially when many academic institutions struggle to adapt their curricula to the fast pace of industry change.

Bridging the gap between theory and practice is an opportunity layered with complexities. As an active member of both IDSA and academia, I witness firsthand the struggle to define exactly what our future leaders need to learn.

IDSA champions educational approaches that break tree of traditional disciplinary silos, advocating for rigorous, interdisciplinary models that merge conceptual insights with tangible, real-world applications. Yet the hard question remains: How, exactly, do we implement this vision in educational practice?

To do so, we must reexamine and modernize our current educational models, ensuring that they integrate diverse fields and instill a spirit of innovation rooted in practical experience.

This modern imperative requires rethinking our approach to instruction and embracing a model that values both technical proficiency and the soft skills of critical thinking. Beyond merely teaching students how to execute design methods, we must guide them to question underlying assumptions, evaluate potential impacts, and decide which challenges are worth pursuing. Lifelong curiosity and resilience are as crucial to their development as technical expertise. Though this strategic direction presents significant challenges, it lays the groundwork for nurturing designers capable of tackling them. In an era where technology and market needs are in constant flux, evolving our design education is not just beneficial—it is essential for cultivating leaders skilled in both analysis and creative expression.

IDSA continues to advocate for curricula that move beyond conventional boundaries, promoting interdisciplinary approaches that merge conceptual insights with real-world applications. This vision requires educators to collaborate with industry professionals and integrate cross-disciplinary knowledge, drawing from fields such as sociology, environmental science, and computer science. For example, some pioneering programs now embed project-based learning, giving students firsthand experience in problem-solving, ethical design, and innovation management.

Today, boundaries between disciplines are increasingly blurred. Creativity, technology, and cultural understanding converge to create fertile ground for innovation-a phenomenon some have termed “expanding horizons.” Furthermore, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence Al are reshaping the design process itself. Al is not merely a tool; it is revolutionizing the way we think about customization, efficiency, and user-centric design. By integrating Al and other innovative technologies, educational models can empower future designers to harness data, optimize processes, and even predict trends- pushing the boundaries of what is possible within our field.

Reflecting on this evolution, Elham Morshedzadeh, PhD, IDSA, Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Houston, says, “I believe industrial design has had a decent history in creative and adaptive teaching methods over decades of its existence. What began as hands-on practice within four-walled studios has expanded into immersive learning experiences that take students to streets, homes, hospitals, and even the depths of human thought and emotion.”

For Morshedzadeh, this journey highlights design education’s capacity as a catalyst for innovation, empathy, and societal impact. She emphasizes that design education is fundamentally about training designers to “understand, adopt, [and] evolve to create the most fit solutions.” Moreover, she argues that, with an emphasis on adaptability and observation-based solutions, design educators must structure projects and curricula to allow students to integrate new tools and technologies as project needs and industry advancements emerge.

Adding another dimension to this discussion, Annie Abell, IDSA, Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Ohio State University, offers a parallel perspective from engineering education. She explains: “I am part of a team conducting a years-long project to modernize and completely redevelop the undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum at Ohio State. A major hurdle is the speed of a comprehensive curriculum redevelopment project compared to the speed at which technology and industry is changing. For example, if it takes us four years… to develop and implement a new curriculum, what has changed in those four years? We will likely already be behind the times.”

Abell’s insights underscore the inherent tension between the deliberate pace of academic bureaucracy and the rapid evolution of the commercial world. She stresses that the solution is to create curricula that are “agnostic to specific software, specific tools, or specific technologies” and focused instead on adaptable skills and a mindset of active learning and problem solving.

Ultimately, as we reimagine design education, it is essential to create learning environments that foster collaboration, adaptability, and forward-thinking strategies. By embracing an interdisciplinary framework that values robust technical training alongside the nurturing of critical soft skills, we can prepare designers-and engineers -to lead, innovate, and drive meaningful change in a complex, ever-evolving world. The bridge between academia and industry grows stronger when educators are not isolated in their ivory towers but remain actively engaged in the professional realm. Many academic programs already benefit from part-time professors who work full-time in industry; these educators bring first-hand experience and up-to-date insights that help schools stay in tune with the rapidly changing demands of the market.

When academics actively participate in industry projects, research collaborations, and professional networks, they not only enrich their own teaching but also inspire their students to embrace real-world challenges. This symbiotic relationship ensures that classroom theories are constantly informed by the latest trends, technologies, and practices from the field. It transforms the educational journey into one that is dynamic, relevant, and immediately applicable-a crucial factor in an era where change is the only constant.

As we build and reinforce this bridge, it becomes clear that the future of design education relies on a model in which industry and academia work side by side, each challenging and informing the other. In doing so, we create a feedback loop that continually updates curricula to reflect emerging trends, nurtures innovation, and ensures that graduates are equipped with both the timeless wisdom of foundational skills and the agility to adapt to new technologies and market realities.

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A Q&A with Brand Strategy Expert Hannah June Lueptow

Spotlight articles shine a light on designers we admire, asking leaders in the field about their work and their design journey. In this interview, we spoke with brand strategist Hannah June Lueptow. As Head of Research & Strategy at Manyone NYC, Lueptow navigates the intersection of emerging technologies and consumer applications across global markets. Her work reflects a keen ability to translate complex research and insights into meaningful brand strategies.

Photo courtesy of Hannah June Lueptow.

A graduate of Pratt Institute, Lueptow’s design approach blends a deep knowledge of cultural behavior with strategic thinking. Her career has taken her across seven countries, conducting projects for clients such as Magic Leap, LG, Ford Motors, and Panasonic. At the same time, she channels her creative energy into Hannah June Design, her Brooklyn-based ceramic studio. Her contributions to the design industry have earned her a Red Dot Award, an iF Design Award, and recognition as a Core77 Design Award finalist, jury member, and an IDSA Design Award finalist. We asked Hannah about standing out in a competitive market, failing fast, and how we can all think more like brand strategists.

Q:

Can you give us a simple definition of brand strategy?

A:

Brand strategy is the heart and soul of what a brand is. It is truly the foundation of how you interact with the world. And I want to say the world—not just your customers or your end user—because it is about your core values. It is how you engage with your own team, with your creative process. It’s about your approach to business and the world, and the change that you want to make in the world. That means it’s all the more critical that you define what that strategy is, so that everyone can know about who you are, what you represent, and what you can offer, and people can either buy in or opt out of that. It’s about who you, as a brand, are in the most authentic sense.

Q:

What are some common misconceptions about brand strategy that you’ve encountered?

A:

Sometimes people think that brand strategy is just what something looks like; what the font you use, the color palette, and that sort of thing. But that is the least of what I do. I’m an industrial designer by trade, and now I’m on the design, research, and strategy side of things. When we talk about brand strategy, it’s about that initial positioning in the market. It’s not just, What’s our roadmap? How are we making money? It’s a lot more emotionally driven than that, more like, Why are we doing what we’re doing? What is the meaning behind that? How can we make sure that that is felt at every touch point in our process, from discovery to purchase to last use to disposal? What is that full cycle? Where are the opportunities to reach people in meaningful ways? That to me is the strategy. It can be a mindset. It can be a product. It can be messaging.

When we think about brand strategy in 2025 and beyond, it is omni-channel. It is an ecosystem. It can no longer be only product-centric. We are in a product world, so it needs to be about this bigger vibe.

Q:

Your philosophy emphasizes failing quickly and iterating efficiently. How do you do this?

A:

I think it changes almost every day. I feel like a broken record saying this, but AI has really helped me fail faster and more efficiently. What we learn in design school is, Make your pretty perfect thing, and make sure it’s absolutely perfect before you put it in front of anybody or put it on the market. I think that’s a really dangerous approach. As a researcher, all I want is to put dirty, messy things in the market so that people can react to them, and then you get customer feedback. At the end of the day, you’re always building for that customer. If you put something too polished in front of them, they’re not going to be honest with you about it. At that point, you’ve gone really far down a single path on a single bet.

A lot of strategy is doing your due diligence and understanding the market, testing a lot of different things. You take the scientific approach of having a hypothesis, putting it in the market quickly, getting those reactions, and then adapting the outcome. You want a customer-driven solution that continues to change, because customers change. Our world moves so fast. What you liked last week is different from what you like today. I don’t think people are loyal to brands anymore. I don’t think people should be loyal to brands anymore. What have brands given us? I want, as a consumer, to be able to explore and have fun and push brands to continue innovating. Fail fast, fail often, push things into the market, iterate quickly—that’s how you stay competitive, that’s how you stay innovative, and that’s how you stay exciting and have fun as a brand as well. That’s where those magic bits really happen.

There are a lot of examples of companies that have gotten far too comfortable, thinking that they have dominated a market and that their customers will be loyal to them—Xerox is one—and they become these giants that can’t shift efficiently or quickly enough. They get lazy, they get complicit, and then a startup swoops in and takes their market share, because what consumers want is something that benefits them. So you just can’t get too comfortable. You always need to remember that the customer is your client.

Q:

You worked with Interwoven Design on the Evan Adaptive brand strategy and identity, tell me about that experience.

A:

I came in at the very beginning, and that’s my favorite moment of working with startups; when they have this great idea but they don’t really know how to position it or message it yet. Very early on we started with these three questions: What does the world need? What can I offer? Why does it matter? Just those three questions kicked off an amazing workshop session.

Interwoven Design worked with Hannah June Lueptow on an adaptive lingerie line for Even Adaptive.

We conducted that workshop with Even Adaptive to start aligning on their vision and their values, and to make sure that those became a foundation for the very exciting stage of visualizing and then designing these products and services. What my role really was—sometimes I joke that I host a lot of therapy sessions with entrepreneurs—was to get them in the room and ask those hard questions. You make them make choices. It’s really easy to say, We’re going to be the Uber of fill-in-the-blank. That’s okay, but what does that really mean? Why is Uber different from their competitors? Once they start thinking about their own brand in that context, it facilitates really interesting discussions. A tool I love to use is looking across different spectrums. So, Are we playful or are we serious? Where do we fall on that? It’s not to say we can’t be both, but we need to create that initial alignment on where we’re going because we do need to have a cohesive brand and consistent messaging. I think that was my core role; helping to be that therapist and understand what our message needed to be. Then I was able to come in and start talking about different visual and verbal positionings that we could take.

Q:

What were the key elements that IW developed for the client?

A:

Rebeccah’s team were the experts at prototyping and soft goods, and I would say I did pretty much everything other than that. I ensured that we were creating a brand that could carry the beautiful products that were being designed by the industrial designers on the team. We started with a lot of mood boards to identify the visual direction. Those informed the font and the type face, which informed the logo and the logotype. We played with the different logos and logotypes to create an emblem for them. That also led to color palettes, hang tag designs, and visual and verbal universes; How do we talk? What type of adjectives and language do we use? What is our form of communication? That was paired with the visual, What is our visual communication? What does our Instagram look like? Are we serious? Are we clean? All of that was packaged into a single brand book that was handed off to Even Adaptive to be able to then move into a photo shoot. Rebeccah and the team facilitated that photo shoot and it looked absolutely amazing. The book also helped to build the website and start implementing the visual assets that I helped define.

Q:

What are some of the elements that were used to position the brand to emphasize adaptability and inclusivity?

A:

It started with those questions I mentioned before, determining how we wanted to frame the story. Everyone should be inclusive, in my mind. That is not always the case, but I think that, in our ideal world, that’s a given now. I really wanted to push that messaging. Is it magical that we’re adaptive or is it empowering that we’re adaptive? You can already start to see how different tensions and imagery comes to mind depending on what you choose. It’s not to say that both of those can’t be extremely inclusive and adaptive creative paths, but it starts to transform the way you think about it.

I came up with a lot of different adjectives that allowed us to share this idea of adaptability and inclusiveness and empowerment but frame them in slightly different perspectives. Then we went into a work session with the team where we had some examples of copy and imagery that would tie very nicely into that interpretation of adaptability, and they shared their favorite elements. I think it’s typical for clients to respond to a mix of the options. They like this about this and that about that, and you gradually funnel down into the final creative territory.

Q:

How do you see adaptability and inclusivity shaping the product design market?

A:

We live in such a chaotic world. Right now what I’m seeing a lot in the inclusivity space is being very sensitive to over stimulation. I think that is very hot and needed in the market, How can we be inclusive within our environments? How do we create spaces that are inclusive? I’m seeing more energy go into that rather than into physical products, especially for the elderly population. There’s a lot of disposable income in those markets, and it’s also completely underserved.

I was joking with a co-worker this morning, saying that the silver lining I see with Ozempic is that at least people are paying attention to women over 50 now, and showing that people are living extremely successful, fulfilled, amazing, active lifestyles. We tend to forget about that. As innovators, I think we are conditioned to look at the generation below us. What’s Gen Alpha doing? But if we’re thinking about inclusive design, we shouldn’t only be looking at the younger generation. Actually, it’s much more exciting and challenging to look at, Who’s older than we are? What has been done already? There’s a lot more opportunity in underserved markets, and that’s where I get really excited.

Q:

With so many products on the market, how can a brand stand out?

A:

I think the answer is to be a little messy right now. Intentionally be messy. I think there are two factors.

One is that I believe the millennial brand is dying. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but I think that came about with the rise of Instagram; the trend of hyper curation and everything looking perfectly in place. It was a very aspirational lifestyle. I know I just said don’t only focus on the younger generation and here I am talking about what the younger generation is doing but, if you look at how Gen Z approaches social media and their life, it’s messy. I think that is the type of authenticity that people are craving right now. That’s one facet of it.

The other facet is AI everything. We’re seeing such trash AI art and whatnot on the internet. And I already said that I love AI. I use it every day. It’s an amazing tool, but it is a tool. It is not the end outcome. There’s so much AI infiltrating our digital spaces, and I think there’s fatigue coming from that. Where I see these converging is a need for messy, authentic humanness. What does it mean to be human and not the polished, perfect, AI version of a brand? I think we’re craving that messiness. The more that brands can not try and follow trends, not try and hop on an algorithm, and just own the niche and the space that they’re in, people will find them. That’s the beauty of the era of the internet that we’re living in right now; the people who identify with you will find you, but you have to deeply know who you are and own that and articulate it well. And that’s why you need good brand strategists.

I think people are exhausted, honestly. We’re seeing a lot of no-buy 2025 trends. People are sick of constantly being fed stuff that they’re being told they need in order to keep up with the expectations of society. Brands that adapt to that and accept the not-perfectness of the world that we live in, that’s what feels real. That’s what I think people want. People want real.

Q:

As someone who has been both a jury member and a finalist for design awards, what do you think sets award-winning design strategy apart from the rest?

A:

The bar is really low. I participate in a lot of design awards and juries, and I tell applicants to show process, show thinking. Anyone, especially in this age of AI, can make a pretty product. That is the baseline at this point. I want to know why it looks like that, what decisions you made along the way, and what impacted those decisions. And so we go back to the need to fail fast and fail often. I want to see how many times you failed. I want to see all the different versions that this design went through to get to this outcome because, at the end of the day, I’m judging on thinking and process and methodology, not on the render.

Q:

You’ve conducted strategic research in many countries. How do cultural behaviors influence global design strategy?

A:

Humans are so different, and culture is such an important and fascinating aspect of how we engage with the people, the products and the environments that we use. That, to me, is what is so amazing about customer experience design. You need to be tuned into all of these elements. How do people engage with the products they use? How do those products then interact with the environment that you’re in, and then also with the people that are in that environment as well? When I do international research, it is often with US-based companies that have a product or a technology that is already well established in the US market and they want to expand into an emerging market. Luckily, a lot of these clients recognize that there are unique behaviors and circumstances in other countries that we can’t anticipate.

For instance, I was working with Ford on a car that would be sold in the US but produced in Brazil and India. There was a new scratch-resistant coating that Ford wanted to put on the car, and it was kind of pricey. My initial approach was to question the value. It doesn’t actually protect against dents, even though that was the original pitch. But it turned out to be the highest rated feature for this potential car. And why? Because there are a lot of stray dogs in India and they like to sleep on the top of cars at night, because they’re warm from the sun. The dogs stay warm, but they also accidentally scratch the paint on your car.

Being able to tell rich stories like that is the power of doing international research and the importance of doing research anywhere. I’m working with a massive client right now that touches all of our lives and they don’t talk to customers. Or, they talk to customers but only to their fanboys. They talk to people who are advocates, hero users, and they think that they’re getting great feedback. And of course they are, because those users won’t ever tell you it’s bad. Those people love you. But how are you going to build into new markets if you’re not actually understanding the users who are in those markets? So I think it applies everywhere and to every company, no matter what market you’re researching.

Qualitative research is especially important. We have so much quant data floating around right now. We are all aggregating data at an insane rate, we barely even know what to do with all that data. But who’s actually talking to people? How do you tap into the emotional drivers behind things? Why are we actually choosing the things that we do? A lot of the time it takes sitting down with someone for an hour or two to really get into that nitty-gritty and understand that. There is so much untapped value that companies could gain from sitting down and talking face to face with customers.

Q:

Can you share an example where research led to a major shift in brand positioning or product design?

A:

I was working on a consumer-facing tech product. I had done a ton of research and created a product roadmap for them along with a list of what this product needed to include. We call the key features hero moments. This is a term I love to use because it’s not just a feature. It’s more than a feature. What’s the thing that you tell your best friend about when you use something? That’s a potential hero moment. We defined what the hero moments of this product should be by talking to the core target user. OK, jump ahead to three months later. I’m completely uninvolved at this point. The engineers are working on these things in China with the client, and they realize that putting Bluetooth and this other sensor in it will increase the cost significantly. But they also realized they needed those features, because that’s what would enable the hero moment. They saw from the research that their product would have significantly less value to the end user if it did not include that hero moment, and their decision became very easy. Sure, our product’s going to be more expensive and we are going to now target a higher income market for this product. We also understand that if we don’t include this feature that will make it significantly more expensive, the product will lose all value.

That was a really exciting moment for me. This was a client that did not value research at the beginning of our engagement but—through working with us and through seeing these insights that were very actionable in the design process—they became evangelists of qualitative research in their own process, and referenced our work months in the future. Listen to your users!

Q:

How do you see brand strategy evolving in the next 5–10 years, especially with advancements in technology and AI?

A:

AI is making everything faster. What’s exciting is that we have a lot more resources to fail fast. It’s so much easier to get to something tangible, and maybe it’s not refined or thought out, but you can get something that is visual enough to get an initial reaction. What I hope and believe for brand strategy is that we are going to see a huge divergence in creative thinking and creativity.

The negative side is that potentially everything converges and starts looking like AI. But I think if designers and creatives and strategists use AI as a tool, things will open up and be a lot more creative, a lot more unique, and a lot more personalized. The future of successful brands is taking a strategic approach to personalization with their users. We already have niche brands and products and user groups, but I think we’re going to see the 2.0 of personalization because they’re going to be understanding our data in deeper ways. It’s our job as brand strategists to help these companies understand how to use that data in a way that isn’t creepy but brings value to the user in new ways.

Fifteen years ago, it was transformational to us that we could get two day shipping with Amazon Prime and anything could be on our doorstep. Today, I can call a car to my house with my phone. That was insane 10 years ago. Now it’s just what convenience looks like. I think we need to start exploring what that next level of convenience and personalization will look like powered by data and AI.

Q:

If you could give one piece of advice to designers looking to transition into strategic roles, what would it be?

A:

First of all, get into strategy. There’s no wrong way to do it. Strategy is what gives designers a seat at the table. Often, we, as designers, don’t think we deserve that or don’t think it’s our place. We design the thing and that’s it. But if you’re a strategist, you are thinking about the business as well. We are used to thinking about the product, and of course it’s important to think about the customer, which is a lot of what I’ve been saying here. I think the next layer is thinking about business implications, return on investment, and potential impact. The first step into strategy can just be thinking about the impact of a product or a service that goes beyond the core interaction. How does it work with the bigger ecosystem of offerings that this company has? How does this grow into the future? What does it evolve into? What additional benefits or services could spin off of this idea? Thinking about impact and value, that’s thinking like a strategist. You start thinking like a founder or a business person might think.

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Exploring 7 Essential Categories of Packaging

Packaging is more than just a container—packaging serves as a bridge between brands and consumers, offering both functional value and an opportunity to make a lasting visual impact. In today’s world, where commerce is king, packaging design plays a pivotal role in shaping how products are perceived, protected, and purchased. From ensuring product safety and sustainability to influencing purchasing decisions on crowded shelves, the design of a package can often make or break a product’s success. Packaging must be practical, safeguarding the product during storage and transit, while also acting as a powerful marketing tool that communicates a brand’s identity, values, and appeal. The best packaging balances functionality with creativity, using innovative materials, structures, and graphics to stand out in a competitive marketplace. At Interwoven Design, we’ve found that the most successful packaging designs involve a structural packaging designer and a graphic designer working together to bring the design to life. In this Insight article we’ll delve into the seven major categories of packaging we encounter in the design industry. Each type—whether rigid, flexible, or something in between—has its own unique features, benefits, and ideal applications. By understanding these categories, designers can make informed choices that enhance both the user experience and the product’s marketability.

1. Primary Packaging: The First Line of Protection

Primary packaging refers to the layer of packaging that comes into direct contact with the product itself. Its primary purpose is to protect the product from external factors such as contamination, moisture, or damage, while also ensuring its safety and integrity. In addition to a protective role, primary packaging often carries essential information, such as product details, usage instructions, and safety warnings, making it an integral part of the consumer experience.

Examples of primary packaging are everywhere, from bottles used for cosmetics and beverages to boxes that house food items or electronic devices, and tubes designed for toothpaste or lotions. Each type serves a specific function, tailored to the needs of the product and the user. For instance, a bottle must balance durability with portability, while a tube might emphasize ease of dispensing and portion control.

When our team takes on a primary packaging project, we focus on the careful consideration of materials, functionality, and user experience. The packaging needs to be practical—suited to the contents in size and materials, easy to open, reseal, or dispose of—and it needs to align with the product’s brand identity. By addressing these factors, primary packaging becomes more than just a protective layer; it becomes a critical touchpoint that connects the consumer to the product.

2. Secondary Packaging: Enhancing Brand Identity

Secondary packaging serves as an additional layer of protection and branding that supports the primary packaging. While it may not come into direct contact with the product, it plays a vital role in grouping products, protecting them during transportation, and creating a strong visual impact on retail shelves. Secondary packaging bridges functionality with aesthetics, helping to reinforce a brand’s identity and attract consumer attention.

Examples of secondary packaging include retail boxes, such as the sleek and sturdy boxes used for smartphones or luxury gift sets, as well as cartons and trays designed to hold bulk products or multiple units. These packaging types ensure products are secure while adding an element of sophistication and branding that resonates with the target audience.

Effective secondary packaging design requires a focus on branding elements—such as logos, colors, and typography—and attention to detail in printing and finishing. It should also prioritize shelf appeal, ensuring the product stands out in competitive retail environments. While we don’t specialize in graphic design at Interwoven Design, we know that it is critical for the graphics to be in harmony with the form. Sometimes we bring on a consulting graphics designer for specific projects to ensure this alignment. By combining durability, practicality, and visual appeal, secondary packaging elevates the overall consumer experience while reinforcing brand recognition and loyalty.

3. Tertiary Packaging: Logistics and Distribution

Tertiary packaging is the backbone of logistics, designed specifically for bulk handling, storage, and transport. Unlike primary or secondary packaging, its primary function is not consumer-facing but rather to ensure the safe and efficient movement of goods in large quantities. By protecting products from damage during shipping and simplifying distribution processes, tertiary packaging plays a crucial role in supply chain management.

Examples of tertiary packaging include sturdy shipping boxes and pallets that keep products stable during transit, shrink-wrap and stretch film used to bundle multiple items together, and corrugated containers that provide both strength and lightweight efficiency. These solutions help prevent damage, minimize waste, and streamline the movement of goods across warehouses and retail environments.

When designing tertiary packaging, key considerations include durability to withstand the rigors of transportation, ease of handling for warehouse and delivery workers, and sustainability. Materials should be robust enough to protect products while also being cost-effective and environmentally friendly, such as using recyclable or reusable materials. Thoughtful tertiary packaging design ensures that products arrive at their destinations intact, efficiently, and with minimal environmental impact.

4. Sustainable Packaging: Meeting Eco-Friendly Demands

Sustainable packaging has become a cornerstone of modern design, addressing the growing demand for solutions that minimize environmental impact. This type of packaging is intentionally crafted to reduce waste and carbon emissions while still meeting the functional needs of product protection and usability. By prioritizing eco-friendly materials and design principles, sustainable packaging aligns with both consumer values and environmental goals.

Examples of sustainable packaging include biodegradable materials, such as compostable wrappers for food products, recycled and recyclable options like paper, glass, or certain plastics, and reusable alternatives like fabric bags or glass jars. Each approach aims to extend the life of materials, reduce reliance on virgin resources, and encourage environmentally conscious behavior among consumers.

Effective sustainable packaging design requires careful consideration of material sourcing to ensure it is ethical and renewable, life-cycle analysis to evaluate its environmental impact from production to disposal, and consumer behavior to ensure ease of use and adoption. There are many innovative tools and databases we like for researching innovative and sustainable materials for our projects. By integrating sustainability into packaging design, brands can reduce their ecological footprint while fostering trust and loyalty among environmentally conscious consumers.

5. Flexible Packaging: The Versatile Option

Flexible packaging is one of the most adaptable and efficient solutions in the packaging industry, made from lightweight materials such as plastic films, paper, or foil. This type of packaging is commonly used for food, beverages, and consumer goods, offering a cost-effective way to protect products while enhancing portability and convenience. Its lightweight nature also makes it a more sustainable option compared to rigid alternatives, as it reduces transportation energy and material waste.

Examples of flexible packaging include pouches for snack foods or pet foods, laminated bags often used for coffee packaging, and flexible plastic films for items like produce or frozen goods. These formats are particularly valued for their ability to maintain product freshness, provide a compact and space-saving solution, and often include user-friendly features like resealable closures.

When designing flexible packaging, key considerations include space efficiency for both storage and transportation, high-performance barrier properties to protect against moisture, air, and light, and ease of use to enhance consumer experience. With its versatility and practicality, flexible packaging continues to be a go-to choice for industries looking to balance functionality, cost, and convenience.

6. Luxury and Specialty Packaging: Elevating the Brand Experience

Luxury and specialty packaging is designed to make a statement, creating a premium, visually striking, and tactile experience that enhances the perceived value of high-end products. It’s not just packaging—it’s an extension of the product’s identity, communicating exclusivity, sophistication, and quality to consumers. This type of packaging is often used for premium items where the unboxing experience plays a significant role in brand storytelling.

Examples include elegant gift boxes for jewelry or high-end cosmetics, embossed or foil-stamped materials that add texture and brilliance, and custom-designed containers like ornate glass bottles for perfumes or luxury wine packaging. These elements combine to create a sense of indulgence and uniqueness that sets the product apart.

Designing luxury and specialty packaging involves using high-quality materials, such as fine paper, glass, or metal, and incorporating intricate design elements like embossing, debossing, or metallic foiling. Special finishing techniques, including matte or glossy coatings, magnetic closures, or fabric linings, further elevate the packaging’s appeal. By investing in thoughtful and distinctive design, brands can forge an emotional connection with consumers, turning the packaging itself into a memorable part of the product experience.

7. Interactive and Smart Packaging: The Future of Packaging

Interactive and smart packaging is revolutionizing the way consumers engage with products, blending technology with design to create a dynamic, functional, and engaging user experience. By incorporating innovative features, this type of packaging goes beyond its traditional roles of protection and branding, offering consumers added convenience, deeper product insights, and memorable interactions.

Examples of interactive and smart packaging include QR codes that provide product tracking, promotional offers, or access to exclusive content; smart packaging solutions like temperature-sensitive labels that indicate freshness or RFID tags for inventory management; and augmented reality experiences that transform packaging into an interactive digital platform. These advancements enhance not only the usability of packaging but also the consumer’s connection with the brand.

Designing interactive and smart packaging requires thoughtful integration of technology to ensure it aligns seamlessly with the product and brand. Usability is key—consumers should find the technology intuitive and beneficial. Additionally, designers must focus on creating engaging and meaningful interactions that enhance the overall experience while keeping practicality and production costs in mind. With its ability to combine innovation with storytelling, interactive and smart packaging represents the cutting edge of the packaging industry.

Packaging Trends and Final Thoughts

The packaging industry continues to evolve, driven by changing consumer demands and advancements in technology. Current trends such as minimalist design, eco-conscious materials, and personalized packaging highlight the shift toward simplicity, sustainability, and customer-centric solutions. Emerging innovations like smart packaging, direct-to-consumer models, and enhanced sustainability practices are reshaping how products are delivered and experienced. Looking ahead, the future of packaging may include predictive packaging that anticipates consumer needs, AI-enhanced designs that optimize functionality and aesthetics, and greater transparency in the supply chain to build trust and accountability. Check out Packaging of the World and Lovely Package for some packaging inspiration, two of our favorite places to catch up on the current trends.

As we’ve explored, each category of packaging plays a unique role in product design, from protecting and transporting goods to elevating brand identity and consumer engagement. In today’s market, thoughtful, sustainable, and innovative packaging is no longer optional; it is essential. Designers have a responsibility to create packaging that not only serves its functional purpose but also considers its emotional and environmental impact. By embracing these trends and pushing the boundaries of what packaging can achieve, designers can lead the way in shaping a more sustainable and connected future for the industry.

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A Q&A with Packaging Designer Loreta Haaker

Spotlight articles shine a light on designers we admire, asking leaders in the field about their work and their design journey. In this interview we spoke with industrial designer and packaging design expert Loreta Haaker. From Lima to New York, Haaker has carved a distinctive path in the world of design, blending ingenuity with poetic storytelling. Her work—spanning furniture, soft goods, packaging, and food design—reflects a deep connection to her Peruvian roots, childhood memories, and the real as well as the magical elements of Latin American culture.

portrait of industrial designer Loreta Haaker — *Photo courtesy of Loreta Haaker.*

A graduate of Pratt Institute and Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Loreta’s design philosophy fuses contemporary trends with an intuitive sense of materiality and form. Her approach is both precise and playful, crafting objects that evoke powerful experiences. Recognized early in her career as one of Cosas Design magazine’s top emerging designers, her work has since been showcased in Lima, Milan, Miami, and New York. We know all about Loreta’s talent here at Interwoven Design as she works on our social media team, creating the fantastic graphics you see on all our platforms, especially Instagram! We asked her about the collaboration between graphic packaging design and structural packaging design, where she sees innovation in the market, and where she looks for inspiration.

Q:

How did you get into packaging design?

A:

My journey into packaging design began in 2018 with a role as an industrial designer specializing in structural packaging at Ammunition, a leading design studio in California. Their Brooklyn studio in DUMBO focused exclusively on packaging, making it the perfect environment to dive in.

There, I learned that packaging design isn’t just about protection—it’s about the experience. I explored how packaging could extend the product’s story, incorporating innovation and sustainability. I soaked up every bit of knowledge I could. You have a preview of what packaging design is like at school, but it’s way more than you expect. That was my first experience, that was the first time I heard the term ‘structural packaging.’ It involves engineering because there are constraints around capacity and dimensions. If you just hear ‘packaging designer’, it might mean either graphics or structure, or both. Usually an industrial designer will call themselves the structural packaging designer, which is everything that’s not the graphics.

Later, in 2021, I began consulting for a beauty and cosmetics company in Peru. Over the past three years, I’ve worked on diverse packaging solutions: glass fragrance bottles, plastic makeup containers, and limited-edition cardboard boxes. Structural packaging design involves close collaboration with engineers, as factory production requires meeting technical specifications and restrictions.

Q:

You are part of the IW design team but you work remotely from Peru—could you tell us how that came about?

A:

Yes, I started with Interwoven Design right after graduating from the MID program at Pratt. I worked full-time during the summer of 2017. After that, I stayed in touch, collaborating on projects in New York on different occasions between 2018 and 2020. Since 2021, I’ve been working with IW remotely as a freelancer, and it’s incredible to think it’s been almost seven years since I first joined the team! The story actually began even earlier, in 2016, when I took Rebeccah’s Soft Goods class at Pratt. It was my first real exploration into soft materials and sewing, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable and impactful electives I’ve ever taken. She was doing a lot of technology components with other students in my class but I’m not that techie, so for me it was a perfect start in soft goods. I really like products made of fabric. That project was super interesting for me because I had never worked on a soft goods project before, even though I did my undergrad in ID.

I got my master’s in design at Pratt because the field had expanded so much around 3D printing and technology for prototyping between 2010 and 2020. After that semester, I partnered with Interwoven Design on a soft goods project, then it was in the summer and I stayed involved, working on different projects. At that point it was mostly conception or research. When I started working remotely, we already had a strong relationship.

After my master’s degree and after the pandemic, it was easier to work remotely. I could take advantage of that flexibility and be home [in Peru] while staying in touch with my clients. So that was great: that I could be back home but still have the rush of working in a global market in New York.

Q:

What are some of the other types of work you do?

A:

As an industrial designer, my skills range from design thinking and concept development to hands-on exploration and making. While I’ve become a bit of a packaging expert—creating out-of-the-box experiences for consumer products—I’m always open to new opportunities and projects.

The fields I’ve explored include furniture, soft goods, accessories, food design, beauty and cosmetics, structural packaging, and product photography. I do a lot of cosmetics and beauty packaging. I don’t know why but I started getting a lot of clients who need packaging. I think packaging is something that moves a lot. Many of the branding companies I work with don’t have an in-house structural designer, and that caught my attention. I realized that I could offer structural packaging to different design studios. Some people call structural packaging secondary packaging, while primary will be something that touches the product. Then secondary packaging would be the box around the primary container.

Q:

Your Advent Calendar project won an award at the Latin America Design Awards last year. Could you tell us about it?

A:

esika Advent Calendar structural packaging design by Loreta Haaker — *ésika Advent Calendar*

Yes! It was a holiday unboxing experience for the beauty brand ésika—a limited-edition Advent Calendar. I was the structural packaging designer lead and collaborated with graphic designer Sandra Lanfranco. She added all the vibrant colors and finishing touches to the project. It was an advent calendar in the shape of a 5-sided Christmas tree that unfolded into a 360 degree display with 25 beauty products inside.

We had a lot of freedom because a calendar isn’t a traditional product, the packaging silhouette isn’t predetermined. We decided to play around with the shape, asking, How it could be a box without being a box? The only thing we needed to keep in mind was that we had to have 25 items and 25 ways to open it to access those items. Besides that it could be whatever you wanted. We were thinking about how we could make it a more contemporary structure, something that could display or be unboxed in different ways that could surprise you or give you a different feeling when you open it. Maybe it comes flat, and as you open it becomes a 3D structure.

esika Advent Calendar structural detail — *ésika Advent Calendar* *detail*

We made a lot of mockups, small ones. We realized we could fit a lot of sections if we thought about a 360 degree shape with pockets all around. As we were breaking down 25, we thought 5 sides would make sense. We wanted it to be so beautiful that you would want to leave it standing even once it was empty, and bring it out every Christmas. When you work together with the graphic designers, the concept is so much better, and the process invites more innovation. That really helped the strength of the project as a competition submission. We also created a mini version with three sides, each highlighting a best-selling beauty product.

The project was recognized by the Latin America Design Awards 2024 in Brazil and the Pentawards 2024 in London, earning bronze in both competitions for Brand Identity and Connected Packaging. This was my first time submitting a packaging project, and receiving this recognition was such an honor!

Q:

You do both industrial and graphic design. How do you integrate structural and graphic elements in packaging?

A:

I do both, but my graphic skills are more intuitive—a way to communicate and reinforce ideas. While I don’t have formal training in graphic design, I’ve always had a strong visual sense and a love for it. For larger or more complex projects, I collaborate with graphic experts to co-create the best results.

Here’s how I see the relationship:

Structural packaging is the blueprint: it ensures the product is protected, functional, and user-friendly. Structural packaging offers protection for transport and display, functionality and ease of use, efficiency for display and logistics, and sustainability in materials and recyclability.

Graphic design gives the package its personality. It helps products stand out, communicate key benefits, and build emotional connections. Graphic design attracts attention, establishes brand identity, communicates product benefits, evokes emotions, and builds loyalty.

For me, a successful package seamlessly combines both elements. It’s vital to consider structural and graphic design together from the very start.

Q:

How does that collaboration go if you are working with a graphic design team?

A:

For the advent calendar project we were on a team together from the beginning. We decided, Okay let’s prioritize the structure, the visual 3D form, and then we’ll work on the graphics. We did do that, but that whole time I was in conversation with the graphic designers, showing them my work. They started creating graphic design moodboards around my early ideas, and ideating alongside me even though the design isn’t finalized. That’s one way to do it.

Another example is a project for a jewelry designer client of mine, a sculptor who’s doing jewelry. I was designing boxes for her. She already had her branding, her logo, and things like that. She had the vision of what she wanted and then I asked, What’s the best way to apply that graphic content, that is already developed, to new packaging? I’m thinking about her brand: she’s working with her clients all the time. I thought we could do something artistic, like an origami box that could unfold flat so she could hand draw on it. Then on the other side would be the logo and business information. She was an artist and she sketches like crazy, so that was one of my suggestions, We could use a super nice paper, we won’t add any glue, and then why not try to draw on it to personalize it and see what happens? I finalized the project with that idea for future personalization, and now I see those personalized boxes on her Instagram, whenever she has a special item she creates this beautiful artwork on the packaging and it’s exactly how I envisioned it. It’s so amazing.

Loreta Haaker Quote Design isn't just about protection - it'a about the experience.

Another way to work with graphic designers is through brand agencies that decide, Okay let’s go full circle with this rebrand. I was working with an agency that was doing a rebrand for a bakery. They said, Let’s create a new look and feel, and we definitely need packaging because we want to stand out. For bakeries, everything looks the same, on the market. Everything looks the same. In this case we were looking for something super minimalistic. I had a small brief for the project, so the look and feel was already kind of set. They didn’t know how they wanted the packaging to look but they knew how they wanted it to feel. I was creating a system of packaging, where each size has a different purpose. I was thinking about the proportions that would make sense. The tiny one is a perfect square. The second one will be the same height but twice as wide. The third and fourth would be proportionally related, scaling up. There was a look and feel but I had a lot of freedom around the dimensions. They already had a logo, so we played around with the best way to apply that logo, and the best colors. There were requirements in place, and the packaging needed to look good with the assets they already had. I went back and forth with the graphic designers to make sure that all of the elements were harmonious. If the teams are too independent, you can get graphic and structural designs that don’t look good with each other.

Q:

What role does unboxing play in your design considerations?

A:

Unboxing is one of the most exciting aspects of packaging design. It’s the moment when the user interacts with the product for the first time, and it sets the tone for their overall experience. I always aim to make this process smooth and enjoyable, elevating the product inside. There’s something special about unboxing—whether it’s the anticipation or the reveal—and I always keep that emotional connection in mind.

Q:

How do you test the functionality and durability of your packaging designs?

A:

The process starts with mock-ups to test basic concepts and usability. Afterward, prototypes are created for more detailed evaluations. On a larger scale, an engineering team often steps in to conduct rigorous tests on materials and structural performance, ensuring the packaging meets all functional requirements.

One of the biggest challenges today is addressing the environmental impact of packaging. Designers must be mindful of reducing waste, avoiding single-use plastics, and eliminating excessive materials.

To tackle this, I focus on sustainability by selecting eco-friendly alternatives and exploring innovative designs that optimize efficiency. It’s about finding solutions that balance creativity, functionality, and environmental responsibility.

Q:

Where are you seeing innovation in the market? What role does sustainability play?

A:

Absolutely! I’m particularly inspired by the increasing use of biodegradable and renewable materials. Plant-based options are becoming more common—they’re not only environmentally friendly but also have a forward-thinking aesthetic that resonates with modern consumers.

Examples of sustainable innovations include materials designed to disappear, such as algae-based solutions, from seaweed, and naturally grown packaging like mycelium, from mushrooms. These solutions represent a significant shift towards sustainability and demonstrate how nature-inspired designs can shape the future of packaging.

Q:

How do you approach the design process for packaging compared to consumer products or furniture?

A:

The process is largely the same: research, ideation, conceptualization, exploration, design development, 3D modeling, technical drawings, and prototyping.

What’s different with packaging is the need to consider the product it contains. I typically receive a brand brief from the client and technical specifications from engineers. From there, I create mood boards and develop concepts that connect the product and its packaging in a cohesive way. Everything starts with research. Research everywhere. The farther from your starting point, the better. Take the bakery packaging example, I had seen a lot of different packaging solutions that are not related to bakeries, for example cosmetics, but there can be a nice relationship between the two. For beauty there is a lot of harmony with science, so cross-pollinating can work well. One idea for future development that I suggested for the bakery packaging was an external element, I pulled out some beautiful off-white shoelaces I had and tied it onto the smallest box. It made these tiny beautiful desserts feel special. They weren’t sure about it but they really loved the idea.

Q:

Where do you look for inspiration?

How to Wrap 5 Eggs Book Cover — *How to Wrap Five Eggs by Hideyuki Oka*

A:

Inspiration is everywhere, especially in everyday objects. Recently, I noticed a minimalist packaging solution at a bakery—a chocolate bear box with a locking detail shaped like a little bow. It was such a small touch but made all the difference.

I also find inspiration in books. My favorite is the “Packaged for Life” series published by Victionary, which celebrates packaging that brings joy to daily life. I own the Coffee & Tea, Scent, and Chocolate editions. Chocolate is my favorite!

Another book I treasure is How to Wrap Five Eggs: Traditional Japanese Packaging by by Hideyuki Oka. It’s a stunning exploration of natural materials and traditional craft techniques, and it’s a constant reminder of the beauty in simplicity.

For me, nature is the ultimate source of inspiration. Spending time outdoors helps me reset and sparks new ideas. When I find something particularly special, I capture it with my instant camera and keep it as a memento—these snapshots often become seeds for creative exploration later on.

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