Pouches are particularly popular for packaging all sorts of products at the moment, and for good reason. They are convenient, cost-effective, durable, good-looking and versatile.
Of course they also present an interesting challenge from a label design perspective. With that in mind, here are some rules to follow when putting together a label for your next packaging pouch project.
Quality matters
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The allure of packaging pouches is that they give a premium feel to the product they contain, and so you need to avoid skimping on the quality of the materials as well as the printing in order to preserve this.
A good option for smaller brands is to order custom packaging pouches from a reputable vendor, rather than attempting to take on this task in-house.
This is affordable as well as delivering excellent quality and professionalism, so even smaller production runs can look the part and stand shoulder to shoulder with competing alternatives from bigger brands.
The simpler, the better
Designing packaging pouch labels requires the juggling of the need to convey information about the product without overwhelming the prospective customer with a wall of text, or putting them off with excessively complicated visual elements.
Simplicity is the best policy in this context, not only because it will help to sell your product, but also because it will make the label design easier to adapt and use elsewhere in your range, ensuring consistency of branding.
Typography can tell a story
The fonts you pick and the way they are positioned on the label can convey a surprising amount about both the product and your overall brand.
Typography can be playful and carefree, buttoned-down and professional, sensual and alluring or anything in between. Just be certain that your choices make sense for your product, brand and the audience you are targeting.
Color trends are worth following
Every designer knows that color is the cornerstone of a good product label, and this is definitely true with pouch-based packaging. And while you don’t always have to follow the herd, it does make sense to look at current color trends in your niche when coming up with a design.
This can either be done to ensure that you fit in with the overriding aesthetic and thus meet customer expectations, or so that you can subvert the norm and stand out. Regardless, color can be your calling card and have a psychological impact on customers as well.
Patterns provide creative opportunities
Having talked about the advantage of keeping things simple, it’s also worth noting that this can be achieved while still having head-turning label designs on your packaging pouches.
This is possible thanks to the use of patterned designs. Ranging from the retro-themed to the angular and modern, patterns can fill empty space on a label, while also saying something about your brand identity. Thus you can enjoy the best of both worlds in terms of minimalism and aesthetic impact.
Consider other contexts
Another aspect of pouches is that, more so than many other types of packaging, they will likely end up on display in the homes of the people that buy them. This is good for your brand, as if your pouch is popped on a windowsill or propped on a kitchen counter, it is effectively free advertising.
As such, it pays to design labels in such a way that makes them attractive and aspirational in their own right, rather than only thinking about how they will look clustered together on store shelves.
In short, well designed pouch labels will be an investment that keeps benefiting your business long into the future.
