My very first batch of packaging has been made! The Batch 2 Silicone Bellows for the Niche Zero and Duo starting today will come with a custom-made packaging, designed by yours truly.
I had quite a bit of fun doing this, and maybe spent a little too much time on it. The initial concepts were already pretty close to the final:
But somewhere along the way, once I started making the draft designs on the computer, I went down a whole network of rabbit holes of variations. Here are just a few very different concepts that were serious contenders:
Above: This idea with the front cover fully transplanted from the original paper manuals that came with the bellows was an obvious thing to try. The kraft paper material was something I really wanted to go with, but ended up deciding not to due to so many other accessories brands out there using the same. I wanted my packaging to stand out on the shelf, so I chose the full yellow in the end.
Above: An open window was almost a reality as well, but I also decided against it in the end due to it being less hygienic. It would have been really cool to show off the silicone material to people though in the chance that someone would encounter it at a store or cafe. The top view photo of the bellows was used for this version just so it could match the actual physical bellows seen through the window. Although it was a nice graphic shape, it wasn't effective in describing what the product was or the context in which it could be used.
Above: So I ended up with a photo of the bellows sitting in the grinder. Thanks to the Niche Zero and Duo having completely unique shapes versus other grinders, my hope was that people would immediately be able to recognize it if they saw the packaging for the first time. It ticks the requirements of it being shown in context, but sacrifices a little of showing what the entire product itself looked like. So in later variations I included a line drawing of just the product in the back (not seen in this variation). In this variation I also tried a black fill on the sides, but I didn't really like it.
Above: I made a to-scale physical mockup with the only colour printer I could get my hands on before getting it to the packaging manufacturer.
That's all for now. Back to working on additional products and more packaging!
Cheers,
Andrew