Looking for brand packaging examples that actually spark ideas? This roundup showcases bold, clever and unforgettable packaging moves from brands that know exactly who they are—and who they’re talking to.
From interactive designs to culturally rooted concepts, we’ll break down what works, why it matters and how to make it your own.
- Key types of brand packaging include outer packaging, inner packaging and product packaging—each shaping how customers perceive your brand at every touchpoint.
- Brand packaging trends that’ll stick include portability, storytelling, reusability, sustainability, inclusivity and cultural authenticity.
- The best brand packaging examples align with brand identity, use unconventional materials, add surprise elements and deliver real customer value.
- You don’t always need gimmicks to stand out with your brand packaging. Thoughtful, visually consistent packaging that reflects your brand can go a long way.
Common types of packaging design
Before we dive into standout brand packaging examples, we need to understand “packaging design” in the first place. Great packaging design works on multiple levels—far beyond the box your product ships in—each part shaping how customers experience your brand from first glance to final unboxing.
Here’s how the layers stack up:
- Outer packaging: The first visual touchpoint (usually a shipping box, mailer or envelope) that protects the product in transit. Custom tape, branded stickers or printed mailers help set expectations before the customer even opens it.
- Inner packaging: Tissue, filler, inserts or sleeves that add protection and shape the unboxing moment. These details carry your brand’s personality, whether that’s clean and modern or artisanal and personal.
- Product packaging: The container the customer keeps and interacts with. Labeling, materials, texture and shape all influence how the product (and your brand along with it) is perceived.
Together, these elements define your brand packaging. They build anticipation, reinforce brand identity and shape the customer’s impression of value.
Brand packaging design by CUPEDIUM via 99designs by Vista
As for forms, here’s a quick overview of the most common types of packaging:
- Boxes: Foldable, rigid or custom-printed, they offer structure and branding space.
- Pouches: Lightweight and flexible. Stand-up pouches work well for shelf display, flat pouches for slim items or samples.
- Bottles: Common in beauty, food and drink. Material, shape and closure style play key roles.
- Cans: Great for beverages, dry goods or specialty items. Wraps and labels bring brand identity to life.
- Novelty packaging: Custom shapes, pull-tabs or interactive features that help products stand out.
- Adornment packaging: Ribbons, wax seals, thank-you notes or branded stickers that add a personal touch.
Current trends in packaging design
Once you’ve nailed the format, the next step is making your packaging work harder for your brand. That’s where long-term packaging design trends come in—not the surface-level stuff that shifts every season, but broader changes shaped by how people shop, live and decide which brands to trust. These trends reflect deeper shifts in behavior and expectations that forward-thinking businesses adapt to while staying true to their identity.
Product packaging design by StanBranding via 99designs by Vista
- Portability and convenience: Customers expect innovative packaging design that fits into daily life. Tear-and-reseal pouches, flip-top caps and slim formats designed for bags or glove compartments support on-the-go use. One-handed access and spill-free dispensing are especially valued in snacks, supplements and personal care.
- Shelf-edge storytelling: On crowded shelves, packaging has seconds to do its job. Brands with the best packaging use bold typography, high-contrast layouts and clear, benefit-first messaging to speed up decision-making. Cutouts shaped to match the product—like a moon for sleep items—add visibility and reinforce identity.
- Multi-functional packaging: Forms with a second life build brand presence beyond unboxing. For example, jars that double as glasses, tins reused for storage or boxes as organizers—these all reduce waste while keeping your brand in view. They also encourage reuse and organic sharing.
- Sustainable packaging: Eco-conscious design influences what customers buy. Popular choices include recycled paperboard, plant-based films, compostable materials and low-ink layouts. Some brands offer refills or take-back programs; others skip secondary packaging entirely. What matters is making the effort clear and credible.
- Inclusive packaging: Accessible packaging expands your reach. Braille labels, large-type fonts, easy-grip caps and tear-friendly openings improve usability for more people. These practical updates reduce friction and show a brand’s commitment to designing for all, not just the average.
- Cultural authenticity in design: Buyers respond to brands that represent their heritage with care. The best examples of good packaging use regional typography, a native language, traditional patterns or locally sourced materials to communicate identity and build trust without cliché.
Brand packaging examples: 10 products with great packaging and what small businesses can learn from them
Trends are useful—until you’re staring at a blank dieline wondering what any of it should look like.
The good news is, some brands are already showing how to do it well. Instead of following trends at face value, the best packaging examples reflect a brand’s voice, values and understanding of its customers.
This section highlights 10 notable brand packaging designs examples, from global brands to niche favorites. Each one shows how to build brand identity through packaging that communicates values, tone and purpose. These examples prove that with the right approach, packaging can shape perception, drive recognition and reinforce what your brand stands for—at any scale.
1. Apple
Let’s get this out of the way—Apple isn’t a small business. It’s a global tech giant. But when it comes to well-known packaging, it sets the benchmark. Packaging didn’t just accompany Apple’s rise; it helped fuel it.
Apple’s packaging is a clear example of brand identity through packaging. The rigid box, minimal design and organized interior reflect the brand’s focus on simplicity. The lid lifts with intentional resistance, creating a slow, deliberate reveal that reinforces its reputation for precision. Whether it’s an iPhone or a MacBook, the experience is consistent—quietly premium and easy to recognize.
The clean layout and smooth unboxing appeal across age groups and levels of tech familiarity. By engaging multiple senses, the packaging creates anticipation and reinforces the product’s value before it’s even used. No surprise that Apple boxes are often saved, and even displayed, as status symbols.
Apple has also made meaningful progress on sustainability, replacing plastic with recycled and renewable materials and sourcing paper responsibly. These shifts meet customer expectations without compromising the look or feel of the packaging.
Key takeaway for small businesses:
Small businesses don’t need a packaging R&D lab to take a cue from Apple. Instead of stuffing packaging with extras to wow the customer, invest in quality materials and thoughtful structure. Aim for a clean layout, easy organization and an unboxing that feels intentional from start to finish.
2. Graza
Graza earns its spot for rethinking what olive oil packaging can be. Ditching the standard glass bottle, the brand opts for squeezable plastic, spray bottles and refillable cans—each format matched to how the oil is used. “Drizzle” is for finishing, “Sizzle” for cooking, and there’s even a spray for high-heat applications. Refill cans support sustainability and reduce waste.
Source: Graza
The packaging feels young, functional and deliberately different. Bold colors, custom mascots and a no-fuss aesthetic help it stand out without gimmicks. And because the bottles are made to be reused, customers actually keep them.
Key takeaway for small businesses:
For brands with unique packaging goals or younger audiences in mind, Graza is solid packaging design inspiration. The lesson here: don’t be afraid to step away from what your category usually does. If your packaging makes more sense for the way your customers actually use the product, lean into it.
3. Jeffree Star Cosmetics
Jeffree Star Cosmetics changes both the design and structure of its packaging with every collection. No repeats, no standard boxes. Each launch brings something new—like the Cowgirl Queen palette in a bright pink cowgirl boot. It’s all built to match the theme, grab attention and reflect the brand’s over-the-top style.
Source: Jeffree Star Cosmetics
Their eyeshadow palettes steal the show. Oversized, elaborate and undeniably extra, they’re made for the kind of unboxing content that performs on social. That’s intentional. The brand is built around high-impact visuals, and the packaging doubles as part of the product’s appeal.
But it’s not all about looks, function evolves too. After receiving complaints about makeup arriving damaged, Jeffree Star Cosmetics reengineered the outer packaging for the Blood Lust collection. As Jeffree put it, “I wanted to create a buffer, and almost like a bumper… so even if there’s no bubble wrap… your shadows were intact.”
Source: Jeffree Star via YouTube
Key takeaway for small businesses:
If over-the-top is part of your brand identity, your packaging needs to reflect that. And don’t forget your customers: close the loop, respond to feedback and rethink everything if it means fixing the problem.
4. Rare Beauty
Rare Beauty was built around inclusivity—and that goes far beyond shade ranges. Through its Made Accessible initiative, the brand actively redesigns packaging to be easier to grip, open and use for people with limited dexterity. Beyond aesthetics, the goal is to ensure the packaging is usable for everyone.
Source: Rare Beauty
From soft matte finishes that prevent slipping to cap shapes that require less effort to twist, each product—from foundation to lip oil—is tested and refined with real user feedback in mind. Even the size and weight of each bottle are carefully considered to make the application experience smoother and more comfortable.
Key takeaway for small businesses:
Rare Beauty is a strong example of brand packaging that reflects brand values. If inclusivity is part of your mission, your packaging should show it. For small businesses, that starts with listening. Use customer feedback to identify pain points, choose finishes that improve grip and avoid hard-to-open closures.
5. Cielos Los Angeles
Cielos Los Angeles understands brand packaging down to the smallest detail. A streetwear label rooted in skate culture, punk attitude and Y2K nostalgia, the brand carries that aesthetic through everything it does—from product design to print advertising.
Packaging is no exception. Every element feels like a direct extension of the brand’s identity and a clear reflection of its audience.
One standout detail: clothing labels that double as DIY dioramas. This simple idea added an interactive layer to the unboxing experience, gave customers something to collect and extended the life of the packaging. As the brand put it: “The goal is to make it impossible to throw away anything we ship.”
Key takeaway for small businesses:
Even small packaging elements can carry real impact when they’re made with the customer in mind. Know your audience and design packaging they’ll connect with. When brand identity is baked into every detail—down to the labels—it sticks.
6. Kabuto Noodles
Kabuto Noodles cares deeply about sustainability, which is reflected in their product, processes and packaging. Since 2020, the brand’s pots have been fully recyclable. But what makes this one stand out isn’t just the material choice. It’s how the packaging turns that eco-conscious effort into a customer experience.
Source: pixelfetish via Reddit
Peel back the label and you’ll find a hidden message, complete with the brand’s Samurai mascot: “Kabuto salutes you noble eco-warrior! Only a true Samurai separates paper from plastic and has the judgement to recycle them both.” It’s playful, unexpected and personal. Not only rewarding the customer, that moment of discovery connects them to the brand. They’re in on something. They’re part of it.
The message spread quickly online, with people sharing the easter egg and others rushing to confirm it themselves. The result? A boost in sales, not from a campaign, but from clever packaging that rewarded curiosity and reinforced values.
Key takeaway for small businesses:
Great packaging makes people feel something. If you can surprise your customer, reward their actions and create a sense of shared identity—even through a label—you’re no longer just packaging a product. You’re building a relationship. And whether you’re designing for digital or need to prepare your design for print, details like this can make all the difference.
7. SOAPBOTTLE
Like Kabuto Noodles, SOAPBOTTLE is built around sustainability—but the execution couldn’t be more different. Where Kabuto uses smart messaging to reward recycling, SOAPBOTTLE, a brand selling body wash, eliminates the need for disposal entirely. Its packaging is the product.
Source: SOAPBOTTLE
Once the liquid contents are gone, the container can be used as a bar of soap. Over time, it simply dissolves. No waste, no extra parts, no confusion.
And yes, it might fall loosely under reusable packaging—but that doesn’t quite capture it. SOAPBOTTLE’s brand packaging isn’t something you reuse. It’s something you use. Two products in one, no waste, no extra steps. It also nails the frustration-free packaging brief: no tricky lids, no leftover plastic, no guessing how to recycle it.
But the impact of this product packaging example goes further. Body wash isn’t new. What sets SOAPBOTTLE apart is the packaging itself. By using an unconventional material, the brand carved out a niche in a saturated market—without touching the formula inside.
Key takeaway for small businesses:
Smart packaging doesn’t always mean adding more. It can mean rethinking what packaging is for. Using unexpected materials can reinforce your brand values and help you stand out where it matters—on the shelf and in the customer’s hands.
8. Bite Me
BITE ME isn’t your average gum—and it doesn’t pretend to be. This concept packaging, designed by Zoe Schneider, is built around a loud, slightly unhinged brand persona: bold, rude, funny and fully self-aware. The product insults you. Literally.
Source: Zoe Schneider
The pack is shaped like a mouth, with each piece of gum doubling as a “tooth.” Every time you grab one, you’re pulling teeth. Brutal, but on-brand. And just when you think that’s enough, there’s more: a hidden insult printed inside the box. Every time you reach in, the packaging throws shade. The copy is sharp, weirdly charming and not very family-friendly—which is exactly the point.
What makes this one of the most original marketing packaging examples is how completely the design leans into the brand’s identity. From structure to copy, every element works together to deliver one clear message: this gum doesn’t care what you think.
Key takeaway for small businesses:
Strong packaging doesn’t just carry your product, it expresses your brand’s personality. Align form, tone and messaging so that every detail reinforces who you are. For packaging examples that break the mold while staying cohesive, BITE ME hits the mark.
9. Tineco Intelligent Technology
Tineco, a tech-forward home appliance brand, found a clever way to make its external packaging do more. The box for its pet grooming vacuum features a perforated cut-out and a QR code that links to video instructions.
Follow the steps, and you can turn part of the box into a DIY slow feeder toy.
Source: Tineco via Red Dot Award
It’s simple but smart. The assembled toy—a rounded shape with holes for treats—encourages pets to interact, turning snack time into a game. And while the packaging isn’t high-end or flashy, it gives something meaningful to the customer: a positive moment with their pet.
This upgrade fits the brand perfectly. It leans into Tineco’s identity as a practical, tech-savvy company with a thoughtful, human touch. More importantly, it transforms the most overlooked part of the product experience—shipping packaging—into a moment of connection. Among innovative packaging examples, this one stands out for turning something disposable into something delightful.
Key takeaway for small businesses:
Don’t underestimate the potential of your outer packaging. Most brands treat it as an afterthought, but it’s an open field for creativity. Find ways to deliver small but valuable extras that show you understand your customers and care about their experience, start to finish.
10. Pasta Fortuna
After diving into interactive boxes, collectible labels and soap packaging, it’s worth pausing to acknowledge something important: you don’t have to reinvent the packaging wheel to stand out. You don’t need a QR-linked DIY kit like Tineco or a conceptual art piece like Soapbottle to be known for products with great packaging. Sometimes, smart visual choices and cultural clarity are more than enough.
Pasta Fortuna is a prime example. This brand doesn’t rely on flashy gimmicks or surprise mechanics. Instead, it leans into storytelling through design—carefully chosen colors, traditional motifs, evocative typography and culturally specific symbols. Every visual element works together to express the brand’s roots in Southern Italy.
The packaging draws on superstition and symbolism (roosters, keys, the Cucù of Matera) each tied to luck, protection or history. This is also a strong example of the “cultural authenticity in design” trend done right. The regional visuals aren’t treated as novelty. They’re integrated into the brand identity with care, avoiding stereotypes while still making cultural cues feel present and proud.
Key takeaway for small businesses:
Good packaging doesn’t have to be complex. Many of the strongest packaging designs examples rely on clarity, consistency and a tight connection to brand identity. If you’re looking for packaging design inspiration, start by asking what story your visuals are telling—and how well they reflect your values, origin and audience.
Ready to join the brands with the best packaging?
As you’ve seen, great brand packaging isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s also about alignment. The best packaging examples—whether culturally rooted, functionally clever or just visually stunning—all reflect a clear understanding of the product, the customer and the brand itself.
What makes them work? A strong idea. Smart design. Quality execution. Miss any one of those, and even the most exciting product can fall flat.
That’s why choosing the right production partner matters. At VistaPrint, we offer affordable, professional printing services that bring your brand vision to life—down to the last detail. Whether you’re going bold, playful, minimalist or nostalgic, we’ll make sure your packaging looks as good as it feels.
Brand packaging FAQs
What kind of packaging do you need for a small business?
Start with the essentials: outer packaging for protection and branding, product containers that reflect your identity and custom labels or inserts that guide or thank the customer.
Choose packaging types that match your product category—like mailer boxes for apparel, pouches for food or tubes for cosmetics.
For small businesses, smart packaging doesn’t mean complex; it means functional, brand-aligned and cost-effective. And yes, the right brand packaging design can help you punch above your weight.
What are common packaging mistakes to avoid?
Overdesigning, under-budgeting, ignoring usability and forgetting the unboxing flow.
Many small businesses focus on looks and forget structure—leading to crushed boxes or confusing openings. Others skip branding on secondary packaging, missing a key chance to build recognition.
Avoid mismatching tone and design: a premium product in a generic box sends the wrong message. And don’t forget sizing—shipping air costs money.
What are some sustainable packaging options?
Recycled cardboard mailers, paper-based pouches, compostable films and refill-friendly formats are solid sustainable packaging options. You can also reduce environmental impact by designing innovative packaging that eliminates secondary wraps or encourages reuse.
Low-ink designs, mono-material builds and FSC-certified paper help meet eco-conscious standards without complicating the process.
How does packaging influence customer perception?
First impressions stick. Your product packaging signals quality, care and credibility before anyone tries what’s inside. Premium textures say you’ve invested in the experience. Clunky shapes or poor labeling imply the opposite.
Design, tone and even weight shape assumptions about your brand’s professionalism and values. In competitive categories, packaging isn’t an afterthought. It’s a trust builder… Or deal breaker.
