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Packaging design with a die-line and a 3D visual before printing
We design boxes, pouches, tins and packaging ranges, and show every design on a 3D model before it goes to the printer. You get print-ready files with the die-line and packshots for your shop. A single packaging design costs from 1,600 PLN net.
- Price
- from 1,600 PLN
- Timeline
- 2-3 weeks
- Copyright
- Full
How much does packaging design cost?
A single packaging design with a 3D visual costs from 1,600 PLN net. A range of up to three variants costs from 3,400 PLN, and a line of up to eight products with rules for new variants from 6,900 PLN. A single pack takes 2 to 3 weeks, a range 3 to 5 weeks and a product line 6 to 8 weeks. The printer then needs time for the proof and production.
- Price
- from 1,600 PLN
- Timeline
- 2-3 weeks
Packaging layer by layer
Every package ends with files for the packaging printer and visuals you can use in sales straight away.
What you get in a packaging project
Design on the die-line
Artwork laid out on the die-line of the manufacturer, with bleed, crease lines and glue areas.
3D visual
The pack shown on a model from every side, for approval before printing.
Packshots
Renders of the pack on a white background for your online shop and catalogue.
Room for mandatory information
A layout with space for ingredients, allergens, the barcode, dates and markings that you provide.
Finishes
Separate layers for lamination, spot varnish, embossing or a spot colour.
Print files
A PDF that meets the printer requirements, CMYK and Pantone colours, outlined fonts.
Proof support
Checking the proof or test print before production starts.
From dieline to box
Packaging sells before anyone reads the label
Design on the die-line
Artwork laid out on the die-line of the manufacturer, with bleed, crease lines and glue areas.
3D visual
The pack shown on a model from every side, for approval before printing.
Packshots
Renders of the pack on a white background for your online shop and catalogue.
Packaging sells before anyone reads the label
On the shelf and in an online shop, customers have a few seconds to notice a product, understand what it is and tell it apart from the one next to it. Packaging has to do that from a distance, as a small image in a product list and in the hand, when the customer reads the ingredients.
We design packaging as a form, not a flat file. We work on the die-line from the packaging manufacturer or prepare one from dimensions, and show the design on a 3D model from every side. That shows what is on the front, what is on the side, where the folds fall and whether the logo disappears on an edge.
The same model gives you packshots for your online shop and marketplaces, so you have product images before the first batch leaves the line. It is a strength we owe to doing 3D work in-house.
We do not manufacture packaging. We prepare files for the packaging printer, help with the proof and the choice of finishes, and you pay production costs directly to the manufacturer.
Packaging design packages
Net prices. Anything beyond a package is quoted before we start.
Single Pack
One packaging design with a 3D visual, for a new product or the first batch.
from1,600 PLN
2-3 weeks
- Design of 1 pack on the die-line
- 3D visual from every side
- 3 packshots on a white background
- Print files with finish layers
Most chosen
Pack Range
A range of up to three variants, such as flavours or sizes, recognisable as one family.
from3,400 PLN
3-5 weeks
- Range design for up to 3 variants
- Colour and marking system for variants
- 3D visuals of each variant
- Range packshots
- Print files and proof support
Product Line
A line of up to eight products with rules for adding new variants later.
from6,900 PLN
6-8 weeks
- Line design for up to 8 products
- Rules for designing new variants
- 3D visuals and packshots of the whole line
- Product scene for campaigns
- Print files and production support
Net prices in PLN, starting from the amount shown for the scope described. We reserve about 15% of the project time for revisions, so a bigger project gets proportionally more time for changes. Anything beyond the package is quoted before we start.
Package comparison
| Scope | Single Pack | Pack Range | Product Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of packs | 1 | up to 3 | up to 8 |
| 3D visual | yes | every variant | whole line |
| Packshots | 3 | range | whole line and scene |
| Variant system | none | colours and markings | rules for new variants |
| Proof | on request | yes | yes |
| Timeline | 2-3 weeks | 3-5 weeks | 6-8 weeks |
How we design packaging
Brief and die-line2-4 days
Product, audience, shelf and competitors, plus the die-line from the manufacturer or dimensions.
1Directions4-7 days
Two or three front directions shown on a 3D model and next to competitors.
2Full design4-10 days
Every panel, marking and variant in the chosen direction.
3Content and revisions2-5 days
Placing the final mandatory content and revisions.
4Files and proof2-5 days
Files for the printer, packshots and the proof check.
5
We reserve about 15% of the project time for revisions. Approve the mandatory content before files are prepared, because every change after the proof means a new proof at the printer.
What packaging design pricing depends on
The price changes with the number of variants, the type of pack and the amount of content to fit on the panels.
- 1
Number of variants
The first variant sets the system, and each next one adapts colours, names and markings.
- 2
Type of pack
A tin, a doypack and a box with an insert have different die-lines and artwork limits.
- 3
Amount of markings
Many language versions and long ingredient lists need careful typesetting on a small surface.
- 4
Finishes
Each finish is a separate file layer and an extra check before printing.
How not to overpay
- Choose the packaging manufacturer before design and ask for the die-line
- Prepare the final mandatory content
- Design the whole range at once instead of single variants
- Order a test print before the full run
Who we design packaging for
Food and drink producers
Packaging with clear markings and flavour ranges, ready for the shelf and the online shop.
Cosmetics brands
Cartons, tubes and jars with finishes and 3D packshots before launch.
Makers and craft brands
Packaging that shows the quality of a handmade product without a large print run.
Online shops
A mailer box with inside print and consistent own-brand product packs.
Supplement and health brands
Clear variants and room for every piece of mandatory information.
How to prepare for a packaging project
A die-line from the manufacturer and final mandatory content save the most time.
0 / 6 ready
- The die-line from the packaging manufacturer or the product dimensions
- Mandatory content checked by a technologist or lawyer
- The EAN barcode, if the product has one
- Logo, colours and typefaces or brand guidelines
- Photos of the shelf or competitor products
- Planned print run and production date
Types of packaging we design
| Packaging | For which products | What we watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Folding carton | cosmetics, supplements, electronics | folds, flaps and the side facing the shelf |
| Pouch and doypack | coffee, snacks, pet food | film creases and a product window |
| Tin and tube | drinks, tea, cosmetics | artwork distortion on a cylinder |
| Mailer box | online shops, subscriptions | inside print and the unboxing experience |
| Multipack | sets, gifts | consistency with the single product pack |
A range that looks like a family
Fixed elements
The logo, layout and typography stay the same so customers recognise the brand on the shelf.
Variant code
A colour, illustration or band tells flavour, scent or size apart.
Hierarchy
The variant name is readable from a distance, the details up close.
Rules for later
In the product line we describe how to design new variants without breaking the system.
Packaging design from die-line to shelf
What is worth knowing before you order packaging design and print.
The die-line first, then the artwork
A die-line is a technical drawing of the pack laid flat, with cut, fold and glue lines. Every packaging manufacturer has slightly different die-lines, even for boxes of the same size, which is why we start from the die-line of the manufacturer you will work with.
If you do not have a manufacturer yet, we prepare a die-line from the product dimensions and pack type, but it has to be confirmed with the chosen printer before printing. Changing the die-line after design means moving the artwork on every panel.
A 3D visual instead of a surprise from the printer
On a flat die-line it is hard to judge how the pack will look when folded. The logo can land on a fold, side text can be illegible and the front can blend into neighbouring products. That is why we show every direction on a 3D model and, for a range, side by side as on a shelf.
The 3D model is useful after the project too. It produces packshots for your shop and catalogue, so you do not have to wait for the first batch or organise a photo shoot.
Mandatory information you need to check yourself
Besides artwork, packaging carries mandatory information that depends on the product. For food in the European Union the requirements are set out in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: among others the name, ingredients with highlighted allergens, net quantity, the best before or use by date, storage conditions, the business operator details and the nutrition declaration. The same regulation sets a minimum x-height of 1.2 mm, and 0.9 mm on small packs.
Cosmetics have their own requirements, such as ingredients in INCI names, a batch number and the period after opening. The manufacturer is responsible for this content, so we ask for it in final form, checked by a technologist or lawyer. We make sure it has room, is legible and does not get lost in the artwork.
Finishes and materials
Matte or soft-touch lamination, spot varnish, foil or embossing can change how a pack is perceived, but each adds cost and needs a separate layer in the file. We suggest where a finish makes sense and where good board and colour are enough.
The material affects the design too. White board gives vivid colours, grey or kraft board shifts every shade, and metallised film needs a white ink underlay where colour should be opaque. Before printing, it is worth ordering a test print on the final material.
Packaging in an online shop
In an online shop, customers first see a product as a small image in a list rather than on a shelf. At that size only the largest elements are readable: shape, colour, logo and variant name. So we check the front design at thumbnail size too.
If you sell by mail, consider a mailer box and inside print. Opening the parcel is the moment the customer first holds the product, so it is worth designing as carefully as the shelf.
Design and the cost of production
Design affects production cost more than it seems. Every spot colour, finish and unusual die-line raises the price, and on a small run the difference can be large. Digital print suits short runs and many variants, offset and flexo suit larger runs.
That is why it is worth knowing the print method and an approximate run before design. Then we design for the best possible result within the budget, instead of simplifying the design after the printer quote arrives.
The barcode on the pack
EAN codes are issued by GS1, in Poland by GS1 Polska, and the manufacturer receives a range of numbers for its products. We make sure the code is readable for scanners: at the right size, with clear space around it and in contrast of dark bars on a light background.
We do not place the code on a fold or a strong curve, and on tins and bottles we set it vertically or where the surface is flattest. Before printing, it is worth checking the code on a test print with an ordinary scanner or a phone app.
Packaging and the environment
Some customers pay attention to what packaging is made of and whether it can be sorted for recycling. Design can help: fewer layers and laminates, mono-material packs, kraft board instead of laminated board and clear information on which bin the pack goes into.
You make material decisions with the packaging manufacturer, who knows what is available and at what price. We design the artwork so it also looks good on simpler material, without finishes that make recycling harder.
Let us start with a talk about your packaging
A free online consultation or a quote in the calculator.