Driving forward: Why packaging needs to delicately balance sustainability, beauty and user experience

Consumer-first thinking

For Michelle, designing effective packaging starts with putting the consumer first. “It’s easy to get caught up looking through a purely brand lens, but we need to see through the eyes of the consumer”, she says. That means ensuring packaging is not only visually striking but also functional and intuitive to use.

She notes that it’s often in simple moments – opening and closing a pack, for example, where brands either win loyalty or lose it. “Some designs look beautiful but are difficult to interact with. Brands need to test their packs with real consumers: open it, close it, feel it. That feedback is crucial and often overlooked”.

Beyond functionality, Michelle highlights the importance of creating a compelling emotional connection. Packaging should draw consumers in and tell a story that resonates, while still respecting their increasing awareness around waste and sustainability.

Moving beyond excess

Michelle noted a promising shift among some entrants towards celebrating simplicity and merging beauty with responsible design. However, she also saw examples where gimmicks and unnecessary layers were still present. “It’s about creating theatre and experience without resorting to wasteful excess”, she stresses.

This shift away from “designing for gimmick’s sake” is slowly gaining momentum, but not uniformly across the industry. “Consumers today are much more mindful. They notice when something feels overdone and are quick to question whether it’s justified,” she adds.

By scrutinising each element, from materials to closures, brand owners can ensure every detail adds value rather than clutter. Michelle believes this approach builds stronger, more authentic relationships with consumers and encourages repeat engagement.

The concept of sustainability itself is also experiencing a transformation. Once shorthand for rustic simplicity and images of hemp bags and Birkenstocks, it has now become an expectation rather than a niche selling point. Both legislators and consumers are demanding more responsible packaging solutions, putting brands under increasing pressure to deliver.

But gone are the days when this meant choosing between quality and environmental responsibility. Thanks to rapid advances in materials science and design technology, sustainability no longer requires compromise – it’s possible to achieve exceptional aesthetics and premium experiences without the waste. And if any industry has the creativity, resourcefulness, and technical ingenuity to set that new standard, it’s packaging.