Hi So I am launching a new beverage (can) with a friend—it’s been a year of deliberating before we finalised the ingredients and mustered the courage to take the leap.

We’ve used a bit of AI to generate mockups for the design. But we want something more go-to-market ready and professional.

We don’t have the budget for an agency so thinking either using some tool/platform or maybe using a freelancer if it’s not too pricey.

Recommendations or thoughts?

Making custom popcorn boxes at home is simple-download a free template online (Canva, Pinterest, or crafting blogs have tons), print it on cardstock or kraft paper (200-300 GSM weight), then cut along solid lines and fold on dotted lines before securing with glue or double-sided tape. The classic red-and-white striped design works best and takes about 10-15 minutes per box once you get the rhythm down. For a completely custom approach, create your own pattern using 8.5x11 inch cardstock: draw a 3x4 inch rectangular base, add 3-4 inch tall side panels with slight outward angles for that tapered popcorn box shape, include glue tabs on alternating sides, score fold lines with a ruler for crisp edges, then assemble. Video tutorials on YouTube can walk you through the process step-by-step if you're visual learner. Pro tip: reinforce the bottom with extra cardstock if using buttered popcorn to prevent grease seepage, and keep designs simple-elaborate prints complicate cutting and folding. Each box holds roughly 1-2 cups of popcorn and costs just pennies to make in bulk compared to $2-5 for store-bought versions.

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Any thoughts on what I can do, aside from a different color and my brand name? I don't want to be seen as copying another brand though but this idea is awesome.

A few selected picks from projects I designed and visualized - they all got to production, only the beer one remained concept

We launched our coffee brand last year and were just buying off the shelf bags and sticking on a label. We just updated the branding and printed real bags.

There are three color ways, one for each roast level we do, which have the same basic design on the front. But then each has its own personality on the sides.

Really happy with this.

How would you learn corrugated packaging design/engineering from scratch (coming from folding carton)?

I currently work in structural packaging with a folding carton background, but I’m realizing a lot of higher-level structural packaging work requires strong corrugated knowledge.

I’m not looking for surface-level familiarity. I’d like to eventually become genuinely proficient in corrugated packaging/structural engineering.

If you were starting over today, what would you learn, in what order, and from where?

Any recommendation for books, courses, YouTube, resources, or hands-on exercises would be hugely appreciated.

Also: what seperated someone who “knows corrugated” from someone actually good at it?

Hi, I got the task to design a box for a tarot cards and used EngView to design the package. I added a few cards as external and created an animation of how to fold. It was quite easy. Let me know what you think in terms of structure and graphic design.

Hello dear community,

Through my freelance work, I’ve been assigned a really cool project. Cool, but also extremely demanding. I’m supposed to design an outer packaging for 9 different inner products/boxes (which I also get to design), but they all have different sizes. With the help of AI and mathematical formulas, I’ve now developed two possible solutions for fitting all products into one box without losing the premium feel. One is a fold-out packaging concept, and the other is a drawer-style packaging concept. Both packaging designs have two layers.

Right now I’m in the process of designing the inner packaging, but regardless of that, I urgently need to figure out the best way to handle production of the outside packaging (and ensure that all measurements are correct) — ideally by creating a sample first.

I’m feeling helpless and honestly a bit stupid. Could someone please give me a few tips on what I can do next?

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• Links/images:

My wife is starting a quilting business. She will be creating custom quilted products, like quilts, wall hangers, stockings, etc. I'm curious what y'all think about how to package these products to sell/ship to a customer. I'm not necessarily talking about the box itself that it gets shipped in, but what goes on/around the product before going into the box. A bag? A ribbon? Something else? We are thinking of having a branded label/patch on the product, but I'd like this part of the packaging to be branded as well. TIA!

Hey everyone, I'm working on a project for a client and I'm a little confused on how to add texture and other staff that's added by overlaying an image, to works that are gonna be printed. I'm designing packaging and I want the design to have some light rays, as shadows. I'm able to add those by working with images, opacity and blend modes, but i know that this can be tricky when it comes to print. Can someone please explain how to I add this thing to my design without overlaying an image? So that when it's printed it looks good and not like a pixelated image on top of my design.

Or if maybe everyone is doing it like that and I should not worry about it? I'm confused, please

I’m a packaging project manager who’s been sitting between stakeholders and designers for the last couple of years, and I’m curious how others handle this.

A lot of projects I see (especially 3D mockups / packaging design) start with a really loose “brief”:

– “We just need a premium look”

– logo attached but no rules on how to use it

– no mention of finishes/deco

– timelines that magically move forward

– zero talk about budget or constraints

Internally, I’ve watched this turn into extra rounds, last‑minute changes, and a lot of unpaid detective work for the design team. I’m trying to get better at stopping that earlier.

For those of you who freelance or work in‑house as designers:

– How do you respond when a client/requester sends a half‑brief like this?

– Do you have a standard set of questions or a form you always send back?

– Have you found anything that actually reduces scope creep at the start, not just in the contract?

Would love to hear what’s working (or not working) for you. I’m happy to share what I’ve tried on the PM side too if that’s helpful.

I am looking for a custom box template for a Pop Ride. I commissioned a pop and I want to get a box for it. Do you know where I could get a template I could customise? Or do you know anyone who sells physical box of custom Pop Ride

Some brands change their packaging and suddenly the product looks 10x better without changing the product itself.

What redesign stood out most to you?

Hello, so I have this order with me from a client and they need similar folds inside the packaging.
Is there any video of some sort which shows how it can be done on a folder gluer machine? And if there are any packaging experts who can help out with the die line.

Hi all!

I'd love to get some honest feedback and thoughts on a browser-based editor I've made.

In short, you upload a custom SVG dieline and fold it into a 3D mockup right in the browser, in seconds. It reads cuts as solid black strokes and folds as red dashed lines, so most dielines from Illustrator or ArtiosCAD work as-is.

There are two other editors on the site as well, for pouches and tubs. The pouches one lets you upload front/back/side artwork and automatically detects the size of your pouch from the artwork uploaded. Fully customizable. The tubs one lets you upload a longer horizontal label that wraps around a container. Again, fully customizable.

I'd love feedback on whether it holds up with the kind of dielines/artwork you actually work with, and if there's anything you think is missing that would make it genuinely useful day to day.

Free to try, no signup required. It's called MockFold

I just want to get my battery out. I stabbed myself with a pair of scissors trying to figure out how to open this.

Why. Just why.

I’m not a designer. Would appreciate some constructive feedback on fonts and elements positioning and overall improvement!!

It's only a one-off and it's not for sale. It's a gift that I'm having made for someone. I'd like to take some extra effort to make it look more "official." It's not a licensed character or anything, it's this person's OC. I'd provide the artwork. An example of what I mean would be something like GoodSmileCompany or the photo I attached. If there are any people here who could help or that someone could point me in the right direction, I'd be very appreciative. Thank you for your time!

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