Every product needs some sort of packaging and labelling. Some products may only need a swing tag or price tag. Others might need a carefully designed box to protect the product before it reaches the consumer.

All merchandise using Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork should provide cultural information about the artwork and the artist. This is often done through the packaging and labelling. QR codes are a helpful tool to hold this information on packaging – read more on the Digital Labelling Project through Desart via the link here.

Packaging is also an important way to share your brand with customers. Packaging can be a design feature that looks good, makes your product stand out, tells your story and adds value.

Your product packaging needs to be safe, include product information and contain barcodes or your digital labelling codes.

If the manufacturer is responsible for packaging and labelling, that should be clearly stated in the manufacturing agreement. If the packaging is being separately produced by a third party, then there should be a separate written agreement with its own terms and conditions. Make sure you understand and approve these terms and conditions before commencing production.

You may need to add clauses to your manufacturing agreement to protect artists’ Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property. You may not find these clauses in many contracts. Instead, you may need to ask for these clauses to be added.

Please refer to Making Products: Contract Terms for drafting notes and example copyright and moral rights clauses, which may be useful in negotiating agreements with third party manufacturers in Australia.

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Things to consider

Colour, typography, material, layers and textures are all elements of packaging. A well-considered and branded product package can add value to your customer experience. If your products and brand are concerned with sustainability, your packaging may be biodegradable or easy to recycle.

Remember, packaging can add costs to your product. You’ll need to consider the impact on your profit margin if you develop packaging. It is important to balance financial cost with the value added to your brand.

It’s also important that all matters are clearly stated in your contract with the packaging and labelling supplier. If things aren’t set out clearly in a written document, that creates risk, and any dispute is likely to be more complicated and difficult to resolve.

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Labels and swing tags

Labels and swing tags are important because they provide an opportunity to tell your story and convey the ethical provenance and authenticity of the product, which builds trust with the customer. The labels should have concise information about the product, artist, art centre and your culture. This information tells customers about the unique attributes of your product.

Some products are subject to specific Australian labelling standards that must be followed. It’s always a good idea to check the Australian Government website for any relevant requirements.

Incorrect labelling that doesn’t comply with these guidelines can lead to product recalls.

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E-commerce packaging

E-commerce packaging is the material used to ship products bought online, including the box, padding, and inserts. It should match the brand’s style and create a memorable unboxing experience for customers. Since online shopping lacks the hands-on experience of physical stores, good packaging helps make up for that and strengthens the brand. Unique and eco-friendly packaging can also appeal to environmentally conscious buyers and set your brand apart.

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Shipping package or container

Depending on your product, this might be a box, bag, or poly mailer. White and brown corrugated packaging options are cheap, sturdy, and get the job done, but they may not create the first impression you’re looking for. If your brand is eco-friendly, you can opt for biodegradable packaging alternatives using compressed fibres from mushroom filament and coconut, or compostable mailers made from corn rather than plastic poly mailers.

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Tissue paper

Wrapping your products in tissue paper adds an extra level of excitement by building another layer of anticipation into the unboxing experience. Custom-printed tissue or coloured tissue paper are both solid options to consider.

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Educational materials

This could include the story of the artwork, product, specialised production, and information about the artist or art centre.