Crafter's Guide to Packaging Handmade Products: Tips and creative inspiration for crafters from crafters

March 2015

While there are hundreds of books on craft projects, a book on packaging them is something new.

This book shows you great ways to present your makes, with additional information for anyone taking the next step in running a craft business. This book is broken down into the types of items that you can package, and has some inspiring ideas for designing your own packaging. So whether it's a new technique, or a material you never thought of using, it will inspire you to think about how you present your crafting makes.

Mar 14

This is a comprehensive book on all the things you need to or might think about when packaging your handmade products for selling commercially. The first part of the book deals with all the different types of packaging, such as paper, card, plastic and how you might use them. The book then moves onto a deeper exploration of how you move on from simple packaging to creating a brand, through to using those materials creatively. There is a lot of information to take on in one sitting and it would be advisable to work your way through it a bit at a time. There is a huge amount of information and its strength is that it seems to consider a wealth of different possibilities of how and why you might choose to package and market your products. Not all of the questions thrown up are answered but they give the reader the opportunity to explore some of those ideas further if it is relevant to them. For example, the consideration of simple cardboard boxes as packaging is suggested early in the book and later on, it is revisited to explore how you can combine simple packaging with printing or embellishing to create an impressive visual identity. The second section of the book focuses on Designing Your Packaging and here, there are Designer Spotlights; interviews with a range of business people who have a strong, visual style. Set out as Q&As, each is asked questions such as what they sell, how they package and what it is about their packaging that creates the impact on potential customers. It is very interesting to read about the thought and consideration that goes into producing a professional looking business identity. Most useful are the huge number of photographs. You can get a good overview of how this part of a business can be a way of drawing custom to you, and make you stand out from the crowd. If you are selling at craft fairs, or on a site such as Etsy, this could be invaluable to you, and make the difference between run of the mill packaging and creating a must-have product where the fun begins before you've even opened it. Samantha Packer

Mar 14

I haven't gotten round to setting up an Etsy shop (lots to think about!), but when I do, I'll be grateful for this eco-conscious and inventive book, chock-full of packaging and presentation advice and suggestions for production craftsellers. The author, Viola E. Sutanto, is an award-winning graphic and product designer, so she knows her beans. The book is divided into three sections: Materials and How to Use Them, Designing Your Packaging, and Resources. There are pep talks about the importance of brand communication - the idea being that your customers are buying into a lifestyle as much as a particular product. I really liked the author's concept of Storytelling through packaging . Since my blog is The Papercraft Post, the section on paper packaging was of the greatest interest (no surprise there). There's a section on Paper and Sustainability, which discusses eco-conscious alternatives such as using recycled paper, tree-free papers, and soy-based inks (I think that use of latter would have to be done professionally - but, still, good to know). The section on Uses of Paper is indeed about thinking outside the box - or at list thinking about unusually-shaped boxes. Lots of nice ideas here - translucent glassine bags, bags and boxes in imaginative shapes and sizes. And - the use of wraps or tags and/or labels for minimal packaging. The Resources Section at back of book is small - but it contains some very handy features, such as a paper weight conversion chart, and another chart matching products with suitable packaging materials. There's a new-style Template section featuring a good variety of box shapes and labels. Rather than providing photocopiable templates, you are provided with thumbnails of the designs. For the boxes, there are pics both of the finished box shape and the pattern template. You are then given a QR code so that you can download the templates, and resize them if necessary. A nice idea, which will put an end to struggles with fitting a bound book into a scanner. This isn't an exhaustive book, but it does provide lots of food for thought, and ideas aplenty when it comes to packaging your homemade products. http://thepapercraftpost.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/the-crafters-guide-to-packaging.html

October 2014

This book is a good guide to think on ways to create your own handmade packaging. Rather than being a dos and don't list, this book has lots of recipes and tutorials on using different materials and techniques to create something unique to you.´╗┐ Again it has great references to case studies of products handmade and already in the retail sector. This I think really helps put the explored ideas into perspective. Packaging handmade product is really key when selling and is often overlooked... I myself have to look into better ways to package my products for shipping or shows... I'm getting there slowly, but this book will really help me come up with some new angles! So essentially if you are a new crafter, or a craft retailer who is looking to make a few changes to your product then I suggest this book as a good starting point on your endeavours. - See more at: http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-crafters-guide-to-packaging.html#sthash.BEOR5nNf.dpuf

Feb 14

When this book caught my eye, I was instantly intrigued. While I have hundreds of books on craft projects, I haven't before seen any on packaging them. I thought that the concept seemed really interesting and it was something that I hadn't thought about before, so I was interested in what the book could contain. When it arrived, I was thrilled to see how much was crammed into this little book, and I was surprised just how much I had to learn about packaging! A variety of tutorials throughout show some simple but impressive looking projects that you can use when designing your own packaging. The tutorials feature clear step-by-step photographs and instructions that walk you through the project easily. All of the projects are easy to do but with stunning results and will get you inspired. The end of the book features several useful resources, including some downloadable templates for a variety of boxes and labels that you can download and print to experiment with. There is also a list of useful websites, suppliers, books, magazines and trade shows. Overall, this book gives an incredibly comprehensive guide to packaging, whether they are your own handmade goods to sell, gift or even just your Christmas presents. There is so much to discover in this book, whether it is new techniques or a packaging material that you never thought of using. Everything from the information to the tutorials and the case studies is a pleasure to read and will easily inspire you to consider how you present your gifts. http://hannahackroyd.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/the-crafters-guide-to-packaging-handmade-products/

Feb 14

Long title, would have been better as Packaging Products for Crafters, maybe. Full of ideas for anyone into crafts who needs to package a product. Nicely laid out and easy to use, this book features good photography. It covers materials and how to use them, designing packaging and resources. Thorough, with lots of inspiration, this book has handy tips on branding too. Stylish packaging ideas are featured throughout. A great bonus feature is the tutorials featuring paper cutting, image transfer, stencilling, custom labels, printing on fabric, etching on glass, clay tags and decals. Another terrific feature is the designer spotlights showcasing designers, their makes and packaging. Loved this book and would recommend it to any crafter, particularly those who sell through online marketplaces.

Feb 14

Sometimes we forget that the packaging is just as important as the items we make. The right packaging can make a huge impact with a buyer and make all the difference to future sales. This book offers you loads of different solutions to make your products look beautiful. The first section covers packaging materials. This includes tutorials in how to use simple things to give that extra impression of beauty with your product. The 2nd section covers a wide range of products and different inspired ways to package them. This includes interviews with designers and guides you through the choice of packaging to use with your product. The book is full on inspiration that you can use over and over again. It's one of those books that you'll pick up every so often to help you just give your items that professional look. I was so surprised about the amounts of different ideas there were in the book. There are many ideas that I will be using in my craft area to help inspire me and make my space beautiful. No matter what the shape is of your product there will be a way of making your product look extra special. This is a fantastic book with so much inspiration! The tutorials are so easy to follow and have such an impact. This is one book I'll be using time and again. http://www.crochetaddictuk.com/2014/02/the-crafters-guide-to-packaging.html