So many substrates, so little time

While the bulk of most graphic designers work is destined for paper there’s a whole world of substrates out there ( Substrate is fancy design talk for stuff to stick your designs on ).

Gathered from the excellent packaging design site, The Dieline, here is an interesting collection of packaging substrates and designs applied to them, starting with the above conceptual colourless Coke can by Harc Lee.

I’m not sure how pleasant the tactile element of this design would be, 10 points for originality though. Nothing says masculine like a block of concrete…

These snails and pack in moulded and coloured, you guessed it, snail poop. Just when the snails thought it couldn’t get any worse than being stuffed with garlic…

No portfolio is complete without designing a tube, this tre chique trio holds a collection of inflatable boot trees, used as point of sale merchandising for European footwear and fashion.

I’m not entirely sure what these containers for Azita’s dry spice rub are made from, but I’m a big fan of the wooden finish, especially the black one. Much more pleasant tactile-wise than the concrete.

Good to see some simple, clean vector illustrations that make sense on these Cravendale milk cartons, instead of using the slap rainbows all over everything technique favoured by so many.

More milk packaging design, this time by Ecolean and focused on using the least materials possible.

This lovely tin is for Nudo Olive Oil, I’m not entirely sure what’s inside as presumably they don’t sell oil sloshing around in a tin of this style.

A pleasant change from the otherwise relentless world of glossy plastic chip packets with these Freeloader Feed designs.

Another tactile favourite and plastic alternative with this letterpress label for Reserve Collection coffee.

These salt and pepper shakers for Soso is made from textured PVC.

The client was looking for a distinguishing container that could be used both to store salts and as a salt cellar. An egg is the perfect container, as its own shell is the packaging, so it was decided that an egg shape would be reproduced.

Finally this glass bottle for Tap Water was designed as an alternative to the sporty/lifestyle feel that most bottled waters have in common, and to eliminate the the waste from constantly discarded plastic bottles.

What do you think?

So many substrates, so little time…