Career Goal Unlocked! My Chat with The Dieline
I recently chatted with the Dieline about designing packaging for “hand feel” and how it can make or break packaging. It’s an often over-looked afterthought
Read the article below or on The Dieline.
What Does it Mean to Design for the Hand and Why Should Packaging Designers Do It?
Published March 19, 2024
Designing isn’t just about how something looks—it’s also about how it feels. And yes, it should make people feel something emotionally, but the way it physically feels when someone picks it up matters, too.
Designers often refer to that tactile experience as designing for the hand. “Hand” is also a term used by printers and paper experts to describe how a paper feels. While these physical properties sometimes get less attention due to budget constraints and other design elements pulling focus, designing for the hand has the power to elevate a brand in a way only material choice can.
“Choosing the right weight for a specific application is crucial,” said Jenny Hamilton, brand design director at Blossom Creative. “It’s possible to go too light or too heavy. I always try to err on the side of the heavier weight because that’s a better hand feel, and it gives you more of a sense of quality and durability. But there is a point where you can go too far with it.”
Working with a printer and having samples made means designers can iron out the kinks in advance. Jenny has worked with Monadnock Paper Mills on several projects, and during the process, they have encountered instances where a belly band around a piece won’t lie flat or a box board is too heavy, and they notice cracking. By actually getting the item in their hands during the design process, they can make changes before the final product is perfected and printed.
It’s critical to remember that paper choice encompasses more than just technical aspects of a finished design—it helps tell a story. Jenny and Monadnock collaborated for a multi-substrate, high-end retail sample kit called Luxury Comes in Many Shades. The finished product shows Monadnock Paper Mill’s customers how ink and other embellishments would appear on different surfaces—but rather than print off a traditional booklet like most paper mills would, they created an interactive puzzle. Nine cubes make up an image of a tree and demonstrate a range of sustainably produced fiber-based substrates with various inks, foils, embossing, and UV treatments. This experience tells prospective consumers far more about the paper and what it will feel like in certain situations, and it’s beautiful enough to display like a piece of art.
“‘Luxury Comes in Many Shades’ encapsulated more than just aesthetic appeal,” said Julie Brannen, director of regional sales and sustainable solutions for Monadnock Paper Mills. “It was about crafting an experience that simultaneously resonated with the tactile and visual senses. We meticulously selected a range of paperboard that matched the visual identity of the luxury brands we collaborated with. The paperboard’s texture, weight, and finish were integral in providing a unique tactile experience that conveyed the essence of luxury and exclusivity. The hand-feel of the paper created an immediate, subconscious connection with quality and craftsmanship, setting the tone before you even laid eyes on it.”
Designing for the hand is an expressive tool for a brand. A super smooth paper will likely convey luxury and perfection, Jenny explained, while paper with a more toothy feel might express longevity. Matching the paper to the brand’s mission will ultimately strengthen its positioning.
“You’re creating the experience of an unboxing,” Jenny said. “So you need to think about what that box will feel like in the hand. Is it going to feel heavy? Is it going to feel important? Does it feel like it has weight to it, and when you open a flap, can it stay? Does it stay closed when it needs to, and can it be easily opened? Packages can certainly be too light, too. If you’re trying to hold a glass candle, that’s a heavy thing. You’re going to need to design that package so that it won’t bow, has structural integrity, and feels like it was made for the product.”
Julie added that the environmental impact is naturally a part of the paper choice, too. Monadnock places a high priority on sustainable materials and processes that won’t compromise the planet’s health, all while still providing a unique tactile experience—and it’s increasingly important that others in the industry engage in this thinking as well. It will make the touch and feel of paper something that remains relevant even in the digital age.
“Paper choice goes beyond just the tactile experience,” Julie added. “It can significantly impact the brand’s perception and environmental footprint, often in ways people won’t initially anticipate. For example, by selecting a high-quality, sustainable paper, brands inadvertently communicate their commitment to environmental responsibility, enhancing their image in the eyes of eco-conscious consumers. Furthermore, the durability and longevity of premium papers mean that printed materials are less likely to be discarded quickly. That encourages responsible use of resources and helps reduce waste.”
When overlooked, the paper choice for a design is a missed opportunity to support the design message. Pairing different textures, weights, and finishes gives a brand a nuanced story. A booklet with a lightweight paper inside bound with a much heavier paper gives a feeling of strength and elegance. On the flip side, an impressive outer box with interior pieces that got very little consideration creates a disjointed experience. Each choice makes a statement, and the way those choices work together adds dimension—so figuring out what works best should be worked into the design process rather than viewed as a one-and-done task.
“There are a lot of instances where I’ll go into a project with Monadnock thinking we’ll be using one paper,” Jenny says, “and then we come out of it with the finished design thinking a different paper is going to add to that story and support the message better. It’s important to be flexible when it comes to paper because it should absolutely be a part of the design and not just the afterthought.”
Want to take a closer look? Go here to request your copy of the Luxury Box Toolkit, and you’ll have everything you need to produce packaging that’s equal parts sustainable and luxurious.