First, I wanted to better highlight and celebrate my brand. My old packaging listed the product name (like “tea towel” or “notepad”) before Hazelmade, but now Hazelmade comes first. It's also important to note that my new packaging is not a rebrand. I wanted to keep the same color palette and materials so that you could appreciate the subtle design improvements but still recognize the products as Hazelmade. I also updated my materials to enhance durability with thicker papers and stronger sticker seals.
I updated my packaging to be more sustainable, especially with my boxed cards. I now use plastic-free kraft cardboard packaging for my boxed cards. Switching my boxed card packaging took over a year. First, I weighed the pros and cons of going plastic-free, took feedback from my customers and also talked with the shopowners who carry my work in their stores. Once I had decided to take the leap and go plastic-free, I had to research and find the right USA-made card box vendor. I had to design and print samples. I also tested the samples' durability by packaging cards in the new paper boxes and shipping them from one side of the USA to the other. Finally, I had to create a system to organize our inventory and flush out the old plastic boxes as the new kraft cardboard boxes arrived. Going plastic-free was a huge process, but it was definitely worthwhile.
