Back to Class

Crate Paper Packaging Collection

For Back to Class, I was given the collection logo, color palette, patterns, and product artwork created by the product designer, and it was my job to figure out how all of that translated into packaging. Working within Crate Paper’s established aesthetic and our existing package formats, I developed the packaging look and feel, created a style guide, and carried the system across 12 individual SKUs plus 12 open-stock papers.

This was one of those projects where I had a lot of fun with the little details. I chose typography that referenced elementary-school handwriting practice, incorporated a ruler motif into the packaging, and even replaced a standard divider rule in the technical copy with tiny ruler markings. For the felt pennant packaging, I added a subtle felt texture to the printed artwork so the package echoed the material of the product inside.

The 12×12 paper pad presented its own challenge: the front needed to showcase all 24 paper designs while still giving customers a sense of what they could actually make with the collection. I created the sample layout and balanced it with the paper previews so the package could work as both a product overview and a little bit of inspiration.

I also built the system with handoff in mind. The style guide documented the colors, typography, hierarchy, and examples across several packaging formats so another designer could step in and continue the collection consistently if needed.

The collection ultimately wasn’t produced, but it remains one of my favorite packaging projects because it represents the part of packaging design I enjoy most: taking an existing visual world and figuring out how to make it work cohesively across an entire product line—right down to the tiny details most people may never consciously notice.

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