Don’t overlook the importance of packaging for your brand; it’s a fantastic tool for building engagement, excitement, and customer loyalty. Here are 5 totally unique T-shirt packaging ideas.
Packaging is that last sweet opportunity to show off your brand’s creativity and nicely round off the customer experience, with a little added personality. It’s a natural way to get your product shared on social media and encourage customers to make important repeat purchases or recommend you to friends, without even asking! Your T-shirt packaging should be unique and memorable, and there are many ways to achieve this. Here are 5 T-shirt packaging ideas we love.
Is packaging really just packaging?
When it comes to product packaging, of course, the main goal is to ensure secure transportation, that’s regardless of whether it’s a T-shirt, food, handbag, or television. But packaging is way more than just providing the product is delivered safely.
Today, companies recognise that unpacking a product is an opportunity to create an unforgettable experience for the recipient. Therefore, packaging design has become a focus point of many businesses. The great thing about products like T-shirts, is that you can have a lot of fun with the packaging, as the design doesn’t have to be focused on logistical concerns, such as food packaging that prevents spoilage. Packaging design is an opportunity to take the customer on a brand journey. There are so many creative ways to package your T-shirts, plus many may be more sustainable and cost-effective than your current packaging, which is just a win-win!
1. Make your packaging a socially shareable experience, Johnny Cupcakes
Johnny Cupcakes, Inc. was established in 2001 by Johnny Earle and has since become a popular clothing brand. “It started as a joke. I started Johnny Cupcakes as a joke, as a social experiment,” said Johnny Earle, the CEO and founder. The most associated logo with Johnny Cupcakes is a cupcake with crossbones. The design sparked interest, and above all, it made people talk and smile!
A lot of success is due to their unique designs, brand loyalty, and creative marketing campaigns. Throughout the entire customer journey, they consistently surprise and delight their customers. They have also mastered the art of packaging. Their unique approach, “The World’s First T-shirt Bakery,” blends bakery and punk-inspired themes to create a quirky and memorable packaging experience. Their packaging is a socially sharable element that drives interest and excitement among its customers.
We adored this Parody Halloween inspired T-shirt! It’s been hand-numbered to only 50 pieces and comes in a special oversized Starbakes coffee cup with a custom craft paper cup. To give you the whole Starbakes experience, they even miswrote the customer’s first name on the giant cup packaging. Who wouldn’t share that on social media?
2. Plastic free, good old-fashioned pen and paper, Art Disco
This brand is about catering to the wild hearts and salty souls who love to keep the spirit of adventure burning! Based in Whitby on the North Yorkshire coast, they are passionate about creating unique pieces designed to be treasured. They believe in the power of good old-fashioned pen and paper; every design and detail are meticulously hand-illustrated. In a world where mass production is the norm, they stick to a mission of creating small batches of truly unique pieces.
As a business located near the sea, they understand the importance of reducing plastic use. They use entirely plastic-free packaging, even down to the paper tape. All their packing materials are acid-free and 100% recyclable, and their tissue paper is biodegradable and chlorine-free. They hand screen print all the packaging using eco-friendly water-based inks free from toxic chemicals. At the heart of their business is a commitment to responsibility. They only work with suppliers who share their environmentalism, ethics, and equality values and are independently monitored and certified.
There’s something about slipping into a soft tee after a day spent by the water. That’s exactly what you get with these T-shirts. They’re made to be treasured, and the recent mystical redesign of their mid-size packing boxes only adds to the magic. We also love their ‘Siren’ Hats – they look stunning even when packed in hand-printed dust bags. These thoughtful details are the reason why customers keep coming back.
3. Unique and sustainable glass bottle packaging, Vestige Story
Vestige Story is a Vancouver-based clothing label that caters to women who value a mindful lifestyle. Their collections are inspired by the stories of real women and the insights gained from their experiences. One of their standout collections was the ‘Message in a Bottle’ T-shirt range, which is eco-friendly. Instead of traditional boxes and labels, the T-shirts are packaged in handblown and corked reusable glass bottles. Additionally, each bottle has a message embossed on the back. The name “Vestige” was chosen to describe an artefact that travels across oceans.
What’s great about these bottles is that they can be used for more than just packaging. They can be reused as water bottles, wine carafes, or chic vases that fit in perfectly with any neutral design scheme. By using these bottles instead of plastic bags, Vestige Story is doing its part to reduce waste and provide consumers with a keepsake they can enjoy long after purchasing their clothing.
4. Experiment with materials, Fossil Long Live Vintage Campaign
When packaging your products, why not think outside the box (literally)? Not every small-business owner wants to ship their products in a cardboard box, so you can get creative and find unique materials such as wooden crates, fabric pouches, metal tins, and more.
Fossil collaborated with artist Dolan Geiman to create a line of contemporary folk tees packaged in boxes inspired by Fossil’s well-known watch tins. The Long Live Vintage campaign was a significant undertaking exploring the concept of vintage in America and Europe. Dolan lent his signature contemporary folk style to create artwork for a women’s T-shirt.
5. Pop it in a tote bag!
While researching this article, we found many brands feature both tote bags and T-shirts. Combining the two and packaging a T-shirt in a tote bag, then wrapping it in paper with a company stamp is a simple and effective way to add value to your product. Plus, it’s an easy way to create a unique unboxing experience for your customers. It also helps to reduce waste by providing a reusable item that customers can use for shopping. A tote bag can also be an additional branding opportunity by featuring your logo or designs that complement the T-shirt. This tote bag is a great, affordable option and can be customised.
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The right packaging can enhance the value of a T-shirt and create a lasting impression on customers. We hope these T-shirt packaging ideas have inspired you to create unique packaging ideas that perfectly match your brand’s personality and values. For more inspiration for your brand join our newsletter today. And if you need T-shirts printing, to put in your incredible packaging, you know where to find us!
