As we wind down the remaining days in 2026, we have already received dozens of proposals/inquiries for upcoming 2027 packaging projects. The time to plan is now, and what we’re seeing is giving us a lot of insight into what is likely to be trendy in packing design (both graphic and structural) in the coming year. With the substantial weight and relevance of DTC packaging in today’s ecommerce world, it’s almost a requirement to be aware of the trends in order to avoid sticking with packaging that may not be as cost-efficient, consumer-friendly, or fulfillment-friendly as it could be.
Cost Reduction Focus
Let’s face it, 2026 was a tough year for corrugated packaging pricing. We saw three industry-wide price increases, and it was a stark reminder that companies like ours owe it to our customers to try to find creative cost-saving solutions whenever possible. Options like changing box sizes, structural design, changing board color, fluting, a reduction in colors printed, or even pivoting to a different packaging product altogether (box to envelope, or die cut mailer to RSC) must be considered. Offsetting rising prices is a must in order to ensure that the end goal is still delivered—quality protective packaging that showcases your brand. It can be accomplished a number of ways, sometimes you just need a packaging partner with the experience and knowhow to guide you to the right solution.
Ease of Access Packaging (Consumer-Friendly)
We might have been years ahead of this trend when we started blogging about tear strip openings and resealable mailers, but now it has shifted from a premium feature to commonplace. Now more than ever, companies want to know that their customers are not struggling to open their boxes or envelopes, tearing or cutting in the incorrect spot and possibly leading to damage of the product inside. We’ve all received envelopes without a tear strip or a faulty tear strip that take many attempts to try to open. It’s an unnecessary pain/hassle and it does not lead to a positive customer experience. It’s also important to ensure the package is resealable and easily re-shippable in cases involving trial orders, samples, or to allow your customers to easily orchestrate return of product. Consumer-friendly packaging is more than just a trendy phase, it’s becoming something your customers will expect.
Assembly and Packing Savings (Fulfillment-Friendly)
After you have reduced material cost, as much as possible, the next place to focus is reducing labor cost at your packaging 3PL or partner. Fulfillment companies hate difficult to assemble packaging that involves complicated structural designs. Reducing packaging components and simplifying design structures will lead to less assembly time, and lower fulfillment costs. At Salazar packaging we always consider how difficult an insert, divider or partition will be to fold, as well as how many packaging skus are involved and how to best consolidate when possible. We understand that some of the greatest designs in terms of product protection, are only truly great if they are not overly complicated to assemble. Finding the balance is key, and not always easy, but we thrive in this area. Options like built-in inserts or interchangeable inserts are very fulfillment-friendly when done right. Preassembled partitions, rather than those requiring assembly can be another great time-saver. As always, the best solution will be determined by the product and/or application needed. Trust us, we’ve seen it all!
Please Contact Us Today
Whether you are targeting a 2027 new product or company launch, or are tweaking existing packaging designs, we are standing by. Please reach out to us for a no cost, no obligation packaging consultation. As always, if you have any questions, one of our branded packaging advisors is standing by to assist, with decades of experience behind them. Please call us at 630-551-1700 or contact us via email at www.SalazarPackaging.com.
Related Posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/2026-packaging-trends-for-skincare-beauty-brands/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/top-ecommerce-packaging-trends-for-2026-and-lessons-from-2025/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/e-commerce-packaging-trend-simplicity-to-reduce-cost/