Sock Box

UW Packaging Design Project

OBJECTIVE

During the final weeks of my 3-D design class, the instructor tasked us with creating a sock package for a user of our choice. The guidelines for the project were that we could only use E-flute corrugated cardboard - no adhesive and no graphics were permitted.

ROLE & DURATION

UX Design

Industrial Design

June '19 (3 weeks)

Defining My User Group

For this project, I decided to design for a shopper of the well known international art/clothing store - Totokaelo. The items found in the store can be described as simple and abstract, thus I set out to incorporate these characteristics in my design.

Preliminary Designs

With no prior experience working with E-flute cardboard, I began experimenting with different shapes and folds. My goal was to get used to the material and find a simple design that made sense for my user group.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Nets should be drawn prior to tracing on the E-flute.

• X-Acto knife cutting may not be my only option for cutting.

• Tabs and slots are a pain to manually measure and cut (via ruler and knife).

• I prefer organic design over geometric design for this project (the design on the right looks more intriguing).

A User-focused Design Solution

By brainstorming potential design solutions, I was able to isolate the key features of my design that I believed mattered most to my user. Features I strived to incorporate into my design included:

Flatpack delivery to the store for space-saving.

Each flatpack contains two packages for no material waste and cost-effectiveness.

Visual appeal on store shelves with easy access to sock material (so that the shopper knows what they are buying).

Reusability aspect (Totokaelo shoppers seem to be artsy and eco-friendly).

Easy to transport and open.

Storyboard

A visual representation to convey product usage and packaging experience based on the design requirements outlined above.

Making the Transition to Laser Cutting

I saw that I wasn’t getting as clean a result as I wanted when creating the packages by hand, so I started seeking alternative ways to cut out my cardboard nets.

Living right next to UW’s maker-space, the laser cutting machine seemed like a good choice. I transferred all of my hand-written nets onto Illustrator and ran my cardboard through the laser cutting machine.

The results were beyond satisfactory. My cut time went from 10 minutes to 1 minute; having my nets on Illustrator made it easier to make minor adjustments; the laser cutter allowed me to make very precise and small cuts for my tabs and slots.