The Top 5 Packaging Challenges Package Designers Face – And How to Solve Them

Packaging design is equal parts art, engineering, and problem-solving. Today’s designers are asked to deliver innovative, on-brand solutions that perform across the supply chain – all while meeting tight timelines, budget constraints, and rising sustainability demands. With physical prototypes, evolving specs, and stakeholder input to manage, even small delays or sourcing issues can throw off a project.

At Allen Field, we work alongside packaging professionals to overcome these roadblocks with adaptable components and fast prototyping support. Below, we explore five of the most common challenges packaging designers face – and actionable strategies to address them.

1. Prototyping Delays Can Derail Momentum

Speed is everything in a product launch cycle, but when prototyping isn’t integrated into the early stages of development, it creates unnecessary lag. Packaging decisions often hinge on small structural tweaks or component adjustments, yet designers may have to wait weeks between iterations – especially when working with third-party fabricators or offshore tooling partners.

This lack of agility in the prototyping phase can:

• Disrupt launch timelines and lead to missed retail windows
• Limit the ability to test variations of form, function, or aesthetics
• Force teams to compromise on packaging quality to stay on schedule

Accelerating the prototyping process allows designers to refine packaging details in real time, reducing delays and preserving creative flexibility. With immediate access to prototyping support and a broad component library, teams can test, adjust, and finalize designs faster – ensuring quality decisions aren’t sacrificed for the sake of speed.

2. Material Sourcing Is Still a Major Pain Point

Global supply disruptions and shifting material regulations have made sourcing a top concern for packaging designers. Finding components that are readily available, meet sustainability criteria, and align with brand goals is rarely simple. Even if a material checks all the boxes, inconsistent lead times or MOQ issues can stall development.

Key material sourcing challenges include:

• Finding durable, scalable materials that meet environmental goals
• Navigating availability issues tied to raw material shortages or transportation delays
• Managing compatibility across packaging systems (especially for multipurpose designs)

One way to mitigate this is by selecting standardized, multi-use components that are easy to source in different markets. For instance, our Repulpable Handles and Recyclable Hangers are engineered for both environmental performance and material availability. By choosing components designed with sourcing realities in mind, designers can reduce surprises and simplify procurement workflows.

3. Off-the-Shelf Parts Limit Creative Freedom

Stock components are convenient, but not always compatible with the structural or aesthetic direction of a custom package. Designers looking to push boundaries with shape, closure mechanisms, or fold styles often find that standard clips, handles, or supports simply don’t fit.

These design mismatches can result in:

• Awkward workarounds that reduce packaging integrity or usability
• Incompatibility between structure and branding elements
• Delays while waiting on tooling or custom fabrications

Rather than forcing a design to conform to available parts, some of our partners choose to co-develop solutions that match both their brand and their structural needs. For example, packaging formats that prioritize collapsibility, minimalism, or modularity often require components that don’t exist off the shelf – especially when balancing aesthetics with structural performance. By modifying one of our existing Box Connecting Clips, we created a streamlined component that was both functional and visually discreet – without the high cost or delay of a fully custom part.

4. Tight Budgets Add Pressure to Simplify and Consolidate

Design innovation is often constrained by the need to reduce material waste and keep production costs manageable. While premium packaging components or layered designs may enhance the user experience, they can quickly become unsustainable at scale – especially in high-volume product lines.

Cost-conscious designers are often tasked with:

• Reducing material inputs without compromising performance
• Consolidating parts to simplify packing and assembly
• Choosing designs that scale easily across multiple SKUs

One effective way to reduce costs is through thoughtful component consolidation. Handle & Clip Combos integrate structural reinforcement, carry support, and closure functionality into a single component – reducing part count while enhancing overall packaging efficiency. This approach can eliminate the need for multiple internal components, reducing material usage, streamlining assembly, and often improving overall packaging strength and stability.

5. Sustainability Targets Keep Evolving

Sustainability is no longer an add-on, it’s an expectation. Whether driven by corporate goals, retailer mandates, or consumer preferences, packaging now needs to reflect a company’s environmental commitments. This is especially true in markets like food, beverage, and health and wellness, where packaging is a direct extension of the brand.

The challenge for designers is to:

• Choose materials and components that meet recycling or composting standards
• Reduce reliance on mixed-material elements that complicate disposal
• Maintain strength, usability, and visual appeal while lowering environmental impact

Allen Field offers a range of solutions to help designers meet these rising standards. From our Recyclable Box Handles to our Repulpable Paper Solutions and Reusable Display Clips, these components are designed to meet sustainability expectations without increasing packaging complexity. The goal is simple: to support eco-friendly designs that work in the real world – both operationally and environmentally.

Designing Smarter Starts with the Right Support

Each of these challenges, whether tied to speed, sourcing, structure, cost, or sustainability, can be solved through the right combination of planning, materials, and collaboration. Packaging design doesn’t have to be a trade-off between vision and execution.

At Allen Field, we’re here to support packaging innovation from concept to completion. With decades of component engineering experience and responsive design support, we help bring your best ideas to life without the usual slowdowns.