** Join the Packaging Pact and Leave Us A Review **
Nov. 11, 2021

Designing Packaging for Manufacturing with Brandi Parker of Pearlfisher | Ep 70

Designing Packaging for Manufacturing with Brandi Parker of Pearlfisher | Ep 70

When you focus on manufacturing, you learn about the materials and processes behind a product, and this knowledge only makes you a better designer at the end of the day. Brandi Parker, Head of Sustainability at Pearlfisher, joins us to talk about how her experience on the manufacturing side has influenced the way she thinks about sustainable design. Brandi’s role at Pearlfisher has taught her about the deep connection between sustainability and design and we start our chat by hearing more about what this means to her. From there, we talk about certifications such as Dolphin-Safe and FSC, unpacking ideas around corruption, consumer awareness, and brand superficiality. Our conversation moves into some of the most exciting trends Brandi is seeing in sustainable design right now, where she highlights fungus and the amazing ways it is being put to use as a material. Toward the end of our exchange, we explore what true design is really about. Brandi drills down on the importance of reading the most current literature, getting involved in real projects and, of course, getting more clued up about manufacturing! We wrap up on the role of problem-solving in great design, and Brandi shares a few golden nuggets that you definitely do not want to miss!


Key Points From This Episode:

  • Sustainability through design and what Brandi’s role at Pearlfisher entails.
  • How broad the topic of sustainability is and what it means to be an expert in it.
  • The corruption in the Dolphin-Safe Certification and whether FSC is worth it.
  • A lack in consumer understanding of FSC; whether they should care about it or not.
  • Why fungus as a material is interesting from a sustainability point of view.
  • Learning about sustainable design through books, projects, people, and manufacturing.
  • Three questions designers should ask about the ‘what’, the ‘why’, and the price before using a material.
  • Lessons Brandi learned during her time in a competitive problem-solving team in high school.
  • The value of challenging a problem by turning it on its head to find effective solutions.


Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Brandi Parker on LinkedIn

Pearlfisher

Cradle to Cradle

Package Design Unboxd

Evelio Mattos on LinkedIn

Evelio Mattos on Twitter

Package Design Unboxd Q&A on Clubhouse

Intl. Direct Packaging

People of Packaging Podcast

Sustainable Packaging Podcast

9 Episodes That Answer, How To Design Packaging

To design packaging you must understand sustainability, materials, engineering, communication, and design. These episodes will get you started on your path to designing your own award-winning and band building packaging design.

May 11, 2020

What is Luxury Packaging Design | Ep. 2

Vincent Villeger, former Director of Packaging at Burberry discusses what makes luxury packaging powerful, and how to follow your creative instincts to make the right decisions. We answer if primary packaging such as fragran...

Listen to the Episode
June 28, 2021

How to Design Packaging for Start-Ups with Last Crumb Cookies | Ep 50

Learn what it takes to design, buy, and launch packaging for a start-up. we discuss numbers, concepts, and next steps.

Listen to the Episode
March 22, 2021

Plastic-Free Packaging From Seaweed with NOTPLA | Ep.43

NOTPLA is a seaweed based material used for packaging liquids and now is being turned into heatsealable films that are completely biodegradable and edible. The zero plastics movement is growing and NOTPla is helping the packa...

Listen to the Episode
April 21, 2021

Product & Packaging Design with Enlisted Design | Ep. 45

Packaging design powerhouse Enlisted Design has designed packaging for brands like All Birds, Fridababy, Linksys, and so many other brands. Beau Oyler CEO of Enlisted shares their approach to designing product and packaging u...

Listen to the Episode
Nov. 30, 2020

How to Find Sustainable Packaging Suppliers | Ep. 34

Interested in sustainable packaging? Learn how to source materials, designers, and manufacturers with Guacamole Airplane's Packaging Supplier's Guide.

Listen to the Episode
Oct. 12, 2020

Prepress & Print Production for Packaging Design | Ep. 27

With over 35 years of experience in design and print, we only scratch the surface of Lisa’s experience. But lucky for all of us, Lisa has also launched a print production class online to teach you how to design to …

Listen to the Episode
July 29, 2020

How to Design Your Own Product Packaging | Ep 20

How do you design packaging while working from home? After watching the most recent Underdogs video about Apple's project Pandora I thought it was a good time to share how working from home has changed the package design proc...

Listen to the Episode
May 20, 2020

What is Sustainable Packaging Design? w/ Tom Szaky | Ep. 5

Everyone talks about sustainable packaging, but what exactly is it? Well, that depends, and our guest Tom Szaky agrees as sustainability depends on many factors. In this episode we discuss what is sustainability, the business...

Listen to the Episode
May 19, 2020

The Power of Structural Packaging Design | Ep. 4

How do you build a packaging design agency when you're not in a big city known for design? Ask Mat Bogust of Think Packaging and he'll tell you to just start posting and the world will notice! Today, New Zealand …

Listen to the Episode
March 8, 2024

Unleashing the Power of AI in Packaging Design: A Conversation with A…

This episode unveils the transformative power of AI in packaging design through the eyes of Adey Efrem, a trailblazer who has dared to venture where few designers have. Starting with her initial foray into the world of design to her …

Listen to the Episode