From Concept to Production:
Press ready packaging design and prepress prep
Prevent Expensive Packaging Surprises
Production-ready packaging artwork, prepared by a designer who knows what happens after you hit print.
Your packaging looks great on screen. But will it print the way you expect?
From dielines and bleeds to overprints, spot colors, barcodes, and fine-print legibility, packaging production comes with technical details that can make or break the final result. Miss something, and you could be looking at unexpected print results, production delays, or an expensive reprint. Most designers can design something that looks nice, but not all can design stuff that also prints nice.
I help food, supplement, and beauty brands get their packaging artwork ready for production, with the technical know-how to catch potential problems before they make it to press.
Great Artwork Is Only Half the Job
Packaging files have to do more than look good in Adobe (or Canva). They need to meet the specifications of your printer, account for the printing process and substrate, and translate reliably from digital artwork to a physical package.
That's where experienced packaging prepress designer makes a difference, and your print vendor won’t hate your guts, which is always a bonus, you need them to like working with you.
I can come in at any point: for brand new designs from scratch, or you're preparing a label to print from Canva you designed yourself, or working with artwork created by another designer that the printer flagged. I'll help make sure your files are organized, technically prepared, and ready for your printer.
Because catching a problem before production is a whole lot better than discovering it on 10,000 printed labels you can’t use because they’re blurry or words are cut off or missing or the color looks like rotten carrots.
Prep & check
Print-Ready Artwork Preparation
I'll prepare your packaging files for production based on your printer's specifications, including document setup, bleeds, dielines, linked assets, fonts, and final file packaging. From pressure-sensitive labels and folding cartons to flexible packaging and sleeves, I'll help ensure artwork is positioned correctly on the supplied dieline, with appropriate consideration for folds, seams, overlaps, and trim areas. (And that nothing is upside down. It has happened.)
Color & ink
Color and Print Specifications
Spot colors, process builds, white ink, metallic inks, varnishes, and other print-specific elements need to be set up correctly. I'll prepare artwork with the intended print process in mind and coordinate with your printer on production-specific requirements.
Small technical errors can have a big impact on the printed result. I'll review relevant settings, including overprint attributes, trapping requirements, and separation setup, based on the printer's specifications and capabilities.
Issues & oopsies
Prepress Troubleshooting
Already have packaging artwork and a vision but aren't sure why your printer is flagging it? Or even really understand what they’re saying? Maybe you’re shocked at how expensive the quote came back for the cool package you saw on Instagram and want to recreate? I can review the plan and files, identify potential technical issues, and help determine what needs to change before the job moves forward, so you can get your vision, at a price point you can afford.
Finally, a Packaging Designer Who Gets it!
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Finally, a Packaging Designer Who Gets it! •
Hire a designer who cares about the details.
It’s easy to find a packaging designer to make things look pretty. It’s a whole other thing to find someone who gets all the rules so you can actually sell your product in stores.
A Second Set of Eyes Before You Print
Sometimes you just need an experienced packaging designer to look under the hood and make sure everything is running properly. I'll focus on the production details, flag potential issues, and prepare the files for your printer's review without changing the creative direction unnecessarily.
It's a practical way to get experienced packaging support when you need it, without commissioning an entirely new design. I can work with existing artwork from your in-house team, freelance designer, or agency.
From File to Production
My prepress process is straightforward:
01. Review
I'll review your existing artwork, dielines, and your vision to understand the job and identify potential issues.
02. Prepare
Confer with your print vendor to ensure what they need, and what their preferences are, gathering their printer specifications, paper stocks, and suggest changes as needed. I’ll review the quote(s) and explain to you, in plain English, and pictures, what it all means and what you are buying.
03. Check
I'll make the agreed-upon technical corrections, organize the files, and set up the artwork according to the production requirements provided. I'll perform a final artwork check, print some proofs, mock up the box or label on the actual bottle or jar to verify sizing and orientation. I’ll tidy up the layers, write guidelines for the printer for how we want things done, and run some proofreading. (Also ask me about my Compliance Review)
04. Deliver
You'll receive production-ready files for your printer to review and approve before manufacturing begins. If you’re getting printed proofs, I’ll review them for color accuracy and print quality and help you approve the big print run with confidence. I’ll liaise between you and the printer, translating the jargon and making sure they’re not taking shortcuts or messing you around.
Print Design that’s ready to print
Whether you're getting ready to print your first ever product label or managing artwork updates across an established product line, I'm here to help make the production side less stressful.
Send me your existing artwork, printer specifications, and a quick description of what you need. I'll help you determine the next steps.
Packaging partner for print and prepress
My skillset spans all kinds of products, with core competence around food, beauty, and supplements. (And weed). I’ve even done a project with thousands of labels for a construction screw company where we had to color-match to the existing packaging – last updated in 1995.
Let's make your packaging retail-ready
Got issues? Changemaker Creative provides packaging problem solving, prepress troubleshooting, dieline analysis, artwork checks, and production proofreading for all kinds of product packaging for CPG brands, so you can avoid costly reprints and other delays and headaches.
A note: I provide packaging design and practical print design guidance, but I am not a print vendor or prepress operator. Requirements vary by product category, formulation, claims, and packaging format. Final results should be confirmed with reviewing printed proofs. Shit can still go wrong, but I’ll be in your corner, fighting for you.