Kirk Visola, Founder and Creative Director of Mind the Fun, Co-host of Clubhouse's Kirk and Kurtts (Andy Kurtts), and Monday's with Marilyn (Kirk's mom) joins PDU to have a discussion about race and design. Kirk shares the experiences he's had as a black designer, learning that design could lead to a career, and his passion for comics. We discuss everything from updating his LinkedIn profile with an image for the first time, interviews, his sketch process, and how design can take a couple days to a couples weeks.  Check out Kirk's amazing work here: Connect with Kirk on LinkedIn Connect with Evelio on LinkedIn **Not G Rated**

Supply chains are breaking down, freight rates are blowing up, and today there are even brands that are paying off dock workers to move their products to the front of the line. Don't stoop low enough to break the law, just listen to this episode where Thaxton Lipscomb explains how to engineer your logistics to move your goods faster and cheaper. He lays out everything from materials to incoterms and how to save money by shifting responsibilities to sellers making them want to move the goods faster in order to get paid upon delivery. Here's what you get in this episode: 1) What the hell is ECT? If you’re ordering packaging and it’s shipping in corrugated boxes, you need to know what ECT is. You’ll also get a few standards that you can use when quoting packaging. Yes, the quality of the cartons impact your overall costs. 2) This was new to me, they’re called INCOterms. Thaxton will explain how to leverage incoterms to create a sense of urgency in delivery but also how you can shift the responsibility to the seller. Not only that it can allow you to shift costs back to the seller and determine who is responsible for payment and when. So save money and get things faster. 3) One of the biggest trends coming for 2022. Reverse logistics! Forget the color of the year, brands don’t really care about superficial trends right now. It is all about consumer experience and saving money. Really it’s about saving money. Reverse logistics does both. 4) I know I usually give you three things, but this one is so good I gotta tease it. Thaxton explains how they saved money and redesign time by changing the truck type instead of redesigning the packaging to correct transit damage.  You have to listen to this because you won’t believe it. Connect with Thaxton Lipscomb on LinkedIn Connect with Evelio Mattos on LinkedIn And download your free sustainability guide here.

Is plastic packaging evil? Is it killing sea-life, reducing sperm counts of men globally, decimating bird populations, or is it a misunderstood miracle material? In the Package Design Unboxd Q&A Clubhouse room, Chris DeArmitt Plastic Scientist and author of A Plastic Paradox joined Pierre Paslier CEO and co-founder of NOTPla to debate plastic packaging. Regardless of which side of the aisle you sit on, you need to listen to this episode. The goal of this episode is to share points on both sides that expose the debate brands are afraid to have because they don't know who to believe.  WARNING: Recording quality is crap. I'm sorry. But listen to it anyway, there is a lot to learn and think about in this episode.  Learn more about Pierre Paslier and NOTPla, it's a seaweed based material capable of replacing plastic in specific applications. It's so sustainable you can eat it. You can download Chris DeArmitt's new book and decide for yourself. Connect with Evelio Mattos on LinkedIn Follow Package Design Unboxd on LinkedIn Please subscribe, rate, and review. Download your own sustainability guide here

Today's guest is Andy Kurtts, the founder of Buttermilk Creative, a food & beverage packaging agency based in North Carolina. After leaving his full-time position over 5 years ago he launched Buttermilk Creative. Andy set out to build a solid business foundation before designing his first package. Andy shares how he set up his LLC, website, and where he goes to find clients.  Get practical advice on growing your business, finding clients, and even when to make the jump from full-time to founder. Connect with Andy on LinkedIn Email Andy at Buttermilk Creative Connect with Evelio on LinkedIn Download the free sustainable packaging guide

How do you design packaging for a product and an industry that's not fully legal, and changes regulations daily? Rick Fitzgerald joins us to share his insights into cannabis packaging and how to get started designing for cannabis packaging.  If you want to begin designing packaging for cannabis, you’re going to love this episode. If you’re already designing packaging for Cannabis, you might learn something too! You’re going to learn 3 super major things. 1) State regulations, why you need to work with a pro 2) The opportunities in structural engineering CR packaging 3) The requirements for designing graphics on cannbis packaging. Also some insights into the cannbis industry as a while, and Rick drop his prediction for countrywide legalization! Connect with Rick on LinkedIn Check out his cannabis travel company InnDica here Connect with Evelio on LinkedIn Download your free sustainability guide here

What the hell is sustainable packaging anyway? Evelio continues the conversation over drinks to help you identify ways to make your packaging more sustainable and building your brand. It's another late night and Evelio's drinking again letting loose on what it means to be sustainable. He breaks down the old adage of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle and what that means to a brand and to a designer.  You'll get something out of this episode, even if it's just a laugh. Evelio takes sustainability seriously and wants to make sure you get the straight dope from his experience. Follow Evelio on LinkedIn Download your own Free copy of the Sustainability Guide

50 years ago Fabrice was picking up trash in his village, 20 years later he launched one of France's most famous packaging design agencies. Today Fabrice Peltier, world renowned author, shares with us what he's learned about sustainability and why we're in the middle of a revolution.  Get ready to fight for your planet because this revolution isn't jut limited to packaging, it's about product, logistics, consumerism, and everything in between. He explains the confusing nature of sustainability, how Europe differs from the Americas when it comes to recycling packaging. Fabrice's book The packaging Revolution is a must read, and it's written in simple terms so anyone without packaging design experience can learn to make more sustainable packaging decisions.  All in all, you’ll get at least 3 key takeaways. 1) How to trendspot 20 years into the future. - seriously he’s got a great process that beats mine and I just work 5 years in the future. So I’m going to start putting this process into play for myself. 2) How to help brands make the right choices in materials, processes, and give them a clear picture of what sustainability can mean for them. - If you’re not already helping brands make these decisions, you’ll gain some insight into how to do this. 3) Compostables. Yes we get into compostable plastics and we get a European angle on this material. We also get into some of the laws passed around these materials and packaging. We discuss the Packaging Revolution, and learn that the reason it’s written our in such simple terms that anyone can understand is that Fabrice is also the author behind the French version of Design for Dummies! You can pick up Fabrice Peltier's books here! Connect with Fabrice Peltier on LinkedIn Connect with Evelio Mattos on LinkedIn to get daily packaging insights Support our Sponsor WESTPACK use promo code: UNBOXD for 50% off! Download your free sustainability guide here.

What the hell is sustainable packaging anyway? It's late, and I'm going to rant about everything I know and how to approach sustainable packaging design. You're going to learn a few things in this one: 1) What questions to ask you supplier, manufacturer, and yourself before you embark on the road to sustainable packaging design. 2) Materials, we're going to have a heart to heart about materials. Paper, plastic, and alternatives what they are and how they work. Some we're just going to say no to. 3) Where to begin looking for sustainable solutions that impact your packaging's sustainable story. It's not where you would think, but it's where you'll make a difference.  Leave a comment or review, would love to hear if you like this type of episode. If you do I may just do more of them. Support our sponsors:  WestPack - They're California's first live conference! Excited it's about packaging! Use promo code UNBOXD to get 50% admission to various tracks including the cannabis track.  IDP Direct - these guys make amazing retail packaging for global brands. They also have a great sustainability guide available for free, check it out here and get started on your path to more sustainable packaging. Follow me on LinkedIn and leave a comment about this show. You'll get a few sustainable posts a day on Linkedin and be able to network with other like minded packaging people!

Jeremy Etchison & Ben Blanchard are the dynamic duo behind SONOS' Roam packaging. Their team of designers and engineers executed what can be called the future of sustainable tech packaging. A completely recyclable product pack that uses custom paper wrapped corrugated board and molded fiber inserts to cradle and present the ROAM speaker.  We discuss how sustainability was the Northstar that led to Sonos' packaging design for the ROAM and all future Sonos products. We learn about custom papers, molded fiber inserts, and the necessity of designing within a grid for multi SKU packaging.  Connect with Jeremy and Ben on LinkedIn Tag Evelio in your LInkedIn posts about packaging Support the sponsors that support the PDU (Package Design Unboxd) podcast: Intl. Direct Packaging, the factory direct packaging manufacturer known for sustainable packaging manufacturing WESTPack, California's first live conference! And it's a packaging conference. Sign up for your tickets here use promo code: unboxd to get 50% off various tracks

Packaging designers have a superpower no other designer has. The ability to reach into the future and create it today. Learn the strategies Clark McDowall use to design packaging for Mars owned Nutro Pet Foods and legacy brand Palmolive. How to spot packaging trends without falling in love with transient trends? Applying this strategic vision to designing packaging with longevity and relevance to build a Future-Ready brand. Nutro Packaging Design: We discuss designing packaging for large to small skis and how systemic design works Avoid following the industry and focus on the consumer's needs Why the team landed in the direction they did and what was the brief  Palmolive Making a legacy brand inclusive with small tweaks that mean a lot Redesigning dish soap to sell an experience and values Designing something positive for the planet by using ocean plastics Designing something positive for people removing hands from the packaging Learn more and work with Clark McDowall Connect with Adrienne Muken on LinkedIn Connect with Paul McDowall on LinkedIn Connect with Evelio Mattos on LinkedIn Follow the podcast and get the newsletter Download your free sustainability guide now Visit westpackshow.com to register for your free expo pass and use promocode unboxd to get 50% off the CannPack West Conference and other design and manufacturing technical conference tracks.