Design & Technology
Packaging, moral issues and safety
The primary purposes of packaging are to contain and preserve
products, and to inform people about them. In addition
packaging is often used to promote [promote: use advertising and
publicity to increase the sales of a product ] and display the
products they contain. Many different methods and materials are
used in industrial packaging, and a number of regulations which
must be observed.
When designing graphic products (as with all technologies) it is
important to ensure your and other people's safety, and to avoid
damaging the environment.
Packaging: functions and techniques
Packaging fulfils the following functions:
 containing and holding the product
 protecting the product from damage
 making sure small parts are not lost
 informing the customer about the product
 creating brand identity to promote and help sell the product
 making it convenient to carry, use and store the product.
Cartons
Cardboard cartons, in all of their numerous variations, are the most
common form of packaging. The process involved in manufacturing
cartons can be summarised as follows:
Print the carton design on card. This is usually done by lithography.
1. Cut the card into a net or surface development of the carton,
with tabs for gluing. This is usually done using a press knife.
2. Fold the net into the carton shape. Often the creases will be
marked by the press knife, and the folding done on a folding
machine.
3. Finally the carton is glued together along the tabs. A hot melt
glue system is often used.
Roll over the graphic to reveal part names of the carton net.
Other packaging methods
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Bottles and jars made from glass or plastic are used for liquids,
granules and powders. Boxes and cylinders made from card are
also used for granules, powders and whole items.
Plastic bags are used for food products and small loose items, eg
snack foods and sweets.
Cans are used for food products. Drinks cans are made from
aluminium and food cans are made from tin-coated steel
(tinplate).
Bubble packs consisting of a stiff plastic bubble made by
vaccuum-forming fixed to a card backing - are used for small
products, eg stationery items, toys and screws.
Shrink-wrapping - soft plastic vaccuum formed onto card backing
- is used for some small products, eg DIY products and toys.
Packaging: regulation
Commercial product packaging is regulated by a large number of laws
[laws: formal rules adopted by Parliament and enforced by
government ] and standards [standards: guidelines or specifications
which are widely agreed and commonly accepted, but do not
necessarily have the force of law ]. Some of the most important
principles are that:
 the name of the company that made the product should be
visible on the packaging
 the contents of the product (and its packaging) should be listed
 health and safety information about using the product should be
given. The pack should warn about any possible hazards
[hazards: anything likely to cause harm and/or damage ] from the
product
 information about safely disposing of the packaging or container
after use should be given
 a bar code should be displayed for stock control and pricing
purposes, and
 instructions for recycling the product and/or its packaging after
use should be included
Foodstuff packaging is required by law to display information about
the package contents
Special regulations apply to packaging of food under UK and EU law.
All food packaging must include the following information:
 the food name and description
 the manufacturer's name and address
 the weight or amount of the contents
 a list of ingredients
 nutritional information
 preparation instructions
 storage instructions, and
 the country of origin
Moral issues
All products have an impact on the environment, and graphic products
are no exception. In particular their production may contribute to
deforestation and their disposal to waste pollution. Designers have a
responsibility to think about moral issues like these.
Environmental considerations
 Raw materials: paper and card are made from cellulose fibre
normally obtained from wood, old rags or old paper. If made from
wood, care needs to be taken to ensure that the wood is from
sustainable forests. The processes of paper-making may produce
waste products.
 Manufacturing: inks and solvents used in graphic products
manufacturing processes may be harmful unless used and
disposed of correctly.
 Products: graphic products and their packaging can be the cause
of large amounts of waste pollution if simply thrown away or
dumped in landfill sites. Virtually all kinds of graphics waste
however can be usefully recycled.
From THIS - forestry logs at a paper mill to THIS - waste paper
mountain at a recycling plant
Cultural issues
Designers should be sensitive to the fact that certain sorts of images
and text on graphic products can cause offence to certain groups of
people - eg those from minority religious traditions or cultures. Special
care needs to be taken in the case of images/text that are on public
view, such as advertisements.
Global media and mass travel means that other cultures' rich and
diverse heritage of graphic images and styles is increasingly available
to designers everywhere, and often are the inspiration for new design
ideas.
Health and safety
All those who are involved in designing and making products have a
responsibility for minimising the risk of harm to themselves or to
others. Any activity or substance or tool that could potentially cause
harm or damage is a hazard, and risk assessment is the process of
identifying the hazards that could arise in a particular situation, and
the risk of someone being hurt by them - so that steps can be taken to
reduce that risk.
1. During designing and making a product, ask yourself the
following questions:
 could any of the materials used cause harm to the maker or
others?
 might any of the intended processes cause harm to the maker or
others?
 could any of finishing techniques cause harm to the maker or
others?
2. When a product is finished, ask yourself the following questions:
 will the product be strong enough to support any loads involved?
could there be any adverse effects on users: toxic, harmful, etc?
 are the materials suitable for the purpose, and safe for users?
 have all hazards been sufficiently guarded: electrical insulation,
moving parts, folding components, etc?
3. When a product is being disposed of, ask yourself the following
questions:
 can the components and materials be dismantled without harm?
 could dismantling result in the release of toxic or harmful
substances?
 will recycling of materials, for example melting down, cause the
release of toxic or harmful substances?
If the answers to any of these questions lead you think that harm may
be caused, that aspect of the product should be redesigned to reduce
the risk.
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Cutting tools and safety
When using cutting tools to cut card or board (eg for making models)
the risk of injury will be minimised if you follow the guidelines in the
table.
Cutting tools and safety precautions
Material
Use these tools
Take these precautions
Card
Craft knife; scissors; cutting
mat; safety ruler
Store craft knives safely with
blades covered; carry knives
and scissors carefully;
always use a safety ruler and
a cutting mat
Foam board;
styrene sheet;
corrugated plastic
Craft knife; cutting mat;
safety ruler; snips
Store and carry craft knives
safely; always use safety
ruler and cutting mat; make
sure snips are sharp and
store snips safely
Styrofoam
[styrofoam: a special
high-density
polystyrene foam
board. ]; mediumdensity fibreboard
To cut Styrofoam use tenon
saw; coping saw; craft knife;
safety ruler; jigsaw; band
saw (teachers only); For
MDF: tenon saw; wood
chisel; bench hook, jigsaw;
band saw (teachers only)
Hold work firmly in vice or
clamp; use cutting tools
correctly and keep hand
behind the cutting edge; use
dust extraction and wear eye
protection when using the
jigsaw
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