Packaging can be a deal breaker when capturing a customer’s eye for the first time. Luckily, you don’t need expensive software or a professional design degree to create effective and polished packaging. Canva, a widely popular online tool used by creators, designers, and small businesses, offers a free account packed with powerful design features. While the paid version has its perks, you can still access an impressive range of tools to craft standout packaging for free. As a professional designer who makes high-quality packaging more accessible, I’ll take you through leveraging Canva’s tools to create impressive packaging and show you how to take it to the next level.

1. Start by leveraging templates

Starting from scratch can be daunting, but Canva’s free templates make it way less intimidating. With options for product labels, box designs, and more, these templates provide a solid foundation with pre-defined layouts, fonts, colors, and graphics. They’re fully customizable, allowing you to tweak them to match your brand’s style.

While Canva’s free templates are a great starting point, they can sometimes feel basic or overused, so I’d recommend using DIY templates that offer more unique designs while maintaining easy, versatile customization options.

2. Sprinkle in design elements

Canva is loaded with design elements, even in the free version. You can access an extensive library of icons, shapes, and exceptional illustrations. These can add visual interest and trendy vibes to your packaging. Although the free elements are useful, upgrading to premium elements can help your designs stand out even more. These elements are thoughtfully curated by designers to enhance your brand’s unique identity, ensuring your packaging looks polished and distinctive.

Pro tip: Always use your brand’s colors when customizing elements or templates to ensure a more unique and cohesive style.

3. Harness the power of free fonts

Typography is crucial in design, and Canva’s free fonts are diverse and high-quality. Say goodbye to boring system fonts and hello to a wide variety of options that can make your packaging look refined and distinct. Pair a bold sans-serif with a classic serif for contrast, or opt for a script font for a more luxe feel.

A simple Google search for font pairings can also help you go beyond using a single font and create a more dynamic design.

4. Generate custom color palettes

Color is where the fun begins. 🤩 Consistency is key in branding, and a cohesive color palette is essential for professional packaging. If you haven’t established brand colors, Canva’s free color tools offer recommended palettes. You can find, create, and save custom palettes to match your brand’s identity for easy reference.

Use Canva’s built-in color wheel and palette generator to find complementary colors that work well together.

5. Add high-quality images and textures

Images and textures can elevate your packaging. Canva integrates with Unsplash and Pexels, offering access to high-quality, royalty-free images. You can also edit photos in Canva using advanced tools like BG Remover, Magic Eraser, and Filters. Keep your imagery consistent across your packaging and other brand materials for a cohesive look.

The 5 Canva features you should take advantage of…

Leverage templates: Use Canva’s basic templates and customize them or opt for more professional, high-quality templates to give you brand a more unique, competitive edge.
Maximize design elements: Take advantage of Canva’s free icons, shapes, and illustrations.
Take advantage of unique fonts: Explore the variety of free fonts within Canva to create complimentary font pairings.
Create cohesive color palettes: Use Canva’s color tools to generate a harmonious palette that works well with your brand. Higher quality templates include curated palettes within their designs to make this step even easier.
Add high-quality images: Enhance your design with royalty-free photos and edit them conveniently from one place.

Anyone, yes anyone, can create professional packaging without breaking the bank thanks to these incredible, free tools within Canva. And when you’re ready stand out from the heard of those who have been riding the Canva train for a while, we might know a place for templates with even more customization and uniqueness, designed to help you achieve a sleek and customer-obsessed look with utter ease. 😉

Ready to take the tiny, little step towards big brand success? Shop our professionally designed templates that make customization a breeze. Our templates are designed intentionally to ensure your brand stands out in the sea of cluttered design with minimal effort. Start attracting customers like bees to pollen with cohesive, head-turning packaging. 🤩

Shop templates →

How to Create Professional Packaging on a Budget using Canva’s Free Tools