7 Indian Brands with Design-Forward Packaging

Today, when every product you buy has to be photographed and shared with friends & family before it can be used, packaging is no longer about protection. Through it, brands are exercising a storytelling medium. Indian brands are catching on in a big way, using design-forward packaging to make products more exciting and meaningful. From boxes that celebrate local culture to wrappers that look like little works of art, unboxing these products is half the fun. Below, we explore 7 Indian brands that are packing creativity and culture into their packaging (pun absolutely intended). Each brand’s approach is a little playful, friendly, and true to its roots, showing that great design can come naturally, without feeling over-the-top. 

Soklet 
Soklet’s chocolate bar packaging takes inspiration from traditional Kanjivaram sari patterns, blending a rich black background with intricate gold details. Soklet is an Indian craft chocolate brand from Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, and its packaging is as rich as its cocoa. Soklet wraps its chocolate bars in sleek black packs accented with gold geometric patterns, a look that exudes simple luxury. In fact, the design is inspired by Kanjivaram sarees – the famous South Indian silk saris known for their bold colors and gold-threaded motifs. When you pick up a Soklet bar, you immediately sense the brand’s ethos, sustainably grown tree-to-bar chocolate with a design twist that honors local culture. 

Wild Date
Wild Date is a healthy snack brand that proves even small-batch snacks can have big design appeal. Their packaging is truly captivating, embracing a minimalistic yet funky style that perfectly matches the natural goodness inside. Think earthy background tones combined with pops of color and playful graphics, often little illustrated “stickers” of the fruits, nuts, and seeds that go into the snack bars. Wild Date’s wrappers aren’t cluttered; instead, they balance clean design with fun elements. For example, the front of each pack might display cheeky icons or badges highlighting facts (like “No Added Sugar” or “100% Natural”), almost like a collection of stickers you’d proudly slap on a notebook. This mix of fun and function makes it easy to see what’s in the snack at a glance, while also giving off an upbeat, youthful vibe.

Home Kouzina
Home Kouzina, an artisanal spice brand, brings a homely, nostalgic vibe to its packaging, making you feel like you’ve received a care package from Grandma’s kitchen. Each masala blend comes in a packet adorned with patterns and illustrations that pay tribute to its region of origin. Look closely and you might notice a Goan curry mix featuring azulejo tile motifs (a nod to Goa’s Portuguese-influenced art), or a Tamil Nadu spice blend with a kolam design (the traditional rangoli patterns drawn at doorsteps),  these little regional tributes are woven right into the packaging art. The packs are usually decked out in warm colors and cozy patterns, and they often even include a tiny wooden spoon as a thoughtful bonus, so you can dive into cooking straight away. 

Project Qaafi
Project Qaafi is an indie skincare brand whose packaging blends subtle Indian-inspired vintage design elements with clean, modern aesthetics. The brand’s packaging establishes a unisex look, deliberately breaking away from traditionally feminine skincare branding. As shown above, the product boxes use a textured, recycled paper and feature nostalgic graphics (e.g. a retro-style lady’s portrait) combined with minimal layout, a fusion of heritage and contemporary minimalism that makes Qaafi stand out.
 
Monkey Trip
Monkey Trip (a ready-to-drink cold coffee brand) uses minimalist black-and-white packaging that conveys a premium yet edgy vibe. The cans and accompanying box feature bold, abstract graphics (a stylized monkey motif and clean text) on a stark white background, creating a striking monochrome aesthetic. This pared-down design is complemented by the brand’s lively personality, Monkey Trip targets a young, adventurous audience with a “fun, trippy vibe” in its branding, so the packaging manages to feel cool and modern without losing a sense of playfulness.

Lexi’s Gourmet Sandwiches
Lexi’s Gourmet Sandwiches is a modern gourmet sandwich brand with a vibrant visual identity. It centers around a signature bright blue branding, complemented by pops of orange and white that give the packaging a fresh, appetizing look. The result is a distinctive blue packaging scheme that is both eye-catching and on-brand. Lexi’s also took a delivery-first approach to its packaging, obsessing over details like box dimensions, material (e.g. sturdy paperboard), and even fry compartments – all to ensure that the unboxing experience is as excellent as the food. The typography is smooth and friendly, and the brand’s playful tone comes through in its messaging. 

Gud Gum
Gud Gum offers chewing gum in elegant, eco-conscious packaging that highlights its natural fruit flavors. The gum comes in petite flip-top paper boxes, each adorned with the imagery of its flavor (as seen above: realistic fruit illustrations like strawberry, lemon, mint, etc. cover the top/front) and printed in a matching color scheme. This means every flavor has a distinct pretty color making the lineup visually delightful and easy to identify. White accents and simple line art add contrast to these colorful backgrounds, contributing to a design that feels bright, wholesome, and vintage-inspired. Notably, Gud Gum’s packaging isn’t just attractive, it’s also 100% plastic-free and biodegradable, aligning with the brand’s sustainability mission.

Words Harita Odedera 
Date 5-8-2025