Color communicates a lot, directly and subconsciously. Different colors represent different emotions and states of mind. They can take on alternative meanings between people, from a cultural standpoint and what they associate specific colors with. When it comes to packaging, colors get used to shaping the feel of a product and the experience for a customer.

As a business, consider how you might use color to successfully highlight your branding. The right colors can help you maximize the value of the customer experience. Below are the nine best packaging colors and styles:

1. Black Packaging

Black is a color that communicates seriousness, power, and luxury. It’s used frequently with workout equipment, high-end goods, and any items looking to present as classy and elegant. Black packaging is often combined with a secondary color, and sometimes a third, to offer a refined meaning. For example, a rose pink can soften the look of black and appeal to female audiences, or gold and silver can add sophistication to target a wealthier market.

2. White Packaging

White is a trendy packaging color because it’s a minimalist canvas to put any colors, designs, or branding. White is often used in colour psychology because it’s fairly unassuming and safe. It is unlikely to offend or be attached to a meaning that could be inappropriate.

White can represent innocence, equality, cleanliness, purity, and simplicity. It’s a great base color to start with when designing custom packaging or a custom box. White also works well with bag designs. Work with a professional bag printing company to design a classy design that comes in a chic white color.

3. Green Packaging

Green is closely associated with themes of eco-friendliness, wealth and growth, and healthy or natural products. Green is one of the best packaging colors for many brands for all of these reasons. A darker green color is often attached to more serious feelings, such as luxury and professionalism.

A lighter green is more in line with what’s seen in environmental-friendly service companies. It’s also a great color for decorative finishes, depending on what you’re going for.

4. Blue Packaging

Blue is often voted on as the ‘most liked color’ by people of all backgrounds. Although blue is common, there are lots of ways to use it to avoid having it look boring or predictable. Like with greens, blues range from darker to light. A darker blue is best for older, more serious items, while brighter blues often appeal to more energetic, youth-oriented audiences. Blue is often seen as honest, strong, and creative.

5. Yellow Packaging

Yellow represents the sun. For that reason, it’s often seen as uplifting and positive. Yellow is utilized in many products that want to be mentally stimulating or represent creativity. Yellow is commonly used to attract young adolescents and children, used on cereal boxes and the like. Anything where you’re looking for happy, positive energy, yellow is a great color but ensure it doesn’t come across as cheap, which can be a risk with certain shades.

6. Red Packaging

Like yellow, red packaging can be tricky to put together. Red can signify liveliness, passion, strength, and excitement but can also mean aggressive and unappealing. What red does consistently is draw attention. It’s a very stimulating color, used for goods that are supposed to represent something adventurous, energetic, and luxurious.

If red is already prominent in your product category, it’s a healthy sign you can get away with it. If not, give it serious thought about the best way to use red on the packaging.

7. Purple Packaging

Purple is a sort of specialty color. Products that use purple packaging are related to luxury, indulgence, quality, and exclusivity. Purple is seen as imaginative, spiritual, and unique as well. This is one color that is often used to target females and young people, which is where it’s more successful than with males. Purple may be a color more appropriate to use for flourishes and accessorizing packaging rather than being the dominating shade.

8. Pink Packaging

The pink packaging is a go-to for products that target the female market. Cosmetics. Fashion. Beauty. Romance. Any product under those terms that you want to appear sincere, empathetic, and soothing works well when wrapped in pink. For the most part, pink shades are calming and feminine, with a unique passion and energy.

A more subdued pink can be seen as sentimental or targeting an older market, while darker shades are seen as strong and sophisticated. You also have the chance to go with a bright or neon pink, which is particularly attention-grabbing to teens and adolescents.

9. Orange Packaging

Orange is associated with fun and adventure. It’s used frequently on products in this category. Orange is often seen as attached to exploration, optimism, friendliness, and self-confidence from a psychological standpoint. Unfortunately, some variants of the shade can appear unappealing and cheap. However, the right shade of orange should enhance the appeal and value of one’s product. It’s all in how you use it. For inspiration, you may look to existing examples of orange packaging.