Project Overview

Redesign our packaging system to not only look better on shelf, but drive sales, simplify install for tradespeople, streamline manufacturing, keep up with design trends, and ensure consistency across all brand material. All while keeping costs low and stakeholders aligned.

My Role

Led the full end-to-end strategy and design execution. From concept to rollout. Collaborating with manufacturing, marketing, product, and retail partners such as Mitre 10, Bunnings, Carters and Placemakers.

Considerations & Thought Process

This packaging system wasn’t just a visual redesign, it was a complete rethink of how packaging can support sales, improve the user experience, and reflect the brand’s values, even in a wholesale context.

1. Tradie Centred Design
As a wholesaler, the only time our end customer interacts with the Miles Nelson brand is when they install and use our product. The packaging IS the customer experience. Every element was designed to make life easier on-site:

• Fast access out of the box

• Clear labeling for quicker identification

• No hidden screws or fiddly trays
  This directly impacts customer satisfaction and brand perception, even though we’re never face-to-face.

2. No-Plastic, No-Nonsense Sustainability
One key retailer (Mitre 10) required zero plastic. So I proposed a universal shift to 100% plastic-free packaging across all merchants. This simplified production and lowered costs, while giving us a nice sustainability message to lead with.

But I was clear: SUSTAINABLE DOESN'T MEAN SCRAPPY
I specifically avoided the “egg carton” look and opted for high-quality, recyclable boards with a premium matte finish and bold colour. Ensuring the product still looked sharp, eye catching, modern, and premium on shelf.

3. Merchandising & Retail Readiness
Every packaging structure was considered for shelf stackability, hang-sell compatibility, and sub-brand differentiation. The format makes stock management easier for merchants, and browsing easier for customers. Layouts were optimised for both pegboard and boxed shelving setups.

4. Brand Cohesion at Scale
The new packaging system uses a consistent grid, iconography set, and hierarchy across all product types. This allows it to scale across SKUs while reinforcing Miles Nelson’s identity at every touchpoint — whether you’re buying a door stop or a digital lock.

5. Manufacturer & Merchant Efficiency
Rolling out new packaging can cause friction. To reduce disruption:

• I worked directly with our manufacturers to match existing dieline tolerances and assembly workflows.

• Phased rollouts were planned to align with existing stock cycles.

• Early mockups were shared with key merchants to pre-empt any shelving or barcode concerns.

Featured Example: Door Lever Packaging - Designed for Speed and Simplicity - One piece of cardboard

The hero of this packaging overhaul was the new door lever box, designed around our proprietary QuickFix interlocking system, a Miles Nelson innovation that allows lever sets to be installed faster and more securely.

Rather than packaging the components loose or flat-packed (which causes install delays and surface scuffing), I saw an opportunity to leverage the QuickFix system to pre-assemble the levers in-pack — no screws attached, ready to go.

Packaging Structure Innovations:

• Pre-assembled levers interlocked and held in place via a central cardboard support column

• The latch is rotated inward to act as a stabiliser — preventing the handles from touching the top or bottom of the box

• Cut-out in the centre column allows the installer to grip and pull the lever set out in one motion

• Once out of the box, they simply separate the levers and install immediately — no fiddling, no wasted time

• The entire structure is made from a single die-cut piece of cardboard — no inserts, no excess

  • This reduces tooling costs

  • Simplifies manufacturing and assembly

  • And allows us to add interior colour blocking (e.g. bright green or brand colours) on the support column, without a second press run — making the interior pop without adding cost

This structure:

• Speeds up installation, creating a smoother experience for builders

• Protects product surfaces during transport and merchandising

• Showcases the QuickFix feature through the unboxing experience itself

• Cost-efficient and easy to manufacture at scale

• A physical embodiment of the Miles Nelson brand: clever, practical, premium

By designing the packaging around the product’s unique install method, we turned the box from a container into a functional tool, one that supports the installer, enhances perception of quality, and reduces merchant returns due to damage or confusion.

Below are some simplified stages of the boxes development:

• Die-line drawing

• Quick knife cut out I made from an old box in the warehouse

• First laser cut concept

Sub-Brand Label & Sleeve System

To differentiate our three door lever sub-brands while keeping things cohesive and cost-effective, I developed a colour-coded label and sleeve system:

• S-Range (core range): White labels in line with the main Miles Nelson branding. Clean, simple, and consistent with our wider product range like hinges and stops.

• Milano (premium): Dark grey/black labels to signal quality and stand out on shelf. More refined and suited to high-end developments.

• Scandia (new premium line): Blue labels — chosen because it complements our brand green without looking festive, while still feeling fresh and modern.

All sleeves follow a modular layout and die size, making them easy to scale across SKUs and finishes, simple to produce, and clear to navigate in-store or on-site.

Outer box design for warehouse pick and packing

Some other packaging designs that we rolled out in this same project.

Just for Fun - Tech-Inspired Door Handle Packaging

This one wasn’t part of the official rollout, I just wanted to see if I could make a door handle box feel like tech packaging. I’ve always loved the clean, premium feel of phone or gadget packaging but I've never had the opportunity to work on them as I've been in the B2B construction supply industry for 10 years now, so I applied that same approach to something as basic as a lever set.

Matte finishes, subtle textures, precise die-cuts, double sided print, the kind of stuff you’d expect from a new headset, not a door handle. Totally unnecessary. Totally fun.

Sometimes it’s just good to explore how far you can push a category that doesn’t usually get that kind of attention.

Door handle info printed directly onto the box. My personal favourite when budget isn't a problem.

Door handle info on a label, placed on a universal box. The more cost effective solution.

Conclusion

This packaging system wasn’t just about making boxes look good, it was about solving real problems across the entire supply chain, from manufacturer to installer. By focusing on speed, clarity, brand consistency, and cost-effective design, I built a system that works in-store, on-site, and at scale.

What I enjoyed most was finding creative ways to turn practical constraints into design opportunities, like using one die-line to reduce costs while still creating visual impact. I also gained a deeper understanding of how packaging influences every part of the customer journey, especially in a wholesale environment where the product experience is the brand experience.

All in all, was a very enjoyable project!