Packaging as Structure: Jia Yu’s Approach to Intuitive and Inclusive Design
Redefining the Role of Packaging in Product Experience
Packaging is often considered the final layer of a product, serving as the visual and physical interface between a brand and its consumers. Yet, for designer Jia Yu, packaging is not merely a decorative shell but a structural tool that shapes perception, guides user intuition, and organizes product relationships. Her design philosophy moves beyond surface aesthetics, using visual language to communicate function, foster emotional connection, and create coherence across diverse product lines.
This approach is particularly evident in her work across two distinct sectors: skincare and feminine care. While these categories differ in their commercial and personal significance, both benefit from Jia’s methodical use of color, typography, hierarchy, and material choices to enhance clarity, accessibility, and emotional resonance.
Establishing a Visual System for Skincare Brands
Jia Yu’s role in the 2020 brand renewal of HERBORIST DERMA marked a pivotal moment in her career and for the brand itself. Tasked with leading the packaging redesign, she was responsible for developing a new visual identity that would signal the company’s shift toward independence and a science-driven approach to skincare.
Industry observers noted that this period coincided with the launch of several key product series, including the Freeze-dried Ampoule Essence, Nicotinamide Brightening, and Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating lines. Among these, the Polypeptide Firming Freeze-dried Ampoule Essence was highlighted as a flagship product, representing the brand’s renewed focus on efficacy and innovation.
Jia’s challenge was to create a packaging system that could unify these diverse products while allowing each to communicate its unique benefits. Her design solutions extended beyond individual packaging layouts, encompassing a scalable system that translated brand values into tangible visual cues. Color palettes, typographic hierarchies, and graphic motifs were carefully selected to differentiate product functions—such as brightening, hydration, or firming—while maintaining a cohesive family identity.
Adapting to Retail Environments
A notable aspect of Jia’s work was her sensitivity to different retail contexts. For example, the Freeze-dried Ampoule Essence packaging was tailored to suit both mass-market and specialty retail channels. The version for general retail outlets emphasized a vibrant, youthful look, while the specialty channel edition adopted a more refined, science-oriented aesthetic. This strategic differentiation ensured that the brand’s core identity remained intact, even as the packaging adapted to varying consumer expectations and commercial settings.
The visual system Jia established proved flexible enough to extend across the Nicotinamide Brightening and Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating series, enabling consumers to quickly grasp product benefits while reinforcing brand recognition. This approach demonstrated her ability to integrate brand strategy, product function, and production realities into a unified design language.
Reimagining Feminine Care with Empathy and Clarity
Jia’s project, When Your Flow Goes Rogue, offers a compelling example of how her design principles translate to more intimate and socially sensitive categories. Recognized with a Silver Award in Packaging Design at the 2025 Indigo Design Awards, this tampon packaging initiative was lauded for its empathetic and inclusive approach.
The project sought to transform the emotional experience associated with menstrual care products. Instead of relying on technical jargon or overt messaging, Jia employed soft visual cues, gentle linework, and subtle typographic variations to create a sense of calm and respect. The absorbency system—labeled as “some / more / most”—was visually intuitive, helping users navigate choices without confusion or discomfort.
This design reframed feminine care packaging as a form of user-centered communication. It balanced informativeness with warmth, elegance with functionality, and inclusivity without resorting to clichés. By prioritizing the user’s emotional journey, Jia’s work challenged conventional notions of what feminine hygiene packaging can achieve.
Bridging Brand Strategy, Functionality, and User Emotion
The common thread running through Jia Yu’s projects is her ability to make aesthetics serve as a structural framework. Whether organizing complex skincare portfolios or reimagining personal care products, she consistently translates abstract brand values and functional attributes into visual systems that are both clear and emotionally engaging.
Her design intelligence lies in synthesizing multiple layers—brand positioning, product efficacy, production constraints, and user experience—into packaging that is memorable and meaningful. This holistic approach not only enhances product appeal but also deepens consumer trust and loyalty.
Expanding Influence Beyond Packaging
Currently based in the United States as a Graphic Design Specialist at IKEA, Jia is extending her intuitive design sensibility into broader domains, including retail communication and spatial graphics. Her evolving practice demonstrates how thoughtful graphic design can support both commercial objectives and more inclusive, human-centered experiences.
As brands increasingly recognize the importance of packaging in shaping consumer perception and behavior, Jia Yu’s work offers a model for how design can bridge the gap between function, feeling, and identity—ultimately redefining the role of packaging in the modern marketplace.
Reviewed by: News Desk
Edited with AI assistance + Human research
