Brand, design and the power of print: Insights from the PS26 panel

Opening the session, Siddhi Shah, CEO of PrintStop, placed the discussion in the context of India’s changing economic trajectory. The country, she noted, is moving from a production-led economy to a consumption-led one, driven by Gen Z consumers who are more experimental and open to trying new products. India’s consumption economy, she said, is expected to double to INR three-lakh crore by 2030.

This growth has led to an explosion of brands — nearly 1.5 million of them — competing for attention, particularly in lifestyle and D2C segments. In such a crowded marketplace, Shah argued, differentiation is no longer optional. Visual distinction, emotional connection and physical engagement have become essential. The unboxing experience, she said, is now often the first meaningful interaction between a brand and its consumer. For printers, this presents a clear opportunity to move beyond transactional jobs and become long-term brand partners.

Packaging as experience

That idea was reinforced by Mohit Jain, founder of Kimirica, who shared how packaging-led thinking shaped the company’s growth. Jain traced Kimirica’s origins to a gap in hospitality supplies, where luxury hotels depended heavily on imported products. From there, the brand scaled rapidly, today offering more than 10,000 products across 7,000 SKUs and processing close to 6,000 orders a day.

Kimirica, Jain said, consciously approaches B2B customers with a B2C mindset. In an online-first environment, packaging often defines the brand experience. Compliments on packaging are not incidental; they are designed. His message to printers was unequivocal: the future belongs to those who help build brands, not those who merely supply labels and cartons.

Design as storytelling

Bringing a designer’s perspective to the panel, Prita Sahay of Please See described design as a tool to shape how people feel about a brand. Drawing from projects such as Bombay Sweet Shop and Parsi Dairy Farm, Sahay demonstrated how rethinking traditional packaging formats can redefine shelf presence without altering product quality.

From reinventing how mithai reaches homes to designing a tilted glass jar that allows consumers to scoop out the last drop of ghee, she illustrated how small, thoughtful interventions can significantly enhance everyday products. In another instance, a printer’s suggestion to place a brand name sideways on a haircare bottle helped challenge conventional beauty norms. Print, Sahay said, has the power to create memory, not just visibility.

Scaling overlooked categories

The role of packaging in scaling non-obvious categories was highlighted by Siddhant Bhalinge, founder of Ugaoo. Over the past 11 years, Ugaoo has transformed gardening from a niche activity into a lifestyle proposition through premium retail, design-led thinking and technology-enabled packaging.

Innovations such as tube packaging were aimed at making gardening easier and more accessible, particularly for younger consumers. At one point, Bhalinge admitted, the cost of the pot exceeded that of the plant — a decision that was initially questioned, even within his family. But packaging-led differentiation proved central to the brand’s evolution, enabling Ugaoo to command higher prices and reposition the category altogether.

Cost, risk and collaboration

The panel also addressed a familiar tension in the Indian market: cost sensitivity. The consensus was that premium packaging should be viewed as an investment rather than an expense. Jain noted that Kimirica does not aggressively negotiate with printers, as costs are recovered through premium positioning. Bhalinge emphasised the importance of understanding customer segments, while some consumers seek premium experiences, others prioritise affordability.

Sahay added that differentiation does not always require complex substrates or expensive techniques. Often, it is the narrative and experience that matter most. Even a simple intervention, such as printing inside a mono carton at a marginal additional cost, can dramatically elevate brand perception.

When asked what brands look for in print partners, the answers converged around three attributes: passion, flexibility and collaboration. A willingness to experiment, work with smaller quantities and engage in dialogue was seen as critical. The most successful outcomes, the panel agreed, emerge when printers act as creative partners rather than vendors.

Takeaways

As brands proliferate and consumers become more discerning, print and packaging sit at the intersection of design, experience and value creation. Those willing to think beyond cost and capacity will play a defining role in shaping the next phase of India’s brand-led growth.