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Design
Brand Identity Design
Packaging Design
Alcohol Packaging
Custom Illustration
Recent Work
Overview
Alcohol Packaging Design That Sells and Stays Compliant
A great drink deserves a label that stops people in their tracks. In the alcohol category, though, good looks are only half the brief. Miss a mandatory element or step too close to the line on marketing rules and a beautiful label can turn into a costly reprint.
Good alcohol packaging design balances both sides: real shelf appeal and every regulatory detail locked in from the first concept. Below is what that covers across each category, the Australian requirements built into every design, and what’s included in a typical project.
Good alcohol packaging design balances both sides: real shelf appeal and every regulatory detail locked in from the first concept. Below is what that covers across each category, the Australian requirements built into every design, and what’s included in a typical project.
Custom Illustration and Brand Identity
Many alcohol brands lean on bespoke artwork to stand apart, and you can build custom label illustration into the project from the outset.
If your brand itself needs work first, brand identity design can be something we work on first, so your packaging has strong foundations to build on.
If your brand itself needs work first, brand identity design can be something we work on first, so your packaging has strong foundations to build on.
Alcohol Packaging Design for Every Category
Each category has its own formats, conventions and compliance quirks. Whether it’s a boutique wine label or a full RTD range, I design across all of them.
Wine Packaging and Label Design
Front and back labels and gift packaging for boutique wineries and established producers.
Beer Can and Bottle Design
Cans, bottles and multipack cartons that hold their own in a crowded fridge.
Spirits Label and Gift Box Design
Bottle labels and gift boxes for gin, whisky, rum and vodka, where premium cues matter most.
RTD Can and Carton Design
Cans and cartons for pre-mixed drinks, where bright flavours need careful handling under marketing rules.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks Packaging
Alcohol-free ranges that sit comfortably beside their full-strength siblings.
What’s Included in an Alcohol Packaging Design Project
Here’s how a typical project runs for a range of three cans.
"Chrysa's new product packaging design has been admired by many and no doubt has resulted in both the initial success and repeat purchases. She will be with me for every next step and product in my business, and I continue to highly recommend her."
From Wine Labels to Whisky Bottles
The proof lives on the shelf. These selected collaborations highlight how thoughtful design adapts across distinct products, print techniques, and retail environments:
Blackhearts & Sparrows
View projectExpressive wine labels crafted for Melbourne neighbourhood bottle shops that value great drops and striking design in equal measure.
Langford Brewery
View projectIllustrated beer cans for a craft brewery, with a distinct hand-drawn world for every brew that still reads as one family in the fridge.
23rd Street Distillery
View projectLabel architecture and graphic illustration for barrel-aged whisky, inspired by regional historic bridges and bold structural lines.
Gravity Wines
View projectMinimalist label systems for a boutique producer with a small-footprint vineyard and an expansive creative vision.
Australian Alcohol Labelling Requirements
I make sure all design elements, text and mandatory symbols meet the required minimum sizes, legibility and placement on pack. Here’s what else matters:
- Alcohol content and standard drinks: Shown clearly on drinks at or above 0.5% ABV, with the number of standard drinks on anything above it.
- Pregnancy warning label: Mandatory since 31 July 2023 on packaged drinks above 1.15% ABV, on each container and on outer packaging such as cartons and gift boxes.
- Container deposit markings: The 10c refund marking and barcode on eligible containers, including wine and spirit bottles in WA since 1 July 2026, with label materials chosen to suit recycling.
- Allergens and responsible marketing: Mandatory allergen declarations such as added sulphites, and packaging that avoids strong appeal to minors under the ABAC code.
- Export markets: Designs adapted to each overseas market’s labelling rules and warning statements, so one design system can travel without losing its look.
Artwork is created using the product details, dielines, and approved text you provide. Your business remains responsible for ensuring all legal, nutritional, ingredient, origin, barcode, and regulatory claims comply with Australian trade standards prior to production.
Print and Manufacturing Support
A label is only as good as the way it’s printed. Stock, finishes and application all affect how a design looks on the bottle and how well it holds up in a fridge or ice bucket.
I’m happy to tailor a quote that includes managing the print and manufacturing process for you. Alternatively, I can advise you on the best print practices for your specific products, so you go to your printer with confidence.
I’m happy to tailor a quote that includes managing the print and manufacturing process for you. Alternatively, I can advise you on the best print practices for your specific products, so you go to your printer with confidence.
Let’s Get Your Drinks Onto Shelves and Into Hands
I’m Chrysa Koukoura, a product packaging designer working with wine, beer, spirits, RTD and non-alcoholic brands from my studio on Victoria’s Bass Coast. You get packaging with personality, careful attention to every mandatory label element and direct access to the designer from first sketch to final file. Whether it’s a single label or a full range, get in touch for a tailored quote.
Alcohol packaging FAQs
Does non-alcoholic beer need a pregnancy warning label?
No. The pregnancy warning label is only mandatory on packaged drinks above 1.15% ABV. Drinks below 0.5% ABV also don’t need an alcohol content or standard drinks statement.
Does the pregnancy warning need to go on the carton as well as each can?
Generally, yes. The label is required on each individual container and on outer packaging such as six-pack cartons and gift boxes, so it needs to be planned into every component of the pack.
Can alcohol packaging be checked against ABAC before it goes to print?
Yes. ABAC offers a pre-vetting service that reviews packaging against the code before launch. It’s a smart safeguard, although a successful pre-vet doesn’t guarantee a complaint will be dismissed.
Do wine bottles sold in WA now need the 10c refund marking?
Wine and spirit bottles from 150 mL to 3 L became eligible in WA on 1 July 2026. A transition period applies, but building the marking into new designs now saves a label update later.