Eco-Responsible Labeling

Eco-Responsible Labeling

What if consumer education about the side effects of microplastics was at the forefront of producers and grocery stores? My thesis began as a surprise sticker attack at a grocery store. Still, after evaluating the waste and legality of these stickers, I pivoted to creating a small display of products and signage with language aimed toward consumer education. This includes assessing the current packaging standards, such as the "Nutrition Facts" label, FDA requirements, and sustainable language on the package.

A Critique of Our Plastic Consumption
In this modern age of convenience, we interact with many different types of plastic every day, including microplastics. Microplastics are tiny particles of broken-down plastic, and a recent study suggests that people ingest about a credit card’s worth of microplastics each week, which doesn’t even include microplastic exposure through inhalation and direct skin contact.¹

By corporate design, most consumers are unaware of the side effects of plastic production and packaging. Plastic packages are misleading, implying they can be recycled, which rarely happens despite their recycling logos, with no federal regulations on the packaging about health and environmental effects of microplastic contamination. These labeling problems prevent consumers from making informed decisions about a product packaged in plastic.

My work suggests ways to remedy these labeling problems to give consumers more accurate information about microplastic contamination and recyclability on packages. This design also highlights health consequences of plastics which damage our reproductive, digestive, respiratory, nervous, immune, and additional systems.²

MFA in Design, 2021-2022

Collaborators
Professors: Dr. Carma Gorman, Sam Lavigne
MFA Cohort: Sarah Martinez, Chloe Gillmar, Kristen Graham, Maria Vidal, Christoph Sokol, Jesus Guillermo de León Pérez

Skills
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Print Production, Packaging, Templates, Sustainability, Cricut Design Space

Sources
¹ “No Plastic in Nature: Assessing Plastic Ingestion from Nature to People,” World Wildlife Fund for Nature, 2019
² “Plastic & Health: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet,” Center for International Environmental Law, 2019

Stickers with info about microplastic
Mock up market display with proposed packaging labels
Line art showing suggested differences made to packaging that include more info about the packaging material itself, along with approximate micro plastic consumption
Packaging and die line art of carrots and apple packaging
soda can flat art
Oh, Honey! flat art

Field Guide to Disposable Creatures

Field Guide to Disposable Creatures

You've probably wondered what happens when a designer hoards every piece of plastic they own and stockpiles it all in their hallway for five weeks...

Every day, I walked through the piles of plastic packaging. I saw the consequences of my habits. I thought about the responsibilities of a plastic producer, graphic designer, and consumer. Plastic waste is typically hauled away and hidden from Americans, and we don't end up seeing the full impact of our consumer habits. I also documented my five-week experiment on social media. It helped with accountability and attracted some interest from a few friends.

After conducting my five-week experiment, The Field Guide to Disposable Creatures came to be. It was a book I designed for my Design Studio I class to help identify the most common kinds of plastic litter that exist out in the "wild." I imagined the Field Guide as a way for people to experience the volume of plastic waste in an accessible, presentable, playful, and nonjudgmental way.

A lot of the plastic packaging from my hallway experiment came in handy. I used them to create the Field Guide's front cover and "product" images for the plastic bag section. I designed selected spreads of the Field Guide for my end-of-semester presentation and used Illustrator and Photoshop to create my mock-ups.

MFA in Design, 2020

Collaborators
Instructor: Gray Garmon

Skills
Plastic Packaging Hoarder, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Social Media, Product Photography, Photo Editing

 
Images of Vanessa's social media posts about her plastic waste, contemplating her habits as a consumer.

Texas PTA BASICS (2018)

BASICS COVER DESIGNS

One of the ways Texas PTA supports its Local Leaders is to provide BASICS Resource Guides for each leadership position. Along with the inside, the covers are updated with a new look every year. These booklets debuted at LAUNCH and are available online for the rest of the school year. The last photo showcases the updated version for the 2019-2020 school year. It features the same design with a different monochromatic color scheme for each booklet.

Texas PTA, 2018-2020

Collaborators
Membership: Melva Gomez & Michelle Jackson
Communications: Darren Grissom & Amy Perry

Skills
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Illustration, Print Production, Branding

Texas PTA Member Outreach

MEMBER OUTREACH

The Communications team constantly collaborated with Membership to increase numbers within Texas PTA. After months of intentionally designed e-newsletters and social media posts (and other incentives!), many Local PTAs achieved their monthly membership goals and were awarded certificates.

I designed all 28 award icons within Illustrator, created a "stamped" look using Photoshop, and used InDesign's Data Merge feature to insert custom data for over 1900 PTAs. (Ask me about Data Merge, ha!)

Texas PTA, 2018-2019

Collaborators
Membership: Melva Gomez, Michelle Jackson
Communications: Amy Perry

Skills
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Print Production, Branding, Email Newsletters, Social Media, Animation

Texas PTA LAUNCH Branding

LAUNCH 2018 EVENT BRANDING

Parents, teachers, administrators, and students gathered at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas to commemorate the start of their PTA school year. With over 120 sessions to choose from, LAUNCH is the best place for PTA Leaders to connect with one another!

I collaborated with Amy (Communications Manager) to create the branding for LAUNCH 2018 while working with Carrie and Darren for event-related information. Branding was translated to digital (social media and emails) and print (event programs, tote bags, name badges, notepads, wayfinding signage, and more!). We also worked with outside vendors, such as a local printer 360 Press Solutions and trade show/event company Freeman.

Texas PTA, 2018

Collaborators
Programs: Carrie Mays & Darren Grissom
Communications: Amy Perry & Darren Grissom

Skills
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Illustration, Print Production, Event Branding

Texas PTA Holiday Card

HOLIDAY CARDS

Holiday cards are a must for the PTA family! The state office wanted to share its heartfelt thanks to PTA members, board members, past state presidents, and fellow advocacy nonprofit organizations during the holiday season. I designed the holiday cards below while Amy Perry wrote kind and warm words for the PTA family. These designs were both printed and emailed.

Texas PTA, 2017-2019

Collaborators
Communications: Darren Grissom & Amy Perry

Skills
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Print Production, Digital Design, Illustration

Joker Custom Game Cards

JOKER CUSTOM GAME CARDS

Introducing the game Joker to new players was a little challenging (also known as Marbles & Jokers). The game is usually played with a standard 52-card deck of playing cards, with each card having its own movement effects. New players often forgot rules or became confused, so I collaborated with a seasoned player to design these custom game cards. The marble vector was originally from Vecteezy.com, then customized to different colors for our use.

We tested out the prototypes, then printed them through MakePlayingCards.com for personal use.

2018

Collaborators
Nixon Family

Skills
Adobe Illustrator, Game Design

Stephen Joseph Inc. Products and Packaging

STEPHEN JOSeph Inc. productS & PACKAGING

I worked as a Product Development Assistant for the children's merchandise wholesale retailer Stephen Joseph Inc. In that role, I supported the Product Designer by designing packaging, creating display signage, and implementing designs into different types of products (from large, functional display units to tiny, fun erasers!).

(C) Stephen Joseph Inc.

Stephen Joseph Inc, 2013-2015

Collaborators
Shelly Teague, Product Designer
Tena Salmons, Product Development Director
Alix Buckley, CEO/Founder

Skills
Product Design, Illustration, Product Photography, Photo Manipulation, Packaging, POP/POS Displays