Packaging Designer / Layout Production Artist - Costumes & Accessories

Position Summary

Do you have a passion for Halloween, costumes, fashion, accessories, pop culture, fantasy, and horror? Do you binge-watch the latest series for inspiration and find yourself noticing the packaging, branding, and merchandising before anyone else? Are your closets filled with masks, hats, wigs, and dress-up pieces? If so, CultureFly might be the perfect place for you. Come join the swarm!

CultureFly is seeking a creative, detail-oriented, and highly organized Packaging Designer / Layout Production Artist to join our Costumes & Accessories team.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on designer who is equally comfortable creating visually compelling packaging layouts and executing detailed production artwork. This role focuses on designing, adapting, and preparing retail packaging based on established creative direction, brand guidelines, and licensed property style guides.

This position requires a strong combination of graphic design skills, technical production expertise, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced product development environment.

The Packaging Designer / Layout Production Artist will work closely with Product Development, Design, and overseas manufacturing partners to ensure all packaging is visually appealing, brand-compliant, accurate, and production-ready.

Key Responsibilities

Packaging Design & Layout

This is primarily a hands-on packaging design, layout, and production position . The designer must be able to translate approved creative direction into accurate, high-quality packaging artwork and execute projects through final production.

• Design and execute retail packaging layouts for costumes, wigs, masks, jewelry, headpieces, handbags, and other accessories.
• Create packaging layouts for boxes, header cards, hangtags, backer cards, polybags, inserts, and specialty packaging.
• Develop visually compelling packaging that effectively communicates product features while maintaining brand consistency.
• Adapt approved packaging designs across multiple SKUs, product variations, sizes, and collections.
• Incorporate product photography, model images, licensed artwork, logos, and product information into packaging layouts.
• Follow established brand guidelines, packaging templates, and licensed property style guides.
• Create digital packaging mockups for internal presentations, reviews, and approvals.

Production Artwork & Mechanical Preparation

• Prepare accurate, print-ready packaging mechanicals using factory-provided dielines.
• Ensure artwork meets production specifications, including bleeds, trim areas, safe zones, image resolution, and color requirements.
• Review packaging dimensions, dielines, and structural layouts for accuracy.
• Independently create, revise, and finalize packaging mechanicals with minimal supervision.
• Efficiently execute packaging artwork across multiple sizes, styles, and SKU variations.
• Prepare and release final production-ready artwork files to overseas factories and print vendors.
• Review digital proofs and production samples to identify and correct artwork discrepancies.
• Communicate with manufacturing partners regarding dielines, printing specifications, artwork revisions, and production requirements.
• Maintain well-organized working files, revision histories, and final approved artwork.

Brand & Licensing Compliance

• Execute packaging artwork in accordance with licensed brand guidelines, approved style guides, and retailer requirements.
• Ensure accurate placement of logos, trademarks, copyright information, product descriptions, barcodes, and required warnings.
• Incorporate artwork revisions and feedback from internal teams, licensors, and retail partners.
• Maintain visual consistency and brand integrity across product collections and packaging formats.

Collaboration & Project Management

• Collaborate closely with Product Development, Design, and overseas manufacturing partners.
• Coordinate packaging artwork requirements, revisions, and production specifications with factories and vendors.
• Manage multiple packaging projects and high-volume SKU rollouts simultaneously.
• Track artwork revisions, approvals, and production deadlines to ensure timely execution.
• Prioritize projects effectively while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proactively identify and resolve artwork, layout, and production-related issues.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of professional experience in packaging design, graphic design, or production artwork.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
• Strong understanding of packaging dielines, mechanical artwork, prepress requirements, and print production.
• Proven experience creating, adapting, and executing packaging layouts across multiple SKUs.
• Excellent typography, composition, layout, and image-editing skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and file organization.
• Ability to interpret and execute established creative direction, brand guidelines, and packaging style guides.
• Strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Comfortable managing multiple projects and tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in costumes, accessories, toys, seasonal merchandise, or licensed products.
• Experience designing packaging for mass-market and specialty retailers.
• Familiarity with licensed brands, entertainment properties, and character-based merchandise.
• Experience coordinating packaging artwork with overseas factories and print vendors.
• Experience with product photography, photo retouching, and packaging mockups.
• Understanding of packaging materials, printing techniques, finishes, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience supporting high-volume retail packaging programs with multiple product categories and SKU variations.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a hands-on, production-focused designer who combines strong visual design skills with technical packaging expertise.

The ideal candidate is organized, efficient, highly detail-oriented, and capable of taking packaging projects from initial layout through final production.

This individual thrives in a fast-paced environment, can confidently execute established creative direction, and understands the importance of accuracy, consistency, and deadlines.

Success in this role requires three core strengths:

• Production Accuracy: The ability to independently create, revise, and finalize accurate, print-ready packaging mechanicals with minimal supervision.
• High-Volume SKU Execution: The ability to efficiently adapt and execute packaging artwork across multiple products, sizes, styles, and collections while maintaining consistency.
• Print Production & Vendor Coordination: A strong understanding of dielines, printing specifications, production requirements, and the ability to communicate effectively with overseas manufacturing partners.

Portfolio Requirements

Candidates must submit a portfolio showcasing relevant packaging design and production artwork, including retail packaging layouts, production mechanicals, dieline applications, and examples of completed consumer product packaging.

Experience with licensed merchandise and high-volume retail packaging programs is strongly preferred.