I’ve worked in delivery for twenty-odd years and I have to admit that I’ve seen a heck of a lot of packaging in my time. I’ve handled it, tossed it against doors and placed it into outstretched hands. I’ve done all kinds of things involving packages and deliveries. In fact, I’m becoming a bit of a packaging connoisseur. I can determine which packages are going to withstand the most wear and tear along the route, and which are going to be opened most quickly. I’m also rather good at guessing what’s inside. I started just by touching and found I had a knack for it. Now, I can determine the contents by sight alone, seeing how the plastic sits, centre of gravity, and other visual clues.
I’ve also developed a number of favourites, particularly courier bags. You can tell that they’ve been designed and manufactured for the express purpose of storing and transporting goods and delivering them safely into the hands of the recipient. I love the precise shape of them, the variation in sizes, and even the little sticky film at the part where it opens. I just can’t get enough of delivering the humble courier bag.
I’ve got such a strong passion for packaging actually that I see it everywhere. When I’m walking down the supermarket aisle, looking at the food packaging in Australia, I’m in heaven. I’m also thinking about courier packaging and how much better it is. But then again, food packaging is quite creative and colourful, though it lacks the sleek efficient formality of courier packaging. I actually think the staid courier satchel arouses more intrigue because you simply don’t know what’s inside it. Even if you’ve made the order yourself, you often forget or are unsure of contents due to multiple orders. In this way, I feel that courier packaging is quite akin to good old fashioned Christmas present.