Packaging and Branding Design for Sarong Yuan Weaving Group at Ban Thanonkod Village, Nakhonratchasima Province

Abstract

Sin Yuan Weaving Group at Ban Thanon Kod, Sikhio district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, was formed to conserve the Thai-yuan ethnic weaving heritage and produce loincloths, sarong cloth and sarong yuan for regional consumers and middlemen. The products, however, do not have packaging and a brand that show the identity of the community. Additionally, the group does not have enough capital for placing a minimum order of packaging required by the printing house. The objective of this research is to design packaging and branding for the product. The following processes were conducted under community participatory design approach: 1) Identifying the product identity; 2) Designing the package and brand; 3) Prototyping the package and testing its function; 4) Market testing; and 5) Applying for Community Product Standards Certification (Mor Phor Chor) for the product type of hand-woven sarong, branded “Pha Yuan Tor Thanon Kod”. Since Nakhon Chai Burin Silk Center has requested to retail the products, the group’s net income after deducting expenses and packaging costs increased from 18,000 baht per month to 39,000 baht per month. Currently, the group members have generated higher income, which contributes towards social and economic sustainable development.