Use of Hot Stamping Technology in Packaging for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Abstract

Nowadays the principles of universal design are used practically in every sphere of design, but there is one particular direction of packaging design where those principles and rules are much needed. Typically, packaging includes different types of visual information, both graphic and text, such as list of ingredients, contained portions and illustrations. But this information is not available to all categories of the population, especially those who are blind and visually impaired. While Braille is only used on packaging of important drugs and drugs used by blind and visually impaired people it can and should be used to label food and other categories of goods. Conducted by a informational portal survey concluded that without help or escort visually impaired and blind people are not always able to navigate stores and understand what they are buying, especially when a lot of food of the same category use same shaped packaging. While it is possible to label packaging in Braille not every manufacturer decides to do so, partly to avoid designing and redesigning problems. Different design works show that it is possible to find a compromise, using blocks of tactile text, but also using various embossed symbols, drawings and ornaments to help blind people. It shows that it is possible to incorporate symbols in packaging design, using auxiliary elements as decoration, or tactile text itself as a design element. Braille font can perform as not only main informational function, but also artistic, as it is used as an element of decoration.