🍏 Redesigning the Apple Watch Series 7 Packaging
A Sustainable UX Approach
User Research | 10 Weeks | HCDE @ University of Washington
We set out to reimagine the Apple Watch Series 7 packaging through a sustainability lens. The original packaging was beautiful—but bulky and wasteful. Our team saw an opportunity to reduce shipping emissions and material waste while enhancing the unboxing experience.
Apple customers often keep their product packaging—whether to store accessories, charge their devices, or just admire the minimalist branding. We wondered:
What if the box itself became part of the product experience?
Lower the packaging weight
Reduce CO2e emissions in transport
Encourage sustainable reuse
Preserve Apple’s premium brand feel
4 Human-Centered Design & Engineering undergraduates
10-week capstone for our “Sustainable Life Design” course
Interview design & moderation
Sketching + early concepting
Background product research
Physical prototyping (low-fi & 3D printed hi-fi)
Original Specs
📦 Packaging weight: 376g
⌚ Watch + band weight: 30.5g
🧮 Disproportionately heavy and high-cost to ship
We believed good packaging could be:
We wanted to go beyond just less—
and instead, design for lasting impact.
🧪 Participants & Recruitment
We conducted both surveys and interviews with a focus on users who have interacted with tech packaging, particularly in Seattle.
🌍 Distributed via UW Reddit, HCDE Slack, and social media
✅ Included: users of any tech product, located in Seattle
🧠 Recruited from surveys, classmates, and friends
❌ Excluded: non-tech users and non-Seattle residents
We used a mix of interactive interviews and surveys to explore users' unpacking behaviors and sustainability habits:
1. What are people’s experiences with unpacking the Apple Watch packaging?
🎯 Goal: Gauge user impressions of Apple’s current design
📋 Method: Interactive interview + think-aloud unpacking
2. What do people do with the packaging once the product is opened?
🎯 Goal: Understand user habits (keep? toss?)
📋 Method: Interview + survey follow-up
3. How do people dispose of the packaging?
🎯 Goal: Understand real-time disposal decisions
📋 Method: Roleplay-based interactive interview
💡 Insights → Design Recommendations
📦 51% keep vs. 48% discard
Some keep boxes for storage or display
Others toss (29.6% recycle, 18.5% trash)
Too many materials & complex opening
Design should support both outcomes: reuse and responsible disposal
⚖️ Combine compartments + Reduce excess paper
✏️ Sketching & Early Ideation
We rapidly sketched possible configurations to:
Visualize how the watch could be displayed
Explore multi-use packaging (e.g. as a charging dock)
Identify placement for branding elements
Eliminate paper manuals using QR codes
We pivoted from our original sketch after early testing.
Increased box length to lay bands flat
Resulted in better stability + easier usability
Allowed accurate dimensioning before 3D modeling
🧱 Hi-Fi Modeling & Iterations
Modeled final design using 3D software and printed with PLA filament.
⚠️ PLA was used instead of Apple’s virgin fiber due to availability during our sprint window.
This stage allowed us to test:
(Insert side-by-side pic of Apple’s original vs. our redesign)
Our packaging redesign:
✅ Holds the watch + band
✅ Doubles as a charging/display dock
✅ Uses a single, compact box
✅ Integrates QR-based instructions
We conducted 3 usability tests:
1 returning from prior interviews (for comparison)
2 new, non-Apple Watch users (for intuitiveness testing)
Users could unpack + assemble in under 3 mins
All participants found repacking intuitive
Feedback helped evaluate desirability and reduce friction for new users
🔎 Key Findings
1. Users Want to Keep Multi-Use Packaging
“I’d keep [the box] to charge the Apple Watch and use for storage.” — P2
Most users wanted to keep the packaging
Doubled as a charger, watch stand, or general storage
Strong indicator that our multi-use goal was successful
2. Packing + Unpacking Was Intuitive
“Pretty easy and intuitive to put everything back.” — P1
Compact design helped reduce complexity
Lightweight structure made it easy to handle
Clear internal structure = less confusion
3. QR Codes > Paper Manuals
“It’s easier to search and it updates with software.” — P3
Replaced bulky print with QR-accessible digital guide
Accessible, lightweight, and dynamic
Users found it convenient and aligned with Apple’s digital ecosystem
📉 Packaging weight reduced by 54% (from 376g → 173g)
🌎 CO2e emissions per unit reduced from 2.52 kg to 1.16 kg
🌍 At Apple’s 2020 volume (43M watches), that’s ~58.48M kg CO2e saved
Assembly impact: New configuration changes warehouse workflow
Watch stability risk: Could detach during transit
Material mismatch: PLA may be heavier than Apple’s virgin fiber
Source lighter, recyclable materials (e.g., Apple’s virgin fiber)
Accessibility Improvements
Add multilingual, braille, and high-contrast instruction via QR
Add 2nd QR code to Apple’s band assembly guide
Position this at bottom of box for onboarding
