kaging as a Cultural Commodity (Case Study of Isfahan Gaz Packaging)

Introduction: In the contemporary world, packaging has become, beyond its protective and economic function, a cultural medium that carries signs, symbols, and identity narratives. As one of the Iranian souvenirs, Isfahan Gaz has cultural value both as an economic commodity and as a covering that represents collective memory in an objective form. The present study aims to investigate the extent to which Isfahan Gaz packaging has been able to represent elements of Iranian national identity and Isfahan local identity.
Research background: Amini Harandi et al. (2014), in an article titled “Reforming Gaz Packaging by Modified Atmosphere Packaging Method,” which was conducted on Gaz packaging technology in Iran, emphasized technical aspects such as increasing product shelf life and improving transportation conditions. The findings of this group of studies show that the main attention of manufacturers is on the industrial functions of packaging rather than its cultural aspects. Karimipour and Sharifzadeh (2017), in a study titled “Culture-based Components in Iranian Handicraft Packaging Design,” also show that packaging designers in the field of handicrafts have focused more on national symbolic elements such as Islamic motifs and Kufic script, while local signs have been given less priority. This study highlights the lack of attention to regional and urban identities in packaging design. In an article titled “The Use of Iranian-Islamic Visual Motifs in the Design and Identity of Iranian Export Food Industries Packaging (Tea, Pistachio, Saffron),” Hammam (2019) emphasizes that packaging is one of the elements that give identity and represent culture and nationality. The main finding of the research shows that in the graphic design of Iranian food industry packaging, there is a lack of use of Iranian and Islamic visual elements, and at the same time, the use of these elements can significantly improve the quality and originality of packaging designs. The author also presented several proposed food packaging designs based on Iranian-Islamic motifs and various forms in this study. Zaryabi and Abeddoost (1400), in an article titled “Investigating the Reflection of National Identity in Iranian Packaging Design with Emphasis on the Component of Persian Calligraphy (Case Study: Selected Food Product Packagings of the Iranian Graphic Design Biennial 'Silver Cypress') analyzed the selected samples of the Iranian Graphic Biennial. The findings of this study show that Persian calligraphy, especially Nastaliq calligraphy, and modern typography methods are the most important indicators of representing Iranian identity in product packaging and can strengthen national distinction and identity in the global market.
Conclusion: The present study sought to answer the question of to what extent and by using which signs, the packaging of Isfahan Gaz has been able to represent elements of Iranian national identity and Isfahan local identity. This research was conducted using Debord's three-fold theoretical framework of "representation", Baudrillard's "symbolic value," and Appadurai's "social life of the object". The analysis of 10 packaging samples based on defined indicators (patterns, colors, gender, durability, power of representation, and value migration) led to the following findings:
1- Predominance of national identity over local identity
In most of the samples studied (7 out of 10), signs of national identity - including Islamic motifs, Nastaliq script, turquoise, azure, and gold colors - were dominant. Specific signs of Isfahan's local identity (such as images of historical monuments or city-specific handicrafts) were present in only 3 samples (a metal box with images of monuments, a hardbox with an enameled container, and a cashmere chest). This means that Isfahan's Gaz packaging, despite its regional naming, is more concerned with representing "general Iranian identity" than "specific Isfahan identity". This finding is consistent with the results of previous studies (Karimipour and Sharifzadeh, 2017) that pointed to the dominance of national symbols in handicraft packaging.
2- Direct relationship between gender and durability with display power and value migration
The analysis showed that there is a direct relationship between “gender of packaging" and " display power” from Debord’s perspective, as well as “social lifespan of the object” from Appadurai’s perspective. Packaging made of highly durable wood and metal both had stronger display power and were transformed into lasting objects (jewelry boxes, permanent vases, decorative frames) after consumption. In contrast, cardboard and plastic packaging, in addition to having weaker display power, were immediately discarded and lacked value migration. This finding confirms that packaging design with an emphasis on material durability can transform a fleeting consumer product into a lasting cultural product.
3- Symbolic value beyond use value
According to Baudrillard's theory, in luxury items (wooden, metal, with handicrafts), the real value of the product was determined not by the weight or quality of the Gaz, but by the symbolic value of their packaging. Symbols such as enameling, cashmere, inlay, and knotting convey concepts such as "heritage", "authenticity", "handicraft", and "luxury", and the buyer of these products is in fact exchanging "signs of prestige and authenticity", not simply a traditional delicacy.