Emma Giacalone Turns Retro Food Packaging Into Stitched Reminders To Be Kinder To Ourselves

Creative Boom: Inspiration Art & Culture Emma Giacalone turns retro food packaging into stitched reminders to be kinder to ourselves The Gloucestershire textile artist gives a ketchup sachet or a tin of pilchards hours of free-motion embroidery, turning the packaging we've almost forgotten about into "little care labels", as she puts it, "for the soul". Written By: Katy Cowan 3 August 2026 Most people who grew up in the 1980s and '90s will remember the food packaging of that era. Monster Munch. Fruit Pastilles. Coco Pops... I can still hear the theme tune to the accompanying ad and how magical it felt when the milk really did turn chocolatey.

It all brings back warm memories of Saturday mornings spent in front of the telly watching children's cartoons. The Raccoons. Dungeons & Dragons. ThunderCats. It gives me butterflies. Makes me long for those simpler times. Which is probably why Emma Giacalone dedicates so much time to sewing them. The Gloucestershire textile artist is inspired by retro food packaging and enjoys replicating it into sewn pieces of art. There's a lovely twist, though. Yes, it's immediately obvious what she's paying homage to. A miniature pack of Frosties is still instantly recognisable. It's just that she swaps the wording for a positive message instead.

So 'Frosties' becomes 'In case you forget, You're g-g-g-great!' It's funny... I hadn't noticed that until I had a proper look. Why does she do this? It's her mission to create "little care instructions … to lead our happiest life". "I am fascinated by the quiet power of everyday objects," she tells Creative Boom. "A care label is something most of us barely notice, but it's there to remind us how to look after something and make it last. I wondered whether perhaps we need those reminders too." How did all this come about?

"I was making textiles that people would live with every day, and found myself wanting them to carry more than just pattern or decoration," she says. "I wanted them to offer a gentle reminder to be kinder to ourselves, to slow down, to rest, to notice joy. In a way, they're like care labels for the soul." "Looking back across my work, I could see that I kept returning to the same themes of comfort, care, connection, and wellbeing," she adds. "Once I recognised that thread, everything else made sense. It gave me a language for what I was already trying to do." Plenty of people feel the same.

With almost 30,000 followers on Instagram, Emma is clearly not the only one drawn to a reworked mini cereal box. Take her Heinz Spaghetti Hoops piece, which swaps the brand name for a little act of defiance: "May you find the courage to disappoint people who expect you to stay small … Don't jump through Hoops." It's a nice reminder not to let other people hold us back. Emma's work sews together three things she loves: lettering, stitching, and a fascination with what makes us tick. She studied sociology at university, which makes sense. And it explains why she enjoys the power of language.

"I've always loved words and the way a simple phrase can completely shift your perspective," she explains. "Understanding why we think the way we do, what helps us flourish, and the small habits or reminders that can make a real difference to us is really interesting to me. We aren't so different underneath it all." What's especially impressive is that embroidery wasn't ever the plan.

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The article discusses a unique artistic approach to branding that emphasizes emotional connection and nostalgia, which is significant for brand strategy professionals looking to enhance consumer engagement.