Abstract:In response to the current focus on material circulation in regional food packaging research and the lack of mechanisms for the dissemination of regional culture, this study explores a sustainable design pathway for the coordinated development of cultural and material circulation in the context of new retail. Taking a high-end apple gift box as the practice-based validation object, a dual-circulation packaging system integrating material and cultural circulation was constructed and validated from four aspects, i.e., material selection, structural innovation, visual narrative, and interactive experience, based on the triple bottom line (TBL) and cradle-to-cradle (C2C) theories. The use of locally sourced bio-based materials and an adhesive-free integrated structure enables local resource circulation and carbon reduction. Meanwhile, cultural cards, illustrations of stories based on the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, blind-box modules, and other design elements facilitate the modern translation of regional culture, thereby achieving cultural circulation and regeneration while promoting broader community-based dissemination of the brand. By integrating the macro-level perspective of TBL with the micro-level methodology of C2C, this comprehensive strategy provides a practical reference for optimizing regional food brands and promotes the transformation of packaging from a material container into a carrier for the sustainable dissemination of regional culture.