In this paper we describe an integrated methodology applied to the teaching of materials and technologies in Design degree courses, through the implementation of a practical activity based on the concept of Reverse Design (RD) and the redesign of a cardboard packaging, which prioritizes the critical analysis of the object and its relationship with materials, digital technologies and production processes. A critical analysis of packaging available on the market was carried out in order to get to know, manipulate and analyze all its components, including the visual, formal and functional concept and the materials used. Subsequently, new solutions were proposed for cardboard packaging and the respective prototypes were made using laser cutting and engraving technologies, discussing the feasibility of these proposals in the context of current industrial production systems. From a pedagogical point of view, this activity involves combining teaching methodologies that promote the development of skills in the area of the relationship between design projects and the materials and technologies associated with cardboard packaging production systems. Thus, this article describes the development of the practical exercise based on a pedagogical continuum from RD, to digital technologies and industrial production practices in a real context, highlighting both the technical and material complexity in the industrial production of this packaging and the field of sustainability. The results obtained in this study, based on a qualitative and descriptive analysis of a case study, indicate that the students showed significant improvements in their understanding of the functionality and materialization of packaging, and that contact with industrial production and automation contributed to the development of skills based on a material and technological culture of industrial production.