Package Design - December 2011 by ST Media Group International

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CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2011 VOL. 9 NO. 10

COLUMNS 16 DESIGNER’S CORNER by Jenn David Connolly How to design packages that stand out in crowded retail environments.

18 SUSTAINABLY SPEAKING by Wendy Jedlicka Educational resources for eco-design deliver continuous returns.

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES 20

Inspired Beauty Beyoncé Pulse packaging conveys the energy and glamour of the singer’s concerts.

FRONT PANEL

39 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

B. toys takes a distinctly different approach to earth-friendly packaging.

34 PRODUCT FOCUS: BIO-BASED MATERIALS AND PACKAGES

Material Matters

Toyland Turns Green

EDITOR’S LETTER

12 SNAPSHOTS

Sustainability is one of many weighty substrate concerns for integrated design teams.

40 GLOBESPOTTING by Lynn Dornblaser Plastic sachet makes soup a clearly convenient snack.

Choice Changes An organic tea brand’s careful carton and envelope redesign is both fresh and familiar.

THIS MONTH ON PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

Looking Glass In this Q&A, Package Design and Owens-Illinois discuss modern glass packaging.

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Growing U.S. demand for flexible packages, http://www.packagedesignmag.com/ FlexiblePackaging

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ON THE COVER The cover was produced by Hazen Paper Co. using transfer metalized paper with a printable hologram. The sheet is then overprinted to create a dedicated hologram, which makes the Beyoncé Pulse packaging appear three-dimensional. (Read more about the fragrance packaging on page 20.) 2

DECEMBER 2011

Design contest now open to U.S. students, http://www.packagedesignmag.com/ StudentDesignContest

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MGD refreshes packaging for a global market, http://www.packagedesignmag.com/ MGDBackInBlack

Beauty and sustainaBility come gift wrapped in every package. Introducing Green Chic™, the natural evolution of Diamond’s greenbox initiative. our new green chic™ packaging delivers “Beauty without compromise” by capturing the essence of luxury brands through more sustainable converting methods.

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FROM THE EDITOR

by Linda casey

Waste Not, Want Not C

onversations about sustainable packaging usually focus on how to reduce the amount of material used, make the converting process greener, or improve end-of-life options for spent packages. This holiday season, I was reminded that packaging’s protective and convenience properties in themselves offer sustainability benefits. Food is a huge part of our family’s holiday celebrations. Just this Thanksgiving, our family (like most American families) prepared more turkey, potatoes, and stuffing than could be consumed in just one day. Some of the leftovers became ingredients for new meals; others ended up in the trash. Food waste is a year-round problem in the U.S., according to data published by the University of Texas at Austin, with each American household throwing away at least 1.5 pounds of food (on average) every day. Worldwide, roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted every year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Not all of this food is wasted by end consumers: some of it’s lost before it reaches the table. For example, EUROPEN (European Organization for Packaging and the Environment) reports that India loses up to half of its fruit-and-vegetable crop post-harvest every year. An FAO study suggests the following solutions for food loss and waste problems: metal crates, plastic crates, and retail-ready corrugated boxes that prevent produce damage in transit; leak-resistant and modified atmosphere packaging to keep food from spoiling early; and portion-control packs and ready-to-eat entrees to tackle the problem of too much food being prepared. These recommendations are an important reminder that a product can actually be made more sustainable by adding packaging. This will become true in even more applications as packages with ever-decreasing environmental impacts are developed.

Stay in touch with us: Email: linda.casey@stmediagroup.com LinkedIn: Package Design Magazine Facebook: Packagedesign Mag Twitter: packagedesignmg (no “a” in “mg”)

december 2011

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Editorial Department Editor-in-Chief Linda Casey linda.casey@stmediagroup.com Contributing editor Patrick Henry pat.henry@stmediagroup.com Art Director Laura Mohr laura.mohr@stmediagroup.com Production Coordinator Linda Volz 513-263-9398 linda.volz@stmediagroup.com Sales Department Publisher Julie Okon 317-564-8475 / Fax: 513-744-6909 julie.okon@stmediagroup.com associate Publisher John T. Lyons III 770-955-2923 / Fax: 610-296-1553 john.lyons@stmediagroup.com Corporate Staff President Tedd Swormstedt Design group director Kristin D. Zeit Package Design Subscription Services P.O. Box 1060 Skokie, IL 60076 P: (847) 763-4938 F: (847) 763-9030 PD@halldata.com Reprints / e-Prints / Plaques Mark Kissling 513-263-9399 mark.kissling@stmediagroup.com

PACKAGE DESIGN (ISSN 1554-6772) is published 10 times annually by ST Media Group International Inc., 11262 Cornell Park Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45242-1812. Telephone: (513) 421-2050, Fax: (513) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to non-qualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $48 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions in Canada: $76 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $98 (Int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by ST Media Group International Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Package Design, P.O. Box 1060, Skokie, IL 60076. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to Package Design, P.O. Box 1060, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Debbie Reed at (513) 263-9356 or Debbie.Reed@STMediaGroup. com. Subscription Services: PD@halldata.com, Fax: (847) 763-9030, Phone: (847) 763-4938, New Subscriptions: www.packagedesignmag. com/subscribe.

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FRONT PANEL

Green Gourmet To-Jo Mushrooms’ molded fiber tray makes eco-cooking a snap.

ho says convenience packaging for foods can’t be ecoconscious? To-Jo Mushrooms (Avondale, PA) certainly doesn’t think so. The produce packer recently launched Mushroom Sauté in Ovenware II molded fiber trays from Huhtamaki. Mushroom Sauté is a 7-oz. heat-and-serve product that contains washed, fresh mushroom slices, Grade A butter, and all-natural seasonings. The Ovenware II tray is made from 95% recycled post-industrial fibers with a PET lamination. Because it can go into the microwave or oven straight from the refrigerator or freezer, the tray makes preparing the side dish easy. The tray’s engineered not to warp or sag throughout the cooking process. Its cool-to-the-touch feature also makes the tray easy to handle after it comes out of the oven. The PET lamination makes the tray rigid and impermeable to moisture, and a film barrier reduces the potential of pathogen growth as moisture migration into the package is prevented. Because the trays contain no metal, To-Jo can metal-detect products after packaging for further consumer safety.

QUOTE

“ Color does not add a pleasant quality to design–it reinforces it.” — French artist Pierre Bonnard

december 2011

U.S. Named Most Creative Country The 2011 Cannes Report lists U.S. creatives tops worldwide. U.S. agencies snared three of the top five spots in the Agency of the Year rankings, while over in the Independent Agency list the U.S. took first and second place. Art directors, creative directors, and copywriters from Droga5, Wieden+Kennedy Portland, and BBDO New York were the most awarded, and New York was named the world’s second most creative city behind London. Portland and Los Angeles also made the top 20.

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FRONT PANEL FAST FACT

$18 Billion Estimated worth of demand for flexible packaging, including food packaged in pouches, in 2015. The market growth will be driven in part by shifts in U.S. demographics, to more single-person and empty-nest households.

—S OURCE: “Converted Fle xible Pack aging,” a report from MarketResearch.com

Opulent Box Celebrates International Cities Metropolis Presentation Design and Art Box dazzled when it debuted at this year’s Luxe Pack. The box contains six individual smaller cartons, each representing a specific metropolis. The distinguishing qualities of each box’s corresponding city are highlighted by various hot-stamping and cold-foiling techniques. Michael Matthaeus Martha designed the packaging so it adorns five sides of each box, but does not extend to the sixth side. Instead, this side presents a portion of an artistic image; when all boxes have been arranged correctly, a complete picture is formed. An accompanying leaflet explains Martha’s artistic interpretation of the metropolis theme. Stamping foil manufacturer Kurz created the boxes to display how warm or cool metallic tones, glittery holograms, lavish stamps, and sumptuous reliefs can be used to capture the atmosphere of a city. The company says it will produce a new edition of the Presentation Box on an annual basis and dedicate each one to a specific theme. PD

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SNAPSHOTS

Exquisitely Eco Lulu Organics takes a beautiful approach to earth-friendly design.

orking as a graphic designer for major fashion and beauty magazines, Linda Aldredge says she was amazed by “how ugly” so many of the personal care products were. So when she launched Lulu Organics (Minneapolis, MN), which sells an eye-catching, eco-friendly line of dry powder shampoo, soap, and lip balms, graphic design figured prominently in the product development. “I spent six months designing the label,” she says of the flagship hair product. The label’s striking art-nouveau look depicts a bare-breasted woman from yesteryear with a luxurious mane. For the motif, Aldredge thought of the bold type of old apothecary bottles and old stamps from India. “The red poppy pops beyond the border—that’s a very Indian design technique,” she says. Aldredge drew inspiration from the New York Public Library’s picture collection (http://digital.nypl. org/mmpco), which has more than 30,000 digitized images from books, magazines, and newspapers as well as original photographs, prints, and postcards, mostly created before 1923. Another creative destination Aldredge recommends is her friend Michelle McCormick’s website, Inspiration Resource.com. Because her products are organic, it’s not surprising to find that Aldredge made eco-conscious packaging choices. She buys a combination of paper and polypropylene plastic packaging from Custom Paper Tubes. The kraft paper packages are made from 100% recycled materials that contain 30% post-consumer-waste paper fiber. Only biodegradable, cornstarch-based packing material is used for mail orders. Typically, production totals about a thousand bottles a month but hits as many to 2,000 to 3,000 during the peak holiday season. Lulu Organics is doing well enough now that it’s become Aldredge’s full-time gig. —Larry Jaffee 12

december 2011

Bold Comeback Pert Plus restyles for unisex appeal.

urchased by moms but primarily used by dads and children, Pert Plus shampoo needs to appeal to a wide market. Idelle Labs Ltd., a subsidiary of Helen of Troy Ltd.(El Paso, TX), recently relaunched the brand as a simple all-family choice. Brand and innovation firm Beardwood&Co. created the new unisex design. Central to the package revamp is a bold and modern logo that communicates the brand’s benefit of simple haircare. The logo’s vertical placement gives Pert Plus more on-the-shelf pop. Brook & Whittle printed the pressuresensitive labels with a fun bubble pattern. To help consumers quickly identify the different Pert Plus formulas, each of the five varieties has its own bright color scheme— blue, teal, orange, purple, and light green. A prominent horizontal silver bar calls out the 2-in-1 proposition (shampoo plus conditioner) in an eye-catching and premium way. All varieties are in high-density polyethylene bottles, supplied by Blue Body, in the brand’s signature green. Rick Cutler, director of marketing for Idelle Labs, says the new design “nailed the simplicity positioning, and our retailers and customers are loving the new look.”

Clear Improvements A natural beverage upgrades to a sweet glass bottle.

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here was a time when it was easy for natural beverages to stand out on soda-crowded shelves. Not anymore. To compete in this environment, Honeydrop (New York) collaborated with branding and design agency Monday Collective. The natural beverage brand was launched in 2008 by David Luks. But the central brand concept—that Honeydrop is a natural drink made with real honey—wasn’t as clear as it needed to be on the previous PET bottle packaging. To better convey the ideas of “natural” and “premium,” Monday Collective suggested a custom-designed glass bottle. The high clarity of the glass, combined with transparent labels, allows the quality of the product to shine through. The company also liked that moving to glass might have more of an appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. To drive the honey-sweet message of the brand home, glass packaging manufacturer Vitro embossed several of Honeydrop’s bee icons across the bottle neck. The labels are printed by General Press in CMYK plus white and sport a redesigned bee icon that looks as if it were made of honey. The redesigned back panel uses icons to help consumers identify ingredients easily. A gold-toned, metal cap replaces the black plastic one. Crown Holdings Inc. supplies the cap, custom printed with the tagline “from the bee to the bottle.” A new back-of-pack “brand badge” reinforces Honeydrop’s initiative to raise awareness of Colony Collapse Disorder (a phenomenon by which bee populations are dropping in alarming numbers). PD

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DESIGNER’S CORNER

BY JENN DAVID CONNOLLY

The Moment of Truth How design can help a package make the leap from retail shelf to consumer’s home.

here’s something about designing retail packaging that absolutely captivates me. Perhaps it’s the three-dimensional aspect of it, or maybe it’s the process of expressing the inner contents of a package externally, as if you’re giving the product a personality—creating a face for it and making it come to life. But when it comes down to it, what I love most about package design is the ultimate challenge of establishing a personal connection with the consumer in a slim two to three second window at best, all while other products on the shelf compete for the same consumer’s attention. So how do you capture that consumer’s affection? First, consider the store environment. Many stores can be overwhelming for the consumer. Marketing messages are bombarding shoppers constantly, with a plethora of brands and varieties for even the simplest of products, such as toothpaste.

All the different brands, designs, information hierarchies, and price points can be extremely difficult for the consumer to compare and contrast on the fly. Communicate clearly and quickly. Package designs that don’t clearly distinguish themselves from all the other product offerings can lead to confusion or, worse yet, a customer buying a product that doesn’t fully meet his values. Design the principal display panel to convey what the product is and differentiate it from other varieties in the same line 16

DECEMBER 2011

and from competitors in seconds, not minutes. Research competing designs and do something different. To do this, you have to research what your competitors are doing then take another direction. Have an energy about your design that lures shoppers toward it and draws them in. This isn’t all about shouting—if competing package designs are screaming, you don’t necessarily need to be louder. Perhaps being a little more reserved and refined can differentiate your design and even make it a little hypnotic. Close the deal. After your product makes the first cut and is in the consumer’s hand, it needs to sell, sell, sell! Usually this is where “romance copy” comes in—the package is literally romancing the customer to take it home and experience it. Go for the repeat buy. When a packaged product enters the consumer’s home, its performance takes center stage. That doesn’t mean the package’s

With a strong, recognizable packaging design, this package’s back panel suggests a myriad of uses around the home aside from baking.

8th Continent’s line of soymilk stands out markedly on the shelf with its simple, artful approach, which also has an impact on its longevity in the consumer’s home.

Simple design and incorporation of slightly unusual materials set this brand apart on the shelf. The tin can be easily reused for many other purposes after the product has run out.

role is over, though. A package that’s pleasing to look at for this longer duration can encourage the consumer to buy the product again. PD For articles on similar topics, visit the Package Design channel on PackageDesignMag.com.

Jenn David Connolly is owner and founder of Jenn David Design (www.jenndavid.com).

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SUSTAINABLY SPEAKING

by Wendy Jedlicka, CPP

The Gift that Keeps on Giving You can expect continuous returns from these educational resources.

ne of the sad realities of the current state of “green” is that while brands seem willing to put money into efforts with a visible return on investment, such as physical plant or operations improvements (alternative energy, energy efficiency, materials minimization, waste as profit centers), they’re still very slow at making investments in the most cost-effective improvement a company (or individual) can make: education. This December, I’d like to offer our readers a gift that’s always in style and just the right size, but nonetheless encourages re-gifting. The resources below will help you get a better understanding of sustainability and allow you to pass on what you learn to your colleagues.

Handy tools The Pulp Tracking Form from the Environmental Paper Network (EPN) offers tools for paper purchasers. This document helps you take a hard look at your supply chain and request information from your suppliers. While you’re there, check out its state-of-the-industry report and other useful articles. www.environmentalpaper.org/ tools-for-paper-purchasers.php Pulpwatch.org has an interactive map to help purchasers identify risk regions associated with the sourcing of pulp and paper from around the world.

Fast-track learning The Essentials of Sustainable Packaging course is a one-day seminar developed and taught by professionals from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC). This private course lets you jump in with both feet, then hit the ground running. SPC tailors the workshop to the specific needs and objectives of an organization, which can include facilitation of goal-setting, metrics evaluation, and specific packaging analyses. www.sustainablepack aging.org/essentials MCAD Online Sustainable Design Program Class: Packaging Sustainability Packaging sustainability is about understanding the whole package, not just making another pretty façade. This online class is intended to let all pack18

december 2011

age design stakeholders learn what the various players in the supply chain do. Marketers, designers, engineers, city planners, lawmakers, a store’s buyers, brand managers, and (of course) consumers all can benefit from having a more holistic understanding of what packaging is about.(Registration for Spring 2012 is now open; classes run Jan. 17 - May 8.) www.mcad.edu/ continuing-education/online-art-and-design-courses/ packaging-sustainability-spring-2012

Self-guided education To get an idea of how the pieces fit together, start with this webinar: Profiting from Sustainable Packaging Design www.packagedesignmag. com/webinars/2009/profiting-sustainable -packaging-design [Editor’s note: You can also learn from the sustainability experts from Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever at our free webinar on Dec. 13. www.packagedesign-mag.com/green] Finally, you can continue your self-education effort with book suggestions from o2-USA/Upper Midwest’s “Knowledge Is Power” campaign (www. o2umw.org/reading.html). Here are some of the works from 2umw.org’s short list: “Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging” (www.sustainablepackaging.org/resources/default.aspx), “Packaging Sustainability: Tools, Systems and Strategies for Innovative Package Design” (PackagingSustainabil ity.info), “Sustainable Graphic Design: Tools, Systems and Strategies for Innovative Print Design” (SustainableGraphicDesign.info), and “The New Rules of Green Marketing” (www.greenmar keting.com/blog/comments/why-education-iskey-to-green-marketing-success/). PD For articles on similar topics, visit the Sustainability channel on PackageDesignMag.com.

Wendy Jedlicka, CPP, is principal of Jedlicka Design Ltd. (www.jedlicka.com), a founding faculty member of Minneapolis College of Art and Design’s Sustainable Design Program (www.mcad.edu/sustainable), and contributing editor of the book Packaging Sustainability (PackagingSustainability.info).

S U STA I N A B I L I T Y W E B I N A R : Available Online

Designing for a GREENER FUTURE Listen to an archived version of Package Design’s sustainability webinar, featuring speakers from Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever, on packagedesignmag.com/webinars Get up-to-date insights into how large packaged goods companies are approaching package design and sustainability. Discussion points in this 60-minute webinar include: > new sustainable packaging materials > package-design initiatives > processes and advancements > regulatory issues Plus, each speaker discusses their company’s green initiatives and how that translates to their bottom lines. In just one hour, you’ll uncover dynamic, new strategies that protect people, the planet, and your profits.

Hear the session on packagedesignmag.com/webinars

S P O N S O R E D BY:

FEATURED SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

PJ MASON Principal Design Manager for Oral Care Innovation PROCTER & GAMBLE

SCOTT A. VITTERS GM of PlantBottle Packaging Platform THE COCA-COLA COMPANY

MIKE HUGHES Senior Manager of Packaging UNILEVER

INSPIRED BEAUTY Beyoncé Pulse wafts the sweet smell of packaging success.

By Patrick Henry

ould there a contemporary superstar with more glamour or charisma than Beyoncé Knowles? That’s for pop fandom to debate. What’s clear is that the singer’s sheer star power has been successfully translated into a high-end packaging concept for Beyoncé Pulse. The perfume was created for the Beyoncé brand by Coty (New York). Philip Tarrant, senior engineer for packaging development at Coty, describes the main design elements as modeling Beyoncé’s stage accoutrements. Thus the package is more than just a delivery system for a fragrance—it also serves as an icon of its namesake at her most radiant moments in performance.

A striking silver overcap (or “shroud”) encloses the bottle to mimic the way the star’s shimmery ball gowns envelop her figure. The dazzling holographic effects on the carton reproduce, in miniature, the movement and energy of the laser light shows that often signal her entrance. The package design aims to be different from every other perfume container on the market—an objective achieved by surrounding an extraordinary bottle with an equally distinctive carton that dramatically pushes the technique of printable holography to a new level of visual flair.

Like her, a showpiece

Beyoncé Pulse’s primary (left) and secondary packaging (top right) sport strong shelf differentiation, with an exceptional bottle and an impressive carton.

DECEMBER 2011

The result, says Tarrant, is exactly what Beyoncé wanted as a vehicle for the latest addition to her branded line of fragrances: a package that her female fans can display with pride on their vanities and dressing tables. Beyoncé Pulse joined the line, which also includes the perfumes Beyoncé Heat and Beyoncé Heat Rush, in

August. The launch, preceded by about 12 months of development, was a collaborative effort that combined the talents of Coty’s internal packaging group; the outside expertise of Lance McGregor, a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based product designer and “visual futurist”; and guidance from the celebrity herself. “Beyoncé was pivotal in supplying the inspirational references for the bottle design direction,” McGregor says. “She also played a major role in editing my designs and offering her own aesthetic opinion. I wanted to reflect this in the design, so I took a nontraditional approach.” With its cut-crystal appearance and silvery shroud, the elegant bottle literally turns the usual concept of perfume container design on its head. The bottle is inverted within the shroud, which serves as an overcap that conceals the pump from view. In this way, says McGregor, “I focused on it being dramatic, unexpected, and avant garde, with a more sculptural, artistic expression.” To use, the purchaser holds the

shroud’s base to remove the bottle, applies the fragrance, and then reinserts the bottle into the cap. Except for the pump, all components of the primary package are custom-produced for Coty. Saint-Gobain Containers supplies the bottles in 100-, 50-, 30-, and 15-ml sizes. The shroud is made by Maticplast, an Italian company that embraced an assignment that other plastics manufacturers contacted by Coty declined. “A lot of people we showed it to didn’t think it could be done,” Tarrant says. The shroud is manufactured in two sizes, one for the two smaller bottles and another for the 50- and 100-ml containers. Its silver color is a counterpoint to the gold-accented packaging of Beyoncé Heat and Beyoncé Heat Rush. Caps are applied to filled bottles on a handassembly line at Coty’s plant in Sanford, NC, where the bottles are inserted with liners into the cartons.

“Explosive and dramatic” Because the cartons are expected to convey the Beyoncé mystique as arrest-

ingly as the bottles do, says Tarrant, Coty couldn’t be content with “just printing on a box” for the part of packaging that shoppers see first. “We wanted the carton to be explosive and dramatic,” says McGregor, adding that his collaborator, graphic designer Mariko Iizuka, “nailed it” with her vision of a radiant starburst as the exterior motif for Beyoncé Pulse. Creative realization also came from Curtis Packaging Corp., the producer of the carton, and Hazen Paper Co., which supplied the holographic substrate. They went far beyond the fundamentals of carton production by turning the graphically complex design into a printable “dedicated hologram.” In this type of hologram, the holographic pattern serves as a template for the rest of the artwork to overprint. “By using the hologram as the graphic foundation, the designer can create a true three-dimensional image where the hologram appears to move behind the print graphic,” says John Hazen, president of Hazen Paper. “The facets of the PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

With its cut-crystal appearance and silvery shroud, the elegant bottle literally turns the usual concept of perfume container design on its head.

This Beyoncé Pulse carton is die-cut to enable consumers to view the striking perfume bottle.

holographic design appear to move and flash from behind and within the graphic design.” This visual dynamism gives the package “the power to imply an inner quality coming from within the box,” Hazen says. A dedicated hologram also provides brand protection and deters counterfeiting, he adds. But it isn’t an easy technique to get right. When a job with a dedicated hologram runs on press, the inks must overprint the holographic elements in flawless register. The holographic starburst on the Beyoncé Pulse carton multiplies the difficulty by being integral and continuous from panel to panel, pushing the need for accuracy in ink laydown to the limit. Meeting a specification of this kind was a first for Curtis Packaging, says

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT Curtis Packaging, www.curtispackaging.com Hazen Paper, www.hazen.com Lance McGregor, www.mcgregor-mcgregor.com KBA North America, www.kba.com/us/ Maticplast U.S.A., www.maticplast.com Saint-Gobain Containers, www.sgcontainers.com

DECEMBER 2011

John Giusto, chief operating officer. To make it work, Hazen Paper furnishes Curtis Packaging with holographically enhanced SBS paperboard in three different weights according to carton size. Despite its intensely reflective appearance, the surface of the hologram supports just a tiny quantity of metal: a layer of aluminum about 300 angstrom units thick. (One angstrom unit equals one ten-billionth of a meter.) Hazen says that if an empty 12-oz. aluminum can were compressed to the thickness of the metallic layer on the Beyoncé Pulse cartoning, it would cover nearly 1.9 million square feet. Hazen Paper treats the mirrorsmooth surface of the hologram with a primer coat that makes it receptive to ink. In Sandy Hook, CT, Curtis Packaging prints the stock in eight colors on a KBA Rapida 130 sheetfed press with interdeck UV curing. The ink set includes fluorescent spot colors and an extra hit of black to heighten the design’s dark-bright contrasts and intensify its light-catching glow. Curtis Packaging also provides the diecutting, stamping, and embossing. The carton substrate, Hazen says, is recyclable “where facilities exist.” He explains that the Beyoncé Pulse carton is a film laminate because it has a 48-gauge polyester layer for durability. Film laminates, he concedes, are not as universally recyclable as transfer metalized paper, such as the substrate used for this month’s cover. Still, he says, film laminate is recyclable. Remarking on the trim and scrap repulped at his Holyoke, MA, plant, Hazen says: “We recycle more than 250 tons per year of filmlaminated paperboard.”

The carton garnered significant professional recognition when it was named the winner in the “Best Applied Decorative Hologram” category at the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) Holo-pack•Holoprint conference in November. “This award generally goes to anti-counterfeiting applications such as bank-notes and passports,” says Hazen. “I think the fact that this 2011 IHMA award was given to a cosmetic package could be a watershed moment.”

A creative arms race Tarrant notes that the earlier success of Beyoncé Heat and Beyoncé Heat Rush upped the creative ante for the introduction of Beyoncé Pulse, a costly package to develop and produce. But he says that the goal of trumping the previous designs with an even more striking concept “justifies the expense to do something really unique and special.” Giusto agrees that for package creators in hotly contested markets such as the ones served by Coty, “the bar just keeps getting raised more and more” with each new advance in package design. And while the packaging for Beyoncé Pulse is impressive in its innovative fusion of graphics and materials, he says, Curtis Packaging’s next assignment of this kind will have to be even more so. That’s just the nature of the ultracompetitive “arms race” among package producers today, Giusto observes. PD For articles on similar topics, visit the Cosmetic & Fragrance channel on PackageDesignMag.com.

By Linda Casey

Material Matters Understanding packaging substrates and how they’re evolving can give designers the edge they need to create killer packaging.

ustainability concerns have expanded the role and responsibilities of designers, says Scott Jost, vice president, innovation and design, for Studio One Eleven, a division of Berlin Packaging. Designers are expected to know more about packaging materials and the converting process, as well as marketing and branding. Design and material choices that used to be made in separate silos by the package designer and the engineer are now being made by integrated teams, adds Wendy Jedlicka, CPP, president of Jedlicka Design Ltd. In these teams, designers can play an active role in both the genesis and execution of a package design. But they need to be fluent enough in engineering to be able to explain what they want from the packaging materials and “understand that there could be limits,” she adds. That doesn’t mean package designers aren’t pushing the limits. “In some cases, brands are trying to get the same performance properties in terms of column strength and top load out of packages that weigh 20% to 30% less than they did a couple of years ago,” says Jost.

Lightweighting’s limits This push toward greater sustainability is exactly where the package design industry should be, says Wayne LoPrete, a package development consultant and former vice president of global packaging for

Estée Lauder Companies. But the materials themselves and the converting of those materials have to evolve if the packages are going to perform properly. According to the International Bottled Water Association, the gram weight of the 16.9-oz. single-serve bottled water container has dropped by 32.6% over the past eight years. The association says that the bottled water industry saved 445 million pounds of PET plastic in 2008 alone by reducing the weight of its plastic bottles. This is all well and good, but LoPrete’s concern arises when you have a very thinwalled bottle that’s lightweight but doesn’t hold up well throughout the distribution chain. Real innovations in sustainability thinking are starting to take root in these endeavors. In 2009, PepsiCo introduced the Eco-Fina bottle. Used for the company’s Aquafina water brand, the Eco-Fina bottles were touted as the lightest bottle of its size among U.S. bottled water brands. In March 2011, PepsiCo announced that it had developed a PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant-based

PepsiCo says it has developed a 100% bio-based bottle with a molecular structure identical to petroleumbased PET.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

These elegant 12-oz. bottles are the newest packaging for Boulevard Brewing Co.’s Smokestack series of high-end beers. Previous packaging includes a 750-ml champagne-style bottle with a corkand-cage closure.

Plastic lightweighting efforts aren’t limited to PET. Designers sometimes specify nucleators to increase polypropylene clarity. The additive is also being used to increase the stiffness impact balance of polyolefins, such as polypropylene. “If you increase the stiffness impact balance on a polyolefin, you can then make a package’s wall thinner and keep the same stiffness,” says Wim Van de Velde, global market manager at Milliken & Company.

Fashionably thick

materials, including switch grass, pine bark, and corn husks. PepsiCo chairperson and CEO Indra Nooyi also announced plans to source raw materials for this bottle from agricultural by-products from its food business. Specifically, the company ultimately plans to use orange peels, potato peels, and oat hulls. PepsiCo expects to enter pilot production of the new bottle in 2012, and upon successful completion of the pilot will move directly into full-scale commercialization.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT The Aluminum Association, www.aluminum.org Jedlicka Design Ltd, www.jedlicka.com Milliken & Company, www.millikenchemical.com PaperWorks Industries, www.paperwrks.com/home Rexam PLC, www.rexam.com Studio One Eleven Design, www.studio111design.com Sustainable Minds LLC, www.sustainableminds.com Sustainable Packaging Coalition, www.sustainablepackaging.org The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI), www.gpi.org Webb deVlam, www.webbdevlam.com Verallia, www.verallia.com/en

DECEMBER 2011

“Package designers have to meet several different criteria at the same time,” says Michael Sauer, design director of Webb deVlam. “There are the functional aspects and the branding aspects. A lot of this is dictated by the category language— expectations within certain categories.” LoPrete adds that a very thin-walled plastic package for a skin care product can present a down-market look. He also notes that glass is used by brands such as Le Mer, Lancome, Estée Lauder, and Shiseido for their most luxurious products. But PET packaging is making inroads in the skin care market. “This is being driven by the ability to make packages, such as a heavy wall jar, which are perceived as quality containers,” he says. Thick-walled PET packages are adopted by some brands looking to lower their products’ carbon footprints. These robust containers can weigh half as much as a similar package made from glass. LoPrete says that PET also is the only option for some of the newer package types for skin care products. “You have to use plastic for airless dispensers because of the consistency of the molded parts,” he says. “It doesn’t work with glass because it might have uneven wall thicknesses. “But glass is still king in fragrance,” he adds. A preference for glass isn’t limited to cosmetic brands. “Glass is hands down the premier material for preserving a quality product,” says Jeff Krum, chief financial officer at Boulevard Brewing Company. “Cans are fine as far as quality goes but they don’t present the kind of image or the tradition that’s inherent in glass.” The brewer chose to stay with recyclable, amber glass for four-packs of its Smokestack Series beer, and it won a 2011 Clear Choice award from the Glass Packaging Institute for the packaging. Boulevard turned up the bottle’s branding potency by building in a branding element right into the glass—the brewery name is embossed on the bottleneck.

The Eden Airless Dispenser protects low-preservative skin care formulations from light damage and is completely recyclable. Unlike conventional airless dispensers that use metal and plastic, the Eden can be more easily recycled because it’s made completely from plastic.

Creativity calls A growing number of craft brewers also are looking to another infinitely recyclable material for packaging. The Bomb Beer Company recently launched Bomb Lager, a traditional Bavarian Helles, in 12oz. aluminum cans from Rexam. “Along with creating a quality product, Bomb Lager is about artistic expression, so we wanted a package that people would want to see and be seen drinking,” says Mike Raymond, managing director, Bomb Beer Company. Every production of Bomb Lager will take advantage of the can’s large messaging area by featuring a new can design developed by a New York street artist. East Village artist Billy Miller came up with the graphics for the first can. Steve Gardner, vice president of communications at The Aluminum Association, notes that not only do cans offer a large decoration area, they also protect the beverage quality. When asked about the metallic taste associated with canned beers, Gardner says: “The stigma of a canned beverage’s metallic taste is a holdover from the tin can back in the day. Aluminum never had that issue. Kegs are made from aluminum!” Gardner also is hearing buzz from U.S. vintners that are interested in aluminum-extruded bottles for wine. He says these wine brands might soon follow European wine merchants that have already embraced aluminum packaging and offers California wine brand Flasq as an example. Flasq’s brand owner JT Wines unveiled the aluminum bottled wine line in April 2011. Tim McDonald, cofounder and CEO of JT Wines, says Flasq has enjoyed good growth since its launch and

wine shops, bars, resorts and grocery stores in more than 30 states now carry the wines.

The metrics of green No doubt, when the world’s largest retailer tells brand owners that their product packaging needs to be sustainable before it can be on Walmart’s shelves, those words carry weight. Increasingly, though, consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) are striving to meet their own sustainability objectives. To help CPGs accurately report the sustainability of their packages, manufacturers such as PaperWorks are using the Walmart scorecard and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition online comparative packaging assessment tool COMPASS. Design agency Webb deVlam takes a different approach and uses Sustainable Minds’ Eco-concept Modeling + Life Cycle Assessment Software. “We compare eco-metrics on different packaging concepts in terms of carbon footprint, but also in terms of the manufacturing costs,” says Sauer. “Something that at first glance is a good fit because it’s compostable, recyclable, and otherwise plays well in the sustainability arena also might be an expensive process.” One thing never changes about packaging: There’s a limit on how much a consumer will pay for packaging versus product, so there’s a limit on how much a CPG can spend on sustainability. “Ultimately, it’s about costs,” says LoPrete. PD For articles on similar topics, visit the Sustainability channel on PackageDesignMag.com. PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

TOYLAND turns

GREEN

By Deborah Donberg

The people behind B. toys like to do things differently. The results benefit kids, their parents, and the planet.

f toys are supposed to make magic, shouldn’t they say so on the shelf? With earth-friendly packaging and distinctly different colors, B. toys do just that. Gisela Voss, principal and creative director of DoodleDo Design & Development Environment, designs the toys and built the brand’s marketing and branding team for Battat Inc. (Mont-Royal, QC, Canada), which launched B. toys. The toy company’s goals are to inspire its young fans to “B” curious, smart, creative, caring, socially responsible, and much more. It celebrates differences and promotes the planet; it also gives 10 cents of every purchase to Free the Children, a charity founded by a 12-year-old and chosen by Voss. “Battat gave me a very wide brush to paint with,” says Voss, “and the creative opportunity to take anything I ever wanted to do in all my years in toymaking and throw it at a brand.” After hiring Andrea Gavin (design specialist) and Amy Flanagan (the writer half) to do the marketing and branding, the first color Voss painted with her wide brush was green for the environment. Voss’ ultimate goal was to have as little packaging as possible. The packaging it does have is made from recycled—and recyclable—materials and printed with soy inks and water varnishes. Die-cut display boxes become pretty trays to hold little treasures; bags and ties made of recycled polypropylene feel like fabric and are reusable and biodegradable. The clear plastic used in the toys themselves, as well as in the packaging, is easily recycled #1 PET. Every toy comes with a gift tag, and brown kraft paper is the covering of choice. 26

DECEMBER 2011

B. toys chose PET for all clear packaging components, including the window used for the package shown here (opposite page), because it’s easily recyclable in most communities. When reversed, the gift package incorporates everything from wrapping to a gift card (right).

Turnabout is fair play One of the most innovative examples of earth-friendly packaging in the B. toys line is the reversible gift wrap box. For this concept Voss gives credit to Emily Betsch, a graphic designer out of Philadelphia with a broad background that includes packaging, publishing, and branding. Voss had already come up with a ribbon loop to replace the usual J-hook; Betsch saw that if a package could be turned inside out, it could create its own gift wrapping. Thus, the inside of this packaging features a beautiful textile pattern as well as a gift “card” printed on the surface. To convert the packaging, the consumer takes off two reusable stickers, pulls the tabs out, flips the package inside out, and replaces the tabs. It’s birthday-party ready, saving time, money, and paper. Once the toy is removed from the packaging, the box can be reused as a storage container. To encourage this, the package includes messages with suggested uses, such as storing markers.

and spot colors, we couldn’t do photography,” she explains. “So it all worked out beautifully!”

Color in, photos out

Imprecise and proud of it

The packaging of B. toys stands out on store shelves both for what it has and for what it doesn’t have. For starters, you won’t find the typical toy palette of primary colors. Instead, both the toys and the packaging feature richer hues. Voss says the colors are “emotionally based,” inspired by her Peruvian background as well as her collection of Indian textiles. The look is created with 13 spot colors, though the team uses process colors on some elements (such as hang tags). The labels and booklets fake the look of brown kraft paper to mesh with the boxes, gift wrap, gift tags, and bands made of kraft paper. Voss has strong feelings about photos on toy packaging. “How do we stay true to our brand if we show a child of a particular age and a particular gender playing with a toy in a particular way?” she asks. “If we show a girl playing with a fire truck, will a boy not play with it? If we show a 3-year-old, then is it not okay for a 6-yearold to play with it?” Thanks to her commitment to green packaging, Voss ultimately found the choice not to use photography on the packaging easy. “Tactically, when we decided to print on recycled paper in soy-based inks

“We don’t line up with mathematical precision.” That assertion is from the brand’s mission statement, and Voss says it comes up often. “It applies to everything: our packaging, our printing, how we work out of our homes but function as a team, and to the messages we give to kids and moms.” And speaking of doing things differently, Voss initially wanted to add something to the packaging that wasn’t just a cross-sell piece, but something parents could keep. “We’ve collected thousands of quotes from parents on our website since it launched a year and a half ago, and these quotes are used in both the packaging and the website,” says Gavin. The quotes, a collection of cute and funny things kids have said, are gathered in a booklet and included in every B. toys package. B. toys hopes to build its brand beyond the toy universe: “Perhaps B. books, B. greeting cards, B. children’s clothing, B. room décor,” muses Voss. These are just dreams for now, but as a designer who puts dreams to work, Voss knows one thing for certain: No product or package from B. will ever line up with mathematical precision. PD PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

By Linda Casey

Choice

Changes

An organic tea brand’s careful redesign aims to steep its product in the foodie culture while continuing to embrace its loyal fans.

hoice Organic Teas was facing an image problem. The tea brand, which is owned by Granum Inc. (Seattle, WA), hadn’t significantly changed its packaging since it launched in 1989. As a result, the company was receiving a worrying compliment from new customers all too often. “They were surprised to find out how good our tea tasted,” says Anne-Marie Phillips, head of sales and marketing. The feedback made it clear that consumers are won over by the product once they try it, but the problem was getting them to try it in the first place. Exacerbating the problem were changes in the tea market categories and their visual cues. “A more down-home look was effective

BEFORE

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT The Hartman Group, www.hartman-group.com KBA North America, www.kba.com

DECEMBER 2011

in the early days,” Phillips says. “For better or worse, organic, natural, and fair-trade products are increasingly considered specialties.” The specialty food market demands a more upscale look. Choice Organic Teas brought in The Hartman Group, which conducted multiple rounds of consumer focus groups and invited the brand’s graphics coordinator India Nagy to sit in on some of the research sessions. Nagy then used the feedback to create a common design architecture. This architecture targets two primary markets identified by The Hartman Group’s research. “We have a pretty loyal following from people who are very activist oriented or are very health conscious,” says Nagy. “Another group is the ‘tea sophisticates,’ who are interested in having new experiences. This group likes to be educated about what they’re experiencing.” This latter group, says Phillips, is a “larger, more mainstream audience” that represents a growth opportunity. Many of these consumers were introduced to premium teas through the ready-to-drink bottled tea market, but now see tea drinking as an intellectual and cultural experience. As with any redesign, capturing a new market without alienating the current market creates a challenge. In this case, research showed that loyal customers were very familiar with the brand’s packaging–to the point that some of them couldn’t remember the brand name and identified the teas solely by the packaging. “We wanted to make sure that the customers who already knew us and wanted us—those who

chose us for their daily tea—would be able to recognize us right away,” Phillips says. So some of the major design elements remained, such as the large logo area with its white background and the use of color-coding at the middle and bottle of the carton to identify each variety.

Good for All tea varieties, like the other teas in the 26-SKU line, is identified by a richly colored banner that describes the tea type and the specific varietal listed in the text below. Previously, the tea type was identified in a black band.

Earning expanded distribution Talking (with) pictures But other parts of the package design weren’t working well at all. One problem area was the amount of copy. “We had the word ‘organic’ listed three times on our box and yet it still wasn’t really getting conveyed,” Phillips says, incredulously. What ended up being more effective was changing the color of the certified organic logo from black to green. The new design also has a caffeine indicator graphic and an origins map. An illustration of tea leaves, created by Seattle artist Maija Fiebig, decorates the front panel. And the local artist who originally drew the brand logo in 1989 was commissioned to refine it. One goal of the logo redesign was to encourage consumers to use the brand’s full name. “It seemed that no matter how we try to reinforce the full name, consumers were still referring to our product as ‘Choice,’” says Phillips. “So when we refreshed the logo, we wanted to make the words ‘Organic Teas’ more clearly part of the name.” Vintage black-and-white photos are used for the Jane Goodall “Good for All” product line extension. These five teas feature pictures of primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall on the carton’s front and one of its side panels. Each of the

Color is more prominent throughout the complete redesign. The old cartons were printed using spot color inks only. Now, a KBA Rapida press prints the clay-coated paperboard in four-color process plus one spot color. The process inks create jewel tones that are vibrant and contemporary, and the one spot color optimizes legibility of small type by preventing print registration problems. The design changes carry through to inside the carton, where Choice Organic Teas replaced its black-and-white universal tea envelope to varietyspecific envelopes printed in three spot colors. The envelope paper is an oxygen-whitened stock that, along with the carton’s 100% recycled/65% post-consumer-waste paperboard, helped Choice Organic Teas win this year’s Responsible Packaging Award from the Food Trade Sustainability Association. Perhaps most importantly, the redesign helped Choice Organic Teas reach its goal of making tea accessible to more consumers. Within the last few months, the tea brand added placement in approximately 800 Kroger stores. PD

A percentage of the profits from the Jane Goodall “Good for All” teas go to support The Jane Goodall Institute and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots conservation program.

For articles on similar topics, visit the Beverage channel on PackageDesignMag.com. PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

Q& A Looking Glass

Raul Paredes

Miguel Yanez

Raul Paredes is O-I’s manager of new product development.

Miguel Yanez is marketing director for the company’s North American business.

Understanding modern glass design practices can elevate the branding, performance, and sustainability of packages.

ackage designers and glass manufacturers are advancing both the form and function of glass packages. From strong, lightweight bottles to ergonomic features and more eco-friendly decorating techniques and blown-in accoutrements, today’s glass packages are very different from those from a few years back. Also, the past decade’s glass packaging shortages seem to be mere reflections in the industry’s rearview mirror. Glass packaging is a more available and versatile option in much of the country. To help package designers who are rethinking glass as a packaging option, Package Design sat down with two executives from Owens-Illinois Inc. (O-I), a major supplier of glass packaging: Raul Paredes, manager of new product devel-

opment, and Miguel Yanez, marketing director for North America.

PD: What trends are you seeing in glass package design? Raul Paredes: We’re actually seeing a divergence of trends. The first one is more efficient structural design, where a lot of packaging operations are moving away from containers that require special handling. They want bottles and containers that will run very quickly down fill lines and different handling lines. The second trend is brand owners who want the container to become part of the product offering. Instead of the package just being a vessel, it’s integrated into the brand’s image. Proprie-

tary bottles can become the signature element of an iconic brand. There, efficiency may take a little bit of a backseat so that functionality comes to the forefront. These packages may focus on features such as an ergonomic grip. They may be designed to be easy to open, easy to close, and easy to identify both on the shelf and in use. An example is the growing use of specific necks on bottles so bartenders can recognize products in a very fast-paced, busy environment. Here, it’s important for the bottles to be really distinguishable; bartenders are trying to conduct their business with clientele and can’t always look down. Miguel Yanez: We’ve also seen interest in “retro propositions,” which includes the use of amber glass for protection against UV light. Returnable systems for glass are becoming cool again, too, for their sustainability benefits.

Which shapes and structures are trending up? Paredes: It’s very category specific. For beer packaging, we’re seeing stubby bottles begin to appear where the long-neck had been the predominant design. I think these shorter, more robust conPendleton Whisky’s brand’s owner, Hood River Distillers (Hood River, OR) uses a decorative pushup to highlight the relationship between the spirit and the 101-year-old Pendleton Round Up rodeo. The rodeo’s famous bucking horse symbol is molded directly into the spirit’s packaging, to become an essential part of the branding.

december 2011

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tainers feel a little bit nicer in the hand. The larger diameter also seems more drinkable. It’s certainly more nostalgic in its look, as well, calling to mind 1950s design. Structures for spirits, again, are all about grippability and recognition. Square jars are giving packaged foods a more premium look. There’s more facing for on-the-shelf presentation and a bigger billboard for labeling. There’s also an opportunity to have more of a footed design, and that often adds to an upscale look. We’re also starting to see more effort put in developing jars that are very easy to grip. I expect to see this spread across the food categories and grow, along with an interest in the torque removal needed for closures.

How is glass package decoration changing? Paredes: In the U.S., we’re noticing a tendency to move away from more caustic decorative techniques. The use of heavy metals in decorating is almost unheard of today. Some of this change probably came from government regulation, but it also changed because of some self-regulation. Another design technique that’s fading is acid etching. It used to be big in the industry. Other techniques, such as abrasive etching or using shrink labels to create effects, are being used. For spirits, brand owners like the no-label look of transparent pressuresensitive labels. They like how the label carries the branding information, yet still lets the clarity of their vodkas or the ambers of their whiskeys and rums to show through. Using transparent packaging to highlight the product is a consistent trend that’s as important as ever and we don’t see it going away. Closures are another tool package designers are using to decorate their bottles. Designers who understand closure needs for their products and the different closure styles can certainly improve their products’ shelf impact and consumer interface. 32

december 2011

In the last five years, we’ve seen several CPGs move away from glass to PET in an attempt to lower their packaging’s carbon footprint. Your thoughts on that?

feedback on the lightweight packages’ fill rates and handling.

Yanez: We definitely hear a lot of noise from alternative packaging manufacturers about what they think is information the consumer should know. What we’ve found is that when you do the exercise of apple to apples, glass currently plays an advanced and favorable position against alternative packaging. Glass recycling rates, today, are some of the highest for any packaging material. Ratios for other materials such as aluminum and PET might look close. In reality, they relate to a mixed process of recycling and down-cycling. When a bottle of glass is melted, it can be made into another glass bottle with the exact characteristics. With a plastic bottle, you can only do that so many times before you can’t use it to hold food or beverages. Also, every 10% of recycled glass used in production results in an approximate 5% reduction in carbon emissions, and energy savings of about 3%. Every 1.0 kg of recycled glass used replaces 1.2 kg of virgin raw materials that would otherwise need to be extracted; plus, it can be recycled ad infinitum with the same material properties. On top of all these benefits, glass packaging has powerful returnable systems. When glass is reused, the difference in CO2 footprint and value for this sustainability proposition becomes huge. It’s more than double between glass and alternative packaging. Paredes: There are also new handling efficiencies in the packaging industry that allow the use of lighter weight packages [in filling and case-packing lines]. Before, we might have overengineered our packaging to accept any type of harsh environment [without breakage]. Now, we’re doing a better job of putting weight in where it’s needed. The industry is helping by giving us

Paredes: The trend for easy-open closures is not going away. There’s an aging population in the U.S., and package designers want to accommodate that marketplace. Also, anything we design for the aging markets should help us reach the younger markets, especially children who are just learning to self-serve. I’m also seeing an emergence of decorative push-ups in glass bottles. Here, the bottle structure might be very simple, but the designer personalizes the package with a custom bottom plate. What’s wonderful about this type of decoration is that the consumer views the branding application through the top to the bottom, so it serves as an invitation. Practically, it’s also a relatively inexpensive way to personalize a bottle. The bottom of the bottle is created by an independent hockey-puck-like piece of the mold. So you can get this special type of structural branding without having to own the entire mold. Yanez: The packaged goods consumer is very different from the consumer of five or 10 years ago. We commissioned an Omnibus survey in April 2011 that showed that 69% of U.S. consumers would choose glass if they could buy their favorite foods or beverages in any type of container. Ninety percent said they agree that glass is the healthiest packaging, because it doesn’t leach into the product. Sixtyeight percent believe that glass containers are the most environmentally friendly packaging material, and 85% say food and beverages taste better in glass. These consumers want packaging that better serves the flavor and quality of their foods and beverages, and this will work in favor of glass. PD

What other trends do you see coming down the proverbial turnpike?

For articles on similar topics, visit the Glass channel on PackageDesignMag. com.

passion We provide rigid packaging. We have over 100 years of experience, over 40 offices worldwide, 500 plus employees with specialties ranging from customer service to logistics to global sourcing to design and engineering. While all of that’s important, the real reason to do business with us is not what we do but why we do it. At TricorBraun, we’re passionate about making your life simple. We understand how complex sustainable packaging can be so we’re constantly looking for innovative ways to streamline that process for you. Want to reduce your carbon footprint? Start with a call to TricorBraun. Each and every member of the TricorBraun team exists to provide packaging professionals like you with more options for success.

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PRODUCT FOCUS

BIO-BASED MATERIALS AND PACKAGES

Sustainable Starts Bio-based materials can be eco-minded building blocks for package design.

Biodegradable Seed Label www.labelimpressions.com Custom-printed color labels can be embedded with virtually any type of small seeds. The biodegradable labels are manufactured to be easily removed from packages for planting.

Personal-care Tray www.begreenpackaging.com The bio-based razor tray is composed of a proprietary blend of renewable plant fibers and is an example of how Be Green Packaging can produce custom bio-based packages to replace plastic clamshells. This specific package was designed for the Gillette Fusion ProGlide, and it reduced the overall package weight while maintaining durability and distinctive coloring and labeling for the brand. The packaging supplier will offer a U.S.-manufactured option for its recyclable and compostable packaging starting early 2012.

Push-up Dispenser www.chicagopapertube.com The first extension of Chicago Paper Tubeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EcoPak line, EcoPush is engineered to replace plastic applicator dispensers for packaging applications such as lip balms and perfume sticks. The 100% paperboard, push-up dispenser is made predominantly from recycled materials and is recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable.

PLA film www.TorayFilms.com

x 34

DECEMBER 2011

Torayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ecodear compostable bio-based, bi-axially oriented films are converted from PLA resin. The thin multilayer film includes a metalized, heatsealable layer, which is engineered to deliver good moisture and oxygen barrier protection, and a clear, inner-seal layer. Ecodear meets ASTM D6400 standard specifications for compostable plastics.

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Plant-based Ink www.mutoh.com Made from 60% plant-derived substances, Mutoh’s MP ink contains no VOCs or heavy metals. Designed to be used with the company’s ValueJet 1608HS Hybrid printer, MP Ink is formulated to produce vivid prints that dry quickly.

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Mohawk Loop Smooth is an FSCand Green Seal-certified 18-pt folding board. The white, 28x40 sheets are made from 80% post-consumerwaste fiber using a carbon-neutral, wind-powered process. The paper’s uniform surface holds dense color and sharp details.

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MWV’s MWare Balance cup stock is made from all-natural, renewable materials, including fiber sourcecertified paperboard and bio-polymer PLA. Cups made with MWare Balance solution are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to break down to soil nutrients within 12 weeks.

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Mimaki JFX1615_PD1111_Layout 1 11/14/11 11:52 AM Page 1

Plastic Additive www.usaragonite.com Harvested from the water off Ocean Cay, Bahamas, the plastic additive Oshenite is made from 97% calcium carbonate. When specified for injection molding, thermoforming or blown film applications, the additive lowers the resulting plastic packaging’s carbon footprint. Oshenite can be used in concentrations as high as 40% of plastics.

Pulp-based Package www.biomasspackaging.com

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BagasseWare disposable food containers are made from bagasse fibers. Considered an agricultural waste product, bagasse is the fibers left over after the juice has been extracted from the sugar cane plant. BagasseWare can be customized with Ingeo PLA wraps and still be 100% compostable.

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u Space-saving size; 63"x 59" print area. u IDFM media feeding for precise ink placement. u Close-view 1200x1200 dpi, variable dot technology. u Prints on PVC, flexible films and heat-sensitive materials.

Terraskin pressure-sensitive labels are made from calcium carbonate and PE. The labels are produced without bleach, caustics, strong acids, or water. The company says that the tree-free substrate has half the carbon footprint of conventional pulp and papers. PD

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DATEBOOK

January 2012

May 2012

January 15-17 Winter Fancy Food Show Moscone Center, San Francisco www.specialtyfood.com | 212-482-6440

May 1-3 INTERPHEX 2012 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York www.interphex.com | 888-334-8704

January 18-20 13th IC Packaging Technology Expo Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo www.icp-expo.jp/en | +813 33 49 85 02

May 16-17 Luxe Pack New York The Metropolitan Pavilion & Altman Building, New York www.luxepack.com | 212-274-8508

February 2012

May 22-24 EastPack Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, www.canontradeshows.com | 310-445-4200

Feb 6-8 The 2012 Packaging Conference Aria Resort at CityCenter, Las Vegas www.thepackagingconference.com | 866-509-6001

June 2012

Feb 15-16 Pharmapack Europe 2012 Grande Halle De La Villette, Paris, 75019 www.canontradeshows.com | +33 1 77 48 10 00

June 17-19 Summer Fancy Food Show Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC. www.specialtyfood.com | 212-482-6440

Feb 14-16 WestPack Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA WestPackShow.com | 310-445-4200

June 19-21 HBA Global Expo Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York www.hbaexpo.com | 609-759-4700

Feb 23-26 Contract Packaging Association Annual Meeting Gran Melia Hotel & Resort, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico www.contractpackaging.org | 630-544-5053

AD INDEX

March 2012 March 6-8 HealthPack 2012 Hyatt Regency Albuquerque, Albuquerque www.innovativetechnologyconferences.com | 630-544-5051 March 7-8 Packaging Innovations Barcelona CCIB-Forum, Barcelona, Spain www.easyfairs.com | +34 91 151 67 92 March 12-16 Brasilpack Anhembi Show Pavilion, Sao Paulo, Brazil www.semanainternacional.com.br/en | +55 11 30 60 49 07 March 14-15 TexasPack Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX www.texaspackshow.com | 310-445-4200

April 2012 April 1-5 NPE2012 Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL www.npe.org | 202-974-5200 April 18-20 Fuse 2012 Westin Chicago River North, Chicago www.iirusa.com/fuse/fuse-home.xml | 888-670-8200 April 18-19 International Sleeve Label Conference & Exhibition 2012 Hyatt Regency Hotel, Cincinnati, OH www.awa-bv.com | 312-943-4091

Alpha Packaging

Diamond Packaging

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HBA Expo

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PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

GLOBESPOTTING

BY LYNN DORNBLASER

Soup’s On This sachet serves up a clearly convenient snack.

VITAL STATISTICS CONTENTS

70 g of soup concentrate GOALS

Provide a better-tasting, on-the-go option for soup TARGET

Offi ce workers and other people on the move MATERIAL

Flexible plastic tube DECORATIVE PROCESS

Gravure

THE PRODUCT This packaged soup is spicing up a category that many would say is very ho-hum: soup. Heinz Squeeze & Stir, available in the U.K., uses a small plastic pouch to contain a wet-soup concentrate instead of a small envelope with dry mix. The promise is a fresher-tasting soup with quality a consumer can see on shelf.

THE PERSPECTIVE Innovation in the soup packaging category has slowed significantly, and packaged soup sales have flattened out. However, soup in general is becoming more popular, showing up more often on restaurant menus and in new recipes for home cooking.

Squeeze & Stir stand out is how the product and the sachet work together to create a convenient take-along option. The contents are a thick pastelike liquid. Consumers tear open the sachet, squeeze it into a mug, add boiling water, and stir. The wet contents provide a better, fresher taste than a dried soup mix would.

THE MARKET In the U.S., the time might be ripe for revitalization in this category. According to Mintel’s research, 57% of U.S. consumers say they try to have packaged soup at home as a standby. It’s also growing in appeal as a workplace meal: 37% of U.S. consumers plan to increase their consumption of soup at the office. These consumer behaviors, combined with a novel format for soup, could have substantial potential in the U.S. market.

WHY WE LOVE IT We’re always fascinated by good examples of package category migration. Consumers are familiar with this package form and how it functions for applications from Starbucks Via to individual packets of Heinz ketchup. Shelf-stable soup, though, is a somewhat unexpected category for a film sachet. Not only is the package novel, but it also fills a consumer need for a good-tasting and economical meal or snack. PD

THE INNOVATIONS The package itself is not new—you can find film sachets in most markets. What makes Heinz

DECEMBER 2011

Lynn Dornblaser (lynnd@mintel.com) is the director of CPG Trend Insight at Mintel International, working out of the company’s Chicago office.

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