Interview about Stripes Packaging Series, winner of the A' Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design Award 2021
The ten packagings in the series are designed to be suitable as gift packagings and to provide a pleasing unboxing experience. Each box has a stripe pattern printed on it, which is repeated on the sleeve that closes the box. The cardboard parts of the box, as well as the sleeve and a brochure, are made of recycled cardboard. A bagasse paper tray is used to protect and present the contents. The complete packagings in this series can be disposed of in paper recycling bins.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe research was centered on finding materials that could be recycled together in one go. Many packagings consist of multiple materials that can't be recycled together and this packaging series had to be better than that. EVA foam is a widely used material in knife packagings. It can protect a product well during transport, but it can also pollute paper waste streams if it is not removed properly from a packaging . When researching which materials could actually be recycled with paper, bagasse came up as a great alternative.
The packaging series is a series for 10 different pocket knives. In order to be coherent, I provided all packagings with the same basis: the same dimensions, the same orientation of text and logos and the same background image . Each packaging also has a stripe pattern, but the stripes are different for each knife. The inspiration for the stripes come from the knives. Each stripe pattern is inspired by elements from the knife that's in the packaging. When you remove the sleeve, you'll find that the stripe pattern is repeated on the black box under the sleeve. You'll likely be slightly surprised by the extra details that were hidden under the sleeve. The strong contrast of the silver, gold, or red stripes on the black background enhances the anticipation of holding and using the new knife.
In order to create a sustainable packaging, it would be logical to design a packaging that is as small as possible and that maybe has a second function like being a sleeve for the knife. However, the insight that you mention made my client and me develop a packaging that is not only logical, but also emotional. We decided to make the packaging slightly larger in order to improve the unboxing experience and to make it more luxurious. In terms of sustainability, we focused on the end-of-life of the packaging by making it suitable for recycling in one go. We also used recycled cardboard and bagasse, which is a by-product of the sugar cane industry.
The main challenge in that regard was to find a solution that could keep the packagings closed during transport and would look good too. Instead of using stickers or magnets, decorative and functional sleeves keep the packagings closed. They keep the drawer boxes from opening until they are removed manually.
It's very kind of you to say that. Having a slightly larger packaging than absolutely necessary helps in increasing the perceived value and therefore making it more luxurious. I balanced this with sustainable qualities by choosing recycled cardboard, bagasse as by-product from another industry and by ensuring that the packaging can be recycled in one go.
Using a paper sleeve is not a completely new idea, but many packagings do have magnets where they do not necessarily add a lot of value to the packaging. When setting up the direction for this packaging series, I decided early that magnets should not be used in order to reduce the amount of materials in the packaging. By discussing the packaging structure with various stakeholders , the solution of using a paper sleeve emerged.
The core values helped with having the focus on sustainability from the start of the packaging development process. Reconnecting with nature and sustainability go hand in hand.
To meet varying preferences, the aim was to make the design unobtrusive. By designing something unobtrusive, the chances increase to make it appeal to a wide range of people. My client and I made sure that packagings adhered to the requirements that needed to be met in all countries it would be sold in.
I see this packaging series as part of a larger trend, since many packagings are evolving in directions that make them more suitable for recycling. Often, fewer types of different materials are used in a packaging than before and packagings are becoming easier to disassemble. It would be great if the Stripe Packaging Series influences people to create sustainable packagings.
My advice would be to start with sustainability in mind. Strive to create a minimal packaging with a low environmental footprint. Think of what would happen with the packaging once it is disposed of. See if you can make the packaging part of a circular economy, for example by using materials that are recycled and that can be recycled again.
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