Our Latest Projects_Oct 2010

South Kensington Estates’ Home Information Pack. 

Move into a property of this calibre and you might expect the important stuff to be presented in a high quality presentation box. This beautifully constructed, paper over board box was finished with a nickel Sam Browne stud to add class.

  
Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Dog Poo Bags

Shit happens – just be prepared.

Dog poo bags – humorous paper bags for the stylish and practical disposal of dog poo. They turn the less attractive moments in the life of a dog owner into an original happening. 16 recyclable paper bags mean a simple, clean and practical disposal of dog poo. Funny prints, such as "Doggy bag", "Don't blame me" or "Size matters" make the walk to the next garbage bin an easy task. The ultimate gift for dog lovers. One size fits all - from Chihuahua to Great Dane.

Designer: jungeschachtel (Germany)
Inspired By: Cuno, the agency's dog
Material: paper
Colours: coloured
Dimension: one size fits all - from chihuahua to great dane 
 
Alternatively, take a look at our Harmless Flushable Range.  Please click here for more details.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Natura Girl

"Nature Girl uses all natural, organically grown and wildcrafted ingredients, carefully cultivated on small family-run organic farms from all regions of the world to provide you with products that protect and nurture your skin and your health while also protecting the environment. We do not use any synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes or animal testing. All of our nut, seed plant and flower oil are cold pressed and refined using old fashioned methods such as paper filters and natural clays, and our essential oils are organic or ethically wildcrafted and steam distilled."

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Italy bans the plastic water bottle along heritage coastline.

Hikers and tourists visiting one of Italy's most scenic stretches of coastline have been banned from carrying plastic bottles of water amid fears that the area is being "buried" in rubbish. Instead they will be asked to pay one euro for reusable, metal flasks which can be filled up from newly-installed public water fountains.
 
The quaint Italian villages, terraced vineyards and precipitous cliffs of the Cinque Terre in the country's north-west attract three million visitors a year. However, as well as enjoying the region's wine, food and stunning views, the tourist hordes discard two million plastic bottles, some of which tumble down the cliffs and end up littering local beaches and polluting the sea. The worst month is August, when an average of 400,000 plastic bottles are discarded along the narrow strip of picturesque World Heritage coast, which lies south of Genoa in the province of Liguria. Under the plan, tourists entering the national park which encloses the Cinque Terre region will be encouraged to buy the one-litre reusable flasks, stamped with the national park's logo.
 
Automated water fountains offering chilled, fizzy and still water will be installed in the coming months so that they can replenish their water supply as they hike the nine mile long coastline. The Cinque Terre – literally, The Five Lands – consists of five coastal villages linked by a railway line and a network of steep, narrow footpaths. The first five fountains will be installed next month around Riomaggiore, the region's main village, followed by the hamlets of Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare.
 
Franco Bonanini, the president of the Cinque Terre national park, said the ban was being introduced because the area was being "buried" in plastic. "With so many visitors, the footpaths and villages of the Cinque Terre are at risk of being transformed into a great big open air dustbin. "We are going to update the existing water fountains and install new ones: they will provide people with still or sparkling filtrated water. By the start of next Spring, we hope to have liberated ourselves from this nightmare," said Mr Bonanini. He said local shopkeepers were likely to be unhappy with a ban on selling bottled water but should realise that it would be in their long-term interests.

"If the Cinque Terre is reduced to a rubbish dump in five years' time, they will suffer the consequences. This is a sacrifice that will benefit shopkeepers and everyone else. To the three million tourists who come here every year, we ask them for a little bit of understanding, in order to save this paradise for the future."

Marco Salarpi, from the local water authority, said tests had shown that mains water was as good as, if not better, than bottled water. The length of time it takes plastic to decompose makes it one of the most problematic types of litter around the world. Last year scientists confirmed that there are millions of tonnes of plastic floating around the Pacific Ocean in an area known as the North Pacific Gyre, a slow moving vortex. Four major currents have carried millions of tonnes of rubbish into the remote area, with the mostly plastic refuse now covering an area estimated to be larger than Texas. Several climbing expeditions have been dispatched to the summit of Mt Everest to clear the summit of plastic detritus as well as abandoned tents, oxygen cylinders, sleeping bags, tin cans.
 
Article & imagery courtesy of The Daily Telegraph

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Will Anderson, Harmless: “I noticed a change in consumer demand”.

Interview with Will Anderson
Ellen MacArthur Foundation review Harmless Packaging

We talk to Will Anderson, creator of the dissolvable ‘plastic’ bag, about moving beyond greenwash and exporting better practices to fast-developing economies.

Can you tell us how Harmless, part of Cyberpac, was created?
Cyberpac is part of the Ant group, which employs about 35 people and has a turnover of approximately 6 to 7 million Pounds. The company’s products and expertise are present in various areas, from defense to medical to the creative industry, which is our space. Cyberpac has been going for about 10 years, I took over the business 18 months ago and quickly noticed a change in consumer demand that coincided with what I could see on a personal level: people really wanted more sustainable packaging, less plastic… But at the same time, I found the message sent by major businesses was terribly confusing, and to put things simply I realised there was an awful lot of greenwashing. That’s why we decided to launch our brand, one that would be quite ‘niche’, but very clearly under the heading of ‘compostable’. We did not want to be confused with the myriad of bio-degradable products available – everything is bio-degradable, it just depends how long you’re prepared to wait. We tackled the market by launching ‘Harmless Dissolve’, the bag that dissolves in water wrapped around Creative Review, and the response was phenomenal. I could barely answer the emails fast enough, they were coming from all over the world and notably from emerging economies that are more agile in their ability to change practices. Russia in particular, and government-backed companies, were very keen to get in touch. Some came to film and have a chat with us in our offices, then spread the word in their country through a web feature On the back of that, we’ve had numerous enquiries and are about to sign a contract – fingers crossed – for a substantial run of envelopes for a leading Russian social magazine.

To read the full article please click here.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Does Oil Spill damage BP’s brand?

“There has been a massive global expansion in green marketeering. BP, a.k.a.,“British Petroleum,” has spent tens of millions of dollars to develop and sell its green street cred” says Paul Taylor from the LA Examiner. I think it is safe to say that BP has an uphill battle to reclaim its environmental credibility.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Apparel for the design snob.

We’re all for self-expression, but these font inspired tees appear a tad passé. The battle rages on right here…
 

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Organic Bowl

Believing in the importance of organic life cycles, the Organic Bowl exemplifies sustainability on all levels of the production process. Made from recycled cardboard, the production process requires little energy and is carried out by local community members in Brazil.

 
Designer: Domingos Totora (Brazil)
Manufacturer: Domingos Totora (Brazil)
Material: Kraft Paper, Natural Pigments
Colours: Earth and Honey
Dimension: 17-3/4” x D 9” x H 5-1/2” 

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

New Range added to Think Envelopes online store.

Finest Envelopes
Finest Quality Envelopes selected for being crisp, striking and beautifully made. With these you'll make the right impression.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Jammin' in the Rain

Rain doesn’t have to be dreary. The Rain Drum is a beat making product that features mounted sound inputs on the exterior of an umbrella top that make different drum noises when raindrops touch it. The shade of the umbrella contains five wax-cloth coverings with varying elasticities to create a range of tones and frequencies, depending on the size and speed of the falling rain drop.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

New Skin for the IPhone

Recover skins are precision laser-cut from authentic wood veneers. Each unique piece is hand sanded, stained, and lacquered in Recover’s Portland-based woodshop to ensure long lasting beauty and protection. All skins are constructed with professional grade 3M adhesive backing that allows for simple and strong adhesion while still allowing for removal if desired. Each one-of-a-kind piece is designed to fit your devices specific model and size.

Designer: Kait McNally (United States)
Manufacturer: Recover Inc (United States)
Inspired By: Trees!
Material: Walnut, Maple, and Cherry Wood
Colours: brown 
 
Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Antonioni DVD Box

Designed by Rajmund Rajchel

"This Project was created on the occasion the 15th anniversary of the Gutek Film Company. The Gutek film company deals with the promotion and distribution of the world cinematography. This collection is a special, collector's edition of the 8 films the classics of an artistic Italian cinematography of Michelangelo Antonioni. The target of the product is a specific, not accidental audience the film art lovers. The lovers of the film art which is multi-levelled, sophisticated and a little difficult to perceive. The form of package refers to these film art notions by making the user to put some effort into proceeding a range of actions allowing him to get the reach of the content of the box."


Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Cyberpac Latest Project_Sept 2010

Monet M-Commerce

DV8 Design designed this sophisticated box and slipcase for Xibis, to house an iPhone that would deliver a sales message direct to the recipient. Once delivered, the phone sends a message back to Xibis, prompting them to call the recipient directly to arrange a meeting. Targeting captains of business, this luxury pack created a memorable first impression and ensured the message was delivered in style.

Images Courtesy of www.dv8design.co.uk

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

A Giant Plastic Six Pack Ring

From The Province: “Activists have entangled two sculpted porpoises in a giant plastic six-pack ring to protest the use of throwaway plastic and its impact on West Coast marine and wildlife.

 

The downtown Vancouver demonstration has been organized by the Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) and Vancouver advertising agency Rethink. The PPC is trying to draw attention to the fact that plastic pollution covers millions of square kilometres of ocean in the North Pacific and in the North Atlantic. Scientists expect to find similar accumulation areas in the remaining oceanic gyres. There is no known way to clean up the plastic pollution in the oceans as the plastic particles are very small and circulate throughout the entire water column.

The giant plastic rings were originally set up to strangle a wildlife statue at Georgia and Thurlow, but a building manager at that site asked the organizers to move their protest elsewhere. The environmentalists have since set up their exhibit in front of the Scotiabank building at Pender and Burrard.”

Courtesy of Oberholtzer-Creative.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

CR Update on the Harmless Compost Tomato Growing.

You might remember that subscribers received their February issue in a biodegradable bag that came with a packet of tomato seeds. The idea was that you could stick the bag in the ground or pot and use it to grow tomatoes in. Seven months on, check out these babies...

Check out the full article on the CR Blog.

Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation Article

Harmless packaging: wrap it up!

by Joss Blériot

Packaging… Who hasn’t at some point been appalled by the quantity of materials that most of the “stuff” we buy comes wrapped in? From plastic-clad half cucumbers to plastic bag-sealed magazines, packaging amounts to more than 50% of all household waste. A UK company has decided to tackle the issue, not by going down the “less” route, but by making packaging better by design.

The name says it all – Harmless packaging is on a mission to change the current state of affairs, in a country where roughly 80% of the plastics we dispose of end up in landfill. By creating a range of dissolvable and compostable products, the company developed a closed-loop approach in order to meet its objective of creating products that “start in the earth harmless and end in the earth harmless”. 

To view the full article, please click here.


Disclaimer: Some images hosted on this blog have been collected from external research associates to be presented as stimulus to those seeking news from the cutting edge of packaging. The imagery is not being presented as our own and copyright still belongs to the owner/creator of said work.