Top 10 Packaging Innovations 2017
Time：2018-03-28 From：
Last year was full of innovations in the print and packaging industry. Many new technologies came up and had a big impact on brands and companies. We listed up the top ten packaging innovations of 2017.
Last year was full of innovations in the print and packaging industry. From ocean-friendly six-pack rings to gin bottle packaging, which can be used as art deco, they all pushed the boundaries of design, cut costs and helped to save the environment. Here’s a top ten list:
Bamboo-plastic Wine Rack
This simple and practical wine box was a winner of the innovation award at Packaging Innovations and Luxury Packaging London 2017. It uses a brand new bamboo-plastic material, which is very biodegradable. Bamboo is also eco-friendly because it grows extremely fast, so you don’t have to cut other trees. Through its multifunctional structure, the packaging of the bottle can be also used as a wine rack to display the bottles. It was designed by Dongguan MingFeng Packaging, one of the biggest packaging companies in China, specialized in high-grade wooden boxes and printing folding boxes for cosmetics and jewelry.
Tanqueray’s Art Deco Bottle Cage
Gin is celebrating a huge comeback and all over the world, we see a new gin and long drink trend. Last Christmas, Tanqueray’s one of the most known gin distillers/brands, teamed up with the London-based design agency ButterflyCannon to create a new stylish packaging for their Number 10 bottle. Inspired by the Art Deco movement of the 1920’s in Paris, a small cage was manufactured by Virojanglor Sarl, a French family business, which is highly specialized in prestige packaging. But the design cage is not only stylish, it can also be used to hold fruits like lemons or limes. Perfect for the next cocktail party.
Waterless Flowers
Uflex from India invented a flower packaging, which can keep flowers fresh for up to 15 hours, without any drop of water. For this innovative idea, they were awarded a double gold medal at the Flexible Packaging Awards. Through a clever technology, FlexFresh is able to keep the flowers off the two main problems of fresh flowers: too much-condensed humidity and too much oxygen. These two leading the flowers to mold and catalyze maturation. To get the best result for every sort of flower, Uflex uses a PerfoTec software and laser perforation to create micro-perforations in the biodegradable film, suitable for the different flowers. This technology is not only very innovative it also helps to save “millions of gallons” of water from the supply chain.
Beyond the Sea-Six-Pack Rings
Plastic waste in our oceans is a big problem. More than 100 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year and 10 million of this waste ends up in the sea. So, the craft beer company Saltwater Brewery from Florida has come up with a very innovative idea to tackle this. Using wheat and barley, both by-products from the brewing process, they created a six-pack ring, which can be smoothly eaten by the sea-life. It is 100 percent biodegradable, compostable and edible.
Size Matters – The Slimbox Machine
Cutting down on postage costs and packaging waste at the same time? With the Slimbox machine, it is possible to do exactly that. One of the main problems of high delivery charges and too big packaging is, that, although it is mainly calculated by the weight of the product, there is always a lot of wasted “air” in the package. The Slimbox Machine creates a perfectly sized package for whatever to send. Users can connect to the machine via a free app, measure their product, and send the dimensions of the product directly to the machine. It can also cut out holders for products like bottles or use remaining cardboard pieces as an extra filling for fragile goods. Even heavier items are no problem as the machine creates a second box in which the original perfect fits.
Milk Bottles Made from Carton
Tetra Evero® Aseptic carton bottles
Tetra Pak designed a new liquid packaging: the Tetra Evero Aspetic bottle. It is especially for dairy products and looks like a glass or plastic bottle but is made from the carton. The paperboard used for this is 100 percent from FSC certified forests. The cylindrical body with side panels for easy gripping is also made from recyclable polyethylene. The two materials can easily be separated from each other to recycle the packaging itself. The unique so-called D-shape of the Ever Aspetic makes it possible for brands to take advantage of a 360 ° printing surface. That’s enough space for much important information and great storytelling.
Light Emitting Package
You can now bring light to your packaging with this new technology from Saralon GmbH. They invented a group of special inks, which are printed one-over-another to get different electronic devices by using a normal printing machine. The electronic device is then integrated into the packaging. Through this, it is possible to create boxes, which have printed illuminated displays on foil, or paper. These display can even be made on bottles or other glass objects. And the technology is not only very effective, it can also be implemented very easy into every existing production line, by just using the inks from Saral.
NorthBox – Rethinking Insulated Packaging
Called The Northbox, this invention of Cascades Inc. is an isothermal container suitable for shipping all temperature-sensitive goods without any problems. The company is a leader in green packaging and sustainable packaging solutions. Their new box is made from fibers, which can easily be recycled multiple times. With this box, it’s easier to send ready-to-ear meal kits, cold-pressed juice or online groceries. The box comes in different sizes and it is even possible to get custom dimensions with a logo and corporate identity.
The Smuggler Series – McLaren in a Book
Inspired by the tradition of the illegal whiskey trade during the 18th and 19th centuries in Scotland, Blue Box Design created a new and unique packaging for McLaren. Many different objects were known to smuggle whiskey undiscovered through the country. One of these famous containers were big, hardback books, with a cavity between the papers. The Design Company created a replica of one of these old books and made it as authentic as possible, including old paper sheets and realistic cutoff. The result is a highly stylish and unique packaging which itself is worth displaying it on the shelf.
Biodegradable Cosmetic Packaging
The Founders of Sulapac wanted to create a beautiful and sustainable packaging material, inspired by the Finnish forest. Suvi Haimi and Laura Kyllönen invented with Sulapac a fully biodegradable packaging material made from renewable and sustainable raw materials. It has a low carbon footprint and can be processed just the same way as plastic. Through this, it is the first mass-producible eco-packaging material worldwide. It is especially for luxury products and combines sustainability with a luxurious and clean design. It even has the possibility to be updated with special coatings, just like plastic, to make it resistant to water, oil, and oxygen. Furthermore, they are cooperating with an international team of designers to provide their customers with unique packaging designs.
Do you miss any innovation from last year we definitely have to mention? Leave us a comment in the section below!