Package Design Ideas for June 2009
Bags, bags, pouches and more bags: Compostable, biodegradable, super colorful, resealable and standup describe these clever packaging designs. (Photos)
By Lauren Hartman, Contributing Editor -- Converting Magazine, 6/8/2009 2:00:00 AM
Compostable bag has its day in the sun
Just in time for Earth Day, PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay Div. is rolling out compostable packaging bit by bit this year, with a fully compostable bag due out on Earth Day in 2010. Applied to bags of its SunChips brand, a popular line of multigrain snacks, the plant-based, biodegradable material is a structure made of NatureWorks’ (www.natureworksllc.com) polylactic acid (PLA) film, said to decompose over 14 weeks when placed in a hot, active compost bin or pile—at home or at an industrial composting site. The PLA film is made with NatureWorks Ingeo™ biopolymer resin made from plant sugar.
Frito says it’s the first in the convenience-food industry to introduce such packaging. Reports Thomas Oh, director of the SunChips brand, “Consumers very much want a healthier snack, and we realized a couple of years ago that those same consumers have an interest in what’s healthy for the planet,” he says.
“From an organizational standpoint, SunChips is the lead brand for communications around sustainability initiatives.”
Frito-Lay also intends to eventually adopt bags for all of its chips that are made of the new material. “Right now, we are literally inventing the technology, and there is just not enough material in existence for the entire portfolio,” says Oh. “As we continue to develop and invest in the technology, the economies of scale will enable this to be spread across the rest [of Frito Lay’s product line].” The brand’s Website, www.sunchips.com, is also posting a time-lapse video that shows the bag decomposing.
Currently, the SunChips brand is taking the first step toward transforming its packaging by revamping the existing 10.5-oz bag to include a renewable-material outer print layer of an extrusion-laminated, reverse-flexo-printed bag. But for Earth Day 2010, Frito-Lay says that it plans to roll out a SunChips snack bag that incorporates all of layers made from PLA, so that the package will be 100-percent-compostable.
Environment is a top packaging priority
Displayed by NatureWorks at Walmart’s Packaging Sustainability Expo in April, the current SunChips snack-food bag has three layers: the flexo-printed outer layer that now contains the matte PLA material, an inner metallized PP layer, which serves as a barrier to maintain the quality and integrity of the product; and a middle layer LDPE that joins the other two layers together. Currently, Bryce Corp. (www.brycecorp.com) converts all of the SunChips packaging material for Frito-Lay, including the PLA-containing SKUs, says Todd Fayne, a Frito-Lay engineer in advanced materials research. “The PLA film is manufactured out of Korea by SKC (www.skcfilms.com). They are currently the only large-scale manufacturer of PLA film that suits our requirements,” Fayne says.
Graphics on the current bag’s front panel feature a callout indicating, “Renewable materials make up 33 percent of this bag.
When the 100-percent-compostable bag launches, the company anticipates that the switch will lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the production of the packaging and the elimination of petroleum-based packaging material.
The new bag campaign is being launched with help from several partners, including Hornall Anderson Design Works (www.hadw.com), which was involved in the packaging visuals.
Breaking bread: Bakery splashes bags with rainbow of colors
Across the Pacific Northwest, Silver Hills Bakery is unveiling a new look for its bread bags, as well as a rebranding of the whole-grain breads available at grocery stores in the US and Canada. Replacing mostly transparent bags, the revitalized, color-coded opaque packaging and image makeover were produced by Karacters Design Group (www.karacters.com) to appeal to a wider, health-intending demographic to boost sales and broaden the customer base.
Converted by Alpha Polybag Corp. (www.alpapolybag.com), the new bags debuted in April. The biodegradable PE bagstock is treated with a nontoxic additive from Oxobioplast Inc. (www.oxobioplast.com) so that when it’s discarded in the presence of light, oxygen, heat and micro-organisms, it will ultimately oxobiodegrade into naturally occurring components, Silver Hills reports. Flexo printed in six spot colors, including white for opacity, the bag graphics are flooded with bold, solid matte colors to set them apart on store shelves.
Says Brad Brousson, CEO, “It’s important that our creative platform supports our vision and helps differentiate our brand and what it stands for in a competitive category…we wanted this to be reflected in the new packaging.”
There's nothing fishy about Gorton's new standup pouches
Gorton’s Seafood, Gloucester, MA, has its seafood meals in the bag. Equipped with easy-open/reclosable zippers, the company’s new standup bags allow consumers to access only what they need and freeze the rest, so that the product will stay fresh and protected against freezer burn. Containing the same popular frozen products as Gorton’s traditional folding cartons, the flexible laminated PE bags are available for battered fish sticks, breaded fillets, battered fillets and beer-battered fillets. The flexible, collapsible bags also help provide more storage space in the freezer.
Packaging details are proprietary, Gorton’s says. But Cindy Scally, marketing manager, notes: “We listened to consumers who wanted the flexibility of resealing the package. They see the new bags as more convenient and a better way to keep the product fresh.” She says Gorton’s has had a tremendously positive response to the packaging. The bags went into the market in January and are now available nationally. Gorton’s says it bags the products in-house.
A new take on the Classic Wonder Bread bag
When the needs of a changing marketplace say it’s time to update for a slightly older and more health-conscious consumer, Interstate Bakeries Corp., the makers of Wonder Bread, listen. Willoughby Design (www.willoughbydesign.com) knew that the change wouldn’t be a reinvention, but an evolution. Maintaining Wonder’s brand promise of healthy fun and goodness for more than 80 years, Willoughby wanted to update the brand identity with a fresh, contemporary graphic system for both existing and new products, including more than 60 bread, bun and dinner roll items. The firm also developed POP materials, displays and other elements to create a unified look and feel across all of the brand’s consumer touchpoints. The new film bag (above right) has a red runner that says, “Classic White.” The Wonder bags are currently printed flexo by Pliant Corp. (www.pliantcorp.com) and St. Johns Packaging (www.sjpack.com), and vary from six to eight colors.
Click Here Now to Get FREE eNewsletters from Converting Magazine
