Package Design Ideas for July 2009
Source-reduced paperboard beverage carrier, 100%-recyclable standup pouch for garlic and windowed shrink-sleeve label for dietary supplement are among this month's package-printing and converting ideas. (Photos)
By Lauren Hartman, Contributing Editor -- Converting Magazine, 7/3/2009 2:00:00 AM
Eco award-winning Cap-it multipack
Everywhere consumers turn today, claims of greener, earth-friendly packaging seem to be the norm. So when a beverage package recently made an eco-statement impressive enough to earn the inaugural Eco Award sponsored by the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC)www.ppcnet.org, it is important for the industry and consumers to take note.
A jury of industry experts at the 66th annual PPC National Paperboard Packaging Competition chose Cap-it, the eco-friendly paperboard multipack from Graphic Packaging International, Inc. (www.graphicpkg.com), as the paperboard package with the most positive impact on product differentiation, merchandising, and sustainability among the 87 competitive entries.
“We appreciate the industry’s recognition of the Cap-it concept, which we believe can reposition paperboard as a competitive alternative to plastic rings and shrink film,” said John Best, vice president, Product Development, Graphic Packaging International, Inc. “Cap-it paperboard multipacks demonstrate that designing for sustainability all along the supply chain can deliver more value compared to conventional plastic choices.”
The Cap-It design was introduced in 2008 as a six-pack carrier for 24-oz Pepsi beverage products bottled by Alabama-based Buffalo Rock. The Cap-it multipack provides structural integrity, billboard and portability while out-performing plastic solutions like rings and shrink film in sustainability and supply chain economics including distribution and warehousing.
Converted from 18-pt SUS® beverage board with tear and humidity resistance, the Cap-it beverage carrier includes a comfortable hand hole and uses the shoulder strength of the bottles to enhance carton stiffness, creating a more secure handling experience and lowering the risk of accidental drops. Route drivers found that Cap-it multipacks offer better pallet stability and sturdiness compared to Hicone as well as the efficiency of repairing packs during distribution and reducing warehouse returns. Route drivers also liked the fact that they could quickly rotate bottles to showcase the brand label when stocking shelves – something they cannot do with plastic rings.
The minimal Cap-it design uses less fiber – a renewable and recyclable natural material compared to petroleum-based plastic -- and allows consumers to view the bottled beverages for quality assurance. The billboard is adequately sized for branding and promotional graphics, backside printing, product traceability codes and onserts. The short and long sides of the billboard also adapt more easily to retail shelf space limitations and provide visibly better differentiation than shrink film when multiple brands are displayed side-by-side in small spaces.
Cap-it system economics surpass that of plastic rings or shrink film. The multipack requires only die-cutting and can be shipped flat to improve truck load pack-out. Energy consumption for manufacturing and delivering Cap-it multipacks is measurably lower than the energy used for Hicone plastic rings. Graphic Packaging’s Cap-it multipacks are available for bottles in a range of sizes from 12oz to 32oz. The innovative packs are supported by a redesigned second generation packaging machine capable of running up to 150 packs per minute to provide higher line efficiency.
Garlic supplier gets fresh with flex-pack
Christopher Ranch is rolling out a new 6-oz, resealable, standup pouch for its peeled, California-grown garlic cloves. The new packaging is 100-percent-recyclable and uses 80 percent less material than the company’s 6-oz jars. Christopher Ranch currently offers both options to consumers, it plans to move its peeled garlic product exclusively to the new eco-friendly pouch.
The HACCP- and Kosher-certified product is vaccum-packed in the bags, which the co. says extends the garlic’s shelf life.
Made of a polyester film outer layer and and a PE sealant inner layer, the new packaging is engineered to make the fresh, agricultural product more tolerant to temperature fluctuations.
To help existing customers who are looking for a jar, not a standup pouch, Christopher Ranch’s in-house graphic design team ensured that the packaging used elements from the co.’s corporate identity specifications.
A press-and-seal closure also brings forth the resealable properties of which regular customers of Christopher Ranch peeled garlic are accustomed. Explaining how the pouch is part of an ongoing program at Christopher Ranch, Patsy Ross from the co.’s marketing department states, “We are always looking at ways to improve efficiency, and more recently, we have added the focus of reducing packaging as part of our sustainability program.”
Shrink-sleeve label protects nutrition powder
A combination shrink-sleeve PVC label equipped with a tamper-evident feature helps Nutrex Research, Inc., an Oviedo, FL sports-nutrition marketer, show off the three flavors of Pro-Gram protein drink powder, available in Vanilla Bean, Chocolate Mousse and Strawberry Cream flavors, while protecting the product from pilferage.
The dietary supplement comes in a 2.48-lb, proprietary silver HDPE jar, covered with a glossy film label from Printpack, Inc. (www.printpack.com) that displays dynamic, gravure-printed graphics in 7 colors. The clear sections of each of the labels allow the silver color to show through, providing an eye-catching metallic look. The label covers the bottle from the top of the cap to the jar base and offers a 360-deg image area for ingredients, bar codes, graphics and other pertinent information. Seth Reese, operations manager at Nutrex, says, “Security is critical to the product, so the inclusion of the tamper-evident band as part of the sleeve made this a perfect component for Nutrex.” The tamper-evident band also allows for critical point-of-purchase details to attract consumers. A horizontal perforation allows the band to be removed while the label stays put.
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