Sleek and sustainable: Pollard Boxes ditches cellophane wrapping in bespoke fragrances packaging

18 Oct 2019 --- Rigid box specialist Pollard Boxes has devised a packaging solution for the Experimental Perfume Club’s line of bespoke fragrances. The boxes are marketed as having strong sustainability credentials as the materials used are a mixture of 100 percent recycled board and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-sourced materials, which can be disposed of in household waste.

“This packaging is designed with sustainability in mind. There is a growing trend to move away from laminated finishes and this pack was designed using bright white uncoated materials with a varnished finish. The inks used are inert after UV curing so they are fully compostable,” Ian Bason, Sales Development Manager at Pollard, tells PackagingInsights.

Layers by the Experimental Perfume Club.The Experimental Perfume Club was established in 2016 by founder-perfumer Emmanuelle Moeglin as an open-access perfume laboratory where visitors could see the behind the scenes of perfume creation and produce their own bespoke fragrances.

The company has since launched a collection of fragrances called Layers that have been designed to be worn either individually or blended together, enabling users to create their own unique scent. Six fragrances are currently available, with two Eau de Parfum varieties in three categories that feature different characteristics – Top (fresh), Mid (mellow) and Base (deep).

In designing its packaging, Moeglin worked closely with Pollard Boxes to find a solution that would “enhance and reflect” both the uniqueness and premium nature of her fragrances while ensuring minimal impact on the environment. 

The requirements were for a box to hold three 8ml bottles, a dropper and an empty bottle for the creation of blends, as well as boxes to hold the individual 50ml bottles of scents for subsequent orders. These 50ml bottles can be returned to the Experimental Perfume Club for refilling – a trend that is gathering pace in the beauty market this year.

“Creating the right image for the brand was essential but this could not be at the expense of the environment. Thanks to our close collaboration and Pollards’ open approach, we have developed a more sustainable pack that is attractive, practical and robust, an important requirement as we did not want to use any cellophane overwrap,” notes Moeglin.

“One example of the effectiveness of our collaborative approach was in the packaging for the 50ml bottles. We originally selected cartons for these bottles but felt that they did not give a sufficiently quality impression on-shelf, particularly compared to the Blending Collections. By moving the 50ml bottles to slip cases as well, we have been able to maintain our premium image throughout without affecting our commitment to minimize environmental impact.”

To take into account environmental requirements, only FSC-accredited materials and uncoated and varnished finishes were considered in the selection of the papers at the start of the development process. Internal fitments are predominantly made of paper with no plastic and minimal foam. In addition, the strength of the boxes means that they do not require cellophane wrapping for additional protection, thereby removing unnecessary packaging waste.

The Blending Collections and individual fragrances are packed in rigid slipcases and trays produced in Colorpla The boxes are produced using FSC-accredited materials.n White Frost 135gsm wrapped onto white 100 percent recycled board. The slipcases incorporate black foil and the collection numbers for each of the two fragrances per category are post wrapped debossed on the blending pack and clear foiled on the individual packs, ensuring the most technically appropriate solution for the two different designs. The trays feature zest or silver colored ribbon pulls.

Internally all packs use white lined board, with unlined board and white Edixion 350gsm for the fitments in the individual boxes, and foam and white tissue paper for the blending box.

On-shelf the boxes combine a white finish with a strong individual color for each of the three layers; different amounts of color on the front of the box distinguish the two fragrances in the layer. The blending box features the Experimental Perfume Club’s grey branding as its main color. “Overall the decoration effects create a striking image on-shelf that reflects the quality of the brand while establishing a strong family image,” notes Pollard.

In addition to the standard boxes, Pollard has also produced a limited-edition pack for Harvey Nicholls that contains a special perfume decanter for the blending of the fragrances.

“I think there is still some work to be done in the area and mainly coming from brands and retailers. It is extremely common to find fragrances and beauty products which are systematically cello-wrapped. Equally, refillable bottles like ours are almost never seen. Retailers need to put area in place where they facilitate refills of hero products,” Moeglin tells PackagingInsights.

Equally, brands need to use eco packaging more systematically, she adds. “I don’t think customers are yet engaged with the matter, especially with luxury where they don’t buy a product very often (perhaps once or twice a year) and don’t realise the ecological impact of it. However, we definitely see customers refusing to get bags. This is a trickle down effect to what they are used to in supermarkets.”

By Benjamin Ferrer