Pure, natural, bright effects with Sappi Algro Design
Sappi's bright white Algro Design reflects Nordic packaging values for new Edelmanns Lumene 'Wheel of Light' line of cosmetics. There was a distinctly Scandinavian feel about the finalist selections in this year's ProCarton ECMA Awards, including Finnish skincare and cosmetics firm Lumene's creation of a new logo called 'Wheel of Light' just at the beginning of the year. The packaging concept was developed by international market leading packaging manufacturer Edelmann and a British design team from JDO. The goal was to emphasise the brand story that highlights the exceptional pure nature and yearly light cycle of the Scandinavian landscape with special visual and physical features. It was clear right from the start that only a bright white carton material like Sappi's Algro Design would be suitable for this innovative packaging. The surface characteristics and excellent converting capabilities of Algro Design perfectly represent the Nordic values of purity, simplicity and authenticity. All of this added up to a powerful and coherent design concept for all 'Wheel of Light' packages. "Achieving a packaging solution that is minimalist and eye-catching at the same time yet creates magic through additional nuances and technical features at every glance, that is the art of packaging development", explains Marcel Heinze, Key Account Manager Sales Premium Packaging at Edelmann. The technical challenge lies in creating a design that appears simple, but is actually quite complex. For example, clever micro embossing on every Lumene package reflects brilliant natural light, varying with the angle of view. This creates a natural, noble and high-quality effect that appeals to the observer's senses, one that could only be achieved with the pure, bright white surface of Algro Design. The idea behind the new branding carton boxes for Lumene is to pay tribute to the Nordic clean nature, pure Arctic water and extraordinary light, that does not set during summer months. "For Nordic people, light is absolutely vital, giving us strength for the long and dark winters. This sensation of being bathed in sunlight is what we would like the customer to feel when she discovers Lumene products on the shelf. The extremely white carton from Sappi represents our Nordic way of life of purity and authenticity", says Kristina Enqvist, Packaging Development Director at Lumene.
From spring water to Arctic cloudberries
The Edelmann team designed a total of seven different types of packaging in different sizes and versions for Lumene. This includes folding cartons with internal chambers, trays, gift packages, integrated height compensation for bottom and lid, and much more. Sappi's Algro Design in weights of 350 and 380 g/m² was utilised. Each box is printed on both sides in five to eight colours using offset printing. In addition, the exterior sides were finished with matt/gloss effect, embossed foil printing with micro embossing and blind embossing. To save space during transport and storage, the folding cartons are delivered pre-glued and flat packed to be assembled when required. All folding cartons can be assembled and filled automatically. And there is no foil lamination, only carton board. The printed image on the inside of the box reflects the key ingredient of the product, which requires the use of a different colour each time. Lumene skincare and cosmetics products are primarily made from natural, health-beneficial raw materials from the Arctic nature. One of the requirements for the packaging development was to represent these natural ingredients with a specific colour scheme for each. Thus, the blue product line Lähde (source) represents Arctic spring water; gold signifies sea buckthorn of the Hehku (incandescence) line; red represents the Kuulas (luminous) range of the Nordic lingonberry; orange stands for the Arctic cloudberry in the Valo (light) line, and a shade of copper represents the bark of the Nordic pine for the Sisu (urban antidotes) line.
The deciding factors: Whiteness and surface
"Sappi Algro Design is a well-established material at Edelmann", Heinze continues. "Its bright whiteness, pleasant surface quality and perfect runnability on production and packaging lines are very impressive. This material allows for any kind of design, including hollow wall packaging, internal chambers, integrated height compensation, a variety of configurations and different types of sealing mechanisms". The choice of carton gives the packaging an overall impact of a bright white, smooth surface, bending resistance, protective functions and deformation capability on the final result. Algro Design from Sappi is one of the most popular coated carton types on the market. The product line impresses with its extreme whiteness and consistent surface finish, which is ideally suited for the rendering of darker shades. Further benefits include very high light resistance and a silky smooth touch, as well as its excellent converting properties for all commonly used finishing techniques.
