Digestibles
tempting tidbits of packaging panache
3D packaging: no funny glasses required (unless you want)
Judged the Flexible Packaging Assn awards earlier this week. Fun, fun, fun. This is why I love my job. Always so much innovation and new technologies to see. Flexible packaging converters have been busy this past year improving shelf pop, playing with sustainable materials and designs, and developing structures that strut. I’ve got to stay mum about the winners for now, but a quick note abo ...... Read More
Comments (1)Plastic additives headed for a ‘breakdown'?
“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” That famous line from the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke” starring Paul Newman describes the current situation surrounding additives that help petroleum-based plastics break down. On one hand… The Plastics Environmental Council (PEC) is pushing for a landfill biodegradation standard for petroleum- and natural gas-deriv ...... Read More
Comments (15)USA, USB and other trends
Trade shows are a great place to see emerging trends. At the EastPack show in NYC June 7-9, I saw a couple noteworthy things along the lines of being close and connected. “Local” supply is taking a more nationalistic approach. Several exhibitors–packaging machinery makers as well as materials suppliers–promoted their products as “Made in the USA.” Some did ...... Read More
Comments (3)Come on, baby! Collapse!
I know it doesn’t begin with an “R,” but I think we should add “collapse” to the how-to-be-green Reduce, Reuse, Recycle mantra. Why am I advocating a collapse in the packaging market? Consumers aren’t done with the belt-tightening, right-sizing, decluttering, frugal-is-chic movement yet. Sure, some discretionary spending has come back. But with the threat ...... Read More
Comments (7)Hybrids on my mind
“A little bit of this and a little bit of that.” This song by Pandora keeps playing in my head. Seems like a lot of people are mixing up their idea palettes to create the next masterpiece. Hybrids are popping up all over the place. It’s what Mintel calls “blurring categories,” and it’s something that consumers enjoy because it gives them a pleasant surpris ...... Read More
Comments (0)What's on your bucket list?
Most packaging projects today fall into one of three main buckets: Sustainability, Innovation, Efficiencies. The real winners are the ones that dip into all three. Here’s why: Green continues its trek into the hearts, minds and (more and more) behaviors of consumers. The concept of “pick this not that” has gone viral with a lot of social critters. And how eco-friendly a produc ...... Read More
Comments (1)Why compete?
Lost count of how many times I’ve judged the IoPP AmeriStar competition. Love it, love it, love it! Just finished another go around (judging was Thursday, Feb. 10). As usual there were some off-the-mark entries that had me shaking my head (”Who ever thought that would win?!”). But the packages that won! Well, I’m sworn to secrecy (we did a pinkie swear — what hap ...... Read More
Comments (3)Making hay from scrappy ideas
Before you throw out the Champagne bottle from your New Year’s Eve party or that carton your new iPad came in, ask yourself a question: What can you make out of this? A lot of people are asking themselves that very same thing. 2011 will be the year of creative reuse of empty packages at so many levels, I’m sure of it! Here’s proof: From our mail bag–Dr. Carson from Bar ...... Read More
Comments (6)What I learned on vacation
I took a 15-month break from my 27-year career as a packaging journalist and this is what I learned: Consumers are a tough nut to crack. Especially when it comes to figuring out what they want from packaging. From July 2009 to October 2010, I worked for consumer insights company Iconoculture as an editorial strategist in their new Global Packaging Advisory Service. In the CPG world, everything rev ...... Read More
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