Steens’ Mānuka Honey is a rare product collected within a short time frame as the Mānuka flower only opens for a couple of weeks every year. Regarded for its healing properties, you couldn't even call Mānuka honey a distant cousin to that honey bear sitting in your pantry right now.

Inspired by the honey bee, Steens’ new packaging is an interactive structure with a bee box exterior and a blossoming insert that allows you to remove its precious amber cargo.

COLLABORATORS

David Trubridge created the overall look and feel which included the early flower workings and motions.

Think Packaging, then meticulously hand crafted and engineered all the elements, ensuring the outer box and flower opened effortlessly. 

Woods Agency together with Steens Honey chose the colours and branding elements.

SQ1 co-ordinated all of the stakeholders and comms between client until finished pack was shipped to client.

WRAPOLOGY'S ROLE

Wrapology were supplied a white prototype from Think Packaging in order to address a number of concerns before the box would be “match fit” for production. 
Typically we give our suggestions based on our capabilties, then produce production samples for final sign-off.

The main concerns highlighted were;

1. Final materials selection – The materials chosen for the design weren’t final because they were a combination of pantone colours and material stocks. We needed to either dye our own paper locally or import the materials to create the overall look and feel briefed by the client and the agency. 

2. White edges and fold marks – The complex structure has the potential for ugly white edges (where the paper is cut) everywhere and a very “bumpy” look from where the paper folds over on itself. From our experience this really cheapens the look and feel of product. 

3. Greyboard visible – on the die cut holes, the grey from the greyboard was spoiling the bright punchy colours. 

4. Laminated paper vs uncoated paper  – The final box needed to be retail friendly so a plastic laminate was preferred to protect against finger marks. But concerns over the box being recyclable and feeling premium were flagged.

5. Transit testing – The final package had to be transit tested thoroughly; especially the flower which needed to be engineered from the final material

Match Fit for Production

Once the issues are clearly identified between all parties, together with SQ1 we can methodically work through them using our expertise to grade the issues from “showstopper problem” to “minor problem that can be easily fixed”.

1. Material selection;
As a manufacturer in China, more than anything, the materials define the project; not only from the costing point of view but the final quality, workmanship and lead time.  For us, this part had to be nailed first as it dictates whether we have problems later on. 

Rather than print or dye a paper locally, our recommendation was to use a high grade European paper across all elements for 3 reasons;

- European paper is typically stronger and better quality than local Chinese papers. It folds better, holds it shape better and doesn’t tear as easily.
- European paper is typically much more consistent in terms of colour and final quality. Local Chinese papers typically have higher grades of tolerance in thickness which makes quality control during production much harder
- European paper often has a better resistance to marking removing the need for a lamination.

Wrapology sourced and suggested European stocks that we could use in our factory within the timelines. 

The final choice was GF Smith Colour plan and Arjo Wiggins Pop Set which have a similar look and feel but a different colour palette.

Resolving this issue meant that the following issues were much easier to resolve;

2. White Edges and fold marks
Now that the client had chosen dyed paper stocks there would be no issue about white edges. We needed to work out how we could seamlessly join the two colours / papers together on the lid without creating large ridges beneath the paper.

We reconfigured the paper wrapping so that there was only 1 seam on 1 edge and added an additional piece to the lid to hide the other seams.

3. Greyboard visible
With 2 of the biggest problems resolved in theory we produced a sample to show the results. We used a black dyed greyboard which swapped the grey edging for black and the client was happy with the overall look and feel.

4. Laminated vs Uncoated Paper
Through the material selection this issue was largely resolved but there were still concerns about whether the box would be retail ready. Whilst a lamination does protect against finger marks and grease/oil etc, it can also be prone to scratching and on a dyed paper, air bubbles between the lamination and the uncoated paper (which has an orange peel like surface) can reduce the vibrancy of the colour. Through testing and sampling we were able to prove dyed uncoated paper was the superior choice. 

5. Transit Testing
The most challenging part of the process was adjusting the design to pass the transit tests; in particular the strap that holds the jar in place. 
Between Think Packaging, SQ1 and Wrapology, the strap was adjusted to provide a larger surface area which was threaded through the base with a different tearing mechanism so the jar could be easily inserted, sealed and then removed by the end user. 

Outer packing was also designed at this stage and transit tested. 

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Match Fit For Production

With the above issues resolved and protopyes produced and approved, the materials were imported and the project was ready to be produced on the factory floor.

Each process of production was then checked by our project managers to ensure that the final production ran smoothly.

This involved;

Inspection of raw materials

Inspection of die cutting

Inspection of foil printing

Inspection of hand assembly

Final testing of the production on the assembly line.

Once the goods were produced, advance file copies were flown over to the customer for sign-off before the balance of the goods were shipped.

Its always a pleasure to work on a project such as this one, where each stakeholder brings their expertise to the table in a collaborative and consultative effort to create, in this case, a 3 time award winning product.

KEY CHALLANGES

Material Selection

Paper Wrapping

Transit Testing

2019 DIELINE WINNER

First Place - Limited Edition

First Place - Luxury

First Place - Fresh Food

View more packaging projects at Wrapology.com