23/12 CIPHER Glasses

Check out these CIPHER glasses from RELOGIC design and innovation. These prints that look like splattered dots of paint actually reveal a message when the vessel is filled with colored liquid. This could be applied to PVC shrink labels for packaged beverages as well. VERY cool!

Minute Maid NEW Package Design

Coca-Cola sells over 1,200 juice products all over the world, with over about 120 brand names in their portfolio. Thier most poplar brand in the US is 'Minute Maid' and they have just enjoyed a long awaited design overhaul.

Duffy & Partners were contracted for the job, taking over what they set in motion back in 1995 with the initial Minute Maid package design. It seems Coca-Cola is taking a fresh approach to product packaging all across the board with design and raw material process. Check out the new Minute Maid designs ready for launch in the US December 2009!

NAYA Spring Water x 100% Reycled PET Bottles

Naya Spring Water said it is the first bottled water company to use 100 per cent recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) in its containers, as it prepares to roll out the product in the United States.

The Canada-based company said it had overcome a number of challenges to bring the bottle to market after investing seven years in its development.

Finding a supplier to develop the technology to make a container of partial and then total recycled plastic had been the first hurdle, a Naya spokesman told FoodProductionDaily.com. Ensuring sufficient supply once the technology was in place and obtaining health certification from various Government agencies had been two more challenges. The final test had been to secure enough retail orders to make the product commercially viable, he added.

Daniel Cotte, president of Naya Waters, said: “We are proud to be the first major spring water brand to introduce 100 percent recycled plastic bottles, which is a win for the environment as well as for consumers who enjoy bottled water and want to reduce their impact. This innovation is another demonstration of our commitment to put the environment at the heart of Naya's company strategy."

While there is an ever growing need for packaged beverages, it is good to see that companies are finally taking the initiative to source more environmentally friendly packaging. The main problem is that there are few cost effective alternatives to PET.

Kabbalah Vodka x Christian Infants

A short time ago the company “EZ Protocols” announced a start-up of vodka brand that is called “Kabbalah vodka – with Christian infants” – the newest quality benchmark on the super premium segment of the Russian market. The vodka is expected to have a distinguished wheat flavor. Special water, enriched in silver, gold and platinum ions along with neat and stylish design will bring anyone back to the best traditions of a ritual table. As a present, every bottle has a unique handmade infant inside, which is made of fortified glass.

In its first day of launch KABALAH vodka set a record selling 13,000 5L cases of Vodka. The 'Christain Infants' have also very quickly become collectors items. To keep them exclusive each design does not see more than 3 production runs.

What is the connection between this Vodka and the Kabbalah? I have not idea, but the type for the logo is set to Kabbalh Sefirot and the back of the bottle features some text excerpts from the Kabbalah.

Vegetable Based PET by Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola has committed themselves to using 30% vegetable based PET preforms for their plastic bottle production. Is this a log term environmental solution that other beverage packaging companies can adopt? What is the cost benefit? Check out the full scoop below.

Coca-Cola Co yesterday announced the selective global roll-out of its new PET bottle made from up to 30 per cent plant materials such as sugar and molasses.

The drinks giant said its PlantBottle containers were beginning to hit retail shelves across the world, with a planned production target of two billion by the end of next year.

Hailing the move as a “major step along our sustainable packaging journey”, chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent said Coke was the first to bring to market a recyclable PET plastic bottle made partially from plants.

Variable plant content

But company said the level of plant material in the bottle differs from country to country.

“While the bio-based component can account for up to 30 percent of the resulting PET plastic in PlantBottle packaging, the percentage varies for bottles that also contain recycled PET,” said a Coke statement.

In Denmark, the bottle also has recycled content, meaning its combined plant-based and recycled elements make up 65 per cent of the material; 50 percent coming from recycled material and 15 percent from plant-based material. In the US and Canada, some 30 percent of the content in the PET plastic comes from plants.

The bottle is currently available in Denmark in 500ml and 2 litre sizes, with a December launch earmarked for Western Canada for Coca-Cola, Sprite Fresca and Dasani, as well as in Vancouver for next year’s Winter Olympic games. The PlantBottle will also be available in some parts of the western US from January 2010. Future launches next year are being planned in other markets, including Brazil, Japan and Mexico and China, said the company.

Sugar and Molasses

The bottle is currently made by turning sugar and molasses into a component in PET plastic. The company said its ultimate goal was to use non-food, plant-based waste, such as wood chips or wheat stalks, to produce recyclable PET plastic bottles. The container is 100 per cent recyclable and initial research has indicated it had a smaller carbon footprint than conventional PET bottles, said the company.

Kate Krebs, director of sustainable resources for the climate group, said: "While Coca-Cola is just beginning to bring its plant-based PET plastic into the mix, this is a revolutionary solution that has the potential for long-term, meaningful benefits."

Source: Beverage Daily

Coca-Cola Going Green?

Check out the new concept packaging for canned Coca-Cola. Developed by Ryan Yoon and Harc Lee, this plain metal finish promises to reduce production cost for Coca-Cola and also the cost of recycling. I cant imagine that too many brands could follow suit, but this is a small step in the right direction.

“A convex logo substitutes colorfully sprayed can. Naked can help to reduce air and water pollution occurred in its coloring process. It also reduces energy and effort to separate toxic color paint from aluminum in recycling process. Huge amount of energy and paint required to manufacture colored cans will be saved. Instead of toxic paint, manufacturers process aluminum with a pressing machine that indicates brand identity on surface.”

SIE43 PET Bottle Chair by Pawel Grunert

One of the most obvious drawbacks of using PET bottles is the hornedous toll the waste takes on the environment. While this innovative furniture design by Pawel Grunert is thought provoking, it does not serve any practical function. Constructed from a steel frame sruture and fitted with numerous bottles that can easily be changed out when damaged, the design is visually appealing but I doubt it would be too comfortable to sit on. It was featured at the Ecotrans Pop Exhibition in April 2009.

NEURO DRINKS

Here is a another new product to hit the enhanced beverage shelves. Neuro Drinks have launched 7 varieties of flavored and vitimin enhanced waters that aim to boost energy, increace alertness, improve quality of sleep, and even quelch hunger pangs.

The disign of the bottle although being heralded by some as innovative design is actualy almost a coarmon copy of the Watson's water avaialabel in Hong Kong and China. The label design and overall family concept for the brand looks pretty cool though, and this is just another example of how many directions beverage packagers can move in.

Out of the 7 varieties of beverage offered by Neuro Drinks, the one that most tweaks my interest is NEUROGASM, designed to increace sexual desire...

Source: Neuro Drinks

Q Tonic - A Superior Tonic Water

Check out the new packaging for Q tonic water, targeting the more sophisticated pallets of gin drinkers. If you are going to drink premium liquor then why dilute with lesser quality mixers. I would like to see this concept spread accross the board with innovaative mixers being manufactured for the whole spread of premium alchohols from Patron Taquila to Grey Goose Vodka and more. Cheers!

Source: Lovely Package

1/2 Project

The 1/2 (half) Project developed by Kim and Jiwom Park is designed to offer people buying bottled beverages to purchase half the quantity they want at full price, with half the money going to a designated charity. The design would tentativly allow varoius brands of beverage manufacturers to tie in and sponsor thier own charities. While the concept of using a social adenda to boost sales or draw attention your brand is a good one, the cost of the new packaging should logically be half of the normal packaging.

Unfortunatly, as most people in the industry will tell you, this design will be more costly. Firstly a new preform mould would need to be developed for a bottle that would cost almost the same to manufacture as a normal PCO one. You might save a few grams on the weight of PET material in the preform. A normal PCO twist on cap would not be suitable for this design so a new flip top cap would need to be developed. This would surly require more material than a normal cap as well. More material equals more expensive.

It would just be a whole lot easier to sell a 500 ml bottle for the price of a 1L bottle and donate the difference to charity. I doubt too many people would reach for a smaller bottle though. I like giving to a cause, but this design in my opinion is totally off the board.

Source: Yanko Design

Activate Drinks x Closure Design

Beverage packaging design is constantly evolving, as we are so keen to illustrate on this blog. Manufacturers seek to increase the value of their product by not only innovating new beverages but also by pushing the boundaries of label and packaging design be it glass or PET. Active Drinks professes that vitamins diluted in water over time loose their potency so they have developed a new cap that houses the flavor and vitamins. They are released into the water by twisting the cap before intended consumption. While some may argue that the age of beverages in PET bottles is drawing to a close, the fact that main stream companies are still exploring new designs with PET and HDPE is a firm contradiction. 'Its Hid in the Lid'



Source: NotCot

Help Remedies Biodegradable Packaging

Here at PAE we are always on the look out for environmentally freindly packaging. Help Remedies have come up with an awesome and simple design to conquer fears most people have of medicine. Personlly I hate looking through shelves of indistinguishable brands looking for tablets to suit my syptoms, and this packaging does not beat around the ush at all. Furthermore the packaging is made from paper pulp and corn based plastic that not only looks good but is also biodegradable.

Source: Help Remedies

Coca-Cola x Selfridges Centenery Bottle

To celebrate thier 100th anniversary, Coca-Cola has released a special edition bottle design specifically for the London based department store, Selfridges. We have featured tons of special edition bottle and label designs from a variety of brands, and I got to say, for a 100th anniversary relese, this design is a little disappointing. Our various clients in Africa are already working on limited edition releases for the approaching Football World Cup to be held in South Africa 2010.
Its your time to shine! For original bottle and label designs please contact PanAsia Exports (HK) Limited.


Via: Hypebeast

The Best Water Bottle Designs... EVER!

With evermore brands of drinking water entering the market every year, it is imperative for industrialists and designers to come up with attractive and original packaging for their products. Some brands have even gone as far as releasing limited edition bottles to generate hype about their brands. Here are a few of the more interesting designs we have come across recently. Truly inspirational!

Flavored water with enhanced vitamins. PET bottles. The packaging gives the bottles a pharmaceutical look.

Malmberg flavored water.

Standard Lanjaron PET bottle. Notice the mountain cap inside the bottle. Very cool.

Lanjaron special edition release in a glass bottle.

HINT vodka. Not water, but still an awesome bottle.

Gleneagles bottled water. This is a super sleek and clean design.

Font Vella limited edition bottle. From accounts we have read online, the continous print around the back of the bottle distorts the overall appearance of the design. A for effort chaps.

Jean Paul Gaultier and Evian team up for this limited edition release. There is no limit to what collaborations can achieve.

DRY soda. Nice, clean, and simple. Notice the print on the bottle neck.

70 Degrees North, it does not get more basic than this when it comes to bottle design. But when you have a kick ass product like pure Alaskan water, you just let it speak for itself.

Aquapax Boxed Water

We all know PET waste is a massive burden on the environment, but what can we really do to reduce plastic waste generated from bottled beverages? PET is still the most cost effective method for packaging beverages, but some companies are making the bold move forward by offering more expensive packaged water in environmentally friendly packaging. One such company is UK based company Just Drinking Water with thier brand of boxed water, AQUAPAX. They have a straight forward and well focused agenda to persuade consumers to opt for the environmentally friendly option. While it may still be a long while before we see manufacturers in Africa take a stand against pollution, or for most Aficans to be able to afford the more expensive choice, it is inspirational to see see that a company like Aquapax is determined to address the evident problem. Check out thier founders blog.

Zepra's Pure Taste Water

Here is a new design coming out of Israel by Koniak Design. The bar keeps being raised for innovative beverage packaging. For more manufacturing and design sollutions please contact info@panasia-exports.com.

Ciro Girard x Est Soap

Coming straight out of Brazil, this packaging design for Est soap by Ciro Girard is a perfect example of how less can be more. With subtle colors and an attractive font the design has managed to give this line of natural soaps an elegant image that will surly draw the right kind of attention on a shelf against other brands.







Source: Lovely Package

1000 Acres Vodka Packaging by Arnell

Check out these awesome new bottle designs by Arnell for 1000 Acres Vodka. This is just another example of how marketing teams are taking their brands to new levels with innovative packaging designs. 1000 Acres is not the only brand making bold new moves this year. While some companies are reacting to the crisis by laying down thier guns and recouperating, others are taking advantage of this moment to sieze thier market share from weaker brands that are pulling out of the race. Desperate times call for desperate measures! For more original and innovative packaging concepts please email PanAsia Exports (HK) Limited.

Fillico Jewelry Water x Mastermind Japan

What economic crisis? While large factories and wholesale outlets around the world complain about overheads and are slashing hundreds of workers off the payroll, it is inspiring to see that some people can still still afford to spend over $100 for a bottle of water.


"Fillico, the Jewelry Water is the unique treasure to decorate your special occasion with excitement and satisfaction. Gorgeous bottle is fully decorated with stunning Swarovski crystal stars and shiny crown cap. Natural spring water inside comes from Kobe, Japan, the premium location famous for Japanese wine - SAKE. Open the door to Fillico, then the thrilling moment will always be with you."

Whats even better is that Fillico Jewelry Water recently contracted apparel designers Mastermind Japan to design their latest collection. Once you can move beyond the fact that these bottles of water cost over $100 each, you can begin to appreciate the detailed design of each piece. It is going to be a long time before we see products like this launch in Africa.