Avlon Industries, Melrose Park, IL, a manufacturer of salon and consumer hair products for the ethnic market, is leveraging structural design to assure that hair stylists use its Affirm Cream Relaxer hair salon products correctly. The new package structure also reduces costs.

Affirm is a two-stage hair-treatment regimen for salons. The new packaging includes an indentation in a 4-lb "kangaroo" tub. A 4-oz pre-treatment bottle snaps into place in the tub. This approach eliminates the problem of the pre-treatment bottle being lost or misplaced once stylists begin using the product and also helps them to remember both treatment steps. Previously, the 4-oz bottle was taped to the tub, and stylists often misplaced the bottle after detaching it from the tub.

Designed by TricorBraun, the kangaroo tub reduces costs in two ways. It improves assembly efficiency and also economizes shipping and storage, because shipper cases now can hold greater product volume.