Ecolean milk containers reduce material use, weight

Ecolean is a novel container for milk, cultured milk, drinkable yogurt, or cream products that consists of about 40% calcium carbonate and only 60% petroleum-based materials. Ecolean pouches are considered to be greener than traditional forms of dairy beverage packaging because less raw material is used to make it. Package weight is about one-half of what a conventional liquid food carton or bottle weighs.

Dispenser targets home draft-beer drinkers

MillerCoors LLC's 1.5-gallon Home Draft brand targets the home draft-beer niche in selected test markets with a dispensing system. The plastic bottle with dispenser comes in a branded e-flue corrugated carton and is ready for use right out of the carton. The beer costs 15% more per ounce than in conventional cans but targets the 30% of consumers who say draft-style is their preferred way to drink beer.

Teardrop-shaped closure eliminates syrup mess

Anderson's Maple Syrup's new injection-molded, polypropylene custom burgundy closure with a teardrop-shaped orifice and sharp cut-off lip provide controlled directional syrup flow, eliminating messy runoff onto the outside of the glass bottle and the label.

Convenient carrying case increases pet-food purchases

Nestle Purina PetCare introduced a custom-made carrying case to increase consumption of its wet cat food and cat treats in a regional promotion in Pet Supplies Plus stores. The case hangs flat on a fixture attached to the in-store gondola display. Consumers easily erect the case, which holds 30 cans and functions as an at-home dispenser.

Frozen-food trays reduce use of virgin PET

ConAgra's thermoformed frozen-food trays are now made from PET and thermoformed into several shapes and sizes using 15% PCR content on average. Because they are crystallized during thermoforming, the trays technically are crystallized PET or CPET. The new material reduces the amount of virgin PET ConAgra uses by eight million pounds per year.

Dental floss container pushes visual, tactile equities

Procter & Gamble's new container for its Oral-B Satin Floss contrasts packaging for other brands in the category by focusing extensively on visual and touch equities. The design holistically evokes water to signal the floss' cleansing capabilities, and both the wave on the clear label and a translucent, satin-touch package capture the essence of light dancing off water.

Distinctive tube sports transparent window

L’Oreal Demaq' Expert Makeup, marketed in Germany, is notable for an innovation new in de-makeup product packaging. Half of the upside-down tube is transparent, enabling consumers to see the product.

Wedge-shaped cartons inject fruity theme in tissue

Consider Kimberly-Clark's recent release of fruit-wedge-shaped tissue boxes for Kleenex tissue. Generations of consumers have been accustomed to purchasing tissues in square or rectangular boxes with little more than colors and patterns printed on the boxes to enliven or differentiate them—a functional but emotionless form. With the flexibility of current printing and assembly methods, Kimberly-Clark modified the structure and injected whimsy into the cartons, freeing them from the six-sided limits of their "stuffy" predecessors.

Improved labels, shelf trays put ‘personality’ in paint

New packaging for Glidden Paint emphasizes the brand logo three times on the label, displays a rich and bold color-coded information hierarchy that helps consumers select the product and sheen they desire, and introduces "personality" elements to reinforce the emotional and social aspects of painting. The newly designed cans also support improved in-store shelf trays for better branding.

Intuitive package shape supports product inside

Leveraging the branding power of structural design, Vivitas Woman Mom to Be, from Purity Life Health Products, features an HDPE bottle molded to resemble the silhouette of a pregnant woman. The package shape, supported by graphics printed in a shrink-sleeve label, intuitively communicate that the multivitamin supplements inside the bottle are for pregnant and breastfeeding women.