Chanel x Knoll Ecoform

Chanel No5 packaged inside Knoll Ecoform for perfume's 100th anniversary / Source: Knoll

BagasseBambooBeautyMoulded FibrePackaging

3 MINUTE READ

Kaltrina Bylykbashi

WHAT WE SAY:

Chanel’s mono-material, moulded fibre, clamshell packaging might not look like much, but it is a powerful demonstration of how plastic alternatives have closed the gap when it comes to flexibility, durability and finish in packaging.

For an industry that positions itself as being all about quality, longevity, authenticity and stewardship, the idea of luxury brands using plastic will soon be inconceivable - if it is not already - because there really is not anything less luxurious than fossil fuel plastic.

KEY FACTS:

Chanel partnered with Knoll to create special edition, bottle-hugging packaging for its iconic No5 perfume on the scent’s 100th anniversary.
The packaging was made from Knoll Ecoform – a luxury branded Moulded fibre material made of a mix of FSC-certified Bamboo and Bagasse.
Knoll Ecoform is fully recyclable in the paper recycling waste stream, as it breaks down under the usual pulping conditions.
The mono-material blister pack, which includes a moulded fibre hinge and snap closure, was awarded a Formes de Luxe Award under the Folding Boxes category in 2021.

Chanel x Knoll Ecoform perfume packaging front / Source: Knoll

Chanel x Knoll Ecoform perfume packaging back / Source: Knoll

DIVE DEEPER:

Chanel’s brief was for a modern blister pack that closely followed the shape of its iconic Chanel No5 bottle. In response, Knoll identified its Knoll Ecoform material, due to its ability to provide the clamshell shape and performance Chanel required, as well as its sustainability credentials.
Knoll Ecoform is made of 60% FSC-certified bamboo and 40% bagasse.
It took Knoll 18 months to create the packaging, with the most technical elements of the packaging being its closure and hinge. These often require alternative materials to give the required strength and flexibility, however this would have negatively impacted the packaging’s recyclability.
To achieve the desired high level of smooth finish, inside and out, the packaging is formed of two sheets of pulp, glued together (typically the inside has a mesh texture).
For the detailing, the Chanel logo was hot pressed into shape, back legal copy was digitally printed and a silkscreen used for the UPC code.
The packaging went to market in summer 2021; in April 2022 Knoll won a further award at Paris Packaging Week for its work on Chanel’s oversized moulded fibre advent calendar.
Knoll has reported that 99% of its work in 2021 was plastic-free and the company was awarded a Gold EcoVadis rating in 2022 – placing it in the top 4% of assessed companies.

"The mono-material, Knoll Ecoform pulp packaging for Chanel is a first-of-its kind [in] luxury packaging...it has completely disrupted the market. We [will] continue to push the whole industry forward to achieve this new standard of sustainable packaging."

Jeremy Cohen - President and CEO, Knoll

Key Design Considerations:

Biodegradation Is the process benign and over what time period?

Knoll claims that as well as being recyclable, the packaging is also biodegradable. While technically almost every material is biodegradable, this gives us little insight into the speed at which this would occur. Furthermore, given the use of glue and lamination, we would ask if the packaging would leave any harmful residues behind.

How will you promote its recyclability?

Premium moulded fibre’s feel, rigidity and durability may cause customers to dispose of it incorrectly. Instead of promoting its biodegradability, consider how you will clearly communicate that it should be recycled in the paper waste stream.

Think beyond limited edition

Any and all disposable packaging is wasteful. Given durability was a key concern when creating these packs, could the brand position this packaging as being reusable? For example, could these become bottle protectors that keep customers’ perfume bottles in pristine condition during travel, or similar? This might help offset the (assumed) additional cost to produce this more complex packaging.

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Chanel x Knoll Ecoform

WHAT WE SAY:

Chanel’s mono-material, moulded fibre, clamshell packaging might not look like much, but it is a powerful demonstration of how plastic alternatives have closed the gap when it comes to flexibility, durability and finish in packaging.

KEY FACTS:

DIVE DEEPER:

Chanel’s brief was for a modern blister pack that closely followed the shape of its iconic Chanel No5 bottle. In response, Knoll identified its Knoll Ecoform material, due to its ability to provide the clamshell shape and performance Chanel required, as well as its sustainability credentials.

Knoll Ecoform is made of 60% FSC-certified bamboo and 40% bagasse.

It took Knoll 18 months to create the packaging, with the most technical elements of the packaging being its closure and hinge. These often require alternative materials to give the required strength and flexibility, however this would have negatively impacted the packaging’s recyclability.

To achieve the desired high level of smooth finish, inside and out, the packaging is formed of two sheets of pulp, glued together (typically the inside has a mesh texture).

For the detailing, the Chanel logo was hot pressed into shape, back legal copy was digitally printed and a silkscreen used for the UPC code.

The packaging went to market in summer 2021; in April 2022 Knoll won a further award at Paris Packaging Week for its work on Chanel’s oversized moulded fibre advent calendar.

Knoll has reported that 99% of its work in 2021 was plastic-free and the company was awarded a Gold EcoVadis rating in 2022 – placing it in the top 4% of assessed companies.

Jeremy Cohen - President and CEO, Knoll

Key Design Considerations:

Biodegradation Is the process benign and over what time period?

How will you promote its recyclability?

Think beyond limited edition

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