The box: Reimagined.

Packaging engineered with sustainability in mind 

 

When it came to our packaging, we knew we wanted to do something special. 

It was essential to us that the box the millo came was a reflection of the values and ideas behind the blender itself. For us, millo is about much more than great smoothies (although you’ll get those). The idea was to create sustainable food tech that could be used to introduce a fresh and healthier way of approaching your food and your lifestyle. 

We have always put sustainability in centre in everything we do. That’s why we have spent time making sure that we choose only the most durable materials for our blender. That is also why, when it came to our packaging we wanted to make sure it was 100% recyclable.

And let’s not forget that when it comes to millo, style matters. So, to match the sleek minimalist design of the blender, the packaging also had to turn heads. We are happy to say we have done just that.

 

 

Creating packaging that’s super tough, yet 100% recyclable.

 

The first problem that the wizards behind our packaging had to face was this: how do you design plastic free luxury packaging? Most luxury consumer electronics come in boxes laminated with a thin layer of plastic. This means that the box is pretty much impossible to recycle. We couldn’t even consider such an option as it would go against our most basic principles. 

So what the guys did was to pretty much re-invent the standard box. First of all, they tested a range of sustainably made materials with robust tearing and bending resistance. After all, we needed to ensure that millo was safe. From these tests, they selected a material developed by Winter & Company, a Swiss creative coverings company. “Wibalin Buckram” is lightweight and utilises raw materials from sustainably made forests. REACH EU standard compliant, it is free of any substances that might be harmful to the end-consumer and fully recyclable. The icing on the cake? The whole team agreed that this new material gave the packaging a natural texture and luxury feel.   

 

 

For the inside of the box we turned to ESKA, a rigid board material made by a Dutch company. Its structure and stiffness makes this board the key component for the box, it gives it the required structure. Therefore the packed product will be protected well. ESKA board is a three-layer laminated premium board, traditionally processed at precise temperature with energy generated by its own waste to energy plant. This material: 100% recyclable, 100% biodegradable and 100% stunning. Rigid, sustainable and protective, it couldn’t be better. 

But it didn’t finish there. They now had to consider the inner packaging that houses the blender itself. Again, with plastic-free as our motto, and after much testing, a black corrugated cardboard material was chosen. Lightweight and attractive, it holds the product securely, and can be easily folded. Moreover, it is also fully recyclable.

 

 

When it came to the outer-packaging of the box, plastic was needed to prevent moisture or shipment damage. So here our team chose a material that could be easily removed for waste separation.

And finally, we chose to use a green ribbon made from “Wibalin Buckram” to finish off the design with an elegant recyclable flourish instead of textile ribbon which would prove a nightmare to remove when it came to sorting waste for recycling. 

 

 

Making Recycling as easy as A,B,C.  

 

It’s a common assumption when you receive a luxury item that the packaging is not recyclable. This is something we wanted to change. We didn’t want people just to dump the box in general waste, for it then to be incinerated or added to landfill. So we decided on a novel solution. We put together a leaflet giving recycling instructions for every part of the packaging and we inserted it in a place that no-one could miss: on top of the product! As it says on the leaflet, “millo cares about making the world a healthier place.” And we mean it.

 

Working together for a brighter, healthier future 

 

We are not interested in “greenwashing”. Our dedication to sustainability is not just empty words. That is why our packaging soon will show customers all the materials we use, which company supplied them and how that material was produced. And this information is not only useful for eco-conscious customers. Other brands can use it too. In fact, we think more brands should share and learn from each other. All packaging should be easily recyclable and transparent. And if we are able to be an example that others can follow in practice, our goal of promoting maximum sustainability and transparency has been achieved.

 

 

Designer: Džiugas Valančauskas
Sustainable Development Management: Juozas Baranauskas

Structural Adaptation & Development: Jonas Kazlauskas, Bigso Packaging
Production Management: Tygelis Pack
Producer: Bigso Packaging
Postprint: Tygelis
Printer: Garsų Pasaulis
Packaging Scientific Consultant: Rasa Tumaševičiūtė
Packaging Photoshoot: PackShot

More about ESKA material: here
More about Wibalin Buckram material: here