HOUSE OF INGA
A dramatic reduction in ecological impact
for the sustainable fashion label
CREATIVE ECO-FRIENDLY BRANDED BOXES
A sustainable focus in project management for an eco-conscious brand
For years, it’s been our priority to be ecologically oriented. This philosophy shines in every aspect of our service and throughout our whole process.
It’s been a great pleasure to be approached by a sustainable brand, a client who gave us the chance to produce the eco-activists’ dream box.
HOW THIS PROJECT BEGAN
In the summer of 2021, we received a box enquiry from a Swedish fashion brand. Their request was straightforward about the type of packaging they were after.
“Our company is looking for a supplier for our gift box for our e-commerce store. We are looking for a supplier that offers recycled and eco-friendly materials.”
“The box is created for our luxury purse for our launch collection. We are looking to make a rigid box with a lid.”
–Kristina Bosevska, Creative Director at House of Inga
A challenging aspect of the project was the request for a 2-piece box in a very large size.
Parallel to being one of the most eco-friendly models, the lid and base box is rigid and non-collapsible. This quality, combined with the requested dimensions and volumes, would pose a problem with storage and transportation. Not only would it affect the unit price directly, but it would cause an extremely large carbon footprint.
100% recyclable boxes, made of 100% recycled materials, designed to cut transport volume to half
The boxes for House of Inga are an exemplary sustainable solution that we are proud of. In addition to the clever choice of 2 nesting sizes, their basic style, paper choice and branding technique fall perfectly in line with our customer’s message.
We worked on:
Box exterior design
Choice of nesting sizes
Lift-off paper band
Step by step
This project went through several stages, each adding advantages to the initial idea. Starting from a basic box style, the final concept included some resourceful upgrades.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
We worked on the exterior design, covering all aspects of the box’s appearance. This stage included the choice of materials and branding style. The suggestion of two nested boxes in similar sizes was born too, as the result of our creative approach.
DESIGN VERIFICATION
Before the final order confirmation, we went through a design verification stage. We made pre-production samples in the two nesting sizes. The lift-off paper band came to life during this stage and was revealed to the client through the samples.
MANUFACTURING
The completion of each set of nested boxes involved a tailored manufacturing process. During this stage, the smaller box of each set was wrapped in a paper band sleeve and then placed into the larger box. Easy extraction of the inner boxes was guaranteed.
Earthy colours, basic shapes
This box is designed to become a messenger of sustainability on behalf of the Swedish fashion brand.
BOX STYLE
Ms Bosevska clearly indicated the box style that would work for their brand. We heartily embraced the choice as one that involves zero plastic or magnetic elements.
The classic model consists of a rigid tray with a removable, lift-off lid. This style is mostly loved for its durability and reusability.
The paper and solid board materials are eco-friendly and 100% recycled.
PAPER
The paper that we suggested, and that became our client’s choice is SH Recycling. This is a paper that uses its beautiful substrate from post-consumer non-bleached, recycled pulp. It is grey-brown in colour with small particles in a darker shade.
The core beneath is a non-bleached greyboard, another material that is made entirely from recycled pulp.
The hot foil finish, which we did with Foilco white pigment foil, is also sustainable. The process is dry, non-hazardous and emission-free.
Reduction of carbon footprint, storage and transportation costs
The boxes were meant to hold limited edition, lasting pieces of clothing and bags of the highest quality. The box size per our client’s request was approximate which gave us the opportunity for a creative approach in the search for the best solution.
As a first step, we calculated and offered the box size that would fit best inside the stock B1 sheet of SH recycling.
We optimised the paper consumption to the fullest.
Next, during the design consultation process, Ms Bosevska prompted us to go further and find a solution to the possible problem related to transportation and storage volumes.
We came up with the suggestion to make boxes in two sizes, where one fits inside the other.
In this way, the number of shipping boxes was reduced by half and so was the storage place required for the boxes.
Clever unboxing using a perforated, removable sleeve band
The two box sizes are as close as possible, ensuring that the smaller box is still large enough for its purpose. As a result, there is no space around the inner box and it becomes difficult to reach for it and get any grip.
Through pre-production samples during the design verification stage, we used the possibility to upgrade the concept.
We added a lift-off paper band for our client to take the smaller box out.
The band with a punched tear-off strip is neatly measured to be a perfect wrap around the inner box. When the punched strip is torn, two loose ends pop out to allow a firm hold.
We made a video of our upgrade and showed it to the customer before we dispatched the pre-production samples. Ms Bosevska commented promptly:
“Thank you so much for the video! We are very excited to receive the samples and appreciate your enhancement with the additional sleeve.”
“I can gladly confirm that we have received the samples. We are very pleased with the quality and outcome!”
–Kristina Bosevska, Creative Director at House of Inga
Soon after the samples’ assessment, we received the order confirmation for the production of the first 500 boxes.
I am very pleased with your communication skills and thank you for this process.
We are very happy with the boxes! Hopefully, we will have many collaborations in the future.
–Kristina Bosevska, Creative Director at House of Inga
We do believe more brands will consider sustainability at every step of their work. The ‘House of Inga’ brand is a great example of this approach.
Design with confidence
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Get closer to our everyday work through a collection of projects showcasing nPack’s contribution to the amazing world of luxury packaging.
