Luxe Pack New York Takes It to a New Level

Granted, it wasn’t the Mediterranean Sea or the Grimaldi Forum, but Luxe Pack New York’s new venue at Pier 92 on the Upper West Side of Manhattan offered a faint reminder of the setting of its Monaco counterpart, with a bright airy space and an expanse of windows looking out on the water—be it the Hudson River. Most important, the upscale exhibit space provided an easy traffic flow for visitors navigating their way through nearly 200 booths (194 versus 165 in 2014). The one-floor layout also kept the spacious seminar room easily accessible for two days of jam-packed educational sessions.

With 3,331 visitors, attendance was up 14% compared to last year. Show organizers said 63% of visitors were packaging buyers from brands, with 66% in cosmetics and fragrance. Personal care accounted for about 52%. (Attendees could specify more than one product category.) More than 90% were from the U.S. with the vast majority from the NY/NJ region.

Nathalie Grosdidier, executive director of Luxe Pack, commented on the 12th edition of the highly regarded global packaging show, held May 14-15. “It’s a new step—a new venue, new booths, the premiere of Luxe Pack in Green in New York. We’ve changed everything.”

She said Luxe Pack in Green (which was sponsored by Beauty Packaging in conjunction with its April/May feature on Environmentally Responsible Packaging) had received a great response in its first year. Grosdidier said the program, in which a jury selects the most sustainable package submitted, is important because it offers a means for exchanges between brands and packaging manufacturers. “There are many different ways to propose sustainable packaging,” she said. “It’s interesting to discuss [the possibilities] together and share practices on a global scale.”

In fact, this was a recurring point throughout the show, with key executives from leading global brands stressing the need to work together to improve existing methods and to find new solutions for sustainable packaging, including the incorporation of PCR into packaging materials. (For more on this topic, from Beauty Packaging’s Luxe Pack panel, with Estée Lauder’s Henry Renella and L’Oréal’s Stephanie Martins, members of Beauty Packaging’s Board of Advisors, go to beautypackaging.com).

While the show continues to grow year after year, Grosdidier stresses that Luxe Pack New York continues to remain selective in choosing exhibitors, based on packaging creativity and manufacturing capabilities. She explained that growth has come primarily from the U.S. While LPNY used to be comprised of 80% European vendors versus 20% from the U.S., today half are from the U.S., with 40% from Europe.

As far as some of this year’s observations concerning exhibitors, Grosdidier said she noted a diversity of materials and finishes: “Traditional like metal, plastic, glass and board—to new materials, more wood and even ceramics.”

She also said there were “more printing companies this year than in the past.” Grosdidier said there were many new decorative effects, and that some suppliers had found solutions in digital printing—solutions “that are more eco-friendly, better for brightness, etc.”

On the Show Floor

In visiting with exhibitors at Luxe Pack New York, Beauty Packaging noticed a number of trends. As seen at industry events earlier this year, an emphasis on brightness and color continued to be a focus, with vivid hues emblazoning materials from wood to metal, paperboard to plastics, brushes and more. The customization of packages, by using techniques such as digital printing, is supporting consumer demand for highly individualized products. Decorative techniques and tactile effects are all the rage on packages from glass to plastic, paper to wood. With formulations becoming more and more sophisticated, many suppliers also commented on the need to understand compatibility issues between the product and the packaging.

In general, we heard more from brands that felt a necessity for additional U.S. suppliers—and talked to many suppliers who touted their U.S. manufacturing capabilities. The tables may be turning—or in fact, may be all mixed up, as we were even given examples of packaging that’s made in the U.S. and then sent to Asia for filling. (Watch for Beauty Packaging’s September issue with a feature on Made in the U.S.A.)

(For a close-up look at some standout packages at LPNY, please see the video of Beauty Packaging editor Jamie Matusow and packaging designer Marc Rosen as they engage in their annual trend-spotting walk on the Luxe Pack show floor.)

Here’s an overall look at what Beauty Packaging took note of while visiting exhibitors on the show floor.

Glass Packaging Comes Alive

 

Decorative effects continue to take packaging to new heights. Whether through advanced techniques—such as 3D, scented components or color—cosmetic and fragrance packaging continues to raise the bar when it comes to attracting potential consumers with products they can’t help reaching out to touch. From glass bottles to caps and compacts, deco was king.

Techniques such as soft touch and heat transfer that can produce textile patterns on glass—“are bringing beauty closer to the fashion industry,” according to Sheherazade Chamlou, vice president sales & marketing at SGD North America.

Chamlou showed Beauty Packaging a number of examples of fragrance bottles with decorative techniques that illustrate the incorporation of tactile and multi-sensorial effects. Juicy Couture Noir features a silver mirrored coating inside, while the outside is lacquered. The finishing touches: a glued-on plaque and a jauntily tied black ribbon bow. The striking bottle produced for Jay Z features a large bottle with a thin shoulder and thin sides, complemented with a matte finish. (For more, please see show floor video with Rosen and Matusow, mentioned above.)

At Decotech, a wide range of glass fragrance bottles was on display, illustrating the company’s many finely executed decorative techniques, including digital printing. We asked Richard Engel, president, Decotech, about the rising demand we had heard about. He said: “Digital printing has been well received and we have several items in the market on shelves right now. You can print digitally on anything, but it’s difficult to get it to stick to glass.” Engel said Decotech has perfected its digital process, which passes all product testing and adhesion testing requirements in the industry.

Among the many bottles that caught our eye at Decotech was the Pink Vacay bottle for Victoria’s Secret, which is masked on the front and back, sprayed aqua all around the sides, then hot stamped with a hologram foil on the front and finished with a four color digital print on the back all the way to the edges. The combination of techniques and detail on this item makes it a real standout.

At Bormioli Luigi, the elegant and sophisticated bottles for Mary Kay and Ashley Olsen’s Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black and Nirvana White fragrances for Sephora linked to the past with a vintage, hinged cigarette case look, with a beautiful pattern etched into the mold.

Pavisa displayed a number of very high-end examples of glass decorating, including hand-blown bottles for the ultimate in luxury. One bottle featured ceramic deco on glass for a wonderful tactile effect. A sandblast technique resulted in a deep deco effect. Two-color ombre-effect glass was also captivating. Pavisa told us they are “putting innovation back into the glass itself.”

Dekorglass, the prestige glass company headquartered in Poland, highlighted its many specialty direct printing processes on glass. A number of examples featured inkjet and digital printing with coatings and laser cutouts.

Cospack America, known for its luxe collections of airless plastic bottles and matching jars, with shiny finishes and metal accents, was featuring its decorating techniques for glass bottles. Cospack America’s David Hou says that many of his customers are looking for glass options lately for skincare products, in order to prevent non-compatibility issues.

Captivating Caps

Facets and shiny caps highlighted bottles and caps on display at Coverpla. Bruno Diépois showed us the Laura 2 bottle with a faceted diamond shape on the top and bottom. Odeon is a new 30ml bottle. A number of new caps for prestige fragrance were also on display, including Portos, the supplier’s first standard cap made in Zamac. The cap has a luxurious look and feel, and is available in stock in shiny silver. Additional colors, including gold and gunmetal, are also available.

 

At Milan-based Cosmotec, an array of beautiful fragrance caps the company had engineered for high-end brands, included caps scented with the actual fragrance. Complex cap designs were made of materials such as rubber, metal, Zamac and plastic. A cap for Trussardi My Name fragrance featured rubber inside and electroplated metal mesh on the outside with a base of Zamac. The individual, plastic “petals” on the cap of Blumarine’s Anna looked like they were unfolding.

Elaborate porous ceramic floral caps for diffusers couldn’t be missed at QRS, which specializes in customized primary, secondary and turnkey packaging. The Shellseeker fragrance on exhibit used a stock cap that was then customized. An ash wood cap featured custom embossing. QRS even developed the fragrance and handled all the compatibility testing.

Wooden componentry has also become more popular, due to its sustainable features as well as its unique tactile nature. On display at Technotraf was a collection of purse sprays with glass bottles inside. Wood shapes included square, round and oval. The pursers are also environmentally responsible as they can be refillable. Just like a fine wood floor, the wood can be stained and colored in different ways. Possibilities include beech, ash and maple. Bright, fresh colors for caps and compacts created a whole new look for wood. The pack’s components can be taken apart for recycling at the end of its life. Everything besides the spray pump and dip tube is biodegradable.

Compacts As Accessories

Technotraf also exhibited the compact they had created for Guerlain’s Terra Ora Powder Bronzer. Made of beech wood, which has been stained a rich dark brown, the ultra-smooth and silky finish reinforces the product’s luxurious and feminine nature.

Libo used a digitally printed epoxied sticker with a 3D effect for the cover of a Tarte compact that was reminiscent of a crosscut of a precious geode. The 3D look entices customers to feel the surface of the colorful component.The deco can be easily customized. Another interesting compact at Libo addressed the concerns of consumers who may want to know what the sunburn index is on any given day: The compact comes complete with a UV indicator, which can be included on the cover or base, whichever is preferred.

One product shown at Seacliff Beauty Packaging & Labs was a sleek, low-profile compact. The supplier designed this package with just three parts, and says it won’t let even the most volatile formulations dry out. The compact consists of a cover, base and ring. It can be decorated using either a matte spray or injection-molded color.

Compacts flaunting various 3D patterns drew attention at Kemas, which specializes in unique finishes. Animal prints that resemble lifelike skins fooled the eye—and the hand—thanks to incredible in-mold technology that creates texturized finishes that wrap around compacts. In another of Kemas’s decorative effects, silkscreen printing looks like laser etching.

HCP Packaging called attention to packaging it had delivered for the brand Japonesque. Each component features a slightly unique print, allowing consumers to make an individualized choice of one of the beautifully colored products.

Cosmetic compacts made from paperboard stood out at 3C Inc. Lou Della Pesca, company president, pointed out a magnetic pad palette that was all paperboard and included a mirror. A small paper jar included multiple wells for color. The containers can be produced with matte or shiny finishes.

Deco for Plastics

 

Decorative techniques used to embellish plastics have also evolved.

Kaufman Container had lots of custom bottles on display. The supplier specializes in turnkey projects, which utilize its in-house decorating capabilities, such as printing and labeling. One of Kaufman’s recent projects was customizing a bottle for a sunless tanning product line—and the bottle’s new silver base gave the brand a new upscale image. What’s next in development at Kaufman? They’ll have the capability to add texture to standard printing—for an effect that will give a package a tactile quality.

Choosing the right color for a plastic package can make all the difference, and Badger Color Concentrates was showing off its newest options. Special effects that include pearls, frosts, and metallic looks for plastics were all featured. A few of the newest colors being shown included subtle gold glitter effects; frosts that resembled pale Easter hues, including violet and yellow; and shimmer pearls for plastics.

Colorful Metals

Metallic looks were also hot at Anomatic, where the focus was on color, especially for tube caps. All processes are done in house in six weeks, including metal fabrication, anodization, decoration and assembly.

ABA revealed the newest addition to its extensive packaging line, with the exclusive representation in the U.S. of Envases, manufacturers of aluminum containers—ranging from 2- to20-fl.oz.—for hair products, fragrance and skin care. The line is ideal for environmentally responsible packaging, as aluminum containers are 100% recyclable and lightweight for shipping. Envases holds a patent on the debossing method used for decorating these containers, resulting in distinct effects that make products stand out on shelf. Irregularly shaped aluminum bottles are also designed to draw attention. A number of additional decorating processes are available.

Cameo Metal Products, a metal closure manufacturer for over 40 years, spoke about its recently opened 55,000 sq ft. manufacturing space in Beacon Falls, CT. The state of the art manufacturing and tooling division was established to increase Cameo’s production capability, as well as establishing a complete tool design and manufacturing center to create shorter lead times in both tooling and production aspects.

Metals also shone at Saco Ltd. The company featured components that showcase its anodizing capabilities, including its new Satin & Bright Finish range. The range includes components with satin and other bright finishes, which were created without using an anodizing or any secondary process. This affordable decorating process can add value to a standard package, at a low tooling cost, according to the supplier.

Totally Tubular

Tubes, too, have taken a shine to metal.

At CTL Tubes, Anna Soden told Beauty Packaging: “Metallics are hot.” CTL is producing metallic tubes on which they’re using combination varnish for special effects. Soden was also enthused about the show and its new location, saying, “All of our customers are here—it’s great; being able to talk to them in a different way is good.” She said many customers are excited about “this type of quality in the U.S.— it’s a big deal.” CTL is now offering airless pumps and tubes via a partnership with Aptar. Offered in both spray and pump options, the packages are good for oxygen-sensitive formulas.

Airless Advisory

More and more cosmetic products are being packaged in airless containers, and new European legislation restricting preservatives in product formulations is driving suppliers to develop new options.

3C offered an airless pushbutton jar, with the button on the side. Push the button and the foundation comes out the top of the jar.

Yonwoo Intl/PKG Group showcased a number of innovative packaging choices, including its latest “green” innovation—reusable bottles and tubes made from post-consumer recycled paper. The inner parts are plastic, but they can be separated for easy recycling, and all the pumps, as well as the outer packaging, are reusable.

Eddie Czasar, vice president of sales for the company, told Beauty Packaging that the company’s new airless dropper is “hot to trot.” It’s a sealed system for dosage application, and features an automatic reload. He said it is ideal for serums or creams, or for target applications, due to its small pipette. A dual-dish jar features two collapsible airless bags inside—two actuators with a mixing dish on top for two products. A dual-ended airless bottle is the perfect solution for a day and a night cream—and the size makes it travel-friendly.

Dispensers/Applicators

Fusion Packaging previewed its new line of tube-based direct applicators, which are ideal for concentrated treatment products. The tubes feature an optimized efficiency and comfortable ergonomic design, with metal, plastic, silicon or nylon applicator options. They are available in 16- or 19mm diameters, and can be paired with a variety of customizable attachment styles for a number of different precision solutions.

Aptar Beauty + Home featured several innovations at Luxe Pack NY, including an innovative airless dropper, Serumony. The serum package has an intuitive dispenser. Also on display was the company’s promotional flexible package, Cosm’in, which is re-sealable and ideal for a cream, foundation, lotion or sun care product. A custom case made to show off Precious, was unzipped to reveal an even more prestige version of Aptar’s Sensea pump that’s known for its smooth actuation. Precious delivers a luxurious fine mist, due to its diffusion capabilities.

The 3D Blending Yukilon Grace Sponge, created for Shu Uemura, was front and center at The Penthouse Group. “The truly unique shape of this sponge coupled with the long-lasting durability of our premier sponge material ‘Yukilon’ offers the ultimate in makeup application,” said Steve Ostrower, president. The sponge has a soft, rich feel, for expert blending capabilities. The supplier’s proprietary Anti-Bac formula provides long-lasting protection.

Cosmopak USA featured its latest airless innovation—an Airless Flow Pen. It combines the simplicity of an applicator with the functionality of an airless package. When the pen package is twisted, the formula self-loads onto its attached applicator, which can be a sponge or brush. A propel and repel mechanism ensures a greater control over the dispensing of the product, for greater ease of use.

The team at Virospack showed attendees its dropper dispensing systems as well as other packaging solutions for prestige products. The supplier says its droppers have always been popular for skincare and hair care serum products, but now they are often being requested by brands to accommodate nail care products—and even color cosmetics like foundation.

Visitors to James Alexander learned about its refined DuoDispersion system, in its Tandem Ampoule. The package is available in two versions, a swab for topical applications, or a dropper for diagnostic uses. The DuoDispersion System can hold a combined volume of 1.2ml that are kept separate until the point of application. The tandem dropper can be customized to hold small-volume, dual-product medicines; each individual formula is hermetically sealed in its own container. Carol Gamsby also showed Beauty Packaging a polyurethane foam “scrubbie” with an abrasive overlay for cleaning, exfoliating or skincare applications.

Anisa International showcased a number of innovative developments including ‘Textural Evolution’ applicators; brush heads inspired by pro-designs; individual brush cleansing wipes; unique bag offerings; and at-home spa products.

Verla International, which features a wide variety of packaging options for all types of products, including fragrance and skincare, also has the ability to manufacture full turnkey solutions in its factories. The packaging options on display featured innovative designs, and a range of applicator options on some packages, such as rollerballs. They can be decorated using a variety of techniques, including crystal appliqués.

Cosmogen was celebrating its 30th anniversary, highlighting its long-time focus on brushes. The range of the company’s professional brushes was designed to beautify and enhance application of makeup formulas, and the collection of brushes is fully customizable. New on the scene were four patterns for Summer 2015.

Printing Progress

Digital printing, new types of inks, personalization and 3D effects were just some of the capabilities touted by printing companies exhibiting at Luxe Pack New York.

While Prestone Printing, located in Long Island, NY, offers a variety of printing services, at Luxe Pack New York, the company featured its high-gloss, 3D looks. Prestone adds tactile effects to printed materials from brochures to cartons via digital printing. An additional capability enables brands to add spot UV and UV embossing to any print project design, at a low-cost, according to the company.

Phoenix Color, a full-service full-color printer, is a domestic supplier that has served the publishing industry for decades and is now offering its premium, value-added special printing effects and finishing options to other areas including the beauty industry.

Advances in Papers and Boxes

A wide range of papers, including environmentally responsible choices, was available for applications from scent strips to wrapping cartons. Setup boxes have been modified with new features.

Hazen Paper’s Envirofoil is a transfer-metallized 16 pt. C1S SBS that represents a 95% source reduction on the aluminum component as compared to foil lamination and a 99% source reduction on the laminate as compared to a 48-gauge metallized film laminated paperboard. Hazen reuses the carrier film multiple times. According to the company, Envirofoil is brighter and more reflective than foil and performs better in carton-filling operations due to its excellent “lay-flat, stay-flat” characteristics, conformability and lighter weight. Curtis Packaging began to replace aluminum foil laminated board with Envirofoil in packaging for Titleist golf balls in August 2012. Hazen was a runner-up for this year’s inaugural New York Luxe Pack in Green award.

Napco’s Flatliner boxes are set-up boxes that are made in the USA, and ship flat for easy and efficient transportation and stocking. Any material or deco that can be used on rigid boxes, including mylar and embossed papers, can be wrapped around these. 3M dual lock reclosable fasteners take the place of magnets for easy open and close. Napco says it can produce up to 20,000 cartons per day.

McLean Packaging discussed the benefits and advantages of wrapping boxes in paperboard instead of paper. Extra smoothness is one reason to think about choosing paperboard; another is the ability to decorate a box with deeper embossing. The supplier says it’s a new innovation—and they’re the first company in the industry with this ability. The 10pt board, they say, gives a much smoother appearance. Grain gets eliminated. You can get a deeper embossing and a much squarer box according to M. Michael Jacobs, vice president of sales. The wraps are die-cut; they don’t just roll over the edges. All are produced in Pennsylvania. They can do full turn-ins up to 3-inches deep, and say they’re the first ones in the country who can do this.

Neenah Packaging Solutions featured Neenah Folding Boards in a multitude of options. Bright White virgin papers are available—as well as Kraft; White in 100% PCW; or 80% PCW. All are available in 16-, 18- and 24 pt. Neenah Folding Boards are FSC-certified, carbon neutral and made with green energy.

Carta Allura is a new luxury grade of board from Metsa Board. It is very white, very sustainable, and the perfect smoothness for a nice effect—and lightweight, too. The 80-year old company emphasizes that “green” is part of its DNA.

Not all cartons are made of paper. The “Klearfold PlantBox” by HLP Klearfold is an alternative to traditional folding cartons—and it’s “green.” It is made from box-grade bio-PET—up to 30% of which is derived from renewable, plant-based sources. Bio-PET possesses all the same properties and characteristics as petroleum-derived PET, and the substrate is produced on the supplier’s own custom extruders, to assure quality.

Second Use and Promotional

One of the tenets posed at Luxe Pack’s environmentally responsible packaging session, addressed the potential of second-life packaging—packaging that can be repurposed to hold keepsakes, etc.

Pure Trade was one company that took this to heart, displaying a lovely assortment of prestige palettes, small, round cosmetic boxes and gift items—as well as accessories and bags. For example, a cardboard palette for Clarins featured a reusable case with a mirror. The cardboard case is also recyclable. A delightful travel “palette” for Guerlain resembled a mini jewelry chest with multiple drawers for everything necessary for travel including shadows, applicators and other products.

Covering All the Bases

Many suppliers also feature ranges that run the gamut, with options that will satisfy any customer’s needs.

ABA Packaging Corp., for instance, featured its standard options in glass and plastic packaging, in addition to mascara and lipgloss innovations by OEKAbeauty, which is exclusively represented in North America by ABA. Also on display were unique airless and two-component bottles and jars manufactured by Inotech; sharpeners by M&R; aluminum bottle options by Envases; and new fragrance bottle designs by Ramon Clemente Glass.

HCT Packaging offers custom packaging and turnkey services, and “can do anything the customer wants, from fragrance to brushes to lashes,” said Nick Gardner, executive vice president of sales. He referred to the company’s creative capabilities as “innovation on demand.”

Beauty Packaging Presents Session on Environmental Responsibility

 

At Luxe Pack, NY, Beauty Packaging presented a session entitled “Luxe in Light of Environmental Responsibility: How Prestige Brands are Meeting Social and Environmental Calls for ‘Greener’ Packaging Compliance.” Speakers included Beauty Packaging Board of Advisors members Henry Renella, senior vice president for global package development, The Estée Lauder Companies and Stephanie Martins, VP packaging & development Americas, L’Oréal, as well as Dr. Andrew Dent, VP library & materials research, Material ConneXion and Dan Denisoff, senior vice president, operations, Pernod Ricard. The session was moderated by Jamie Matusow, editor, Beauty Packaging magazine. For details, please see the Online Exclusive at www.beautypackaging.com.

First U.S. Luxe Pack in Green Award

The panelists in Beauty Packaging’s session (see sidebar) also served as judges in the first U.S. competition for the Luxe Pack in Green Award.

Popular at Luxe Pack Monaco, the award recognizes the exhibitor presenting the most innovative environmentally friendly packaging solution. The jury reviewed the entries and selected the winner based on sustainable criteria including materials, new and efficient processes and technologies and more.

The winner was determined to be Airopack, for its Pressurized Dispensing System. Patrick de Vleeschouwer, global sales director, Airopack, accepted the award, which was crafted by Toscara Design.

Representatives from Airopack were among seven finalists who had the opportunity to make a private presentation to the jury during the event.

Jury members were (shown in photo, L-R): Dan Denisoff, senior vice president, operations, Pernod Ricard; Stephanie Martins, VP packaging & development Americas, L’Oréal; Dr. Andrew Dent, VP library & materials research, Material ConneXion; Jamie Matusow, editor, Beauty Packaging; and Henry Renella, senior vice president for global package development, The Estée Lauder Companies.

The New Dispensing Platform from Airopack is an environmentally friendly pressurized dispensing system with no environmentally toxic propellants and no unnecessary waste. Unlike other pressurized dispensers that use environmentally toxic propellants and metal cans, Airopack uses just normal compressed air in an all-plastic container, which results in dispensing a formulation at constant pressure from start to finish.

Annual Tour of the Show Floor

For the past seven years, renowned fragrance and cosmetics packaging designer Marc Rosen, and Jamie Matusow, editor of Beauty Packaging, have met up to tour the show floors of both Luxe Pack NY and Monaco, looking for the latest packaging trends on exhibit. At this spring’s event, they visited a number of suppliers’ booths, looking for packages that fit Rosen’s theme of “How to put the beauty into the packaging.” See the series of videos at beautypackaging.com