Luxe Pack New York (LPNY) closed a successful “sweet sixteenth” year on May 17th. The two-day event at Manhattan’s Pier 92 welcomed 3,586 visitors, including brand executives from Chanel, Clarins USA, Clinique, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Coty, E.L.F. Cosmetics, Estée Lauder, Glossier, Goop, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, LVMH, MAC Cosmetics, Moroccan Oil, Nars, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Revlon, Sephora, Shiseido, Tarte Cosmetics, Ulta Beauty, Unilever—and more.

The show featured 240 suppliers from around the globe, including Brazil, China, Japan, Europe, the U.S, Canada, Mexico, Peru and Israel. Exhibitors showcased premium packaging for the cosmetic and fragrance industries, as well as wine & spirits, fine foods, and fashion. Material ConneXion featured a variety of some of the most innovative materials, which were on display along a wall near the front of the venue.

The long, winding aisles were crowded throughout many parts of the two-day event. Several exhibiting suppliers and attendees said LPNY never fails to create the opportunity to meet valuable contacts. Randi Seiff, president, Randi Seiff Design, commented, “Always a great show for inspiration and meeting new vendors to form relationships for future projects.” Pierre Janssen, creative director, Lush Media, said, “Luxe Pack connects creatives with manufacturers to ensure our clients look the best they can.”

The Luxe Pack in Green Awards ceremony grows larger each year. This year, the event was hosted by Instagram influencer/luxury brand ambassador, Anjelika Kour—read more about the winners below.

LPNY partnered with various industry associations this year, including ICMAD, CIBS, and The New Jersey Packaging Executives Club (NJPEC). Organizers say these partnerships bring “a welcoming spirit of support and advocacy for the future of packaging and design,” and plans to continue to expand its partnerships in coming years.

LPNY’s conference program featured 11 sessions, with participants from Estée Lauder, Shiseido, L’Oréal, STYLUS, Winky Lux, and Material ConneXion addressing current issues facing both brands and suppliers in the luxury industry. Conference topics included the new demand for sustainable packaging, influencer marketing, and future 2019/2020 design trends. Two of the conferences that drew crowds are featured below.

‘Green’ Was A Big Theme

Green packaging is always a big theme at LPNY—and many suppliers offered environmentally responsible packaging and practices in support of the market and its growing demand.

Golden Arrow, a new exhibitor at Luxe Pack New York this year, featured its 100% biodegradable and compostable molded fiber for use as cartons. Brands such as Apple are already using the packaging, and cosmetic brands see lots of applications according to Catlin Khamashta, the company’s technical program manager. The molded fiber is made from bamboo and bagasse, which is a waste-product of sugar cane. Golden Arrow is one of the two winners this year of the Luxe Pack in Green Award—read more about the awards in the sidebar below. 

Cosmopak showcased its numerous eco-friendly packaging solutions—an entire stock line made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastics. The line includes lipstick cases, lip treatment pots, mascara packaging, and compacts. Complete turnkey lines for influencer brands or limited-edition makeup launches are available. All filling is done in the U.S. and has an MOQ of 5,000 pieces.

At Wista Packaging, headquartered in Brazil, Flavio Unikowsky, international business manager, showed Beauty Packaging several new eco-friendly packaging concepts, including the Green Airless System, in which all components including the pump are “green.” The green PE plastic for the tubes is produced by Braskem. Wista handles the entire process “from molds on up,” according to Unikowsky, “with no outsourcing” so they have total control of the process.

Sari Sternschein, vice president of marketing, Qosmedix, showed Beauty Packaging one of their most popular items at Luxe Pack New York this year—paper tubes. Sternschein said “Customers are looking for anything biodegradable or green”—and these push-up paper balm tubes fit the requirements. They are available in Kraft, white and black, and the minimum to customize is 2,000 pieces.

Suppliers Showcase Solutions for Color Cosmetics

Suppliers featured an array of packaging options for color cosmetics. World Wide Packaging showed a number of new color cosmetic packaging solutions designed with on-the-go, pocket-friendly features in mind—so popular with today’s consumers. The supplier owns all of their own manufacturing facilities, so everything is “fully integrated,” according to Jim Farley, executive vice president, business development. Products included an airtight skinny lipstick, compacts with flat lids, a lip gloss that looks like a jewel, a patented dual-purpose eyeliner and mascara combo and a photoluminescent compact for use in clubs.

Synthetic filament options for brush hairs were a highlight at cosmetics packaging and turnkey provider HCT Group, where Cat Kong, VP of sales, global brush division, HCT Group, said they strive to mimic natural hair. A highlight was the supplier’s six infused filament options. For instance, green tea infused brushes help dull inflamed skin and provide a “dewy glow,” while charcoal infused brushes help to rid the skin of impurities, and a pearl infusion aims to lighten dark spots and even skin tone.

HCT’s magnetic brushes take advantage of the properties of magnetic energy and its positive influence on molecules in the body. As an added bonus, an anti-bacterial filament can be infused—and combined—with several of the other options.

Aside from their wide array of airless pump packaging, Fusion was focusing on its color cosmetics components in their “first big presence on the East Coast.” The full line of stock components is deliverable as full turnkey offers, and includes compacts, lip gloss, doe foot applicators, sifter jars, pots and beauty sticks. On the pump side, decorating capabilities, including gradients and specialty hot stamps were shown.

Nest-Filler’s numerous packaging options included a wide range of new items, many of which are ideal for makeup-skincare hybrid products. Some incorporate features that will protect a formula, while others provided the right type of dispensing solution to meet a formula’s requirements. All provide ease-of-use and were designed with functionality in mind.

The supplier’s small plastic bottle, Oil Tint + Powder makes it easy to mix and apply a product, such as an oil-based serum foundation. It comes equipped with a large sponge applicator on its cap and a mixing ball inside. The ball will thoroughly mix the product when the bottle is shaken.

Nest-Filler also featured its new airtight cases for lipstick, airtight jars, airless click rotary pens, and a squeezable bottle with a pump. Elise Kim, Nest-Filler’s account executive, also demonstrated an option that would be ideal for a hair care product, or bath & body—its new Fine Mist Sprayer. The bottle has an actuator that is smooth and effortless.

Everything a Skincare Brand Needs

Suppliers featured a range of options in plastic packaging, including bottles and jars, designed to accommodate a variety of products, especially skincare.

Queens Packaging offered visitors a look at their new lotion bottles, many airless, with a variety of new shapes—and suitable for uses from fine mists to oils. A dual-jar series was also featured.

Caps were the highlight at Lima, Peru—based Amfora Packaging, manufacturers of caps and decorators of glass and plastic. Luis Quispe said they manufacture caps, compacts, jars and premium caps for cosmetics and spirits—and handle a number of projects for Mary Kay.

At SamHwa, Sherri Ruffini, senior director of sales, spoke about the company’s heavy injection blow-molding capabilities for items such as sun sticks, a packaging style that’s steadily growing in popularity in the sun care market. SamHwa has made a new investment in machinery to service this type of packaging. The supplier’s luxe-looking PET and PETG components, in which compatibility is not an issue, according to Ruffini, are popular for brands looking for lightweight alternatives to glass. Gradient sprays lend to the premium look.

Olcott Plastics was showing attendees a wide array of plastic jars for cosmetics and skincare. A double-walled jar, available in a range of sizes from 2-10 oz, is offered in a textured finish for a matte look. Textured caps are also available. The supplier can decorate, print or label the jars as requested. The PP jars can be recycled.

Mitsubishi, from Japan, exhibited anti-oxidation bottles, based on “Japanese technology,” which functions differently than in the U.S., according to the supplier. The bottle is made of six layers, with a bag that protects the contents. The component is available in squeeze-type or pump-type.

In addition to their extensive BeautiLock jars and compact line, Seacliff offered a variety of components, including a bottle with a very fine mist spray, which is ideal for facial mists and body sprays.

As part of a continuing development in innovative, reliable and affordable dropper systems with “a great user experience,” Yonwoo/PKG says its Ampoule Dropper offers the consumer the best things of dropper science—the metered dosing accuracy and precision, without the drawbacks of leakage, breakage and mess. The 5ml Ampoule Dropper has a wide range of decorating options including metallizing, spraying, silk screen print, hot stamp, and heat transfer label. An adjustable metered dosing system adapts to specific formulas. The bulb is TPE; the bottle, PP; and the pipette and over cap are PETG.

Madeline Blondman specializes in discs and disc covers for cosmetic jars, and Randi Barron, president of Madeline Blondman, was showing attendees some new featured products including a new black material. The supplier also offers color printing on the dust covers, such as adding shade names.

Isabelle Lawson, communications manager, Cosmogen, showed Beauty Packaging a range of beauty tools and applicators in all shapes and sizes. Holding up two oversized round body massagers called Body Fit, Lawson said, “We developed these in TPE, and they are perfect for scrubbing the body.” The tools have handles and a textured surface with raised massaging “bumps.” A Body Fit massager will boost circulation and the skin’s elasticity to help reduce the look of cellulite when used “intensely,” and daily, the supplier says.

Lawson also demonstrated Cosmogen’s “complexion booster” Ridoki Massager. The small plastic face tool comes equipped with a TPE textured roller that has two options—“bumpy” for a soft massage, or “spiky” for a more intense feeling.

Another tool that seems to make using skincare products “fun” is Cosmogen’s silicone Dual Texture Spatula, which is oversized, soft, and flexible. Designed for the face, one side features a textured surface to scrub the face clean with any type of gel cleanser, while the smooth side will apply a face mask with ease.

Innovations in Glass

The array of glass packaging options at Luxe Pack New York is always extensive, and suppliers’ capabilities in glass molding and decorating is always impressive.

Sheherazade Chamlou, vice president of global marketing, Verescence, highlighted the company’s new glass forming methods.

The supplier offers innovative technologies such as achieving asymmetric glass distribution, light-weighting glass for sustainable luxury; and in-mold decorating for high-end skincare jars and fragrance bottles.

Baralan has steadily increased its range of products for skin-care and fragrance, as well as its substantial offerings in nail care.

Maurizio Ficcadenti, global innovation and marketing manager, Baralan, was highlighting the supplier’s new technology in glass divided jars, molded in a single glass piece. The Maria Christina jar includes a disc cover with an attached applicator. The Megan line includes two bottles for skincare and two bottles for nail care in the same design and style.

Etienne Gruyez, head of perfumery and cosmetics at Stölzle Glass Group, showed guests its IPET treatment, which is a new unique coating process for glass that will enhance its brilliance. “It is a new generation of powder spray that doesn’t require a primer, explains Gruyez. “We have now mastered the technique of applying the finish directly to the glass,” he says.

The IPET treatment is the perfect basis for further decoration like silk screen printing or hot-foil stamping. The bottles are treated by a special process during production resulting in an incomparable surface brilliance which enhances the glass’s already fine aspect; it is then possible to add further decoration like spraying or hot foil stamping.

What’s New in Tubes?

The team at Cosmogen showed visitors an innovative new tube design that is extremely user-friendly—the Simple Touch Tube. It offers brands a solution for thick formulas, and it is designed with an anti-suck-back feature built into its cap. This feature allows a brand to use less chemical preservatives in a formula.

Lawson demonstrated how easy the Simple Touch is to use—flip open the cap, and gently press on the hole in the middle of the tube. It works while being held in any direction, even upside down. The tube will also keep its shape and look “full” until the last drop—which will be dispensed as smoothly as the first drop was, Lawson says. 

At Viva IML Tubes, Bruno Lebeault, marketing director North America, Viva, showed Beauty Packaging a number of options in newly produced tubes, including Velvet, with a unique, luxurious, soft-touch finish and an eye-popping holographic design. Viva’s polypropylene eco tube uses up to 65% PCR. A dual dispensing tube offers a dual chamber solution for either two products mixed at application—or two products used compatibly such as shampoo and conditioner.

Tubes made from sugar cane, which require just a 10,000 minimum, were one of the features at Kaufman Container, where Kevin Lahiff, accounts manager for the supplier, also emphasized the company’s decorating capabilities. Additional low-cost market entries include a shrink-sleeve line with custom orientation.

Albéa featured its new Teardrop Tube—an innovative option that is designed with ease-of-use in mind. The TearDrop tube features a drop-by-drop liquid dispensing system. The smooth nozzle tip provides an easy, intuitive application gesture for the controlled dispensing of liquid formulas.

The TearDrop Tube is ideal for water or oil-based liquid formulas, including serums and liquid foundations. Albéa’s team also spoke to Beauty Packaging about 10 global trends in the beauty and personal care market—and how each has inspired the company’s latest packaging innovations. See the story, Albéa Presents Packaging Innovations & Ten Global Trends. 

Cartons & Paperboard

There was no shortage of options in secondary packaging, such as cartons—and paperboard suppliers featured innovative materials as well.

Gary Bernstein, senior director, packaging sales, Neenah Packaging, spotlighted custom solutions and presented a plethora of creative luxury packaging paper options, including a variety of “takes” on Pantone’s Color of the Year trend, Ultra-Violet, with options from textural embossing to super shine. Bernstein said Neenah can customize anything, including color, thickness and weight to give a brand’s packaging a unique look. A number of sustainable options are available.

Inger Heinke, business director, Cartonboard, Billerudkorsnas, told Beauty Packaging that the company is “taking on a lot more volume” since entering the U.S. marketplace.” One of the keys to success, said Heinke, is the strength in stiffness their board offers—at lighter weights. She said this enables customers to buy less material, thus saving money and reducing their carbon footprint. She pointed out the unique four-ply construction of the sheets as well as the strength from its Nordic fibers.

Transparent Container spoke to visitors about its award-winning package, which is a hybrid solution that combines high-impact paperboard, graphics, and a thermoformed tray. The Great Lakes Graphics Association recognized Rea-Deeming Beauty Inc. and Transparent Container as “Best in Class” for the All About Face BeautyBlender package, produced by the supplier.

Jeff Miller of Consolidated Graphic Communications, Rea-Deeming Beauty’s print/package supplier said, “Transparent Container’s printing and custom thermoforming expertise was essential in turning this unique, dramatic package design into a finished workable package.”

Printing, Decorating, & Coloring Plastic

Processes such as printing, decorating with foils, and coloring plastic all require specific capabilities—and finding the right suppliers to work within these areas is essential in conveying a brand marketer’s vision. Various suppliers at the show featured a multitude of decorating techniques, for various substrates.

DISC was featuring what it called “Daringly Different Packaging,” emphasized with vivid images of David Bowie. Brands don’t want to just stand out—they want to disrupt, said John Rebecchi, PhD, and senior vice president of marketing and new business development for DISC. Rebecchi illustrated this idea via a number of cartons with unique graphics on the inside. Customers are looking to excite consumers when they open the box.

Velox was a first-time Luxe Pack New York exhibitor, showcasing their special process for digital deco, in which they can print on plastic or aluminum—on any cylindrical containers—in up to 15 simultaneous colors. They offer full production speed printing on any metallic substrate—and uniquely, can print on both tube and cap once assembled.

North Pacific International (NPI) spoke to visitors about its decorating machine that enables ultra-high-speed hot-stamping and heat transfer applications. According to NPI, unlike common machines with a single head, the MH series configures two or three heads in a single unit, achieving the high-speed decoration without straining the original foil character. NPI says the MH series will be a fit for the plant seeking a new way of decoration and management with full automation.

The team at Kurz spoke to visitors about its foils and decorations. Spatial FX will give a package a 3D look. Optically, decorated plastic will appear “almost tangible,” according to the supplier. Another decorating option, Deep Lens, is designed to give a product a “stereoscopic depth,” using round or angular shapes. Kurz offers this technique in silver, gold, or transparent. It can be applied using hot-stamping or a cold-foil transfer process. 

Coloring plastic is a specific specialty. It looks decorative; however, it is not technically a “decoration,” since plastic blow-molded bottles are colored during the blow-molding process. When in need of a decorative look for this type of package, suppliers and brands turn to Badger Color Concentrates. The company team showed Beauty Packaging their newest look for blow-molded bottles—Stretch Frost.

Stretch Frost is a color and effect innovation that’s available in custom colors, with varying intensities. Looks range from a delicate shimmer to a thick matte that is slightly pearlescent.  “It can add subtle sophistication to a package without the cost of a matte finish mold modification or the use of a secondary process, such as a textured spray,” the supplier explains. Stretch Frost is FDA-approved, and available in both liquid and pellet masterbatches. It is also easily customizable.

A Multitude of Metals & Metallics

Metal packaging is often chosen to convey luxury, and suppliers at LPNY featured many options, including metal caps and metallic finishes.

Anomatic was highlighting a new gradient finish in anodized metal. Anodized metal components are then put through the supplier’s metallizing line to get a gradient finish. The components can then be hot-stamped. The process can be done on both metals and plastics—“on virtually any cylindrical shape,” according to Steven Rusch, vice president marketing and business development, Anomatic Corp.

Cameo Metal showed Beauty Packaging an array of metal caps, in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Anthony Di Maio describes a few of the company’s many decorating abilities for caps in the feature story.

At TNT, directors Toby Cattermole and Thomas Diezinger said their company, whose primary business is in metals, including zamac, specializes in creating “packaging components that will be remembered in 25 years.” They also do plastics as well, including for caps, plaques and accessories. Everything is custom—and they describe their company as “very agile.”

Metapack, which specializes in metal, showcased a range of luxe options for fragrances. Its extensive range of custom caps, collars, and accessories gives luxury fragrances an extra-special look. The supplier also spoke to visitors about its customizable purse sprays that are available as standards.

Digital Tools & Technologies

Since we are in the digital age, suppliers are coming up with new tools and ways to “digitize” packaging. 

Phone Me was an interesting new addition at this year’s Luxe Pack New York. The name of the company is also the name of the developing technology and the associated app. Using a label with a chip and an antenna on the package, the consumer needs only to touch the product with their phone for instant info on marketing, user info, etc. It uses both audio and video for application tips.

IC3D Packaging Prototypes, which has done work for leading brands including Marc Jacobs Beauty, was highlighting software that offers faster rendering “than any other software,” according to Lalita Zapata. Customers can make changes immediately and in real time, and see changes in lighting, shape, material and liquid proportions.

IBC Shell, which designs, develops, and produces packaging for luxury beauty brands, wants beauty packaging to begin “talking” to users. The company featured its V-Pods at the show, aka Vivaldi Music Pods. (IBC Shell manages and operates Vivaldi.)

V-Pods are micro-sized speakers that can be placed anywhere, such as on a box or inside a fragrance cap or, in custom-designed, branded housing. V-Pods can be programmed to play music, a custom playlist, or let users chat or snap a photo. Ideal for product launches, holiday packaging, or a gift-with-purchase, V-Pods offer users a “multi-sensory experience” the company says. They come with a micro-USB port and operate at a range of 10 meters. 

Panel Examines Effects of ‘Packaging the Senses’

‘How do we create, distill, market, and package these ephemeral senses?’ 

Marc Rosen of Marc Rosen Associates brought together experts to discuss “Packaging the Senses” at Luxe Pack New York.

Rosen said in addition to the traditional five senses, the “other four senses” are: a sense of self, sense of worth, sense of time and sense of beauty. During his introduction, he asked, “How do we create, distill, market, and package these ephemeral senses?” 

For the panelists’ perspectives on this topic, please see BeautyPackaging.com.

Winners of Luxe Pack in Green Awards Honored

James Cropper and Golden Arrow were presented with trophies for ‘green’ innovations at a ceremony at Luxe Pack New York.

The annual Luxe Pack in Green Awards attracted a record-breaking 20 participants this year, excited to gain recognition for their impactful eco-friendly products and industry changing CSR initiatives. 

The awards were presented at the LPNY show at a ceremony hosted by Instagram influencer and luxury brand ambassador, Anjelika Kour. Trophies were presented to the winners: James Cropper for its CupCycling technology and Golden Arrow for its Water Recycling process.

World Wide Packaging (WWP) sponsored the awards and designed the trophies, which were blue-green glass sculptures that looked like works of art. Barry Freda, chief executive officer, WWP, delivered the opening remarks.

Golden Arrow won “Best in Green Product” at the Luxe Pack in Green awards. The supplier won for its luxury molded fiber packaging created from bamboo and the waste product of sugarcane, bagasse. The molded fiber is 100% biodegradable and compostable, and ideal for cartons. The material has the potential to eliminate the use of thousands of tons of plastic packages.

James Cropper’s “CupCycling” won “Best in Green Initiative” at the Luxe Pack in Green Awards. “CupCycling” by James Cropper is the world’s first recycling process dedicated to upcycling take-away cups. “We save them from landfill and incineration, and turn them into beautiful papers,” the supplier states.

The Luxe Pack in Green awards program was created to recognize sustainable products and environmentally-conscious initiatives. The “Best in Green Product” finalists were API Group’s Transmet Technology; Nate Packaging’s Compacts; RPC Bramlage’s EcoSolution; and U&I Worldwide’s Water Soluble Foam. The “Best in Green Initiative” finalist was the Billerudkorsnas CO2 Initiative.

The winners were selected by a jury that included Beauty Packaging’s editor-in-chief Jamie Matusow, with Anne Nelson Sanford, founder of Lurk Beauty; Dr. Sandeep Kulkarni, founder of KoolEarth Solutions; Erica Hillmann, director of creative services for Tarte Cosmetics; and Anne Bracey, senior director, creative, at Clarins USA. 

Virospack Presented Winner of Elisava Design Awards 2018

The winning package was a dual-dispensing dropper in a stone-like double container.

Virospack presented an award to the winners of its Elisava Design Awards competition at Luxe Pack New York—students Oscar Oviedo (below, left) and Elisa Valli (center) photographed with Virospack’s Joanna Milne.

The competition was created in collaboration with the University School of Engineering and Design of Barcelona Elisava, to encourage creativity and promote packaging design.

The winning design consists of a dual dispensing dropper with two pipettes, which each have different diameters to simultaneously dispense two products in different dosages. 

The manufacturing proposal for the package combines steel and glass, according to the creators of this project, with a finish that shows “the double effect of wet and dry stones.” The design concept was inspired by the sea. It reflects “water in motion,” using stones as “protagonists” and the slogan “A product, double sensation.” It shows a dry stone with a sandy finish, along with a smooth, shiny stone when it is wet.

The winning team was awarded a cash prize of € 1,000, in addition to a trip to Luxe Pack New York. “We were really surprised by the quality of each project,” said Rosa Porras, marketing director Virospack, who credited the students and professors of Elisava for their involvement and excellence.

Experts Discuss Sustainability and Luxury

Balancing the expectations of luxury consumers with the need to be eco-conscious.

Sustainability is a complex issue that becomes even more of a challenge in the luxury market. Beauty Packaging’s editor-in-chief Jamie Matusow brought together three experts at Luxe Pack New York to moderate a discussion on this topic, which drew a standing-room-only crowd.

One highlight: Peter Malmqvist, marketing director for the Americas, Billerudkorsnas, spoke about some of the surprising results of a survey the company commissioned last year, “Unique Insights on Packaging Sustainability in Megacities.” For insight from all the panelists, please see BeautyPackaging.com.