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Hyland’s New Eco-Friendly Package Design

Eco-Friendly Carton Design

Packworld.com featured an interesting article on the redesign of a homeopathic ointment stick packaging which was motivated by a drive for more eco-friendly packaging as well as a desire for an updated package design.

Hyland’s are producers of homoeopathic remedies since 1903. They wanted to revamp the packaging for their “Bumps and Bruises” ointment stick, an ointment stick that provides natural relief of pain, swelling, bruising, and soreness for children when applied to the skin.

As well as wanting to revamp their packaging design, they also to explore the recent innovations in more sustainable types of packaging.  

Industrial designer Kara Errickson was hired to complete the project and she succeeded in creating an entirely new packaging that is significantly more sustainable than the previous packaging.

Figure 1 below shows the old packaging – it consisted of a plastic tube which was shrink wrapped onto a cardboard sheet.

Bumps and Bruises package - old design

Bumps ‘n’ Bruises – before package revamp

The new ointment tube is made of 100% recycled chipboardpaperboard, (see figure 2 below) which Errickson and Hyland’s, see as a more sustainable option. The spiral-wound paperboard tube has an internal piston that allows users to push up the ointment to apply it, and an outer cap.

After the tube is formed, a label is applied to the tube by machine using a food-safe, soybean water-based adhesive, eliminating the use of petroleum-based solvents. Bumps 'n' Bruises new packaging image

Bumps and Bruises new package image 2

Figure 2 Bumps and Bruises new packaging

The outer carton is printed in six colours and the ointment tube stands within a “cradle” within the carton’s base. The tube is visible through the die-cut window in the carton, but it can also be touched through the window because no plastic film is used in the window. The elimination of the use of a plastic film means that the entire packaging is paper based, making it a very sustainable form of packaging.

The article notes that Hyland’s decided to outsource their filling of the new-style tube as this is a tricky process and is greatly affected by the temperature of the ointment.

Hyland’s were clearly very dedicated to creating a more sustainable packaging because they reformulated the ointment in order to make it more suitable for use within a paper-based tube rather than their previous plastic tube. The article states that “The salve-like semisolid topical ointment easily pushed up the former plastic tube, but when Hyland’s decided to go with a paper-based tube the product was reformulated to ensure perfect consistency so that it would remain easy for consumers to use it as if it were in a plastic tube.”

Target’s Made to Matter Program

The US eCommerce site, Target, accepted Hyland’s Bumps and Bruises into their Made to Matter program due in part to the eco-friendly packaging. This is a partnership between the retailer and now more than 30 producers of industry-altering products and design collaborations that include a group of natural, organic, and sustainable brands. “Target loved the eco-friendly packaging, and they loved the concept of homeopathy in terms of reduced risk to consumers,” says Errickson.

Hyland’s reports that it had a six-month exclusive arrangement with Target to sell the product. At Natural Products Expo East, the product was very well received. Hyland’s have stated that initial responses to the product showed mom’s love the product and the fun packaging.
Read the full article here

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