Fresh Thinking Paper Ideas – September 2024

The latest creative and effective uses of paper-based materials, from cardboard tents to French stamps that smell of fresh bread, we bring you the latest innovations in print, paper and packaging.

For Those About To Rock

DS Smith has worked with sustainable tent makers EnviroTent to create a 100% recyclable cardboard solution to the problem of ‘tent trash’ – the thousands of polymer-based nylon or polyester tents that are abandoned at festivals each year. Research by DS Smith found that a fifth (18%) of adults thought that tents were the worst single-use plastic item for the environment, with 19% having never considered their environmental impact.

DS Smith’s new cardboard tent can withstand four weeks outside in the winter, blocks out light, is quieter than its traditional counterpart and, most importantly, is fully recyclable.

“Festivals are at the heart of British summertime, but we have all seen the shocking images of their aftermath,” said Paul Clarke, Managing Director, UK and Ireland Packaging Division of DS Smith. “Cardboard could have really important role to play in replacing plastic, and we are really excited for the difference we can make together so people can create less waste and have a guilt-free festival.”

Cards To Remember

Father’s Day can be a tough time for children who have lost their dads, so mental health charity Movember has created a set of cards to honour those fathers who have lost their lives to health conditions or suicide. The set of cards features exclusive illustrations with short poems and drawings based on families’ favourite memories and stories of their fathers.

Research has found that less than a third (29%) of people speak about health and wellbeing with their fathers, despite the positive impact they have on people’s lives. The statistic highlights the culture of silence surrounding men’s health and Movember wants to encourage more open conversations about the health and support available to fathers. “We’d like to thank all the families that contributed to the cards for their strength and courage in stepping forward and sharing their heartfelt stories,” said Michelle Terry, Movember CEO. “There has long been a misconception and stigma surrounding men’s health that has held people back from seeking help when it’s needed.”

On Your Marks, Get Set, Sleep

Olympians in Paris this summer could rest easy in the Olympic Village knowing they were sleeping on one of the world’s most sustainable beds. Over 16,000 cardboard beds were made for the Games, each one made of a series of small cardboard modules that could be transported easily and quickly recycled. Designed to withstand up to 250kg in weight, the beds also featured a customisable modular mattress system with three blocks in different firmness levels that could be adapted to different athletes’ physiques and needs. “We designed these cardboard beds so that they can support up to three or four people jumping, because after winning a medal, people are very happy,” said Motokuni Takaoka, President of Airweave, official bed supplier of the 2024 Olympics.

Oh Là Là!

The French Post Office has released a scratch-and-sniff postage stamp to celebrate the baguette. The fragrant stamps depict a baguette wrapped in a blue, white and red ribbon, with the text “La baguette, de pain française”, which translates as “The baguette, the French bread.” Released on the Feast Day of St. Honoré, the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs, almost 600,000 stamps were printed, each with the unmistakable aroma of freshly baked bread. “The baguette, the bread of our daily lives, the symbol of our gastronomy, the jewel of our culture”, said La Poste on its website.

Accessible Burgers

Branches of McDonald’s across India now offer their customers the choice of accessible burger packaging that’s designed to make it easier for people with limb-related disabilities to open. Burgers in traditional packaging requires two hands to eat, but since more than 21 million people across India live with a disability, with over a quarter of those living with disabilities related to movement, there was a clear need to design packaging that’s easier to use for people with mobility issues related to the upper limbs.

“This small step alters an experience for the better – an experience that most of us take for granted,” said Pallavi Chakravarti, Creative Head of ad agency DDB Mudra West. “Mostly it’s the little things that go a long way in levelling the playing field for us all.”

Read more interesting articles like the above in the latest edition of The Page here!