Dutch Packaging Design

Have we given up on changing consumer behavior around package material recycling? Or, are there tools that we can use to ‘move the needle forward.’ Earth911 thinks change is possible.

Read more at Packaging World

At Dutch website Groene Offerte you’ll find loads of interesting packaging design related articles, opinions and other stuff (all in Dutch). Especially the serie ‘Food for Thought’ gives entertaining and remarkable examples of packaging design in all its aspects, good or bad.
Groene Offerte is established for the complete design industry. The site is set up to grow: more and more contacts, knowledge and new insights. In this way Groene Offerte wants to help and encourage the design industry with their key role of this industry in the sustainable development of society and economy.

Food for Thought at Groene Offerte (all in Dutch).

An inspiring and interesting brand new book by Dutch publisher BIS Publishers out this month about ‘the essence of retail branding and design’.

”Retail mirrors society and as society is constantly changing, retail has to be able to anticipate these changes in order to maintain its right of existence. In short; act, react or suffer! This book covers all the facets of retail branding, holistic formula development and the essential one-to-one relationship with your customers.” -> Buy at BIS Publishers or view large and read at ISSUU

The iF product design award was introduced in 1954. Each year the iF award attracts more than 2000 entries from 37 countries, which are then judged by experts in the respective fields. This Product and Material yearbook features the best in international product design, focusing on newly developed materials and the innovative use of existing materials.

Buy here, here or here.

”The primary role of packaging is protection, whether that be primary packaging to reduce oxidation, moisture change or insect/microbial access or transportation packaging to reduce crushing or other damage in distribution. It is more than coincidental that packaging usage per person is higher in the developed world and food availability is much greater. The benefits of (diverse) packaging are obvious to us but less so in many developing countries. Both use and quality of packaging is important to reduce food loss and impact sales.”

Read more on packaging design and food loss at Packaging Digest.

A niche topic, a clear defined target group, a sharp program content, up to 80 stand units, a low entry fee et voilá, the ingredients that’ll make ‘Foodpacking Event 2013’ into a special event. The exhibition will take place on October 9 and 10 (Wednesday and Thursday) and will be held in ‘High Five’ in the ‘Jaarbeurscomplex’ in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

This event has been given the subtitle: High knowledge event on packaging in the food industry.
Read more here (Dutch).

According to Unilever’s top manager in Europe Jan Zijderveld, ”Poverty is returning to Europe”. Unilever, best known for popular brands like Knorr instant soups, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Lipton teas and many more, will cut package sizes due to the Euro crisis and still earn decent money. ”We know how to do it, but in the European boom years prior to the crisis we forgot.”
Read more in The International Spiegel.

Starting points in this packaging design for a Dutch women’s fragrance were elegance and prestige, combined with a natural look & feel. This led to a series of bottles in different shapes, with different caps in a wooden look.

In De Etende Mens (Food Culture: Eating by Design) Premsela explores how design can enable us to make the changes to our food chain that are necessary to ensure a healthy future. Mediamatic’s High Density Aquaponics Edifice and the Diesel Kantine (a collaboration with João Negro) are featured in the exhibition.
The exhibition De Etende Mens showcases work by designers who concern themselves with the relationship between design, food, and (the origins of) what we eat. Curated by Marije Vogelzang, the works on display map people’s complex relationship with food and make visitors aware of how our food is produced.
Throughout the year, Premsela offers educational activities in connection with the Designhuis exhibitions for students in Dutch secondary and higher education. De Etende Mens is on view until January 6, 2013 at the Designhuis in Eindhoven. The exhibition is open from Tuesday till Sunday, from 11.00-18.00. Entrance fee is 5,-. Go to the Designhuis website for more information.

This years Dutch Design Week will take place from the 20th until the 28th of October. This eleventh edition offers a unique glimpse into the future of design thanks to the endless creativity of hundreds of renowned designers and young talents from The Netherlands.
Over 1,500 designers display their work ranging from graphic design, industrial design, packaging design, spatial design, textiles, fashion, architecture, sustainable responsible business design and design management & trends. There are 85 different locations housing more than 300 events. Besides exhibitions, there are numerous lectures, workshops, fashion shows and seminars.

This year 200,000 visitors are expected to visit the Dutch Design Week.

Dutch Designweek 2012, Eindhoven – The Netherlands