Marie Redding, associate editor08.06.15
Spinster Sisters, a natural bath and body line based in Golden, Colorado, redesigned its packaging with a retro look. The brand says it worked in partnership with designer Andrew Cruz to “further develop the brand’s nod to a bygone era.”
The brand’s newly designed packaging includes cartons with circular die-cut windows, which allow consumers to see - and smell - the bar of soap inside the box. Another attention-getting part of the design is the witty phrases that are printed on the cartons, such as “rub it,” scrub it, love it” and “wash often and prosper.” And the phrase that's printed near each of the die-cut windows is “peek at sisters.”
The cartons are decorated with vintage style graphics that are reminiscent of a letterpress. The same graphics are used on the primary packaging, which includes black bottles with pump dispensers for the brand's body lotion, which is also sold in a carton.
Spinster Sisters owner and formulator Kelly Perkins explains, “The new packaging design pays homage to the brand’s sense of nostalgia and turn of the century elegance. Ephemera was a big deal in the late 1800’s and our soap and body butter boxes are something equivalent to a collectible or keepsake…something one won’t discard too quickly."
Perkins continues, "Letterpress printing has made a resurgence. We are proud to support that. And if the box is tossed, the hope is it will be done so via a compost or recycling center.”
Eco-Friendly Features
The Spinster Sisters' manufacturing facility, referred to as a micro-soapery, is powered by renewable energy for the lowest possible impact on the environment. Perkins continually looks for ways to make sure the company is promoting sustainability, by designing its packaging with the goals of reducing waste and environmental impact.
Perkins states in her bio: "We use simple, recycled, or recyclable packaging to conserve resources and reduce waste. In both our business and our personal lives we make a concerted effort to reduce our energy consumption and to live in a sustainable fashion. We are obsessive recyclers and rabid composters."
A Natural Ingredient Story - And Ethically Responsible Sourcing
Natural ingredients will always be an important part of every products' formulation. Perkins says she searches for raw ingredients that are simple and recognizable. The products are safe, gentle, sulfate free and hypoallergenic.
Olive, coconut, jojoba and sweet almond oils are found in many of the products, as well as fair-trade shea butter sourced from women producers in Ghana.
The Brand's History & Founder
Kelly Perkins says she founded the brand when she realized - along with her sister, who has since left the company to pursue other interests - that they needed "an alternative to the witches’ brew of chemicals that many modern skin care products represent." The sisters began making soap, which they began selling at small craft fairs, before establishing the company in 2011.
The Spinster Sisters line quickly grew to include shaving soaps, body lotions, scrubs and more. The brand includes more than 30 different scents in its product line-up.
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