The first day was bustling, with attendees crowding the aisles, eager to visit suppliers and listen to topical educational sessions in the seminar room.

In addition to drawing a new crowd of brand executives, the second day also brought more serious buyers from Day 1 back to the show floor so they could sit down and have serious conversations with vendors they had talked with the day before.

This was the general, highly favorable review by many of the suppliers in attendance at Luxe Pack New York’s 13th edition, which was held May 13-14.

A sense of industry optimism increased attendance figures by 9% over 2014, to 3,600 visitors, and boosted the number of suppliers to 220, of which 53 were new to the show this year.

Steven Ostrower, president, The Penthouse Group, gave Beauty Packaging his thoughts on Day 1: “We had high-quality traffic from the first hour through the final hour. It was the best day we’ve had at LPNY in recent memory.” He said the brands that visited were not their everyday business clients. Instead, “They were representative of the up and coming new brands that have taken over the market, especially in places like Sephora.” In addition, he had noticed “a great variety of visitors that had come from all over the country.”

Nathalie Grosdidier, managing director, Luxe Pack, was thrilled with the participation of both suppliers and attendees.

“The crowded show floor was quite impressive this year—all the more impressive after hearing how pleased exhibitors were with the high quality of visitors,” said Grosdidier. “Our seminars and conferences also hit an all-time attendance record, with more than 800 people participating. This, along with the success of the Innovation Forum and the amazing solutions presented by the exhibitors, really exemplified the outstanding creativity being developed within the packaging industry.”

 Regarding trends this year, Grosdidier said, “I would definitely highlight ‘the tactile effect’ which was quite visible in the usage of raw materials and decorative finishes. Smart packaging, which we have seen as a past trend, has migrated into further technologies. Today’s solutions are incorporating heating and cooling technology as well as haptic and connected technology. A third quite prominent trend was ‘double usage.’ ” Double usage, said Grosdidier, describes creative packaging that serves additional purposes—and so offers added value to all consumers.

Beauty Packaging also noted these trends, along with others, which we showcase below.

To start with, the suppliers we spoke with emphasized the luxury aspect of the show—and said that they had brought or unveiled components, techniques, technologies that were geared precisely to appeal to luxury brands.

Like Grosdidier observed, texture was a key design element for many packaging suppliers—a tactile and appealing way to engage consumers.

At Decotech, Richard Engel, president and COO, told Beauty Packaging: “The word on the street is texture, texture, texture,” which he explained is key to customer engagement. He pointed out some of the decorative techniques Decotech offers for glass, including “waterdrops” on the bottle, crackle finishes, multiple metallizations—and even difficult combinations of techniques for ultimate sensorial appeal. (See Decotech video at BeautyPackaging.com.)

Jim Farley, vice president of business development at World Wide Packaging, previewed a number of items with tactile natures, and specifically geared to the luxury market. These included a custom silver metallic compact with a raised pattern and a thin profile lipstick with a mirror inside. (See World Wide Packaging video at BeautyPackaging.com.)

Various decorative options for high-end color cosmetics packaging were on display at Kemas. Darren Eade, vice president of sales, definitely agreed that there’s a trend toward texture. Crackle finishes and 3D graded finishes made cosmetic components look more like favorite, fine accessories. Eade said, “These techniques provide consumers with a different interaction with the packaging.” In-mold fabric transfer, which Eade says is a unique capability of Kemas, proved especially appealing with various animal prints—and definitely made you want to reach out and “pet” the “fur.”

Mix & Match Components

Interchangeable—or mix & match—components added up to another trend spotted among several suppliers at Luxe Pack New York. Ideal for brands with multiple products, sizes or “families,” these bottle/cap/pump standard combos provide ultimate flexibility. From fancy glass fragrance bottles with wooden caps to skin care bottles with pumps, many of these designs also use color strategically and provide a look of elegant simplicity. This type of purposeful color use can also play a role in helping consumers to easily follow a multi-product regimen.

At Yonwoo International/PKG Group, Earl McCurdy showed Beauty Packaging a family of sleek, white skin care bottles called Airless Point Neck, which can be differentiated via a colorful ring on top. Or, the ring can serve to show the color of foundation or formulation. The package comes in two pieces, rather than three, and is easy to fill. A customer can buy the same bottle for different SKUs—and can use the same pump for all.

Yonwoo/PKG also had a few bottles that featured a side button so you don’t have to push an actuator on top. A unique system for hair color revolved around a pan on top—turn the top and it brings the formula up into the well.

Baralan also uses color in a minimalist but effective way in bottles for its Opal Collection, which includes jars—for a whole collection. The clean, sophisticated combination covers both practical and luxury looks, according to Jim Slowey, vice president sales and marketing. You can mix the bottles with droppers and pumps, etc. Combining different color collars makes for a very premium look.

Standard luxury fragrance bottles and caps were winning combinations at Coverpla, where customers could mix and match an assortment of bottles with caps made of materials including wood, Surlyn and zamac. A new Surlyn cap in black is available for the supplier’s Damier bottle. (See this Coverpla video.)

At Piramal Glass, Dave Dessai showed Beauty Packaging a new line of heavy weight glass fragrance bottles with a substantial base. For ease of packaging, Dessai said Piramal had created families; finishes are standardized throughout the line so you can use the same pump and cap on everything.

Glass Bottles Shine

With its positioning as a luxury packaging show, fine fragrance is always a highlight as exhibitors feature a wide assortment of glass bottles from stock to custom.

ABA Packaging showcased its solutions for fragrances, as well as skin care and more, with an extensive collection of primary packaging options. Many are available immediately  as stock items, but each can be customized in a variety of ways. The supplier offers all types of components, in plastic, glass and metal. One of ABA’s big announcements at the show was that it is now the exclusive U.S. supplier of the Heinz-Glas stock range for fragrance and treatment—bottles, jars, reed diffusers and more. Five lines will be stocked in the U.S., while the others are in stock in Poland.

Zignago Glass covers all segments of the market with glass containers for cosmetics to fragrance, and specializes in luxury fragrance bottles. (See Zignago video at BeautyPackaging.com.)

Plastics & Labels Shine, Too

Color supplier Badger Color also put a spin on shine. Michael Falta told Beauty Packaging: ”The newest thing in the industry is, instead of mica, adding glass particles to the masterbatch for shine. You can see deeper into the container now, thanks to the translucent pigment.” The masterbatch can be used for caps, tubes and bottles.

APC Packaging’s specialty is acrylic products. John Shen said the parent company JinSheng Packaging is the largest manufacturer in China to produce high-end airless acrylic jars and bottles (APC is the American office). He says they just opened a one million square foot factory in China to meet capacity. APC produces a lot of custom molds, but also offers stock, which can ship from their warehouse in Florida. Everything is done in house, and they handle all size quantities. APC will also customize for small quantities—from 3,000-5,000. According to the company, they build 300 molds per year.

QRS was promoting the complete services they offer, from global sourcing to engineering. At the show, they were running a special promotion, offering PET bottle tooling at no charge with an order for 50,000 or more pieces.

The team at Pro-Motion Industries spoke to visitors at the show about the numerous decorating options the company provides, which now include shrink sleeve applications. Pro-Motion has multiple lines of pressure sensitive labeling equipment and offers contract labeling services.

In-Demand Portable/Travel Sizes

No doubt about it—shrinking sizes suited for travel are more in demand than ever, even in glass.

MWV debuted a new packaging innovation at the show called the MiniMod. It’s an airless pump and pouch dispensing system, ideal for low-to-medium viscosity products including skin care and hair care products. The airless design features an easy-to-push actuator for comfortable and controlled dispensing, It’s available as a stock package, in 25-40ml sizes, but can also be fully customized to a preferred shape and volume.

Kevin Clark, president, MWV Home & Beauty says that MiniMod offers unmatched consumer benefits, when it comes to functionality. He explains, “On-the-go packaging for beauty brands is still dominated by travel and sample-size packages. Consumers want more from their beauty brands than a smaller version of their at-home dispensing solution…”

Small glass bottles and jars also had a presence at the show.

Baralan’s family of Minerva bottles and jars now includes a small size for glass sampling. A double-entry jar ensures that the cap stays on straight as it engages on both sides, and also creates a more airtight package. It’s offered in 3ml for sampling, and up to 50ml.

Coverpla and New High (see this New High video) also featured glass options for sampling purposes.

Cosmetics Packaging Fills the Bill

Nice Packaging USA featured its refillable airtight compacts, which are among the supplier’s numerous packaging options for prestige beauty products. The compacts are ideal for a sponge filled with product, such as liquid, gel or mousse formulations. The compact can be filled with a pressed powder as well. It closes with an airtight seal, which offers a solution to preserve a natural product and protect air sensitive ingredients. This compact can be customized with any finish, and can be made with a clear bottom, for viewing the product inside.

Featuring Double-Duty

3C was also offering a new cushion compact at the show, and double duty packaging was another highlight. President Lou Della Pesca demonstrated a number of popular items. He told Beauty Packaging that the eye category has become bigger than ever before. 3C products included an automatic dual eyeliner and eyebrow pen; a double-ended automatic eyeliner with a metal overshell—for small and standard applicators; a double-ended brow pencil and mascara brush; and a double ended lip formulation and smudge tool.

The Best of Airless Packaging

Airless packaging continues to gain in traction, and suppliers at Luxe Pack New York were offering the technology in a number of packages from brushes to skin care.

HCT Group bridged the gap between double-duty, multifunctional products and airless packaging. The company was highlighting both its innovative dispensing options designed by HCT Airless and its luxury brushes, applicators and kits produced by HCT Brushes—and many of the options were combined. For instance, one airless package could be used with either a brush tip, a foam tip or a cooling zamac applicator. A double-ended brush featured a sleeve to protect both ends. (See HCT Group video at BeautyPackaging.com.)

Fusion Packaging was showing visitors its Direct Effect collection, a new airless range with three different tips. The supplier won the Ameristar 2015 award for the Curved Tip Airless Applicator, which was designed to contour the eye and lip areas precisely, while allowing the silky TPE tip to glide effortlessly across the skin for a feather-light application.

Another option is Fusion’s elegant Single Rollerball Airless, which combines a stainless steel sphere with a velvety TPE ring tip, for maximum penetration of beneficial product ingredients. Rollerball Airless doubles the application sensation due to its stainless steel spheres that deliver cooling and massaging benefits. Plus, the actuator provides convenient, single-handed application.

Kaufman Container highlighted a variety of glass and plastic containers and several new custom HDPE molds. On display were the new 10oz. Tremont Cylinder for hair care products, 4oz. Rock Hall Round for dry shampoo, 12 oz. Boston Round for lotions and a 350ml Cuyahoga Oval which could serve a variety of personal care products. Additionally, they also presented an array of airless systems and high-end jars. Various decorated packages were also on display to show Kaufman’s in-house decorating capabilities, which include screen printing, foil stamping, heat and shrink labeling.

Compax says the world can’t wait to try your formula, which is why they designed their innovative Airless Trinity Pump with FlashFoil tube to prime quickly and efficiently in three easy touches. All components of this inventive system are manufactured at a single site to streamline production and ensure that the premium pump delivers your product in no time, every time. (See Compax video at BeautyPackaging.com.)

Luxe Jars

At CPP Global, Bernice Mea, executive director of sales, showed Beauty Packaging their brand new 200ml PETG thick wall jar, part of its stock line for luxury packaging. The range covers 3-200ml sizes. CPP is also coming out with PCR jars—an eco jar, which will be available in some colors, according to Mea. The jar features an innovative, sprayed metal look—a “sustainable” new technique, and they’re now looking at other applications such as compacts, closures and jars. The range is called Metalook—and it serves as a replacement for UV vacuum metallizing, with sustainability benefits, and at better pricing.

On-Trend Papers and Boxes

Luxe Pack is known for its exhibitors that feature beautiful papers and cartons, and this year’s edition in New York was no exception.

Neenah Packaging showcased a full range of on-trend colors and high-touch textures for premium packaging, and many of the luxury papers and cartons on-hand featured fine decorating techniques to further boost impact. Mark Sng, director of marketing, said, “Our luxury packaging box and bag papers offer a balance of beauty, strength, printability and environmental sustainability.” (See Neenah video at BeautyPackaging.com.)

Metsä Board featured its extensive portfolio of lightweight packaging boards. The supplier’s fiber is harvested from sustainably managed Finnish forests. New options included Carta Allura, which has been developed especially for luxury end-uses. It is lightweight, yet firm, with a consistency and stiffness that will make the production processes trouble-free, the supplier says. Its reverse side is also coated.

At this year’s show, Unimac took an approach that focused on luxury brands by using booth graphics to simulate a luxe retail store. Jenn Russo, director of marketing and sales support, said, “Unimac is carving a strong place in fragrance and cosmetics capabilities.” In-house capabilities include die cutting, foil stamping, cold foil, cast and cure—all done at Unimac’s facility in PA.

Custom build setup boxes and custom patents are a specialty. Lots of popup styles were shown including a carton for a liquor bottle in which the bottom of the box pops open to serve as an impromptu cooler. Eska Graphic Board showcased beautiful black and white board designed for the graphics art industry. The board is very smooth and 100% recyclable (with newspapers and magazines). “With solid black, the cut remains the same color as the board,” said sales manager Dan Siller.

ACT Packaging showed visitors their packaging and shipping solutions, which include a custom box designed to cut freight costs. The box features spot UV and embossing—plus, a brand has the ability to use textures to decorate a precise area of the box. The supplier says this packaging solution is both luxurious and cost-efficient. ACT also offers a number of sustainability initiatives such as the use of soybean oil ink and decorating processes designed to minimize VOCs.

HLP Klearfold took a transparent approach to cartons and explained the many eco-benefits of its Plantbox. The clear plastic folding carton is a more renewable alternative to traditional plastic cartons. It is made from box-grade bio-PET, and up to 30% of it is derived from sugarcane, which is a renewable agricultural crop.

According to HLP, Bio-PET resin has all the same characteristics and performs just like 100% PET, but it uses less fossil fuel-based resources.

Tube Traffic

Traffic was heavy at CTL Packaging. We caught up with CEO Manuel Diez on Day 2. He told us: “Yesterday was very busy for us. Today we’ve had more serious buyers—they wanted to sit down and have serious conversations. Some of CTL’s most in-demand products were tubes with holographic and metallic effects, as well as an injection-molded tube with a wood cap.

Cosmogen was featuring its patented self-heating tube at its booth at Luxe Pack New York. The tube is designed to enhance the efficacy of cosmetic formulations. It also increases the comfort level and creates a better experience for users when applying cold skin care products to the face. It can also provide a soothing touch when applying a skin care product when on-the-go or in-flight.

One of the products Essel Propack featured was its Eco-Friendly “Green Maple Leaf” tube. The laminate tube is 100% recyclable, and contains a proprietary oxygen layer that eliminates the need for an EVOH layer. It is the EVOH layer that is more difficult to break down during the recycling process. Essel says its tube is ideal for beauty and cosmetics products, since it is compatible with the most high-end decorating processes. It also has excellent bounce-back characteristics.

While Express Tubes offered a variety of tubes, the supplier also made it clear that they provide a variety of packaging components, such as custom embossed PET bottles, HDPE bottles with innovative designs, customized closures, and shrink sleeves. Tubes available feature mono-layer and five-layer designs in PE, soft touch, aluminum, ABL and cosmetic laminate materials.

Summing Up

In speaking with Luxe Pack’s Grosdidier about the many engaging packages we had noticed on the show floor, she said: “Overall, these trends are a great indicator of the many creative concepts to hit the packaging market. Luxe Pack is proud to continue offering a platform where these ideas can be shared and turned into successful product launches.”

She added: “We look forward and are excited to offer new breakout sessions that will offer supplemental industry content and learning opportunities next year.” 

DISC’s Back of the Napkin Contest

Inspired by Dan Roam’s The Back of the Napkin book, the team at DISC was at Luxe Pack NY challenging attendees to sketch what they believed to be the greatest invention ever made—real or imaginative, and the picture had to tell it all. Participants submitted more than 40 entries during the first day of the show. The judges chose the winning drawing—the Delete key!—which was drawn and submitted by Tim Tobin, director of packaging development, The Estée Lauder Cos.

Beauty Packaging Panel on Environmentally Responsible Packaging

On the opening day of Luxe Pack New York, a panel titled, “Working Together to Produce Environmentally Responsible Packaging,” moderated by Jamie Matusow, editor-in-chief, Beauty Packaging, looked at how brands and suppliers work together to reduce packaging’s environmental impact.

Panelists included (L-R): William G. Russell, a professor and an expert in sustainability management, metrics and finance; Jamie Matusow; Brook Harvey Taylor, founder Pacifica; Juliane Camposano, a beauty and fashion expert with extensive experience working on ‘green’ projects, including during her seven years at L’Oreal, for hair care brand Pureology; and Bruno Lebeault, marketing director NA, Viva Healthcare Packaging.

READ MORE ABOUT THE PANEL DISCUSSION: See the Online Exclusive: Experts Dispel the Myths About Eco-Friendly Packaging

Uber Masstige:The Elevation of Aspirational Branding

Marc Rosen’s panel focused on the challenges of today’s retail marketplace, where at any level of distribution, the consumer expects “premium”—in concept, product and packaging—at any price.

Panelists included (L-R): Jim Berkrot, senior sales executive, Bentley Laboratories, LLC; Veronique Gabai-Pinsky, senior advisor Estée Lauder Companies and strategic advisor, creative director, Veronique Gabai Inc.; Marc Rosen, president, Marc Rosen Associates; James Gager, senior vice president and group creative director at MAC Cosmetics and Jo Malone Worldwide; and Theo Spilka, global vice president, strategic licensing and business development, Firmenich Inc.

READ MORE ABOUT THE PANEL DISCUSSION: See the Online Exclusive: Top Beauty Execs Explain 'Luxury' - And How To Deliver It

Chicago Paper Tube Wins Luxe Pack in Green Award

Luxe Pack NY presented its Green Award, produced by Heinz Glas, on May 13th to Chicago Paper Tube & Can Co. for the eco-friendly design of its package, EcoPush.

The paper tube container is oil-resistant and ideal for a lip balm, solid perfume, sunscreen or body balm. It is available in sizes ranging from .3 oz up to 2 oz. Made from 100% paperboard, it contains 90% recycled paper with 75% post-consumer content. It is completely biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable.