COLOURFORM and Maison Ruinart box clever for the champagne market
COLOURFORM and Maison Ruinart box clever for the champagne market
September 15, 2020
Press Release: James Cropper COLOURFORM
Following two years of research and design, James Cropper COLOURFORM, working with Pusterla 1880, will see its first eco-responsible packaging for champagne brand Maison Ruinart showcased in Selfridges as part of the store’s ‘Project Earth’ sustainable initiative
The second skin casing is nine times lighter than the existing box and reduces the carbon footprint by 60%, compared to the current generation of Ruinart boxes.
The ultra-light case is a mono-material design with genuine sustainability credentials, crafted from responsibly sourced natural wood fibers. Set to revolutionize the gift-box and cases market, the ecodesigned packaging uses zero plastic and is 100% recyclable.
COLOURFORM’s partnership with Pusterla 1880 and Maison Ruinart, the very first champagne house founded 290 years ago, has been a long-term project focused on reimagining the packaging solution for several of the brand’s champagnes.
Like a second skin made of paper, the case follows the lines of the bottle’s emblematic curves and allows the integrity of the Maison Ruinart flavour to be preserved until tasting. The raw and sophisticated texture was inspired by the walls of Crayères, the Maison’s historic chalk-pit cellars in Reims.
“We are incredibly proud of this disruptive piece of work,” commented Patrick Willink, managing director of James Cropper COLOURFORM. “The case represents another step in Maison Ruinart’s holistic approach to development which respects the environment.
“It has been a long-term project,” he added. “We experimented with different technological advances in the art of paper making to achieve a molded form which precisely follows the contours of the bottle in a single piece. A total of seven prototypes were considered before achieving the final case design.
“The absence of edges was made possible thanks to the precise, high-pressure waterjet cutting of the hull’s contours, a process that we have been perfecting in COLOURFORM. Further adding to the elegance of it is the unique paper pulp closure system, activated by a beautifully crafted snap button moulded directly into the case.
“The perfecting of the chalk-like texture – a very natural non-repeating design with a richness, depth and finesse of detail – represents a true technological feat.”
The new cases will replace Maison Ruinart’s existing champagne boxes for R, R vintage, Rosé and Blanc de Blancs cuvées and were unveiled in June 2020 at the Paris VIVATECH trade show, and now available from selected premium and luxury retailers across western Europe.
“With this second skin case Maison Ruinart confirms its pioneering role in champagne, and its ambition in terms of social and environmental responsibility,” said Frédéric Dufour, president of Maison Ruinart. “This disruptive project embodies the Maison’s firm commitment to more sustainable development for its packaging across all stages of the development and marketing of our products, from the tending of the vine to the consumer experience.”
“Marking a departure from the familiar visual codes and forms associated with the boxes used for champagne bottles, the new COLOURFORM case breaks the category’s traditional offering,” concluded Willink. “It embodies Maison Ruinart’s vision in a more sustainable, contemporary product, which the House hopes will inspire other players.”
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