UK - When Warner Bros decided to launch a different package for its ‘The 11th Hour’ DVD documentary for the European market, it decided to find a packaging that reflected the environmental theme of the film. An eco-friendly packaging solution was provided by UK company St Ives Music & Multimedia.

The documentary ‘The 11th Hour’, is produced and presented by American actor Leonardo DiCaprio, and explores the ecological impact humankind is having on the planet and, crucially, what needs to be done in order to change the current predictions for the earth's bleak future

In a marketplace where plastic forms one of the main components for all packaging solutions, on release of this documentary, Warner Bros were keen to ensure that the packaging did not conflict with the film's ethical message.

St Ives Music & Multimedia, a supplier of print, packaging and promotional materials to the European home entertainment industry from its manufacturing sites in the UK and Holland, created a packaging for the DVD that is not only100% biodegradable and recyclable but also appears noticeably ‘earthly’, as Warner Bros had desired.

Martin Still, special projects manager, St Ives Music and Multimedia said, “As environmentally conscious companies, where possible, St Ives and Warner Bros actively seek the most eco-friendly packaging options. However, it was critical that the packaging for this documentary reflected the gravity of the subject matter.

“So making the DVD tray and case 100% biodegradable was the most significant way of achieving this. As this approach had never been used for such a high-profile film, we were really excited to be involved in designing and printing such an innovative product. “

St Ives sourced and sampled many different substrates for the DVD box outer-casing, before it decided to choose chipboard made from 100% post-consumer waste supplied by Smurfit Kappa. This substrate met the customer's environmental requirements, and contributed to the natural look and feel of the case.

“To find a green alternative to the plastic DVD tray, St Ives researched existing technology options across Europe,” Still explained. “However, it proved quite a challenge to find a solution that would provide the necessary quality for such a prestigious product.

“Eventually, we found the tray featured in The 11th Hour packaging, which is 100% biodegradable, made from paper, cornstarch and potato. This tray not only fulfils the client's environmental specifications, but also contributes to the packaging's unique and organic appearance.”

Dutch firm PaperFoam provided the biodegradable DVD tray. As the chosen tray was considerably lighter than its plastic equivalent, the outer-casing was upgraded to double-thickness to give the DVD box a more solid structure.

Still said, “Warner Bros approved St Ives' design for a neat and compact closing mechanism on the back of the DVD box, that simply folds into the body of the packaging. It offered something different to the usual slipcase format, and therefore added to the product's distinctive design.'

St Ives printed The 11th Hour pack using KBA 41405, 6 colour presses and eco-friendly, vegetable-based inks. The packaging was finished using a Bobst Spanthera Die Cutter and Bobst Fuego Gluer, and the DVD tray was positioned and attached with an Esatec machine.

“We believe the demand for packaging solutions, such as the one produced for The 11th Hour, reflects a growing awareness among all companies to source the most environmentally friendly options available,” Still commented. “St Ives is extremely proud to have been involved in the design and creation of this cutting edge product. It demonstrates the team's creative expertise and shows the market the kind of environmentally friendly resources available at St Ives.”