ASPEN Natural Skincare

Aspen logo - Knockout aspen project
knockout aspen project

Breaking into the retail environment

ASPEN Natural Skincare was working with a branding agency to get their products distributed in retail outlets. However, for a more polished look it was determined that ASPEN needed to add secondary packaging to their beauty products. Knockout was happy to help, developing sustainable secondary packaging for ASPEN’s 14 SKU’s.

KNOCKOUT SAMPLE
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About ASPEN Natural Skincare

ASPEN is a completely clean indie beauty brand dedicated to delivering the best wildcrafted ingredients. Their nontoxic formulas use kombucha, adaptogens and potent plant extracts to rebalance the skin’s microbiome and increase its resilience to stress. Not only do they deliver when it comes to skincare, but they also help fight human trafficking by donating 5% of all proceeds to Operation Underground Railroad.

ONE

Challenge

ASPEN is an established brand with many SKU’s, taking on the endeavor of secondary packaging for many SKUs simultaneously can typically come with a large capital investment requirement. Since this run was primarily for previewing to national retailers, costs had to be kept to a minimum while still delivering a high value product that matched ASPEN’s luxurious products. Frustrated with the lead times and sustainability practices of overseas suppliers, ASPEN knew they needed to work with a North American company who was focused on sustainability. Through the Knockout Aspen project, we were able to resolve all of these issues.

KNOCKOUT SAMPLE
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TWO

Strategy

Standardize sizes – Through a thorough review of ASPEN’s primary packaging sizes, it was determined that the 14 SKUs could be standardized into 4 different packaging sizes with unique print for each SKU. This allowed for savings during setup and production in this Knockout Aspen project.

Sustainability forward – In line with ASPEN and Knockout’s mutual core values, the paper and ink selection had to be eco-friendly. As clean, natural brand, this was at the forefront of the design process.

Uniform design – For a cohesive look across all 14 SKUs, it was imperative that the overall look of the collection be considered every step of the way – from the initial structural design to the print and finish.

THREE

Execution

  • Structural design: By assigning SKUs to 4 different sized cartons, the cost of die charges, structural design and prototyping were all slashed. This also created a consistent look when viewing the collection as a whole.
  • Print: With ASPEN’s signature shade of green, the best way to achieve the desired color was through Pantone matching. We guided ASPEN through the process of choosing a Pantone color, having them check it with a print proof before moving to production. However, Pantone matching does tend to be a more costly option. To combat this, we utilized a gang printing method to optimize the print run and keep the overall costs lower than your typical offset Pantone run.
  • Sustainability focus: To keep sustainability at the forefront, we used North American FSC Certified SBS paperboard for this project. With its dense fibers and ultra smooth coating, this is the perfect paper for luxury packaging projects. It is responsibly sourced from sustainable forest resources and allowed for that true premium product feel. All the inks used at Knockout are vegetable oil based, avoiding the typical petroleum based printing inks. Lastly, a matte aqueous coating was applied for additional protection and luxury product feel in this Knockout Aspen project.
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FOUR

Results

As a result of Knockout’s consultative process, ASPEN is now retail-ready and the branding agency has been able to showcase this brand to national retailers. ASPEN has already been placed in nearly a dozen retailers and even hand selected for a three-month retail campaign in British Vogue. The shelf presence of this collection is stunning and conveys the brand’s core values. Through a highly consultative approach, the Knockout Aspen project was able to provide a solution that combined quality and sustainability, allowing ASPEN to continue growing