The elegant and graceful molded pulp packaging "Belle Epoque Cocoon" for Perrier-Jouët champagne is infused with recycled vine shoots, showcasing the champagne house's circular practices, and is 100% recyclable.
Simple, elegant, and inspired by nature, a new molded pulp bottle packaging for the historic and distinctive French champagne house Maison Perrier-Jouët seamlessly combines beauty with the house's environmental commitment in the luxury market. The thermoformed packaging, which gracefully embraces the shape of the champagne bottle, replaces Perrier-Jouët's existing cardboard gift box and provides an additional nod to the house's sustainability practices with the inclusion of recycled vine shoots.
The "Belle Epoque Cocoon" bottle packaging was designed in partnership with packaging supplier James Cropper, using the company's Colorform molded pulp packaging process. According to Richard Dancy, Brand Manager for Colorform, James Cropper utilizes a specially designed thermoforming process in their factory to create molded pulp packaging. The process allows brands to create custom shapes, colors, and textures, including embellishments such as printing, foiling, inclusions, and fiber choices, for their packaging.
When Perrier-Jouët approached James Cropper, the champagne manufacturer wanted a new packaging design that would challenge luxury norms and serve as a flagship example of circularity and recyclability. They also desired a design that would completely encase the bottle and enhance its form while preventing it from rotating inside the packaging. Another requirement was a closure on the packaging that would securely lock, lay flat, and close with an audible click, along with a hinge mechanism that would allow the packaging to open and close.
The resulting thermoformed packaging, made primarily from virgin paper pulp sourced from sustainably managed and FSC-approved forests, features an organic shape that gently envelops the bottle. At the top, the bottle's golden cap is revealed, surrounded by a molded pulp collar shaped like a petal. A long and elegant hinge is integrated into one side of the enclosure, offering the specifications specified by Pierre-Jouët.
The use of recycled vine shoots, which are mixed with the paper pulp and create a colorful and speckled aesthetic, is particularly unique to the packaging. The material was included to evoke the Champagne terroir and reconnect with Pierre-Jouët's passion for nature and art, passed down through generations since the house's creation in 1811. The vine shoots are collected after pruning at the end of the harvest in France and are the first cellulose-based winemaking byproduct to be used by James Cropper in their packaging.
According to Dancy, there were no issues with combining the paper pulp and vine shoots, "but some complexity and specifications had to be met." He adds, "In this case, the provided vine shoots had to be finely chopped so that the particle spots visible in the finished packaging did not exceed one millimeter. We also had to ensure that during the process, we complied with all legal and health requirements when working with new materials."
At the request of Perrier-Jouët, the bottle packaging is engraved with the brand's Art Nouveau-inspired Japanese anemone graphic, eliminating the need for printing on the bottle. A paper label completes the decoration.
Devoid of any varnish or glue, the molded pulp packaging made from paper and agricultural waste is 100% recyclable at curbside. Another sustainability advantage of the packaging is that, at only 49 grams, it is 93% lighter than Perrier-Jouët's previous gift box. According to Dancy, the reason why the weight was reduced so dramatically is that the packaging design closely aligns with the shape of the bottle, allowing for a significant reduction in the size and thickness of the required packaging.
For its part, Perrier-Jouët is delighted with the culmination of its partnership with James Cropper. "Maison Perrier-Jouët has always been guided by a love for nature. The sustainable new packaging reflects the evolution of this passion, with the house taking sincere, ethical, and sustainable steps to reduce its impact on nature and preserve the environment," says Audrey Guerin, Head of Packaging Development at Perrier-Jouët.
"The ultra-light creation represents a significant milestone for the brand as it marks the goal we set for ourselves to have our entire gift offering eco-designed by 2023," Guerin adds. "We are thrilled to celebrate this achievement with such a beautiful design that seamlessly showcases how beauty and sustainability can work together in the luxury market."
The Belle Epoque Cocoon will be used for the vintage cuvées of the house, Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque and Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé, in the United States, France, and Italy.
