This spring 26 senior Clemson students completed the Packaging Science 4200 course. Taught by Haley Appleby, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Science, the students were tasked with design projects from two sponsoring companies looking for sustainable packaging solutions:
Atlantic Packaging: redesign a direct-to-consumer hat package to be sustainable and curbside recyclable while providing adequate protection to the hat it contained.
Newell Brands: redesign of an Elmer’s activity (3 SKUs) line to be sustainable, provide second use and incorporate brand blocking across retail shelf.
The students were divided into 6 teams, and spent the semester working through a systematic design process to produce a package for their sponsor company. The design process includes a retail or end user audit, brainstorming, design, testing and thorough documentation. At the end of the semester, the students presented their results to their representatives from their sponsor company, faculty and peers for review. In addition to their presentation, the students also produced posters which were on display in the Harris A. Smith building throughout the presentation reception.
Teams working on the Atlantic Packaging prompt tailored their package designs to provide the hat with a custom snug-fit box, eliminating the use of air bags or other single-use dunnage materials as a protective component. Components such as cellulose based bags or reusable drawstring bags were implemented as dust bags to protect the hat and reduce dust and abrasion. Many of the solutions incorporated an additional feature such as reseal ability in the event the customer needs to return the package, or a display component for storage in the consumer’s home.
Newell teams worked on creating a cohesive unboxing experience across three of the Elmer’s product lines. The students worked to incorporate a second life for the package, often incorporating the box into the activity contained in the box or using it to store the components once opened. Some of the solutions incorporated innovative and sustainable paper handles from Persson, as opposed to a rigid plastic handle. Each of the solutions was designed with internal compartments to organize and protect the Elmer’s components they held.
Newell and Atlantic were both incredibly pleased with the students’ results and prototypes presented.
Clemson Packaging Science appreciates the support of companies such as Newell and Atlantic in partnership with the program. If your company would like to get involved in a course such as this, please contact Haley Appleby at heapple@clemson.edu.
