Tag: sustainability

Wrapped in Possibility: Our Experience at LUXE PACK New York

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At Smith Design, staying at the forefront of packaging innovation is central to the work we do. Attending LUXE PACK New York provided us with the opportunity to stay at the forefront of luxury packaging.

The Show That Sets the Standard

LUXE PACK New York is the East Coast’s premier B2B trade show dedicated entirely to luxury packaging. Held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center over two days, it’s the only event of its kind in the U.S. with over a 20-year legacy. The 2026 edition brought together more than 230 exhibitors from 22 countries, with over 5,200 attendees. 

The show connects luxury brands with the suppliers, material specialists, and manufacturers behind high-performing packaging across beauty, fragrance, spirits, wellness, fashion, and fine food. Beyond the exhibit floor, a robust conference program featured panelists from L’Oréal, Shiseido, Estée Lauder, and Unilever, tackling topics from AI-driven design to circular materials and consumer engagement. 

LUXE PACK also hosts the Dieline Awards: one of the most prestigious honors in global packaging design. Attending the ceremony and seeing the winning work showcased on the event floor was a highlight. It reinforced something we believe deeply: great packaging design isn’t decoration; it’s a discipline and a genuine competitive advantage for brands. 

Design, Detail, and Differentiation

Walking into LUXE PACK, we were immediately met by the level of craft and intentionality on display. Booth setups were immersive and design-forward; exhibitors put as much thought into how they presented themselves as the products they manufacture. From embellishment innovations like double hot-stamping to mono-material paper boxes with structural pop-up details, the show floor was an incredible view of where premium packaging manufacturing is headed. 

Sustainability and Other Hot Topics

LUXE PACK New York 2026 featured a wide range of expert-led panel discussions. Sustainability and circular materials emerged as recurring themes across nearly every session. Three sustainable topics stood out: 

  1. Mono-material packaging uses a single material across an entire component (think an all-aluminum mascara tube), allowing it to be recycled without disassembly. Driven in part by increasing global regulatory pressure, mono-material design is becoming a core strategy for circular packaging. 
  2. Grastic is a high-gloss, plastic-free material developed by NABLE as a sustainable alternative for prestige packaging. Designed to replicate the tactile feel and visual appeal of traditional plastic, it is fully biodegradable and compostable. 
  3. Refillable packaging systems continue to gain momentum across beauty, fragrance, and spirits categories. Designed for repeated use, these systems pair durable outer packaging with replaceable inner cartridges or refills, helping brands reduce material consumption and packaging waste while reinforcing long-term customer loyalty and premium positioning. 

Top Left: Nable Grastic Packaging Solutions, Bottom Left: Quadpack Woodacity Collection, Right: Fasten Packaging “Goodloop” 

Fragrance Takes Center Stage

The immersive “Per(fume)-form” installation was a show highlight, driving home the idea that fragrance packaging isn’t just a vessel; it’s part of the experience itself. Materials that protect the formula while offering a tactile, premium unboxing moment are central to how fragrance brands differentiate at the point of sale and beyond. 

Personalized fragrance and packaging experiences emerged as a growing area of innovation, with several discussions exploring how AI and consumer data are shaping the future of luxury product design. A standout keynote from Alex Wiltschko, CEO of Osmo, focused on “olfactory intelligence,” using AI to translate human behavior, emotion, and preference data into customized fragrance and packaging insights. The conversation highlighted how brands are beginning to explore more individualized, data-driven consumer experiences across both scent creation and packaging design. 

The Bigger Picture

The conversations at LUXE PACK reinforced a broader shift: the luxury packaging industry is rethinking what packaging is fundamentally  for. Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s the baseline expectation, driven by both consumer values and tightening regulations. And as materials become more sophisticated, the relationship between design and manufacturing is getting closer. The best packaging work happens when creative vision and production reality are aligned from day one, and that’s something we’re deeply attuned to at Smith Design.  As an Ecovadis-certified agency, we bring that same commitment to sustainability, actively guiding our clients toward materials, processes, and structures that reduce environmental impact without compromising on the packaging experience they expect. 

Sustainability in Package Design

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Conversations around sustainability, environmental impact, and eco-friendliness have become more central to brands and their products. Not only is it ethical for companies to consider their environmental impact, but it is also necessary in order to be trusted by their consumers.  

We partner with brands to execute their sustainable efforts on and off pack, from presenting eco-friendly design solutions to communicating efforts through various media. 

Through our client partnerships, we’ve seen the tactical ways brands bring their sustainability efforts to life through their products and packaging. Because it’s Better aims to provide a healthier, more sustainable protein alternative for dog food through their innovative plant-based products. All Free and  Clear pure provides a powerful clean through a 99% bio-based detergent, which is gentle on skin and better for the environment. ZeroWater’s EcoFilter helps consumers use fewer plastic bottles by providing unmatched filtration technology straight from the tap. Plus, unlike competitors, its long-lasting filter utilizes no plastic filter shells, also cutting down on waste.  

Education is also a central component in sustainability. We’re partnered with clients to create concise and intelligible communications both on and off pack (via QR codes and digital content) that guide consumers on how to properly recycle packaging.  

With increased environmental focus and research bringing more solutions to the forefront of design, we’re excited to continue to help brands innovate for a healthier future. Recyclable packaging, waste-reducing solutions, safer chemicals in cleaning products – every step towards sustainability is progress. 

Interested in learning more about our experience working with brands on their sustainable packaging solutions? Contact us below and click here to read about our membership in the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.  

Smith Design Joins the Sustainable Packaging Coalition

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We are excited to announce that Smith Design is now a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition! We are honored to join the ranks of brands, agencies and manufacturers across the supply chain that are committed to finding and implementing more sustainable packaging solutions.

Sustainability has long been a core value at Smith Design. As brand and packaging designers, we feel a unique responsibility to be accountable for our own footprint and to be actively engaged in and committed to advancing sustainability in the packing industry as a whole. We look forward to continuing our journey towards a greener future, both as an independent business and in partnership with our clients. To learn more about the SPC and its initiatives, click here.

The Importance of Sustainability

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Sustainability, environmental impact, eco-friendliness – these are more than just trending buzzwords. Not only is it ethical for companies to consider the environmental impact of their operations, but it is also necessary in order to be trusted by their consumers (especially socially-conscious millennials). The way many brands approach sustainability in their products and packaging has adapted with increased environmental focus and research. 

Some brands are created with green-friendliness at the core of their products. Ocean Huggers produces plant-based alternatives to seafood. Ahimi replicates raw tuna with tomatoes, and unami utilizes eggplant to replace freshwater eel. The goal is to reduce the stress overfishing causes on our oceans. 

In addition to eco-friendly products, many companies incorporate sustainability into their packaging as well. Seed Phytonutrients, a producer of natural bath products, is credited with developing the first shower-friendly paper bottle. These unique bottles use 60% less plastic than traditional bottles. The paper is able to withstand water without getting damaged, then it dries to look good as new.  

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Pretty famously, Saltwater Brewery created a biodegradable six-pack holder in response to the overwhelming amount of plastic in our oceans. The sustainable holder safely disintegrates in water and is actually edible for ocean wildlife. The Florida brewery hopes this innovation will draw attention to the environment and inspire people to find ways they can contribute to a sustainable future. 

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As the impact we have on the environment becomes increasingly apparent, people are discovering new ways to innovate towards a healthier future. From creative shampoo bottles to new enzymes that break down plastic in record time (learn more in our newsletter), every step towards sustainability is progress.