Responding to the demands of the luxury market, British paper innovators have created a packaging solution that may more accurately mimic the texture of premium, napped leathers than any other produced.
Putting their technological capabilities to the test, product developers at James Cropper Paper have succeeded in closely reproducing the soft, yet durable qualities of suede leathers in a paper-based form. Following the merge of the company’s production and converting functions earlier this year, the launch of Carvetian Suede heralds a new era of innovation, with luxury brands set to benefit from the close links between the mill and co-located facility.
Taking its name from Iron Age settlers in the North of England, the Carvetii, Carvetian Suede has been produced to better mimic one of both ancient and modern civilization's most widely used and versatile materials. Initially available to buyers in four colours drawn from a natural palette - crystal, calico, sandstone, and pebble.
The delicate feel of Carvetian Suede was trialled in May 2013, when a dog sculpture was created using the product for the Gerald and James exhibition in New York, an event that showcased the product alongside James Cropper’s commitment to supporting the best in contemporary design. The dog, resplendent in its stylish suede coat, was a keen demonstration of the creative potential offered by the paper. Carvetian Suede is now available to international buyers and presents itself as an opportunity for packaging designers around the world.
Chris Brown, Commercial Director of James Cropper, said:
Papers that recreate the textures and behaviours of other materials sometimes fall short due to the quality of the base paper and the expertise involved in their creation. With Carvetian Suede, James Cropper uses a high quality foundation in our papers and hundreds of hours of expert-led product development to ensure the product is flawless and fit for purpose. The inclusion of a high percentage of recycled fibres, a characteristic of the vast majority of James Cropper papers, means commercial buyers also buy into our commitment to sustainable production.
Each run of Carvetian Suede, in any of the available colours, is manufactured with a minimum of 40% recycled, post-consumer fibres. The product is intended to provide not only luxury brands with a lavish packaging solution, but also encourage those compiling business documents, brochures and creative advertising materials with a show stopping finish.
James Cropper is based in the Lake District, England’s first and foremost National Park, with a paper-making heritage that started in 1845. Since its inception the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family.
Today the business is renowned globally for its luxury packaging papers, which accompany many of the world’s most exclusive brands, while the world’s leading artists, galleries and museums use its framing and archival boards alongside its range of conventional artists materials. As well as paper products, James Cropper also manufactures nonwovens from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors.
