We developed a custom substrate with Madewell to launch their recent redesign.

J. Crew’s desire was to utilize a duplex paper for their Madewell program consisting of a natural kraft outside with a white kraft inside. The challenge was to produce a natural kraft in a lighter tone than their existing J. Crew program which carries a darker tone. We worked with our team to create the perfect light tone natural kraft for the outside of their bag. The second challenge was to have print a white logo on the outside while maintaining that “pop” the customer was looking to achieve. In response we printed the logo as a gloss white silkscreen, the program was received very well.

It’s always fun to see those Holiday Edition packaging ideas during the festive season. Although for the retailer, it can be a headache forecasting quantities and expending extra waste after the holiday rush is over. Pak 2000 worked with BARNEYS NEW YORK to create a solution allowing them to use their everyday bag throughout the holiday season by applying a large cheerful hang tag. Once the season has come to an end they simply remove the tag and the bag slides right in with their everyday stock.

Recently, one of the USA’s major supermarts celebrated America’s 42nd Earth Day by handing out 1.5 million reusable bags to customers, which swirl the words “Fill. Refill. Repeat” into its logo, produced by Pak 2000. It also readied an Earth Day website, which offered consumers $50 in savings on some 40 sustainable products.

In addition, the chain partnered with Recyclebank, an organization that promotes sustainable decisions by allowing individuals to earn rewards for actions like recycling and reducing water use, with two online game modules. The supermart continued to offer a 5-cent discount for every reusable bag shoppers used, a program launched in November 2009.

Of course, plenty of other brands tailored Earth Day offers, even if not on as grand a scale. Origins, for instance, rewarded anyone bringing any existing skincare product (empty or full) for one of two earth-friendly cleansers at its Macy’s counters. Disney, sold organic t-shirts that kids could track right to their very roots of origin, also encouraging shoppers to trade five disposable shopping bags for a free reusable tote. Grocery chain H-E-B and Joann Fabric stores handed out 50 free totes to early Earth Day shoppers.

While this year’s Earth Day on the National Mall event in Washington, D.C., was somewhat smaller than the 40th anniversary celebration in 2010, Kathryn Stoddard, VP of Corporate Development and Partnerships for Earth Day Networks, commented, “this will be the biggest Earth Day ever, with thousands of events around the world.”

Bridgestone and Best Western were co-presenting sponsors of Earth Day on the National Mall. In total, Stoddard said, the Earth Day event had 27 sponsors and exhibitors this year, including nonprofit organizations.

The organization also listed Wells Fargo, the University of Phoenix, Calvert Investments, Whirlpool, Patagonia, and UPS as corporate sponsors.