Rigid box specialist Pollard Boxes has produced a special gift pack for a unique range of scarves, created to meet the brief of both reflecting the quality of the scarf and being very much a part of the experience of owning one.

The scarves, which contain intricate close-up photographs of tree barks, are produced by photographer Howard Guest and were inspired by his exhibition on this subject, featuring a series of photographs taken in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Clare, Magdalene and Trinity Colleges in Cambridge. Manufactured in 100% satin silk near Macclesfield, one of Britain’s traditional silk weaving towns, the nine scarves in the range are available from Howard’s website and selected retail outlets. Importantly, all elements of the project are sourced from the UK.

The role of the packaging was to create a special and unique opening experience for each recipient, as Howard explains:

“Presentation is so essential, especially for gifts. You want the person receiving a gift to be in love with the present before they’ve even seen it. This is presentation, it is theatre and that's what our scarf box is.”

The box created by Pollard had to meet a number of criteria. It needed to be stylish and attractive and create a sense of excitement while also being functional and protecting the silk scarf that it contained. It also had to include a booklet which details the stories behind each of the trees featured on the scarves.

The resulting design is a small and deep box, measuring 6”x4”. This is the size of a classic photograph and also reflects Howard’s background. The dimensions mean the scarf is rolled rather than laid flat.

The box is manufactured in 1500 micron board and covered in Wibalin, an uncoated, natural feel purple paper. The only branding is a simple silver stamped signature and “Made in Britain”. The purple and silver branding is maintained throughout.

The box lid is engineered to fit snugly while the sides are chevroned so that it is easy to slide off. Removing the top reveals the booklet sitting on an internal hinged lid, which has a thumbhole, meaning that it too is easy to lift. Beneath the hinged lid sits the carefully rolled scarf. The interior of the box, including the hinged lid, is black to enable the colours in the scarf to be emphasised.

“The box from Pollard helps to create the perfect opening experience and reflect the luxury and quality of our scarves,” concludes Howard. “The company was very responsive to our requirements and worked closely with us to ensure that we achieved exactly what we were looking for.

“It is especially pleasing that we could source this level of skill and expertise from the UK.”