Short answer
Aston Microphones asked Barton Jones Packaging to remove unnecessary plastic from its microphone packaging without losing protection or presentation. We replaced the bulky white polyethylene foam insert with a precision-designed corrugated fitment inside a black printed outer, eliminating the foam, cutting packaging storage by around 80% and reducing unit packaging cost by around 50%.
Before
After
80%
Less storage
50%
Lower cost
Foam
Eliminated
Aston Microphones approached Barton Jones Packaging to review the packaging used for its range of high-quality microphones.
The existing pack provided good protection, but relied on bulky white polyethylene foam inserts. Aston wanted to remove unnecessary plastic from its packaging supply chain and develop a more sustainable solution that better reflected the premium quality and design of its products.
The challenge for Barton Jones Packaging was to achieve this without compromising product protection or presentation and, ideally, to find further efficiencies along the way.
The challenge
Aston's existing microphone packaging used a corrugated outer box combined with substantial polyethylene foam inserts to hold and protect the microphone. While functional, the design presented several opportunities for improvement:
- Reduce or eliminate plastic packaging
- Improve the presentation of a premium product
- Reduce the amount of packaging material requiring storage
- Maintain the protection required for a high-value microphone
- Improve the overall sustainability of the pack
- Explore opportunities to reduce packaging costs
Rather than simply substituting one cushioning material for another, Barton Jones Packaging reviewed the complete pack and considered how the structural design itself could provide the protection required.
The solution
Our packaging team developed a completely new corrugated internal fitment, removing the need for the bulky polyethylene foam insert.
The new insert is precision designed around the microphone and associated components, securely presenting and protecting the product while forming part of an attractive all-corrugated packaging solution.
The outer packaging was also redesigned in black to create a much stronger visual presentation when the customer opens the box. The result is packaging that feels far more appropriate for a premium Aston product while using significantly less plastic.
Importantly, the new corrugated fitment can be supplied flat packed rather than as a bulky pre-formed foam insert. That seemingly simple change produced a major operational benefit.
80% less packaging storage
The original foam inserts occupied a considerable amount of space when delivered and stored. Because the replacement corrugated fitments arrive flat and are assembled when required, Aston has been able to reduce the storage space required for this element of its packaging by approximately 80%.
This means fewer pallets, less warehouse space dedicated to packaging and a much more efficient packaging supply chain.
Packaging cost reduced by 50%
Sustainability improvements don't necessarily have to increase packaging costs. In this case, the opposite happened.
By redesigning the packaging rather than simply replacing the existing foam with an alternative cushioning material, Barton Jones Packaging was able to reduce the unit packaging cost by approximately 50%. Aston therefore gained a more sustainable and better-looking pack while making a substantial saving on every unit.
The environmental improvement
The redesigned pack has removed the bulky polyethylene foam insert and replaced it with a recyclable corrugated solution.
The complete packaging solution is made from approximately 70% recycled material and is 100% recyclable through a single recycling stream, printed using water-based inks suitable for recycling. This makes the pack considerably easier to deal with at the end of its useful life and reduces the reliance on plastic within Aston's packaging supply chain.
The result
The project delivered improvements across sustainability, presentation, storage and cost:
- Polyethylene foam insert removed
- Approximately 80% reduction in packaging storage requirement
- Approximately 50% reduction in unit packaging cost
- Approximately 70% recycled material content
- Water-based printing inks
- Improved premium product presentation
- Corrugated fitments supplied flat packed
- Product protection maintained without bulky foam
Most importantly, the new packaging now looks and feels appropriate for the product inside. Opening an Aston microphone is no longer simply about removing a product from protective packaging. The black corrugated presentation creates a much stronger first impression and reinforces the quality of the microphone from the moment the box is opened.
Better packaging doesn't always mean more packaging
This project is a good example of what can be achieved through a detailed packaging review. Rather than replacing one material with a slightly more sustainable alternative, Barton Jones Packaging looked at the entire packaging system: materials, protection, presentation, storage, handling and cost.
The result was a solution that used less plastic, occupied substantially less warehouse space, cost considerably less and presented the product more effectively. For Aston Microphones, sustainability and commercial efficiency went hand in hand.
Could your packaging be improved?
Packaging that has been used for years isn't necessarily packaging that should continue to be used. Our packaging review and packaging audit services examine the complete packaging process, from material selection and pack design through to storage, packing efficiency, transport and waste.
Small design changes can sometimes produce surprisingly large savings. Talk to Barton Jones Packaging about a packaging review and discover what your current packaging could be costing you.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Customer | Aston Microphones |
| Original pack | Brown corrugated outer with bulky polyethylene foam inserts |
| New pack | Black printed corrugated outer with precision corrugated fitment |
| Storage | Approximately 80% less space for this packaging element |
| Unit cost | Approximately 50% lower |
| Recycled content | Approximately 70% |
| Water-based inks suitable for recycling |
Frequently asked questions
- Does removing foam reduce protection?
- Not when the pack is redesigned rather than simply substituted. The corrugated fitment is precision designed around the microphone and its components, so the structure itself holds and protects the product.
- Why does flat packing save so much storage?
- Pre-formed foam inserts are mostly air and cannot be nested efficiently. Flat corrugated fitments stack tightly on a pallet and are assembled at the point of packing, which cut this element of Aston's packaging storage by around 80%.
- Can a sustainable redesign really cost less?
- Yes. Here the redesign cut the unit packaging cost by around 50%, because the corrugated fitment replaced a more expensive foam part and reduced handling and storage at the same time.
- Can you review our existing packaging?
- Yes. Our free packaging review looks at materials, pack design, storage, packing efficiency, transport and waste, then comes back with costed options and samples to test.
Book a free packaging review
Send us a photo of the pack you use today and the product dimensions, and we'll come back with a costed alternative and a sample to test.
Request a packaging review