An earthy approach to craft beer packaging design
Clay Varnish & Texture
I like to tell people the Sawmill Brewing Pilsner was made for my tastebuds. Is this a case of great packaging design making the product taste even better? That's hard to say, but I'm never disappointed when popping the cap off this dark amber bottle.
The left-aligned label which contains minimal visual elements sits somewhere between modernism and industrial graphic design. A refreshing change from the heavily illustrated craft beers that are proliferating the market. Touches of gold foil give the label an elegance but the most impressive part is the tactile feel. Printed on regular gloss stock, a special varnish with a fine clay mixed through is applied. The finish is extremely matte, feels smooth to touch, but is still earthy and raw. Could this be referencing the rich Motueka and Riwaka hop growing soil or the surface of freshly sawn timber?
What other products could utilise a clay varnish?
Natural Face Scrub
A matte clay varnish would help reinforce the product's natural ingredients, it also possesses a similar exfoliating abrasive texture.
Red Wine
Soil structure has a dramatic effect on a grape’s flavour. Clay soil produces some of the boldest reds and whites in the world, so by adding clay into the label, it supports origin story.
What products would this not work for?
Muesli Bars
Customers want to think of flavoursome fruits, sweet honey & healthy nuts when shopping for muesli bars. Not a chapped dry block.
Egyptian Cotton Sheets
A gritty texture when shopping for smooth sheets, I think not.