The Dom Ruinart Chalk Wrap Story
COLOURFORM AND MAISON RUINART CHALK UP ANOTHER PACKAGING REVOLUTION
Inspired by Colourform's 'Second Skin' pulp packaging cases, Maison Ruinart collaborated again revealing a fresh facet of innovation with the chalk wrap or 'ROCK' enveloping its Dom Ruinart 2010 vintage champagne bottles.
In 2020, Ruinart revolutionised its packaging with Colourform's new second skin case, which now envelops all its bottles. Inspired again by the Crayères (chalk cellars) of Maison Ruinart this 100% moulded fibre wrap is the definition of modern luxury packaging.
Dom Ruinart's chalk wrap offers a new interpretation of this innovation. Velvety soft to the touch like chalk, it transforms this exceptional bottle into a sculptural object. The gentle reliefs and crevices crisscross, as if carved directly into chalky rock.
The discreetly engraved 1729 on the fastening button proclaims the heritage of Mason Ruinart, the world's first champagne house.
Formes de Luxe Award Winner 2022
“An incredible evolution of Ruinart’s Second Skin. This complex design has more than 400 facets, and the opening and closing system remains of great quality.”Formes de Luxe judge: Laurent Hainaut, Founder & President, Force Majeure
James Cropper Colourform worked with Pusterla 1880 once again to launch another game-changing packaging innovation for the luxury drinks market.
January 2023 saw the chalk wrap or 'Etui Crayères' as WINNER for Sustainable Innovation at the Paris Packaging Week PLD Innovation Awards. The awards are judged by an independent jury of brands, packaging experts and journalists.
The judges recognised this luxury packaging as demonstrating true innovation in technical innovation with true sustainability credentials alongside stunning design.
It evokes the unbreakable link between Dom Ruinart and the chalk, from the growing of the vine on chalky soils, to the time when the vintage is aged in chalk cellars. It illustrates savoir-faire and respect for nature.Maison Ruinart
SUSTAINABLE LUXURY PACKAGING
Made from a single material, the moulded fibre wrap is formed using water, heat and pressure creating a truly unique and striking case.
The eco-designed packaging uses zero plastic and is 100% recyclable with paper. The electricity allocated to the production of the chalk wrap and all second skin products is 100% solar generated on site here in Cumbria.
The chalk wrap casing is 11 times lighter than the gift box previously used for the Dom Ruinart range, and over nine tonnes of paper is saved, compared to the old gift box. The new design has also reduced the brand’s carbon emission by 62%.
Find out more about James Cropper Sustainability.
Velvety soft to touch, the chalk wrap transforms the champagne bottle into a sculptural object. The gentle reliefs and crevices crisscross as if carved directly into chalky rock. The design evokes the unbreakable link between Dom Ruinart and the chalk rock – born from growing the vine on chalky soil and the vintage ageing in chalk cellars.
As the finishing touch, a hand-applied gold marking enhances the chalk wrap's exceptional character.
Previous bottles used a label and so the chalk wrap foiling marks the first time detail has been applied directly to the packaging. The Colourform team were delighted to be able to meet Ruinart's tightly specified brief with the fine detail required.
This hot foil stamping demonstrates the highest standard of craftsmanship especially for the crest and typography. The foil has been colour matched to the brand’s specification and also does not affect the recyclability of the whole product.
“We were given an open brief with freedom to create the next iteration of the Second Skin. The Dom Ruinart chalk wrap is an excellent demonstration of the capability that moulded fibre offers, and how our technical expertise continues to support Maison Ruinart’s commitment to sustainability."Chris Schofield, Head of Formation design, COLOURFORM
Rowan Nowell, Senior Designer at Formation, Colourform explains,
“Accentuating the light and dark with shadows, the wrap creates a fascinating and unique casing and took a huge amount of detail and complexity to create. We used a chalk rock concept from the start, based on The Erratics art sculpture by Darren Harvey – Regan. We used real stone to add texture.
The clasp we added creates geometry with the shape, complimenting the overall design. We deliberately avoided using a single straight line or right angle to simulate the chiselled natural look of the chalk rock.
We even incorporated a nod to our own heritage with the valley section on the back, which was inspired by a local landscape here in the Lake District.”
