Two years of show postponements and several variants later, many said it still couldn’t be done. The LUXE PACK community proved that the impossible was possible. LUXE PACK successfully and safely reopened its doors for its 4th edition at the Los Angeles Convention Center on 23rd and 24th February. The new show floor that once again was shared with MakeUp in LosAngeles, the leading B2B stage for beauty trends, formulation, and accessories welcomed 4,183 attendees within the 2-day event! Although, things looked a bit different with the requirement of mask usage, the excitement and eagerness to get back to in person meetings and collaborations was the obvious running thread that percolated across West Hall A.
Fabienne GERMOND, LUXE PACK Show Director shared, “This particular west coast edition truly stood in its own lane. We knew it would be a challenge considering the timing and additional variables that had to be considered, but we also were determined to bring back the platform to facilitate the new industry challenges being shared by the brands and suppliers. The need to fast forward projects, source new and substitute materials due to supply chain issues, and the continual demand of sustainable solutions proved to be the catalyst for such a successful edition. It was a genuine thrill to bring the community together in the west coast and even more exciting is the novel innovation that will come from the many introductions and collaborations finally realised during the event.”
Newness on the show floor
The 2022 LUXE PACK show floor showcased 76 suppliers and manufactures, industry experts in primary and secondary premium packaging. From that variated roster, 16 new exhibitors were introduced. The library of newness offered the brands novel creative options for those looking to either elevate their packaging story, minimise production time, and/or improve the sustainability of their portfolios.
Apollo + Beauty used the show platform to introduce their 3D Foamer Dispensing System. The unique dispensing technology offers the capability to curate shapes and designs via unique nozzle design. The optimal option of primary packaging for brands seeking to expand their story throughout the entire user experience.
Stratasys added to the show’s product offering with their PolyJet™ printing technology. The novel technology allows designers from across all sectors to model complex packaging for beverages, consumer electronics, personal care, cosmetics, food, amongst so much more. Their high-fidelity prototypes accurately simulate final packaging including realistic colour combinations, textures, transparency, and flexibility.
Artoria Limoges, a porcelain candle jar provider for most perfume companies from France inaugurated their luxury jars for the first time at LUXE PACK. Artoria, who has partnered with luxury brands such as Gucci and Omega, offers these porous ceramic candle pieces for fragrance application. A prestige option for brands seeking to make a difference.
A top shelf education programme
In true LUXE PACK fashion, a powerful education program complimented the exhibition floor. Experts from Levi’s, The Cradle to Cradle Innovative Product Institute, The Estee Lauder Group, The Detox Market, The Benchmarking Company, Novi Connect, and Sephora filled the conference area to standing room only audiences. The industry was more than ready to return to a live setting and take in live presentations on new technology to engage the digital consumer audience, hear about Sephora’s new partnership ventures for sustainable solutions, and discover exhibitors’ proof of agility to reduce time-to-market.
In addition, a special feature that was added to this year’s program was the “Made for Tomorrow: Designing Sustainable Packaging and Products with Cradle to Cradle Certified®” interactive workshop. The engaging exercise allowed the participants to learn from each other how they themselves are driving sustainability for their packaging goals, challenges, and what support they need. The full house audience happily shared their feedback within small group discussions, which ultimately became action points and key takeaways for all to take back with them for further team dissection.
Live animations
Turbo talks “green” tour
Per the request from the brands for the show platform to facilitate sourcing the latest in sustainable solutions, the Turbo Talks “Green” Tour made its return. The tour that took place on both days successfully showcased 13 exhibiting participants who highlighted various sustainable solutions. A few tour highlights included Ecological Fibres “Say No to Plastic Initiative”. Their 100% organic and plastic free coated materials. The inventiveness not only provides all brands a proven coated material that is environmentally friendly but can also assist any brand in their plastic reduction. A huge initiative that is achieved in one single step.
Dapy also used the Turbo Talk opportunity to announce their “Augmented Reality Product Development”. Their new offering includes augmented reality capabilities that reduces the waste of material and time associated with physical prototyping during the product development process. The new technology allows multiple teams across different regions to directly project manage, analyse and comment on the product well ahead of its material form. It can also give markets an insight into the products being developed on a global scale to easily see and test the product in their environment.
The exploratorium
Inaugurated in Los Angeles in 2020, the Exploratorium once again was a proven stop for all attendees. After living in a linear “ZOOM” world for 2 years, the interactive display welcomed a continuous flow of those looking to see the latest in design shapes, materials, and overall market creativity. The 2022 display featured 37 products that varied from labelling to influencer boxing. Unlike most displays, “please touch and feel” was the encouraged directive and welcomed feature.
Overall, this uniquely successful edition is a strong industry reminder that together as a community we can supersede many circumstances. The LUXE PACK team is hopeful that this will build the momentum that will now be carried moving forward. Although, we could not see everyone’s actual smiles, the endless “smizing” seen across the show floor was its own highlight. In LUXE PACK’s true spirit of fostering valuable business collaborations around the world, the team is excited to continue extend this success to the east coast…next stop, LUXE PACK New York in 3 months!