Packaging has become more than just a container — it’s a platform for purpose, personality, and storytelling. A recent collaboration between Durham Box and health food brand Rheal Superfoods underscores how bold design and sustainable materials can elevate brand messaging, especially around socially resonant events like International Women's Day (IWD).

To mark IWD 2024, Rheal Superfoods commissioned limited-edition gifting boxes to celebrate female empowerment, wellness, and the brand’s core values of natural nutrition and community. The result was a packaging solution that was not only eye-catching, but also immersive and expressive, helping the brand engage meaningfully with its audience.

Creative Meets Sustainability

Durham Box, a UK-based packaging manufacturer known for its high-impact digital print capabilities, designed and produced these striking boxes using fully recyclable materials. The design featured vibrant, female-inspired illustrations, a lilac color palette symbolic of IWD, and messaging that championed self-care and empowerment.

The boxes served as a container for a curated set of Rheal products, including functional blends and superfood powders. But more than that, they became a vehicle for conversation and connection — aligning product with purpose.

"We wanted to create something that not only looked beautiful, but also carried meaning and made our customers feel part of something bigger," said a spokesperson from Rheal.

Digital Print as a Brand Asset

The use of digital print technology was key in enabling this fast-turnaround project. Durham Box leveraged its HP PageWide press to produce vibrant, high-definition graphics with zero compromise on sustainability. Unlike traditional litho print, digital allows for short-run, highly customized projects without setup waste — ideal for seasonal campaigns like IWD.

This flexibility empowers brands like Rheal to be more agile and expressive with their packaging strategies, aligning closely with campaign timelines and consumer expectations for authenticity.

More Than a Box

What sets this project apart is how it blends aesthetics, mission, and function. The packaging does more than just protect the product — it tells a story, evokes emotion, and reinforces brand identity.

• Emotional impact: Through color, typography, and illustration, the boxes fostered an emotional bond with recipients.
• Brand alignment: The packaging mirrored Rheal’s commitment to wellness and sustainability.
• Social relevance: Celebrating IWD gave the brand an opportunity to resonate with values-driven consumers.

It’s a shining example of how thoughtful packaging can be both strategic and soulful.

The Broader Implication

As consumer brands increasingly align with social causes, packaging is emerging as a frontline for advocacy and storytelling. Projects like this show how collaboration between creative packaging suppliers and mission-led brands can lead to memorable, meaningful experiences — and drive engagement far beyond the shelf.

For Durham Box, it’s another proof point in its growing portfolio of digitally driven, design-forward solutions. For Rheal Superfoods, it’s a statement of brand values made tangible — and beautiful.