UK design studio Horse has created the brand identity and packaging for TÅPPED, leading the creation of the organic birch water market in the UK.

Birch water is a traditional drink and medicinal ingredient in Finland. Filtered from the roots up through the trunks of birch trees, the water, or sap, collects minerals and vitamins and is claimed to be full of the antioxidant manganese.

“Although a traditional springtime drink in Finland and other parts of the world such as Canada, tree waters are a totally new concept to consumers in the UK,” comments Ian Firth, creative partner at Horse.

“Clarity of product communication was therefore paramount, so we used the packaging structure to our advantage. To help communicate provenance, the water is packaged in a cylindrical paperboard can which we designed to resemble a real birch tree. This helps overcome some of the challenges of communicating an unusual new product, but equally distinguishes the water from other beverages.”

Featuring a liquid packaging system, the can is made from 75% wood, is fully recyclable, and made mostly from renewable paperboard from sustainably managed forests. Winner of several environmental and sustainability awards, the ‘Lamican’ enables drinks to be stored ambiently and is said to have the lowest carbon footprint when compared to aluminium and PET.

“The design has been considered holistically, with both the packaging and the product helping to contribute to the preservation of forests,” says Firth.

The packaging ‘tree’ design is further reinforced by using a secondary branded 360 degree wrapped label, a reference to tagging of young saplings. The brand logotype and motif nod to the water’s Nordic roots by referencing Norse iconography, and the motif also helps tell the story of how the sap travels up the tree by doubling as an upwards pointing arrow.

TÅPPED is already available in select retail outlets and will continue to roll out across the UK in health stores, gyms and yoga studios.

Horse
www.horse-studio.com