Gemstone Soaps
CATEGORY
Illustration/Package Design
COMMERCIAL/ACADEMIC PROJECT
Made for BUILT shop
YEAR
2019
For this project, I was asked to make a sellable product and packaging for a non-profit organization
The organization I chose to make a product for was the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI). This non-profit organization aims to make precious stones and minerals a sustainable source for communities in the small-scale mining sector. They advocate for millions of artisanal diamond diggers in Africa and South America living in poverty, who are vulnerable to exploitation, health and safety risks, and human right abuses.
With this in mind “gemstone soaps” was born; a product that emulates diamonds/precious stones.
Rationale
I chose to make soap for this project as I was confident that I could learn how to make soap and I was excited about potential packaging solutions. I also felt that I could successfully represent the diamond/gemstone qualities through the soap shape, opacity, and colour. I decided three different coloured soaps with different scents would be appropriate for the project.
The packaging for this product has illustrated type on the front and back, while the side panels boast a gradient with different diamonds illustrated creating a funky pattern. Once a consumer opens the back of the package, they will see the additional panel featuring a mining scene with happy miners. Once the panel is flipped down they will be able to access more information about DDI.
The key success factor of this project was prototyping. Specifically, I needed to practice creating the soaps to achieve proper colour, shape, and scent. Once I had nailed down the recipe, I was able to produce more with quality assured. In addition, prototyping was essential for the packaging as it proved a little tricky at times. Shown in my process work, I made numerous prototypes to be able to get the thickness of the paper right and the closing latch working.
