By Erin Judge, managing editor, PostPress

There’s no denying that Billie Eilish is among one of the most influential pop stars of her generation. Like many artists who’ve reached “icon” status, she’s recently expanded her creative expression by developing her own signature scent, “Eilish.” Together with Jon Michael Design and fragrance producer Parlux Ltd, Eilish set out to create packaging for her perfume that would be just as iconic as she is.

Inspired by her “appreciation for the human body,” the perfume bottle is the silhouette of a woman, highlighting her neck and collarbone. Eilish wanted the exterior packaging, designed by Jon Michael Design, to feature the same striking iconography while adding depth and distinction through a shimmering gold exterior, bold high-contrast coating effects and intricate multi-level embossing. Central to the entire process, every element – from the perfume to the packaging – needed to be created responsibly, reflecting Eilish’s commitment to sustainability and her advocacy for climate change. While many don’t associate luxury packaging with sustainable production, this design perfectly embodies both.

To bring the exterior package to life, Jon Michael Design partnered with Diamond Packaging (Diamond) of Rochester, New York, a sustainability leader in the print and packaging industries. Diamond recently earned its third consecutive Platinum rating from EcoVadis, a global leader in business sustainability assessments – placing Diamond among the top 1% globally in its sustainability efforts. To align with Eilish’s environmental goals, Diamond manufactured the cartons using 100% clean, renewable wind energy in a Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWL) and Carbon Neutral (Scope 1 and Scope 2) facility.

For the carton, Diamond selected Billerud CrownBoard Prestige FBB paperboard, an FSC-certified, fully recyclable material with minimal carbon footprint. The paperboard then was metallized with Hazen Envirofoil^® to create a brilliant finish. Envirofoil is manufactured with less than 1% of the aluminum of traditional foil laminates, reuses the film carrier multiple times and is recyclable as paper (as certified by numerous US and European laboratories). Its eco-friendliness, however, does not detract from its luxurious finish. Envirofoil’s mirror-like appearance makes it a perfect choice for conveying stunning graphics – registering a reading of 850 out of 1,000 on the Gardner gloss meter, vs. less than 800 for competitors.

“These cartons were Diamond’s first to feature Envirofoil paperboard,” said Dennis Bacchetta, marketing director and sustainability lead at Diamond. “It’s a component of our Green Chic™ packaging model, which delivers ‘Beauty without Compromise’ by capturing the essence of luxury or upscale brands through more sustainable converting methods.”

The package was printed on the company’s 10-color Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 offset press using 4-color process along with UV PMS brown and UV gold inks over Envirofoil. The design was further elevated with inline DiamondTouch soft-touch coating for a distinctive tactile feel, complemented by UV matte and UV gloss spot coatings that add eye-catching visual contrast. Heidelberg’s closed-loop scanning spectrophotometry technology was used to minimize color variations between the different print forms, which included various packaging components and sleeves.

Multi-level embossing elements were added to create dimension to the metallic bust on the front panel using the Bobst BMA Hot Foil Stamper/Embosser. Embossed areas on the package were carefully selected to mimic the design of the perfume bottle itself. The graphics required exceptionally tight registration between the UV gloss spot coating, multi-level embossing and printed artwork. Production layouts were optimized to ensure precise alignment for these intricate embossed details. Finally, the packages were diecut using Diamond’s Bobst 102 CER Diecutter/Blanker/Stripper and glued on its Bobst 90 Matic Gluer.

To minimize the number of necessary production processes, Diamond’s team adjusted the structural design and layout of the components to reduce the number of forms and press passes. This helped conserve raw materials and energy, reduce greenhouse gases and minimize discards. Additional efficiencies were achieved through inline embellishment methods – including specialty soft-touch coating – reducing material and energy usage compared to offline foil stamping processes.

“The core of Diamond’s greenbox initiative – designs, materials and methods – represents a comprehensive approach to packaging that minimizes environmental impact throughout the supply chain,” said Bacchetta.

Upon release, Billie Eilish’s debut fragrance sold out within one day, demonstrating extraordinary consumer demand. The success of the original fragrance led to an expanded collection of three new scents, with Diamond designing the packaging for each. Diamond’s original “Eilish” package was the winner of Neographics’ “Best of Category” packaging, one of the most respected and largest regional print competitions in the US, spotlighting outstanding craftmanship across the industry. Additionally, the innovative package has been featured on a number of industry-leading websites, including Dieline, PaperSpecs, Printing Impressions and Pentawards, a major packaging design competition platform.

Bacchetta credits the success of both the fragrance and packaging to the thoughtful design, sensory elements and sustainable approach, which closely reflect Billie Eilish’s public persona – particularly her environmental activism and commitment to authenticity. Based on these factors, the packaging effectively reinforced the brand’s identity, supported its premium positioning and validated the product’s value in the eyes of consumers. It also may have driven strong initial demand by creating a powerful first moment of truth (FMOT) among fans, social media influencers and fragrance collectors.

“By using recyclable materials, low environmental impact manufacturing and visually striking finishes, the packaging supports the values fans and younger consumers often care about,” said Bacchetta. “Recyclability, minimal waste and the use of renewable energy in production can enhance brand perception, credibility and, indirectly, sales.”

The packaging’s success highlights the benefits of combining visual impact with environmental responsibility, earning multiple industry accolades and serving as a case study in achieving premium sustainable packaging design. 

For more information, visit www.diamondpackaging.com/folding-cartons.