Packaging optimization in the telecoms industry — Packhelp Pro Case Study
See how UK-based brand Raylo collaborated with Packhelp Pro to develop a cost-effective, sustainable and good-looking packaging design.
In early 2019 when Karl Gilbert, Richard Fulton, and Jinden Badesha established their brand Raylo, they already knew how essential packaging will be in order for their business to succeed.
It didn’t take long for them to realize that the right structural packaging design was the sweet spot between cost effectiveness and a killer customer impression, too. Since packaging would be needed for deliveries and returns, the founders were ready to explore all possibilities before the first box left the production line.
In this case study, you’ll learn about Raylo’s process of packaging development — from visualizing and testing, through optimization and then production.
Chapter #1 — Raylo’s business model
The Raylo founders are well-informed about the telecoms industry. They wanted to bring an affordable and sustainable solution to a massive industry that’s based on constantly updating to the latest model. That’s how the three entrepreneurs came up with Raylo, a startup that promises to bring an iPhone at an affordable price, and keep it circulating in a closed-off system.
It works like this:
Raylo operates on a subscription model basis. Each customer receives:
- a new sim-free iPhone
- a 100% compostable Pela case
- a screen protector
All of which is fully insured.
Customers can return their old iPhones, and these are transferred to people from lower-income communities. This is ultimately how Raylo limits the number of new phones circulating in the market.
According to Raylo’s COO Nuno Brito e Cunha, for every 10 customers who choose Raylo’s subscription model, a whole kilo of plastic is kept out of landfill.
The company also invested in local customer service. Unlike other phone providers that outsource their customer service to offshore call centres, Raylo created a customer service centre in the UK with local people that work exclusively for the brand to offer the best possible service.
Chapter #2 — Sustainability’s impact on branding
The Raylo subscription box model also put a spotlight on the sustainability of mobile phones.
As a subscriber, you have the option to upgrade to a new iPhone or renew the contract with the same phone. This was done with the idea of keeping mobile phones in circulation for the duration of their useful life. Once you upgrade to a new phone, you’ll be able to return your old iPhone to Raylo in the provided Raylo Mailer Box. Old phones are then offered to people in lower-income communities who are not in the need of newer mobile phone models, for lower price.
This sustainability mission needed to be reflected in the packaging design too.
Most of the packaging used in telecoms is based on plastic — even the industry leader Apple does so. The inserts used in Apple’s boxes are made of plastic, and the packaging is often reinforced with a polymer layer. Apple nails the artwork part thanks to the application of minimalism and elegance — however, the sustainable element is all but non-existing.
Chapter #3 — Raylo artwork and brand design
When it came to the brand design, the founders opted for two signature colors; Royal Blue and Salmon Pink. These two colors are showcased in a design that wraps around their box. The mellow tone of the Salmon Pink works in a contrast with deep, sharp Royal Blue.
When it comes to the aesthetics, Raylo is bold, and uses eye-catching typography and simple artwork. This is mimicked on the brand’s boxes.
With all this background, we can now move to the part concerning Raylo’s packaging.
Chapter #4 — Raylo connects with Packhelp Pro
During its earliest stages, Raylo came to Packhelp to collaborate in creating packaging design that was secure, cost-effective, sustainable, and elegant.
As the team explains;
“Packaging was not just a box, it was more than that. As an online-only brand, packaging becomes the first form of physical contact customers have with us. It has to be something great”.
Packhelp and Raylo worked together to prototype a solution that was based on two principles. Firstly, the box had to efficiently store a number of items. Secondly, it needed to comply with the sustainable ideology of Raylo.
The first packaging that was requested by Raylo was a narrow box measuring 110.0 x 180.0 x 100.0 mm.
“We wanted everything to be in layers so that each item in the box can be appreciated. After opening the box, it all starts with a thank you note from Raylo, then starting off with the screen protector, case, and so on. Because of this box, our customers got an experience with Raylo that went beyond our online shop”.
The dimensions used for the box design were perfect for the brand’s purposes. It was carefully sized to fit all of the items in a perfectly stacked manner, removing excess space to avoid any internal movement during shipping.
Following this initial idea, in April 2019, Raylo opted for beta tests of their packaging design, prior to the official launch planned for September.
A second prototype was made of corrugated cardboard, with three thick layers, and a lamination on top of the external cardboard layer. The items were stacked inside the box, with the iPhone proudly holding the top position.
This isn’t, however, the end of the story.
Chapter #5 Re-designing and packaging cost optimization process
This initial packaging design didn’t pass the tests.
While the box provided sufficient protection for the items inside, the dimensions were not ideal for the triple-layer of corrugated cardboard. Three walls were too thick and created issues with folding the boxes. Manual tests also proved that in some cases, this thickness led to cracks in the laminated layer.
That being said, there was another player at the table — cost effectiveness. In the first round of design, Raylo’s box was what in industry terms is called “over-packaged”, meaning there was far more material than actually needed, leading to excess waste in materials. Therefore, the initial design had to go through a cost-cutting process.
At this moment, Packhelp Pro team was tasked with restructuring the design. In order to provide an optimized packaging solution for Raylo, there were different aspects to be analyzed. In this part of the supply chain, the external packaging needed to both provide the ideal level of protection and be aesthetically pleasing.
After scrutinizing every bit of the design, the Packhelp Pro team came up with a different solution. The most important issue to solve was the thickness of the walls. Testing revealed that the walls could be reduced to two layers of cardboard of a different thickness, and a layer of laminated paper on top. This solution kept the vibrant artwork on top, and helped to increase the flexibility of the whole packaging design.
The cardboard insert was changed too. Items were moved under the iPhone as before, but the shape of the insert was slightly adjusted to the new space inside.
The switch of materials helped to reduce the costs by 11% in comparison with the initial design. And that was only the cost of packaging itself. More costs decreased further down the supply chain as a result.
That wasn’t the only benefit.
By using a different thickness, the Packhelp Pro team achieved a significant drop in glue consumption (25%), which complied with Raylo’s eco mission. On top of that comes the material itself — recyclable, corrugated cardboard.
Chapter #6 Final learnings
When it comes to custom packaging design, the key is to embrace the testing, visualizing and prototyping in order to reveal potential flaws and issues before production starts.
Raylo started working on its packaging design months before the product launched. This period allowed Raylo to collaborate with Packhelp Pro and nail down every detail.
Many companies commit to bigger orders without prior pilot runs. This is a dangerous move. Designing packaging with experts helps to avoid unnecessary costs. Without a simple pilot run, you could be ordering thousands of units that aren’t engineered correctly.
This case study is also a great way to understand what influences the costs of certain packaging design. Through changes applied to materials and the structural design, you can achieve significant savings.
If you are currently facing similar issues with your packaging, or are about to launch a product like Raylo, visit the Packhelp Pro website and get in touch with our team.
Click here to read more about Packhelp Pro.
You can also directly go to our quote request form — describe your needs there and we will be in touch soon.
Click here to fill-in the packaging quote form.
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Packhelp Pro can help you with your packaging design, packaging supply chain & more:
- Packaging engineering — the process of redefining and optimizing a current packaging solution in order to find possible improvements
- Packaging cost optimization — with a vast network of thousands of vendors, Packhelp finds you the best possible manufacturer
- Packaging visualization & prototyping — our experienced team sketches models and prepares physical prototypes prior to production
- End-to-end ownership — from concept development to long-term production plans, Packhelp covers your whole packaging supply chain
- Packaging material switch — finding better, more sustainable alternatives to your current packaging
We operate in the entire EU, the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
