Capsule collections have become a major trend in the marketing world in recent years. Compared to traditional market releases, they are small, independent collections that are very useful for brand visibility and communication. Let us see below what they are and how Packstyle provides support.

What are capsule collections?

By 'capsule collection’  we mean a limited edition often made of a few items linked together by the same theme. Capsule collections are exclusive and produced in limited numbers, very often only available for a short period of time or while stocks last, and can sometimes only be found online or in selected retail outlets. In many cases, these collections are a collaboration between two brands: so-called co-branding. Companies that are different in terms of target group or sector decide to collaborate in order to open up to a broader audience and relate to consumers other than the established ones.

Launching a capsule collection is a widespread and successful marketing strategy in many ways, starting with sales and strengthening the brand's position and identity. The phenomenon, which has been on the rise in recent years, has overturned the rules and timing of sales, becoming a prime example of how seasonality is now increasingly fast and unpredictable. Although capsule collections only launch a few products, the strategy behind them is quite complex: it requires detailed planning, disruptive communication and a structured business plan to achieve the desired sales targets.

Capsule collection examples

H&M

Every year a new brand, very often a highly positioned fashion house, puts its 'knowledge' at the disposal of the giant H&M for a capsule collection that, more often than not, sells out within hours.

The first collaboration was in 2004 when H&M won the contract of the great designer Karl Lagerfeld. This was followed by Stella McCartney, Victor&Rolf, Roberto Cavalli, Comme des Garcons, etc.

These collaborations have a dual purpose: to elevate the low-cost brand by bringing it closer to the luxury giants and, at the same time, to bring H&M customers closer to the big names in fashion. Indeed, the garments in the collections follow the style of the fashion houses, but are more affordable and closer to fast fashion. The result is a mixture of haute couture and ready-to-wear that favours everyone's business, without distorting anyone.

Levi’s x MiuMiu

The famous American denim brand is no newcomer to the trend of collaborations and launched a new partnership in 2021 that focused on sustainability and the rediscovery of archives. Announced via social media in December 2020, Levi's X Miu Miu, was a sustainable project called "Upcycled" that gave each pair of pre-loved Levi's jeans the distinctive stylistic touch of MiuMiu.

Gcds and Barilla

The streetwear brand Gcds (God can't destroy streetwear) redesigned the iconic Barilla pasta pack, colouring it in a brand new colour: fuchsia. At the same time, the capsule collection of the clothing brand was also presented: a small unisex collection whose garments bore the words 'YesCarbs', a true invitation to the Mediterranean diet.

With this operation, what is considered by the common imagination as a 'commodity' can become a 'premium' object, just like a haute couture dress. The leading pasta company therefore paraded in the Italian fashion city par excellence, Milan, with the aim of opening up to experimentation and conquering a completely new target-audience.

L’importanza del packaging

The capsule collection calls for a 'change of clothes' of the product that must astonish the consumer audience. The packaging in this perspective plays an important role in both aesthetic and communicative terms: it reflects and narrates this calculated change of course and is the first witness of the collaboration, especially if, as in the case of Barilla, the content does not change but only the communicative concept and the external wrapping varies.

Being a distinct collection from the annual pre-established releases, the capsule collection allows greater freedom in graphic creation and can be an opportunity to devise and test new concepts, push in unexplored directions, experiment and give new visibility to a product. A kind of laboratory for new ideas. 

From a packaging point of view, at first glance, the capsule collection is a wasteful marketing operation, also in terms of resources, especially considering that the world of packaging is increasingly moving in the direction of sustainability: reducing the weight and volume of packaging, using recycled materials or materials that facilitate the reuse, recovery or recycling of packaging.

This reduction in materials and thus in environmental impact must not, however, detract from the effectiveness of packaging in terms of product safety and preservation, especially in the case of online sales, which require shipping-proof packaging. Indeed, very often capsule collections are only sold in selected flagship shops or, in order to reach a larger number of buyers, mainly online.

So is a capsule collection too expensive in terms of packaging? Our personal answer is no, or at least 'not always'. We explain why.

The allies of the capsule collection

Designing and launching a capsule collection, as we mentioned earlier, requires complex and meticulous planning. But packaging, by selecting the right ally, may not be a problem. Let's look together at the advantages of flexible packaging and digital printing:

1. Fast delivery time

The seasonality of the market has undergone profound changes in recent years in order to respond to an increasingly dynamic evolution of consumer preferences.  The need to continuously respond to a constantly evolving demand, the continuous intra-seasonal re-assortment based on the trends of the moment, has modified sales times, speeding them up considerably. The capsule collection also responds to these market needs: the fusion of creativity and the trends of the moment require ever shorter production times. Timeliness is a relevant factor to consider when launching this strategy. 

Packstyle supports manufacturing companies by providing flexible packaging quickly, i.e. in just 6 working days. As for limited editions in pieces, it provides the possibility of printing small quantities of pouches starting from 50 pieces. The strength of capsule collections is that they sell out in a very short time, but should you wish to replicate the success, with Packstyle you can simply place the same order again for even just a further 50 pieces and get it quickly.

1. Materials

The overall reduction of environmental impact is the direction in which small brands and large manufacturers are heading. Both manufacturers and consumers are increasingly convinced of the importance of limiting the weight and volume of packaging and of making extensive use of recycled materials.

Packstyle offers two types of materials that meet these requirements: recyclable paper and PP single-material recyclable film. 

Recyclable paper is the result of combining the virtues of one-side coated paper and polyethylene in combination with the EVOH barrier. Furthermore, it is FSC certified, i.e. it comes from forests where strict environmental, social and economic standards are met. 

The recyclable PP monomaterial film consists of a polypropylene monomaterial with a functional oxygen and water vapour barrier. 

For pouches made of these materials, Packstyle provides official logos certifying the recyclability and origin of the materials in order to clearly communicate the sustainability message to its customers.

1. Graphics and Multigraphics

The capsule collection is an opportunity to experiment with different graphics than those traditionally used. The Packstyle pouches are highly customisable in terms of the graphics that are printed, thanks to digital printing, directly on the envelope without the use of stickers to be applied later. It is possible to obtain more or less contrasting graphic effects by inserting white bases on which to print the motif. Packstyle also allows you to customise the effect of the finish by providing the matt alternative, the glossy alternative and finally the soft touch solution.

One advantage of Packstyle's offering that should not be underestimated is the multi-graphic service that allows, at no extra cost, for the creation of diversified pouches for product lines. For example, a capsule collection might involve a minimal change or a twist compared to traditional packaging. In both cases, Packstyle allows its customers to send different graphics that will be handled in the same order at no additional cost. 

Benefits of the capsule collection

Launching a capsule collection offers several advantages.

Through capsule collections, companies can try out new products, expand their range or simply renew their visibility without changing their identity. Brands also often use capsule collections to test customers' appetite for new product lines and thus try to grow.

For these 'transitional' marketing actions, Packstyle proves to be a convenient and cost-effective choice: it allows as little as 50 flexible packages to be printed and, with the multi-graphic service, the new capsule collection packaging is handled in the same order as traditional packaging. 

As we have seen, capsule collections draw attention to the brand and create buzz in its direct community. On these occasions it is therefore necessary to think big!

With Packstyle's customised graphics, brands can give free rein to their graphic and communication creativity, choosing the finish of the pouch, the more or less vivid effect of the graphics and the positioning of a transparent window on the pouch to show its contents. In addition, QR codes can be printed on the pouch, adding a further communicative possibility to the packaging.

Some brands take advantage of capsule collections to create new products from the raw material waste of their main collection. The sustainable choice in this case is also underlined by the use of recyclable materials for packaging, such as Packstyle's recyclable paper or PP single-material recyclable film. The flexible packaging itself is also a solution that minimises the weight and volume of packaging, thus reducing waste. 

Capsule collections are produced in limited numbers and thus avoid overproduction of articles and consequently waste. Packstyle has always adopted this philosophy, allowing only the necessary amount of packaging to be printed, starting from short runs of 50 pieces. 

After this brief journey into the world of capsule collections we understand that this is an opportunity not to be underestimated that promises more than positive results for many types of companies. With the help of Packstyle devising and producing original and creative packaging seems much easier than winning a capsule collection product!