Back in 2019, Viennese creative agency ARGE kles. was tasked with redesigning the visual branding for recycled paper brand NAUTILUS®, a project which included a swatchbook developed by Miriam Mlczoch from in love with paper (previously featured here) and Jan Belik. The swatchbook, which presents the environmentally friendly NAUTILUS® recycled papers range, aims to playfully simplify active paper selection with many practical application examples (printing, perforations, folding, embossing) in all available grammage while clearly explaining the paper recycling process.
The format and scope of the swatchbook make it handy and easy to transport in order to ensure everyday usability and practicality. While the detachable paper samples inside were specifically designed according to their grammage as cards with animated messages (70-200g/m2) as well as bookmarks, folding objects, business cards, and postcards (200-350g/m2) for inspiration and examples.
In order to ensure pleasant browsing, the application examples with the high grammage were placed at the end of the swatchbook. Threads in five different shades of green were chosen for the open thread stitching to reinforce the nature theme and NAUTILUS® brand message.
“The swatchbook consists of fourteen layers, with two types of paper – NAUTILUS® Classic and NAUTILUS® SuperWhite – alternating and creating an “Ildefonso effect”. In order to ensure pleasant browsing, the application examples with the high grammage were placed at the end of the swatchbook. Threads in five different shades of green were chosen for the open thread stitching to reinforce the nature theme and NAUTILUS® brand message. The back flap of the banderole is glued to the underside and thus offers a small pocket for inserting folders, flyers, or business cards”, Miriam Mlczoch writes about the details of the swatchbook.
The design is inspired by the idea of the Golden Ratio, a mathematical ratio commonly found in nature that enables aesthetically pleasing and natural-looking compositions
The design of the swatchbook goes hand-in-hand with the new brand identity established for NAUTILUS®. “Starting from the shape of the Nautilus snail, the design concept is based entirely on the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence derived from it. These therefore also run through the entire design of the Swatchbook: from design elements, format, the ratio of the font sizes to each other, size ratio of the banderole to the swatchbook, column and margin dimensions in the layout, etc”, Mlczoch explains.
The swatchbook is comprised of 100% recycled NAUTILUS® Classic and NAUTILUS® SuperWhite paper in all available grammages, which range from 70g/m2 to 350g/m2. All the refinements, from printing and finishing techniques to binding methods, that might normally make paper products difficult to recycle were deliberately avoided in the design and production of the swatchbook. “The cover of the book features a pattern made with punched circles and triangles, which reflect a forest of deciduous and coniferous trees. Punctured inner pages are used throughout the book for the different tear-out paper samples.”
The cover of the book features a pattern made with punched circles and triangles, which reflect a forest of deciduous and coniferous trees. Punctured inner pages are used throughout the book for the different tear-out paper samples.
Specific environmentally friendly inks with good de-inking values (Siegwerk Low NRG/LED) were used for the printing, so as not to complicate but help the recycling process. The swatchbook was printed on a Heidelberg LEUV-XL 106-8-P+L using energy-efficient LE-UV printing technology.
The original edition of 5,500 pieces was produced in four languages (DE, EN, IT, FR) with three other cooperation partners (Antalis, IGEPA, Union Papelera), and after high demand, the swatchbook has been re-printed in 2021 with an additional edition size of 6000 pieces. Unsurprisingly the NAUTILUS® swatch book was nominated for the Golden Pixel Award in 2021.
© Jan Belik, Miriam Mlczoch & Philipp Wichtl