Disrupting tradition: The story of James Cropper and Nathan Ward’s ‘Message in a Wrap’

Packaging can deliver brand messaging in a way that is truly unique.

It’s a tangible demonstration of a brand’s identity and values. A consumer can learn everything they need to know about a brand or product from a well-designed pack; from its use of colour, its structural design, and the way it feels in the hand.

That’s because good packaging design comes from a deep, collaborative relationship between supplier, designer, and brand customer. And, if all parties involved share the same values, this only helps ensure those values shine through in the end product. This has been at the core of the James Cropper ethos from the day we purchased our Burneside mill 180 years ago.

So, when we decided we wanted our 180-year anniversary to be a celebration of collaboration and boundary-pushing innovation, we had to include a special tribute to this unique project as part of the festivities.

Our partnership with Bruichladdich Distillery Company is the perfect example of what can be achieved by two progressive companies with shared values. Since its founding in 1881, Bruichladdich has built a reputation as an industry disruptor, making its name as an Islay-based single malt distillery that does not use the region’s traditional peat smoke in its production process, and continually pushing the envelope with a trademark sense of flair.

As part of its sustainable commitment, Bruichladdich is once again blazing a new trail by cutting down on packaging wherever possible, eliminating tin secondary packaging from its core single malt lines. It approached James Cropper to create a new packaging solution for its Luxury Re/defined range of whisky that was in line with its sustainability goals – and the rest is history.

It’s easy to see why a partnership between two artisanal companies, both founded in the 19^th Century, with a long heritage of innovation and a commitment to sustainability (Bruichladdich is B Corp certified) worked so well. And it’s worth highlighting the many compelling similarities between whisky distilling and papercraft that helped improve synergy between the two companies even further. Whisky production involves raw materials being mixed with water and mashed, as natural ingredients are transformed into alcohol. Moulded Fibre production involves plant fibres being mixed with water and mashed, as natural ingredients are transformed into packaging. Both processes are centuries old.

The result of this collaboration was a headline-grabbing, award-winning bottle wrap made entirely from Moulded Fibre. While there were some technical challenges along the way – notably around colour control, owing to the careful balance that needs to be struck between dye and fibre to ensure each pack has a uniform hue – our understanding of chemistry and material science enabled us to overcome them, bringing the project to life with a single material and no glue.

The synergy between all stakeholders was inspiring. And, when we wanted to create an art piece highlighting our history of innovation, craftsmanship, and collaboration, the Bruichladdich project made the perfect subject.

Bringing art and design into the fold

If the Bruichladdich project was the perfect subject, then Nathan Ward was the perfect artist to tell its story. A renowned artist known for his use of papercraft, Nathan was already aware of James Cropper’s work.

“Through my work, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with various paper companies. Along the way, I learned James Cropper manufactures Colorplan paper, which I’ve used in pieces before,” he says. “Back in May last year, I visited the James Cropper mill and became more familiar with the brand. I felt particularly inspired that the paper I use for my sculptures is made in the UK.

“I met Jordan [Scott, Marketing Communications Manager at James Cropper] at the Independent Paper Show in London, and that’s when we started discussing the possibility of a project together. When we spoke, we realised there was a strong synchronicity in our approaches – my use of technology and software in crafting handmade pieces aligns with their combination of traditional craftsmanship and innovative processes. There’s a balance between the craft element and modern digital tools.

“There’s a real synergy between the software I use to design my sculptures and the technology they use to create moulds for their Moulded Fibre products.”

The challenge of working with Moulded Fibre itself also appealed to Nathan. “I was introduced to Moulded Fibre, and I was absolutely blown away by it,” he continues. “I had never seen anything like it before. We’re all familiar with egg boxes, but the way they’ve taken that process and elevated it to create luxury products in such varied and intricate ways is incredible.”

“I think from quite a young age, I must have done some papermaking at school, just repulping old bits of shredded paper. Visiting the James Cropper mill gave me a real understanding of the material process – how it’s commercially produced, the large vats, the dyeing process, colouration, and the science behind it all. It was incredible to see the level of attention to detail.

“One thing I’ve always noticed with the papers I use from the James Cropper mill is that the colours are always completely consistent. I’ve used other brands where one batch of paper might differ slightly from the next, but every single sheet I’ve ever handled from James Cropper has been completely uniform, which has been fantastic.”

Nathan and Jordan worked together to develop a vision for the project. “Together we came up with the concept of the Message in a Wrap,” Jordan recalls.  “We flipped the use of paper and Moulded Fibre and actually recreated a Moulded Fibre product using paper handsheets.

“Inside we wanted a beautiful visual message about the synergy of paper and Moulded Fibre coming together, but also about the power of two businesses with similar values coming together.”

The concept – two side-by-side representations of the Bruichladdich distillery on the Isle of Islay and the James Cropper Burneside mill a single diorama placed inside a large-scale representation of the Luxury Re/defined wrap – wasn’t without its challenges, as Nathan explains.

“I’m quite used to working with sheet materials, especially the papers in James Cropper’s Vanguard range. But using Moulded Fibre definitely presented a challenge.

“Finding ways to incorporate it into my work wasn’t necessarily difficult in terms of using the material itself – we managed to include some really nice elements, like the cut logo details on the bottles and trees. But working with sheet material was more complex.

“I usually work with large sheets – my machines take 60 x 90 cm sheets – so I can lay them down and arrange all the puzzle pieces as efficiently as possible to minimise waste. But with the handmade Moulded Fibre sheets, which were A4-sized, I had to adapt my templates, breaking them up more than usual to fit the materials properly. It was a challenge, but we made it work. It was really rewarding to use handmade papers like that – it’s not something I’ve done much before.”

The final piece uses a delicate layering of paper sheets to create a large representation of the wrap, which is opened to reveal a depiction of the rolling hills and flowing rivers that surround both Bruichladdich’s and James Cropper’s facilities. Nestled in the heart of the piece were paper-based models of both buildings, complete with fine details including small rocky outcroppings and rowing boats. This attention to detail means that the art piece continually rewards closer inspection, which reveals flourishes such as miniature trees made from Moulded Fibre. These trees were embossed and debossed with the pattern used on the clasp of the Bruichladdich wrap, with these subtle details adding up to create a final product that was bursting with character.

“Delivering the artwork to James Cropper in person was a great experience,” says Nathan. “I spent the day there with Jordan, delivering the piece and taking part in the filming process. It was fantastic to meet the design team – they were genuinely interested in how I use software in my work, since they apply similar techniques in their own designs. That exchange of ideas was really valuable.”

Jordan agrees. “Our ethos is to ‘be like no other’,” she says. “We’re continually challenging ourselves to hone our craft and explore new ways to tell stories for our customers – we’ll never wait for someone else to do it first.

“There’s a natural synergy between the James Cropper and Bruichladdich businesses, with both placing an emphasis on their rich heritage, sustainability, and innovation. And that’s reflected in our partnership with Nathan, meaning it shines through in the final piece.”

As ever, we at James Cropper are never satisfied with ‘business as usual’. We’re continually looking to reinvent ourselves and our processes – all while being true to our heritage and the pioneering spirit that has burned for over 180 years.