British papermaker James Cropper reports that it has successfully mimicked the luxurious look and feel of suede in paper form, creating a new generation of tactile luxury papers. 

  

Craftsmanship, progress, and an unequalled expertise with leather are the founding pillars of the luxury product LOEWE, a Spanish-based brand, James Cropper notes. Recognizing that craft, experience, and innovation are also at the heart of papermaking excellence, the LOEWE brand approached James Cropper to fashion a suede-effect paper for its product packaging. LOEWE was looking to create statement packaging that paired functionality with high tactile softness, to emulate the look and feel of its range of leather goods. The result of the collaboration between the two companies, each with 170 years of business experience, was Carvetian Suede.

 

 

Susan Wilson, luxury packaging director, said that "we are always striving to create new and innovative papers to meet the demand for high quality, luxury products. Carvetian Suede offers people in the design and packaging industries something that exudes opulence. The product has great foundations, a base paper designed specifically to meld with the soft-touch surface to create a suede paper of the highest quality. In addition, we use a high percentage of recycled fibers so it’s very eco-friendly, making it all the more appealing to our clients by helping them achieve their sustainability objectives."

  

Following from the success of the 2013 packaging launch for LOEWE, Carvetian Suede is now available to international buyers and presents an opportunity not only to create luxurious packaging but creative print and advertising materials with a tactile feel. The product has been employed in a variety of uses since its inception. In 2013, a sculpture of a dog in a stylish Carvetian Suede coat was presented at the Gerald and James exhibition in New York.

 

This week, October 21-23, visitors to the Luxe Pack event at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco will also have the opportunity to discover Carvetian Suede for themselves. The product has been selected for display in the Luxe Pack Arena, a space dedicated for leading product developments, and can also be found at the James Cropper stand.

Carvetian Suede is produced using a minimum of 40% recycled, post-consumer fibers, making it an environmentally-friendly choice.

Available in a range of four natural colours, Carvetian Suede takes its name from the Carvetii, Iron Age settlers in the North of England, reflecting the roots of James Cropper’s heritage.