International Fragrance Day: Perfumes are Worth Protecting

On March 21, we are celebrating International Fragrance Day, a full 24 hours dedicated to the billions of olfactory experiences that are possible in our day-to-day environment. Not all are perfume-related of course, and each one of us has a fragrance or scent that transports us to a place in time – the smell of paint freshly applied to a garden fence, for example, or the heady aroma of just-mown grass. While our role in the fragrance industry is limited to the packaging function, we are proud to celebrate this day with our long-term customers.

According to the organizers of International Fragrance Day, the oldest perfumery ever discovered dates back to the Bronze age. A site of over 4,000 square meters was uncovered on the Island of Cyprus, suggesting that perfume production on an industrial scale was taking place there by some scent-loving individuals. In addition, they also refer to the world’s oldest known chemist, Tapputi, who was reputedly a perfume maker from Mesopotamia and was mentioned on a stone tablet believed to date back to around 1200 BC.

What we can be certain of is that our ancestors did not have access to the wide variety and significant benefits of metal packaging. The sheer volume of products available to consumers today requires packaging that helps brands stand out in a crowd. Metal, with its vast array of finishes and decorative techniques, is the perfect material to help brands connect with consumers. From marble and crackle, to gloss, matte and even glow-in-the-dark inks, it is easy to make a statement and attract shoppers with innovative design.

Shaping also feeds directly into the need to differentiate. Metal’s versatility means it can be formed into any number of shapes and sizes, and in the perfume industry, its premium look and feel adds a sense of quality and luxury that aligns with the finely balanced fragrances within. The elegant, sleek tins adopted by Jean Paul Gaultier are a great example of this in action, and the brand has long been an advocate of metal to house its iconic fragrances.

Finally, in a world where sustainability is at the forefront of consumer’s minds, metal delivers some of the most comprehensive green credentials of any packaging material. Its ability to be recycled infinitely without loss of properties mean that the vast majority of packaging steel and aluminum produced is still within the circular economy today – that is assuming the consumer can bear to part with such a useful and striking keepsake.

Metal is truly the packaging material of today, and on International Fragrance Day, we will certainly be thinking about the pioneers of the perfume industry – who, we are sure, would have fully appreciated its benefits.