Brand owner and supplier discuss the custom pouch engineered for ecommerce distribution with unique closure that makes precise product dosage a breeze.

July 29, 2020

3 Min Read
Gear Aid water repellent pouch and spout
Glenroy

Thanks to the savvy pouch packaging design, waterproofing the family’s rain gear has never been easier with Revivex Wash-In Water Repellent from Gear Aid, headquartered in Bellingham, WA. A single one-ounce treatment per garment creates and restores waterproofing protection without impacting breathability to high-tech gear including outerwear including gloves and Gore-Tex brand jackets and pants. Packaging essentials:

  • The 10oz pouches measure 7-in. x 4.5-in. x 2.75-in.

  • It’s offered for six products under the Revivex branding: Wetsuit & Drysuit Shampoo, B.C.D. Cleaner, Odor Eliminator, Wash-In Water Repellent, Down Cleaner, and Revivex Pro Cleaner

  • Prices vary depending on formula, from $6.50-$12.95.

The product was launched in the Americas and Asia in the spring of 2018 and is currently available for sale at retail and online. Here’s the case study of how that all came to be from the viewpoints of the brand and the supplier, Glenroy.

Glenroy’s viewpoint courtesy of the company’s Product Development team.

Gear Aid approached us with a need to transition from a rigid plastic bottle to a pouch for a line of Wash-in Water Repellent products.

“We’ve been working with Gear Aid since late 2016. Through a collaborative effort between our Product Development, Sales, and Customer Service teams, and the Gear Aid team, we developed a pouch that: could be used for all six of their SKUs; had a spout and cap that fit their custom designed dosing cover; and addressed leaking issues they were having with initial pouch designs.”

The beauty of the Gear Aid pouch is a durable structure that can hold the complex liquid application, yet still use a standard spout and cap that allows the custom-designed dosing cover to snap on top.

That’s a unique feature. The standard spout and cap protect the product inside while the custom cover serves as the measuring device for each use.

“The unique design of the cover adds to the visual appeal of the package. The structure of the pouch was engineered to better allow for maximizing the seal integrity around the fitment to reduce the possibility of seal failure. The pouch design is also optimized to withstand the rigors of ecommerce distribution.”

Gear Aid’s viewpoint courtesy of Christian Rudolph, Product Manager, Anti Fog/Adventure Tools.

It was a first for the brand and for the category.

“We have used stand-up pouches for some of our kit components in the past, but this is the first time we’ve put our liquid products into the flexible pouch. Also, our competitors continue to use standard blow-molded plastic bottles.”

The 10-oz spouted pouch replaced 12oz and 8oz HDPE bottles.

The pouches feature heavy-duty MPET construction and a spout fitment with tamper-evident cap.

“We had some initial challenges with creating an efficient workflow to fill the new pouches, but now that we are up and running, we use one-third less plastic for these items, we use less warehouse space, and we’ve gained some shipping efficiencies.”

Consumer education remains important.

“Our customers are typically outdoor recreation enthusiasts who appreciate environmentally responsible options. Even so, not everyone understands the life-cycle analysis of pouches or packaging. Once this knowledge is more widespread, we hope to see a more positive response.”

It opens up further opportunities for the brand.

“We are currently looking toward the future and seeking innovative solutions to reduce and minimalize the packaging for all of our products. Specifically, we are evaluating other items within our product offering that would be well suited for flexible packaging.”

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