The Challenge
As one of Germany’s leading eCommerce jewelry brands, Paul Valentine wanted to evolve its bestselling Advent Calendar into something more design-driven and sustainable. In previous years, each piece of jewelry came with up to four layers of packaging, leading to excessive waste. The goal for 2024 was twofold: first, to create a more distinctive and elevated design, and second, to significantly reduce packaging waste without compromising the customer experience. In addition, the new concept needed to work as two separate 12-door calendars that would look beautiful individually - and even better when combined.
Our Solution
We developed a completely new concept based on a sun and moon theme, with two perfectly round calendars made from sturdy cardboard - one representing the sun, the other the moon. Each features 12 doors arranged in a clean, modern layout. For customers who purchased both calendars, hidden magnets allow the pieces to click together into a full circle that sits on a custom-designed base - turning the calendars into a standalone decorative object.
To reduce waste, we eliminated unnecessary layers: no boxes inside boxes, and no plastic. The jewelry is placed behind each door, wrapped only in branded tissue paper for a more minimal, elegant unboxing moment. The result is a premium product that stands out in both design and sustainability - with a much smaller environmental footprint than traditional calendar formats.
The Materials
• FSC-certified, sturdy cardboard structure
• Branded tissue paper (plastic-free)
• Hidden magnets for combined display
• Custom-designed cardboard base
The Methods
• Concept and shape development (Sun & Moon design)
• Technical construction for door mechanism and assembly
• Structural testing for magnet and stand functionality
• Waste-reduction strategy & packaging redesign
• Production-ready prototyping
