Burneside-based paper and packaging manufacturers James Cropper are celebrating making its mark on London Packaging Week by encouraging delegates to create an iconic London bus.
Award-winning paper artist Nathan Ward was commissioned to transform the company’s Coloursource product into a London double-decker bus.
The model was aimed at celebrating design, heritage, and innovation and encouraging visitors to the show to consider material storytelling and sustainable luxury.
“For the first time in the UK, attendees were able to experience our Coloursource range in person,” Paul Barber, managing director of James Cropper, said.
“Coloursource, a paper long celebrated in the UK and honed over half a century, is produced at James Cropper, the last papermill in the country manufacturing speciality coloured paper.
“As the first company in the world to produce coloured paper using synthetic dyes in 1856, James Cropper has long been the home of colour – a legacy that continues to inform everything we make today.
“It was fantastic to see designers and brands engaging with the quality, versatility, and heritage that UK-made paper can offer.”
Croppers is celebrating 180 years in business and have worked alongside partners Winter & Company UK to promote the range which Mr Barber said had sparked significant interest.
“We’ve seen huge interest from across industries since the summer announcement, but this was the first opportunity for many to get hands-on,” Mr Barber said.
“The response confirmed what we hoped: there is a real appetite for premium, domestically produced materials that combine craftsmanship with sustainability.”
He added: “The quality of conversations we had was exceptional. Every discussion felt purposeful, from designers looking for specific colour and texture options to brand teams wanting to explore creative applications.
“It’s clear that people want to reconnect with the material side of packaging again. The workshop with paper artist Nathan Ward was another real highlight.
“It gave people a chance to pause amid the busy exhibition and rediscover paper as a medium for creativity. Watching attendees craft models of London buses reminded us exactly why we do what we do: inspiring people to see paper not just as a substrate but as an experience.”
Earlier this year the company produced the first book made of recycled coffee cups.
“James Cropper, a heritage papermill and our leading paper supplier for nearly 50 years, produces the coloured paper everyone knows and loves,” Paul Davinson, managing director at Winter & Company UK said.
“There’s strong demand for a UK-made product that delivers the same consistency and craftsmanship that has defined it for generations, and we’re committed to making that vision a reality, giving customers direct access to the source.”
