Uwe Melichar

Uwe Melichar, born in 1968, studied communication design at the Muthesius University in Kiel and worked at the brand agency FACTOR for 25 years. He was the agency’s managing partner and built up the packaging division. In 2020, he left the FACTOR and started his new business, MELICHAR Bros. Under the slogan “Increase Value, Decrease Waste” the company focusses on sustainable packaging solutions. In his work-life, Uwe Melichar has realised projects for adidas, Bosch, C&A, Gardena, Omron and Miele. Together with his team, he develops packaging and communication design for clients in Japan, Russia, China, the USA and various European countries. He is also a lecturer at several universities, such as the University of Augsburg, is a member of the Type Directors Club New York and president of the European Brand & Packaging Design Association (epda).

Red Dot: Which materials will prevail in packaging design in future?
Uwe Melichar: The future lies in rapidly renewable raw materials. Paper pulp, paper foam are technologies that make it possible to produce cellulosebased packaging elements that can be freely shaped.

How would you describe the development of packaging solutions in recent years?
After many years in which aesthetics predominated, genuine solutions are increasingly playing an important role: packaging that explains the product, that makes portioning and removal of the contents easier and that is resealable. In recent years, companies have been taking on more responsibility and creating easier, lighter and smarter packaging. Products are being given a stage, with packaging in combination with intelligent storytelling offering a brilliant mise en scène.