Karim Rashid’s first collaboration with Dentiste, the Korean oral care brand, is a travel toothpaste kit comprised of eight 40g tubes of toothpaste and a waterproof silicone pouch.

Rashid believes that design is for everyone. With more than 4,000 designs in production in over 40 countries, Rashid’s multidisciplinary creativity has made him one the most in-demand designers. Rashid’s goal is to design objects for the masses. He believes that, “Design can and does touch all of our lives every day and all objects should be considered and made beautiful.” His award-winning packaging for Method, Kenzo fragrance and eos lip balm were created with the belief that, “Nothing is more powerful to a brand than an iconic product.”

The Ikon Travel Kit incorporates 55 of Rashid’s signature symbols — or globalove alphabet, as he refers to them — that represent Love, Nature, Life, and Empathy, qualities that embody Dentiste’s brand identity. For its new Flexible by Design section, Flexible Packaging asked Rashid about the project and his design process.

Did you have any input on the size of the tubes, how many are in the kit and/or the material used?

A: The size and quantity of the tubes were determined by Dentiste. Throughout the project the size and quantity fluctuated between 8 x 20g tubes and 4 x 40g tubes, but this did not change the design much as it only resulted in a longer tube. The 40g is ideal as it smaller than home size since they are meant for travel/portability but still a generous size. I used the same as materials from Dentiste’s existing product line but created a clean, artful design. Dentiste currently uses silver foil in a minimal fashion on their tubes, but we chose to lean on this material to create a really nice, almost chrome-like effect on the ikons.

What did Dentiste want to you to convey with this collaboration?

A: Dentise wanted us to convey their brand principles: premium natural ingredients and fresh morning breath/kiss. I was drawn to the sensual aspect of the latter. I wanted to create a cohesive collection that was a true marriage of my brand and vision with their company culture and ideas. I chose my ikons that had most to do with Dentiste’s brand principles and used those as the key visual for the Ikon Collection. This special edition kit also works as collectable art; after using the actual toothpaste, the tubes are meant to be kept like individual graphic art objects.

Why do you think people want more from everyday commodities?

A: People want products that are a “rapture of experience.” Products and furniture must deal with our emotional ground, therefore increasing the popular imagination and experience. Bad design creates encumbrances, act as stressors, complicate tasks, and bring no beauty into the world. Our lives are elevated when we experience beauty, comfort, luxury, performance, and utility seamlessly together. Working on consumer product packaging design allows me to fulfill this ambition of disseminating the importance of design in everyday life.

Designer: Karim Rashid
Brand: Dentiste
Origin: South Korea
Project: The Ikon Collection