Śliwowica Łącka

Packaging de Origen Workshops

Packaging created during Packaging de Origen Workshops organized by Institute Cervantes Varsovie, Workshops run by Eva Minguella and Laia Fusté from design studio Eva Estudi and Elisava University in Barcelona.

Projekt zrealizowany w ramach warsztatów Packaging de Origen Workshops zorganizowanych przez warszawski Instytut Cervantesa, przy współpracy z wykładowczyniami Packaging Design na uczelni Elisava w Barcelonie, Evą Minguellą i Laią Fusté ze studia Eva Estudi.

The task of the workshops was to choose traditional product, produced, connected with region we were born in. I come from małoposka voivoidship (southern Poland) and I decided to redesign packaging for Łącka Śliwowica, (slivovitz, plum brandy).

Łącka Śliwowica is of course traditional product and it’s quite famous in Poland as long as abroad, especially for its taste and percentage of alcohol.

Apart from that, it has rich history. Produced in the village Łącko since XVII century, originally by polish Judes, it was known as Śliwowica Pejseczna (also known as Slivovitz Passover) it was dinked by Judes during Passover (Pesach). Then polish peasants shared the recipe. It’s still home crafted, still in Łącko becoming a part of Poland’s heritage.

Right now it’s packaging looks like airport souvenir rather than traditional product awarded in world’s taste competition.

I started research with history, than with original folk patterns. While those of highlanders from Podhale region are commonly used in Poland in souvenirs and other goods, patterns of Łącko Highlanders are slightly different and not so well known.

Another important inspiration were sculptures made by people of south, mountainous region. Botanical inspirations, remind me of times of secession, arts and craft movement but at the same time the railings, decorations, highlanders sculptures are harsh, hewn, hand made, with visible marks of tool, which the wood was cut.

Those inspirations lead me to the key visuals of the project. Charcoal was my intuitive, natural response for the characteristic wooden sculptures. The structure of charcoal drawing reminded me this hand made, hard craft. It was very important not to leave the handcraft style. It is part of the product, that it is crafted by the certain people usually in their houses, with care and love. The illustrations show my interpretation of the organic themes that I saw on folk clothes.

Than the bottle. It was crucial to show Śliwowica in more contemporary style, the packaging that can make it rightful part of the world’s best vodkas and tequilas. The skinny, tall bottle apart form vodkas connotations reminds me also of fruit juices, sugared sirups, which matches the plums that Śliwowica is made of. One of Śliwowica producers sells also spirits made of different fruits such a chokeberry, pear or cherry. Than the folk inspired themes can be applied to the wide product series.