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There’s nothing like coming across an interesting use of print, and this one certainly caught my eye. Printing what can only be described as a ‘use by’ date on pillows! http://bit.ly/uxMq0J
The application of ‘sell by’ dates, product labelling and bar and data matrix codes have become pretty common in recent years, especially in the perishable goods, foods and pharmaceutical sectors, where the track and traceability of products have become important. But pillows…well, that’s a different story.
Now if you’re guilty of hanging on to your favourite pillow for years on end, then this could be the solution for you! Mine for one has been around for more than I care to admit. So, when I started to look in to this, there appears to be a shelf-life for pillows beyond which they become pretty useless in terms of offering adequate support. Therefore, printing a sell by date on your pillow isn’t such a wacky idea after all.
I recall a few years back pondering another creative use of digital ink jet technology, that of printing personal messages onto roses. At the time, I think the whole office agreed that receiving a bunch of plain red roses on the 14th February would win hands down over one personalised printed rose, we all had to admit, that this was one creative print application.
Only a few days earlier, I’d been speaking to one of my clients about his expectations for drupa 2012, and he was very much of the opinion that this drupa, the emphasis will be on innovative applications rather than hall upon hall of ground breaking new technologies. There has also been much discussion about the increase in the flexibility of digital ink jet which further lends itself to a wealth of interesting applications such as the tontine pillow’s ‘sell by’ date. I probably shouldn’t mention it, but there isn’t long before the halls of the Messe Dsseldorf opens its doors once again for another industry showcase, and it’ll be interesting to see what new exciting new print applications will be on display as ink jet technology continues to make its mark.