Arjowiggins’ Keaykolour and Curious Metallics matching tool is an ingenious celebration of colour

In an exemplary showcase of complementary colour, supportive design and paper – both in its engineered construction and wondrous contents – Arjowiggins have continued their on-going relationship with London-based design studio North with their Keaykolour and Curious Metallics colour-matching tool.

A loose set of cards allows designers to pick and edit their own palettes easily.

The object seeks to exhibit the wide array of textured, high-rigidity paper found in the Keaykolour range and the glistening muted accents and tints of the Curious Metallics collections, all whilst finding perfectly partnered tones between the two.

Following their total overhaul of company-wide colours in 2018, courtesy of colour specialist Atelier 3D Couleur, Arjowiggins have doubled down on their coherent, contemporary and comprehensive collection, with a celebration of colour itself. Dancing from subdued blues to exciting reds, the collection is ingeniously encapsulated in sets of dual boxes, crafted with a window to view the exuberant colour combinations.

The colour choices are a feat of ingenuity in themselves, boasting the company’s seemingly endless groupings of colour. “We always encourage customers to mix papers across ranges and not be limited to products in just one range,” Jose-Anne d’Auvergne, Head of Marketing at explains, “we consider the Keaykolour and Curious Metallics ranges to be very similar yet quite different,” she remarks, finding complementary tones and attitudes in colour across the two, with drastically different finishes.

In showing these subtle variations across the collections, Jeremy Coysten and Josef Clinch from explain they aimed “to pair colours only a few shades apart from each other,” ending with a perfect balance of variety as to not be bombarding nor depleted. This refined understanding of the project’s needs is mirrored throughout its entirety, even down to the practicality of the chosen A6 format.

“We have to start by considering what form is best suited to the role of the tools,” Coysten and Clinch explain, “a loose set of cards allows designers to pick and edit their own palettes easily,” as well as encouraging the sets to work alongside one another. Designing the box last, Coysten and Clinch note that they found A6 to be the perfect size, due to it being able to attractively sit comfortably on a shelf, and similarly not be too small to inadequately express the paper’s quality.

Looking to further express this value whilst not detracting from it, North developed a set of patterns that were applied across the range, achieved through simple, recognisable and impactful shapes. “Patterns were added to emphasise the colours which are shared in both Keaykolour and Metallics,” Coysten and Clinch explain, whilst at the same time suggesting the full potential of the papers when printed.

With the colour-matching tool only being part of North and Arjowiggins’ working relationship, Coysten and Clinch take a step back on their teamwork. “We’re very fortunate to have a longstanding relationship with Arjowiggins,” they tell us, “the trust that has built up between us over the years allows for a healthy, vital dialogue during the design process,” allowing them to effectively, and flexibly, communicate the graphic solution of the problem at hand. “A good dialogue is the best way of ensuring that we tick all these boxes,” they remark.

In considering the introduction of other Arjowiggins ranges to this colour-matching selection system, d’Auvergne explains that their creative expression of the ranges at hand may call for something else entirely. “A lot of research goes into the development of our paper selection tools,” she explains, “to be sure that they are adapted to the products,” all whilst successfully promoting what they do best, and looking the best they can whilst doing it. “Coloured papers are a key part of our portfolio,” d’Auvergne concludes, “so depending on the range we may decide to have a totally different approach to highlight certain unique attributes.”

Arjowiggins’ Keaykolour and Curious Metallics colour-matching tool is available as sets of two or individually through their online shop and network of merchants.

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