Wednesday, April 29, 2026

IDP Direct: an integrated and transparent model disrupting luxury packaging codes

Going against the grain of an industry keen on ‘green’ storytelling, IDP Direct offers a radical industrial approach: embedding sustainability at the very heart of production. A bold yet effective strategy to put an end to a model deemed obsolete by Evelio Mattos, its Creative Director.

Rethinking the supply chain, reducing the impact

A proliferation of intermediaries, reliance on third-party factories, and a lack of material traceability: a traditional model that is ill-suited to today’s environmental requirements. IDP Direct tackles this structure head-on by bringing all operations in-house: innovation, design and production.

The company promotes a closed-loop model, which includes ownership of its industrial sites and even the solar energy that powers them. Beyond the environmental argument, this integration enables the company, above all, to precisely control emissions, materials and manufacturing conditions. Whereas many players rely on supplier declarations, IDP Direct takes direct responsibility for its products and certifications.

This approach also changes the economic relationship with brands. By carrying out automated sizing audits, the company encourages its customers to reduce the volumes of packaging they order. This practice is still marginal in this sector but follows a simple logic: produce less to reduce impact.

“The most beautiful packaging in the world is the one that uses the least amount of material”

Evelio Mattos’s stance is clear-cut. Here, sustainability is not limited to recycled materials or eco-friendly finishes. It involves questioning the very function of packaging. He even speaks of a friction: “Any packaging element that does not fulfil a structural or emotional function becomes an unjustified environmental cost and will be eliminated. ”

This philosophy translates in practice into the development of optimised structures designed to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of every cubic metre. The focus is on single-material solutions and innovation, combined with revolutionary automation techniques. This choice has enabled the company to refine the woven paper handles to achieve a high-end textile finish, without the associated environmental impact.

The positioning is clear: against a backdrop of growing environmental constraints, elegance can no longer be separated from efficiency. Far from being a compromise between luxury and sustainability, IDP Direct defends a convergence of the two, where technical performance serves the new aesthetic standard. In other words, making simplicity desirable