Abraini – Su filindeu, Italy’s rarest pasta

Design: Peier Zhu
Project Type: Student Project
School: RMIT university
Course: Bachelor of communication design
Tutor: Rental Gallina
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Packaging Contents: Pasta
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Paper, Thread ribbon
Printing Process: Gold ink, Digital printing, Ribbon printing

Italian pasta ‘Su Filindeu’, also known as ‘the threads of God’ is the world’s rarest pasta and is so difficult to make that only three women in the remote hillside town of Nuoro, on the rugged Italian island of Sardinia know how to. This project is to create a luxury packaging for this special pasta brand ‘Abraini’.

My design concept was inspired by Nuoro’s senery, their churches and old towns. The main design element is the ‘A’ in the logo which was composed by two letter ‘A’. I made it looks like a church but still can see it’s a letter’A’. Another design element is a repeating pattern created by fine lines. Because Su filindeu is made by pulling and folding semolina dough into 256 perfectly even strands, and then stretching the needle-thin wires diagonally across a circular frame in an intricate three-layer pattern. This inspired me to create a repeating pattern by using fine lines to reflect the making process.

The color choices were dark brown and stone tones with gold ink to increase the luxury feeling. I kept the outside simple and mysterious what luxury brands always do. Inside of the box, there is an envelope with a information card and a business card inside. Second layer is a glass in paper with a gold sticker.

What’s Unique?
There is a custom thread ribbon printed with 3D logos which looks really luxurious and elegant. I wanted to make the packaging to look harmonious, so many details has been considered carefully. The tag and the envelope are in same color but different weights of paper. The outer of the packaging and the card both are linen paper but different weights as well. Hierarchy were also greatly considered. Different colors for the texts and logos.