Digipak TimelineSinead Grace

What is a Digipak?A digipak is a style of optical disk

packaging. It typically consists of a book-style paperboard outer binding and has plastic trays inside to hold the disk/disks.

2000sDigipak cases grew in popularity with

recording artists in the early 2000s as they were one of the first alternatives to jewel cases. As there is no alternative name for this style of packaging, the term ‘digipak’ is often used in a generic way.

Jewel CasesJewel case packaging is a compact disk

case which has been used since 1982 – the first release of a compact disk. It is a three piece plastic case and usually contains a compact disk along with liner notes a back card. Due to the CD jewel case being a standard design, it is very cheap to manufacture, costing around £1 per case.

Ownership of the TrademarkThe digipak trademark was originally owned

by IMPAC Group, Inc. This was then acquired by MeadWestvaco in 2000 and given to its AGI Media division. In 2010, MWV sold AGI Media to Atlas holdings. Atlas then purchased Shorewood Packaging and merged this with AGI Media to create AGI-Shorewood – who own the digipak trademark today.

Features of a DigipakDigipak packaging is less resistant to

abrasion than jewel cases and so tends to show signs of wear quickly. In the past, licensed manufacturers have recommended coating the digipak in a UV coating to ensure longevity. Although being more brittle than jewel cases, digipaks became a popular alternative due to the unique style which drew customers in.

Examples of Digipaks