Sustainable design meets community value at YHA National Forest

At DS Smith, we’re committed to applying our fibre-based materials expertise and circular design thinking beyond the realms of traditional packaging. This vision recently came to life through a collaborative project with Nicklin Transit Packaging and YHA National Forest, where we helped transform both the outdoor and indoor spaces at their youth hostel in Leicestershire.

While the original idea focused on replacing worn-out outdoor seating, the project soon expanded. Working with our long-term partner Nicklin - one of the UK’s leading independent manufacturers and suppliers of timber-based pallets - we sourced high-quality, durable garden furniture designed to withstand outdoor conditions and complement the natural landscape.

Inside the hostel, our design team created a series of bespoke corrugated cardboard features, inspired by the surrounding National Forest. These elements show the creative potential of fibre-based materials and how corrugate can deliver value well beyond packaging.

Sarah Bell, Sales, Marketing & Innovation Director – Speciality Cluster and Retail Marketing at DS Smith, said:
“The Youth Hostel Association provides a valuable community asset. We were really pleased to support improvements at the National Forest hostel in Leicestershire, on the doorstep of our packaging facility in Hinckley. What started as a garden furniture upgrade became a wider opportunity to showcase the versatility and sustainability of our materials. We are proud of the results and the positive impact our combined efforts are having on this hostel in the local community.”

David Nicklin, Chief Operating Officer of Nicklin Transit Packaging, added:
“Our partnership with DS Smith has always been built on collaboration and innovation, so it was great to come together for a project with such a meaningful outcome. The final result is a real testament to what can be achieved through partnership - and to the adaptability of timber and cardboard, whatever the application.”

The success of this project highlights what’s possible when sustainability, creativity, and community value come together. And how corrugate can be part of the solution in more ways than one.