What Designstar does

Designstar B.V. is a Netherlands-based B2B creative services and printing company founded in July 2008, focused exclusively on the floriculture and horticulture sector. The company designs and produces complete sales concepts for plant growers, nurseries, and garden centers, spanning plant labels, pot covers, cups, carrying straps, cappers, the award-winning TreeWrap product, point-of-sale materials (banners, photo cards, cart and table decoration), branded websites (WordPress/HTML5), and professional photography. Underlying production is in-house offset printing on Komori presses with UV inks and coaters, LED drying, and proprietary sustainable materials including the 100% biodegradable PLM Bio substrate, recycled PP (35%+) and recycled PS (80%+). A 300,000+ image library and an in-house photo studio support both project work and reusable content assets.

The company monetizes through project-based, quote-driven B2B sales executed by dedicated account managers, with an exclusive self-service portal (My.Designstar) for customers to view, modify, and approve labels. The July 2023 acquisition of Crea Green added plastic and water-repellent material printing capabilities under a retained sub-brand, and in July 2022 the business was taken independent via a management buyout by director Leo van Antwerpen and finance director Hendrik van Beek. Operating primarily from Waddinxveen (relocated July 2025) with additional order-pickup locations in Waddinxveen and Boxtel, Designstar serves roughly ten named Dutch enterprise growers — including John van Oosterwijck, Mathot Plants, Streng Growers, and PT-Creations — through multi-year project relationships and active participation in floriculture trade fairs (Florall, IPM Essen, Plantarium|Groen-Direkt).

Name

Designstar

Legal name

Designstar B.V.

Website

https://designstar.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Designstar is a Netherlands-based B2B creative partner for the floriculture sector, designing and printing labels, pot covers, POS materials, websites, and photography for plant growers, nurseries, and garden centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Floriculture Marketing and Print Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Identity & Brand Design Systems (BPAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Prepress, Plate-Making & Artwork Services (IMALAKAM)

Keywords

• Floriculture marketing services
• Horticulture label printing
• Pot cover design
• Plant brand photography
• Sustainable packaging materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Zoetermeer

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of printed materials including labels, pot covers, cups, carrying straps, cappers, TreeWrap, and promotional items
2. Creative Services: Design services for concepts, branding, house styles, websites, signing, exhibition stands, texts, and brochures
3. Photography Services: Professional photography including product photography, branding photography, lifestyle photography, botanical close-ups, and image bank access
4. My Designstar Platform: Exclusive customer platform for viewing, modifying, and approving labels

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Designstar is a creative partner for the floriculture sector that designs and produces complete sales concepts including custom labels, pot covers, cups, carrying straps, cappers, and TreeWrap products, along with branding, websites, promotional materials, and professional photography. The company operates an in-house production facility with Komori offset presses, a photo studio, and an exclusive My.Designstar online platform for customer label management, complemented by a portfolio of sustainable materials including PLM Bio (100% biodegradable) and recycled-content PP and PS labels.

Product overview

Designstar is a creative partner for the floriculture sector offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services. The core offering includes: Creatie (Creation) services for concepts, branding, websites, signing and exhibition stands; Etiketten (Labels) including plant labels, pot covers, cups, carrying straps, cappers, and TreeWrap; Promotie (Promotion) materials like packaging, banners and photo cards; and Fotografie (Photography) with studio, branding, and product photography services. The company operates an exclusive customer platform called My.Designstar for label management. Following the July 2023 acquisition of Crea Green, Designstar expanded its sustainable printing capabilities on plastics (PP, PET, polystyrene) and water-repellent materials. The product portfolio also includes various sustainable material options including recycled-content labels and biodegradable alternatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PLM Bio: Self-developed biodegradable material that is 100% biodegradable.
• My.Designstar
• TreeWrap

Products and services

• Creatie (Creative Design Services) Creative design services for the floriculture sector including concepts, branding, house styles, websites, signing/flags/signs, exhibition stands, texts, and brochures. Aimed at plant growers, nurseries, and garden centers needing tailored visual communication.
• Etiketten (Labels) Plant labels, pot covers, cups, carrying straps, cappers, and TreeWrap products printed on in-house Komori offset presses with UV inks and coaters. Targets the horticulture industry for plant and flower labeling.
• Promotie (Promotional Materials) Point-of-sale promotional materials including packaging, banners, photo cards, cart decoration, and table decoration. Designed for garden centers and retailers presenting plants and flowers at the point of sale.
• Fotografie (Photography Services) Professional photography services including studio work, branding photography, product photography, lifestyle photography, botanical close-ups, and access to an image bank with over 300,000 images. Serves plant growers and retailers needing plant and product imagery.
• My.Designstar Platform Exclusive online platform enabling customers to view, modify, and approve labels from their own desk. Available to floriculture customers as part of on-going label services.
• Websites Website design and development using HTML5 and WordPress CMS, with SEO optimization, responsive design, and maintenance services. Targeted at floriculture and horticulture businesses needing an online presence.
• Pot Covers Decorative pot covers designed to enhance product presentation and create a gift-like appearance for plants on the retail shelf. Available with sustainable material options including recycled paper and biodegradable materials.
• TreeWrap Award-winning tree wrapping product that won gold at the Florall trade fair. Used in the horticulture sector to wrap and protect trees for retail presentation.
• PLM Bio Material Self-developed 100% biodegradable material used for labels and packaging in the floriculture sector, offered as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics.
• Crea Green Sustainable Printing Sustainable printing on plastics (PP, PET, polystyrene) and water-repellent paper and cardboard for the horticultural sector. Operated as a retained sub-brand of Designstar following the July 2023 merger.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% recycled material goal by 2030
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Crea GreencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023On July 1, 2023, Crea Green became part of Designstar B.V. Crea Green brings 30 years of experience in printing on plastics (PP, PET, polystyrene) and water-repellent paper/cardboard. Crea Green continues to operate under its own brand name with the same contacts and high-quality standards.
• De BinnenbaanminorOthersSocial enterprise in Zoetermeer that helps marginalized and disadvantaged individuals. Designstar and De Binnenbaan employees work alongside each other in the production facility, providing work experience at a real learning-on-the-job company.
• WSDminorOthersSocial enterprise creating jobs with varying degrees of difficulty. WSD employees develop through their work, from simple tasks to increasingly difficult ones. WSD also provides order pickup location in Boxtel.
• Stichting Philadelphia ZorgminorOthersFoundation supporting people with disabilities to live as independently as possible. A group of participants performs day-care work activities at Designstar's facility.
• Houtman LogistiekminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrowing transport company in the Green Heart of the Randstad region. Transports Designstar-branded trailer on Dutch roads, bringing Designstar visibility at various locations including nurseries.
• Drukkerij Van AscoreTechnology or IntegrationPrinting partner replacing both half-format and full-format presses with new Komori presses equipped with coaters and UV inks. This increases production capacity and ensures quality with latest techniques.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Elburg Plastics: Elburg Plastics (part of the Elburg Group) is a Dutch manufacturer of plastic packaging and printed sleeves for the floriculture and food sectors. Comparable to Designstar in serving Dutch growers with printed packaging and substrates (PP, PET) that overlap Designstar's Crea Green capability.
• Modiform: Modiform is a Dutch manufacturer of sustainable propagation and packaging systems for the horticulture sector, including pots, trays, and labels. It is a direct peer because it serves the same Dutch and European floriculture growers with adjacent printed/packaged products, often on multi-year supply relationships.
• Van der Starre Group: Van der Starre / Starre Group is the former parent of Designstar and remains a Dutch supplier of packaging, labels, and printed materials to the floriculture sector. It is a direct peer because it sells comparable labels, sleeves, and packaging into the same Dutch grower customer base.
• Desch Plantpak: Desch Plantpak is a Dutch producer of thermoformed and injection-moulded plant pots, trays, and packaging for growers and garden centers. It is a direct peer as a Netherlands-based horticulture packaging supplier whose end customers substantially overlap with Designstar's grower and retailer accounts.

Broad incumbents

• Constantia Flexibles: Constantia Flexibles is a large European flexible packaging and label manufacturer serving consumer goods, food, and pharma. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose label and flexible packaging capabilities compete with Designstar's printed substrates (including Crea Green PP/PET capabilities) at much greater scale.
• CCL Industries: CCL Industries (including CCL Label and Avery) is one of the world's largest specialty label companies serving consumer products, healthcare, and horticulture. Comparable as a broad incumbent in label printing technology and substrates, with horticultural exposure at much larger scale than Designstar.
• Avery Dennison: Avery Dennison is a global materials science and labeling company producing pressure-sensitive labels, RFID, and sustainable substrates. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose label substrates and sustainable materials (including recycled-content facestocks) overlap with Designstar's PLM Bio and recycled PP/PS work, but at global scale.
• Smurfit Kappa: Smurfit Kappa is a global paper-based packaging giant with a dedicated horticultural segment (Smurfit Kappa Horticulture) supplying pots, sleeves, and carriers. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping printed/packaged products across the same European floriculture value chain, but at vastly greater scale.

Regional players

• Masterpress: Masterpress is a Polish-based label and packaging printer serving consumer brands across Europe with self-adhesive labels, shrink sleeves, and flexible packaging. Comparable as a regional printing peer with offset and digital capabilities competing for European label work, though focused on FMCG rather than floriculture.
• Aris Horticulture: Aris Horticulture is a US-based supplier of plant tags, labels, stakes, and decorative containers to greenhouse growers and garden centers. Comparable as a regional player in horticultural labeling and decorative packaging serving a different geography (North America) but with overlapping product categories and customer types.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/designstar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Designstar