Tube of the Year 2019: the winners

Focus on sustainable concepts and consumer benefits without forgetting the communication and design aspects.

The Tube of the Year competition, which is held annually by the European Tube Manufacturers Association (etma), has always valued the heritage of skills and know-how of tube manufacturers. As usual, the judges were entrusted with the task of selecting the winner in the four competition categories (aluminium, plastic, laminate and prototypes), to which - for the first time and at the behest of etma’s associates - the category of “sustainability” was added. And not surprisingly, given that in this sector as well, producers are called upon to develop sustainable packaging solutions that respect the criteria of recyclability and efficient consumption of resources.
The sense of responsibility and the drive to  innovation expressed in this sense by the sector are fully reflected in the prizes awarded. 

Aluminium
Produced by Tubex Russia, the “Cation-active Hair Color” tube from Russian luxury brand Estell’er uses colors with holographic modulations to produce unusual tinting for a sophisticated design: the dark violet color with its pearl-like shimmer conveys a special perceived value, achieved by the use of halftone printing with the addition of a pearlescent pigment to the transparent enamel. The large cap across the entire diameter of the tube is not only consumer-friendly, but also emphasizes the tube’s elegant design. And a pigment with a mother-of-pearl effect is also used to color the cap and perfect the tube’s appearance.

Laminate
The winning tube in the Laminate Tube category came from Italian manufacturer Global Tube and is produced for Beer Cream by the Italian luxury cosmetic brand LR Wonder Company. The gently merging and flexo-printed color gradation across the entire tube body from the bottom to the shiny closure coupled with the perfect use of 360° Decoseam technology is impressive. The graphic elements produced using gold-colored cold foil technology add a special accent to the tube’s design. The metallised gold flip-top closure rounds off the tube’s luxurious appeal and adds another highlight to what is already a successful look.

Plastic  
First prize to a tube manufactured by the Albéa Group for an anti-aging cell-firming serum by Lea Nature’s Jonzac brand, that uses a so-called TearDrop design. The consumer can use the dispenser system to control the exact dosage of the product onto the skin. With its fantastic transparency, the material looks like glass but it is much lighter and more stable than comparable dropper packaging. This makes this tube the ideal packaging for on the go and matches the exclusive lifestyle of the target group perfectly.

Prototype
A tube from the French CTL Packaging won over the jury with its Green ESTube, which simplifies the recycling process thanks to the use of PP alone for the tube body, shoulders and closure. In addition, the Eco Low Profile tube closure achieves material savings of 20%, while managing to contribute to its interesting and unusual look. An added benefit for the consumer: thanks to the particularly flat shoulders and its special edge, water can no longer collect in the cap.

Sustainability
The winner in the newly category was French manufacturer Albéa Group with the tubes for a shower gel range from Caudalie of Paris, characterized by a lower ecological footprint than those used in this product category. Other features that interpret the brand’s commitment to sustainability: the low-profile caps reduce the weight by 50 per cent compared with conventional caps and the wall thickness of the extruded PE tubes from 500 µm to only 350 µm do not impinge on its performance. The use of silkscreen printing produces an extraordinary visual effect and a unique haptic experience.