The Best Packaging of 2015

The Packaging Oscars 2015 recognize the innovative technological value of the products in competition. Under the aegis of Ipack-Ima, the initiative of Istituto Italiano Imballaggio has been conceptually revamped with participation in a project of wide scope: the Ethical Packaging Charter, a ten-point awareness-raising document that oriented the jury’s decisions.

How does one win a Packaging Oscar in the year of Expo2015? With a heavy dose of talent and creativity: in selecting innovative, renewable materials, ideally derived from non-food raw materials; with solutions that prolong products’ shelf life and help prevent food waste, in the supply chain and in the home; with technology solutions that help save on raw materials, energy and time, for truly sustainable packaging.
                                       
A Charter as guide
Starting this year, Best Packaging will be that which meets the requirements of the Ethical Packaging Charter, a project created on the initiative of the editor Stefano Lavorini (ItaliaImballaggio, Edizioni Dativo) and two lecturers at the Milan Polytechnic School of Design, Valeria Bucchetti and Giovanni Baule, who drafted the document with the sponsorship of Istituto Italiano Imballaggio.
According to the Charter, ethical packaging is designed to be responsible, balanced, safe, accessible, transparent, informative, up-to-date, forward-looking, educative and sustainable. These ten principles guided the jury, headed by Professor Luciano Piergiovanni (DeFENS, University of Milan), in the process of selecting the winners. A total of 10 Oscars were awarded (including one tie and three special prizes) on the stage at Ipack-Ima, Italy’s most important packaging fair. Below is a summary of the winners.

Responsible. Quarter Pallet, Chep Italia Srl         The logistics sector makes a contribution to supply chain optimization by reducing CO2 emissions by 15% and bulk by 20%. This system guarantees savings in time, material and energy.

Transparent. Direct Object, Plastipak Italia Holding Srl/Norda Spa (Ex aequo) UV direct printing on PET bottles enhances the transparency of consumer information: freed from the “material” support, the label cannot be damaged by external agents. There are also remarkable advantages in terms of production optimization and disposal.

Sustainable. Tetra Rex®, Tetra Pak Italiana Srl Special prize “Environment” A container for milk produced from renewable sources without exploiting food resources. The film that coats the interior and the screw-on closure is  made from plant biomass-derived LDPE made from the byproducts of processing cane sugar.

Forward-Looking. Gtea, Goglio Spa A green packaging adhesive that with the help of natural, low cost and easily disposable materials, prolongs the product’s shelf life, preventing food waste.

Accessible. Cryovac® bags Freshness Plus®, Sealed Air Srl Many advantages to the consumer: easy opening, anti-odor barrier and the use of materials that prolong product shelf life. Also, the coextruded structure reduces the film’s thickness by 10%, with significant savings in energy costs.

Up-to-date. Devin-Crystal Line, PET Engineering Srl, Novapet SA (Special prize “Quality Design”) This PET bottle has a beautiful and up-to-date look; thanks to a 3D design and the brilliant transparency of the materials, the packaging is enhanced by a precious and elegant design, that makes it suitable also for horeca channels.

Safe. Tube with plastic nozzle and soft tip, Tubettificio Favia Srl The details make the difference, enhancing safety in product preservation and, most importantly, in application to sensitive parts of the body (such as around the eyes).

Balanced. Selezione Italiana, GPP Industrie Grafiche Srl, Barilla Spa, Favini Srl (“Overall” prize for general innovation) A balanced solution that  highlights Made in Italy products with a design that innovates various packaging aspects: from the sustainability of the material, to the packaging’s versatility of use (functional for transport as well as display) and the elegance of the graphics, in line with the premium quality of the contents.

Up-to-date. DecoType, Krones Srl (Ex aequo) The technique of UV direct printing a label on a plastic flacon (PET, PP or PE) guarantees excellent quality even on irregular surfaces. The jury appreciated the advantages in production rationalization and material recycling.

Educative. Resealable for stracchino cheese, Venchiaredo In addition to being more comfortable to use, the resealable system helps prevent food waste at home, guaranteeing better preservation of this fresh and perishable product.