In round one of the first-ever virtual awards ceremony for the Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design (PIDA) Awards today, winners were named across five categories and in a surprise new category.
The awards ceremony, organised by the Australian Institute of Packaging in conjunction with Packaging New Zealand, and co-hosted by Lindy Hughson, publisher of exclusive media partners PKN Packaging News and Food & Drink Business, is running across two days, 6 and 7 May. Today's ceremony saw five categories announced: Domestic & Household, Accessible Packaging, Labelling & Decoration, Health, Beauty & Wellness, and Food.
The PIDA Awards recognise companies and individuals who are making a significant difference in their field across Australia and New Zealand. It is also the exclusive feeder program for Australia and New Zealand for the prestigious WorldStar Packaging Awards run by the World Packaging Organisation.
DOMESTIC & HOUSEHOLD
The Domestic & Household category recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials for domestic and household items, toys, stationery, gifts, clothing, garden equipment and decorating. All entries are also judged on Sustainable Packaging Design Considerations and what packaging changes they are undertaking to meet the 2025 National Packaging Targets.
The winner of the Gold award is Sealed Air Brand Protective Packaging for the Korrvu packaging solution for e-commerce.
The citation for Korrvu says it delivers versatility, space efficiency, uncompromised product protection while delivering a unique customer brand experience using a package that is fun and sustainable.
The custom-engineered low slip transparent film used with Korrvu keeps the product in place, providing protection against damage during transportation. It also serves as a display window to showcase products and brands. The efficient design enables packages to be easily opened, reused and recycled.
Beyond designing to protect from damage as well as delivering a solution that uses less material and is recyclable, this innovation helps brand owners grow their brand, particularly as e-commerce growth accelerates.
Also in this category, the Silver award went to Birdstone Collective & NCI Packaging for the DuluxGroup Cabot’s Ready Bucket, and the Bronze award went to Birdstone Collective & Orora Cartons for the recyclable Telstra Sleeve.
Commenting on this category, Lindy Hughson said: "At a time when we’ve seen unprecedented growth in e-commerce retailing, even prior to the pandemic catalyst, demand has been high for e-commerce packaging solutions that reduce material usage, offer a sustainable option, enhance product safety in transit and create a positive unboxing experience for the consumer, while also offering the brand owner the opportunity for creative on-pack messaging and to deliver the retail experience into the home. And in the Gold winner in this category, all these boxes are ticked."
NEW CATEGORY ANNOUNCED: OUTSIDE OF THE BOX
During the judging for the Domestic & Household category a number of unique and innovative designs were also noted, and the judges decided to introduce a new category from this year into the PIDA Award program called ‘Outside of the Box’.
The Gold winner is Outside the Box Caskets for an ecological solution to the traditional timber and MDF casket.
The awards citation says Outside The Box designs have a very different aesthetic and sustainable footprint to current solutions. The distinctive modern design incorporates both straight edges and curves, with the tapered curves on both the lid and side profile giving it a softer and sleeker feel. It has been functionally designed in a way that requires no glue, staples, screws or metal parts. The design consists of an outer base, an insert which adds to the structural integrity, a rigid laminated cardboard base and a lid. It weighs 20kg less than alternatives.
The structural design has been developed to meet the strict requirements of the global green burial movement by being fully compostable, which leaves no footprint. While still being functional for its intended purpose, the solution has been rigorously weight tested and has 300kg load bearing capabilities: all the while being cardboard. This unique innovation is also the first cardboard casket in New Zealand to meet Natural Burials requirements, which means the carbon footprint is even lower compared to a traditional option. In partnership with Trees for Survival, the company also donates a native NZ tree back to the community for every casket.
The Silver award in this category went to Gaprie for the P.C. Nets, a re-usable, alternative for pallet containment, and the Bronze award to Sealed Air for the Daisy Pool Covers.
"The creation of this new category is welcome news because packaging really does take many shapes and forms beyond the decorated pack on the retail shelf, or in the ecommerce channel, or the industrial sized container in the warehouse. It touches our lives in ways we don’t always consider. And whatever form it takes, we need to be coming up with the most eco-friendly solution possible. And if anything could have brought home a need for a solution such as this winner has provided, it’s a global pandemic and loss of life on an unprecedented scale," said Hughson.
ACCESSIBLE PACKAGING DESIGN AWARD
The AIP also announced its 2020 Accessible Packaging Design Award, sponsored by Arthritis Australia and Arthritis New Zealand, which highlights packaging that is accessible, intuitive, easy-to-open and innovative.
Ecolean took out top honours in the Accessible Packaging Design award. The winning pack is the Ecolean flexible pouch for the Bannister Downs Dairy WA chilled pasteurised range.
Ecolean worked with Bannister Downs Dairy to design innovative and lightweight beverage packaging that is certified as easy-to-open and easy-to-use by people with reduced hand function.
The Bannister Downs Dairy range has been designed with obvious opening points and the packaging is intuitive to use and open. As the design is shaped like a standard jug, a format well-known for containing and pouring liquids, it is intuitive with the ‘tear off’ instructions near the tip of the pack to open the package. The opening tear operates as indicated along the dotted line. The tear-off spout makes the packages easy to open and empty with no need for the use of tools.
The design is also easy to grip, control and manoeuvre with the ‘firm’ grip air-filled handle offering stability to hold the package regardless of whether the person is left or right-handed. The shape offers controlled pouring with no drip and the lightweight nature of the design makes it easy to hold with one hand.
"Over the last decade, and thanks in large part to work by Arthritis Australia and Arthritis New Zealand, in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Packaging, we have seen an increasing number of companies take heed of the accessible design guidelines to hone the ease-of use functionality in their packaging design," Lindy Hughson commented.
"I have been reporting on the Ecolean packaging since its debut in the Australian market, and apart from its unique sustainability attributes, its stand-out features of being lightweight, with an easy-to-grip handle and easy-pour functionality, make it a boon for people with reduced hand function. I look forward to seeing more of this pack on shelves nationally in the future."
LABELLING & DECORATION:
The Labelling & Decoration category recognises the addition of content to a pack which creates a unique or innovative appearance, function or communication. This may include labels, sleeves, tags, coding/markings, etching, directly applied inks or by any other similar process.
The Gold was awarded to NCI Packaging & DuluxGroup for the Porter’s Paints superior crafted paint can range.
The awards citation reads that NCI Packaging worked with Porter’s Paints to produce a superior crafted paint can that showcased the brand’s premium quality and differentiated itself within Bunning’s stores.
When shopping in paint or hardware stores consumers can be overcome by different paint brands, all fighting for attention using packaging screaming features and benefits, in overwhelmingly bright colours and glossy finishes. The Porter’s point of sale concept creates a store-within-a-store approach within Bunning’s. Porter’s have worked with Bunning’s to create a shopping experience unlike anything seen in the market today. The Porter’s range sits together in the point of sale unit, simplifying the shopping experience. This differs to other brands, which are grouped in categories.
Knowing that the paint can industry in Australia has never produced a matte can before has allowed Porter’s and NCI to set the tone and be very creative with how they went about using colours, fonts, dyes and materials against a matte finish. The matte finish created a smoother, more luxurious quality, while differentiating the brand in the crowded and glossy retailing environment. This matte finish, in combination with the gold metallic logo and trim, is instrumental in propelling the paint can as a first-class deluxe item.
Hughson added: "Packaging is a powerful persuader, not only in the supermarket aisle but also in the virtual retail space. It is the billboard for the brand and, in this digital era, the platform for an enhanced consumer experience and engagement with the brand. And thus, it is the way the packaging is decorated, either by direct print or its label or sleeve, that is the pivotal touchpoint for the consumer making the purchasing decision.
"This year’s winner has clearly leveraged this understanding of the value of high quality pack decoration to differentiate a brand on shelf and provide clear communication with the consumer," she said.
HEALTH, BEAUTY AND WELLNESS
The Health, Beauty & Wellness Category recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials, within cosmetics, toiletries, personal hygiene, supplements, vitamins, perfumes, hair body and oral care. This award also covers packaging of all medicines including over the counter medicines, medical equipment packaging.
The winner of the Gold Award is Pact Group for the New Zealand Earthwise Glow Labs brand of PCR 100% rPET bottle range.
Pact Group worked with New Zealand's Earthwise brand to launch a post-consumer sourced (PCR) 100% rPET bottle range for its Glow Labs brand. The new range (body wash, handwash, shampoo, conditioner) consisted of seven 100% rPET bottles and replaced the former virgin PET designs. Converting to rPET Pact Group was able to further lightweight Glow Lab’s amber bottles by an average of -27% (approx. 37 tonnes per annum). Based on Glow Lab's volumes, this equates to approximately 130 tonnes of plastic that has been reused and diverted from landfill.
Earthwise household cleaning products are also Environmental Choice certified (New Zealand’s highest independent accreditation eco label). Earthwise pledged support to the New Zealand Plastic Packaging Declaration, committing to have 100% of its packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025 or earlier. With packaging already recyclable, moving to bottles made from recycled content was the next step.
"The Health, Beauty and Wellness category is one where consumers really want to align not only with a product that’s good for them, but also with a brand that makes a stand for what is good for the planet, and in particular, for a brand whose packaging aligns with these values. So when a packaging supplier can work with a brand to deliver a solution that meets not only the brand’s but also the region’s sustainability goals around recycling and recycled content, and moves us closer to meeting 2025 targets, then it is a deserving winner," Hughson said.
FOOD CATEGORY
The Food category showcases the businesses designing innovative packaging and/or materials within food packaging and processing, including fresh, frozen or 'other' sectors. All entries are also judged on sustainable packaging design considerations and what packaging changes they are undertaking to meet the 2025 National Packaging Targets.
Commenting on the category, Hughson said: "When it comes to good design for food packaging, top priorities are food waste prevention, food safety, product protection and sustainability. And it’s this level of innovation that we are consistently seeing in this category that is putting Australian design on the world map, and on the WorldStar stage."
The Gold award in the Food category was awarded to Planet Protector Packaging for its Lobster Protector packaging solution.
The flat-packed, recyclable, biodegradable, renewable and compostable packaging is made from 100 per cent food safe materials and marks a first-time development in the seafood industry.
The packaging design consists of three key components: a wool liner, a fibreboard insert and a corrugated carton with a unique coating to make the carton water resistant.
The Lobster Protector packaging has demonstrated it's able to keep live lobsters at 7-12 degrees Celsius for more than 36 hours. The packaging is also designed to work with technology such as data loggers, to enable real time temperature monitoring by the customer during transit.
Industry testing has also demonstrated that the Lobster Protector design outperforms traditional packaging such as polystyrene, and has the capacity to remove around 1.2 million polystyrene boxes from the supply chain each year.
The Food category also saw a tie for its Silver award, with Platypus Print Packaging recognised for its Youfoodz Meal Kit, as well as Disruptive Packaging for Uniqcor for cold chain environments.
A Special Commendation to Primo Foods for the Red Range Slice Pack was also awarded in the Food category.
The second round of 2020 PIDA winners will be announced on Thursday, 7 May starting at 10am. Categories to be announced are: Beverage, Sustainable Packaging, Young Packaging Professional of the Year and AIP Special Awards.
To join the virtual event, register here.
