Packaging Premiere (May 19-21, 2026, Milan, Allianz MiCo, Gate 4) presents the innovations that will shape the next edition of Avant Garde, the project that puts innovation at the heart of the packaging world.
For each area, a jury of experts was appointed to evaluate the proposals. The sustainability jury consisted of Sara Appiani (Kiko Milano) and Federica Brumen (Comieco). The design jury was composed of Andrea Filippi (digital artist), Anna Toppino (Xerjoff), Matteo Mocchi (Design Bridge and Partners), and Juan Mantilla (Kiko Milano). Finally, the innovative materials jury included Marco Scatto (Plus4) and Anna Pellizzari (Materially). Alessandra Alessi (Istituto Italiano Imballaggio) also participated.
A total of 30 projects were submitted, which will be exhibited in the Avant-Garde area within Packaging Première. The winners will also have the opportunity to present their concept during the Avant-Garde Award Winners Ceremony, which will take place on May 21.
Sustainability Category
The winner in the Sustainability category is Seaman Paper Italia with Vela Renew. A recyclable paper alternative to polyethylene bags for global supply chains.
CCL Label with Sustainable ShineA foil-free metallic effect for premium whisky labels, which reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 25% and improves recyclability.
Dafne Sechi with MEA. A refillable cork packaging system for cosmetics, which promotes reuse, local supply chains and reduces environmental impact.
G&CO with EMW0261. A thermoformed biorepack that is plastic-free and carbon-neutral, suitable for food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, biodegradable even in seawater.
ICMA Sartorial Paper with KIND/LINEN. A collection of colored papers made with 100% recycled bases, certified by FSC, PCF and Blue Angel, and fully recyclable.
Piantami with MATER. A regenerative packaging concept with a label that incorporates a seed that can be planted to generate new life.
Category: Innovative Materials
The winner of the Innovative Materials category is Microrelleus with Microauthenfy. An anti-counterfeiting solution that integrates authentication directly into the plastic packaging using optical microstructures engraved in the mold.
Special mention for My Balise with Ephém™. Biodegradable smart labels (RFID and NFC) printed on FSC-certified paper with conductive ink, eliminating 43% of the layers and all plastic components. Compostable in 30 days.
Furlanis with Woven Impact. A textile adhesive label that offers a premium aesthetic with certified sustainable compositions and customizable finishes.
Krill Design with Rekrill®. A 100% biological biopolymer, made from agro-industrial by-products, biodegradable in soil and water, plastic-free and suitable for advanced industrial applications.
Sericyne Made with a non-woven silk material. A patented silk sheet produced directly by silkworms on custom frames, eliminating spinning and weaving, fully biodegradable and ideal for luxury applications.
Superb with a microfilm from the pearl industry. A patented iridescent microfilm derived from pearl industry waste, used with recycled paper and glass.
Wipf AG and Landguth Heimtiernahrung GmbH with a single-use PP bag for pet food. Reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 40%.
Design Category
The winner of the Design category is Tubettificio Robbiese with Coffee Hub. A fully cardboard, plastic-free, refillable system that organizes 25 coffee capsules in vertical columns.
Abaton – Exceptional Luxury Brand with “The Sides of the Moon”. A fragrance transformed into a suspended planet. The bottles play with light and shadow, featuring a black and white side and a tactile relief that enhances the olfactory, visual, and sensory experience. The porous resin caps absorb the fragrance, becoming mini room diffusers. The porous paper label is printed in CMYK with silver laminate and UV varnish. The rigid outer box, in black and white with a diagonal opening and interior foam, evokes a spaceship protecting the moon: the scent of the moon.
Agatho Parfum with the Pompeii Collection. Inspired by the legendary fragrances of ancient Pompeii, the perfume becomes a work of art. The bottles are adorned with hand-modeled, sculptural Capodimonte porcelain stoppers.
Bartoli Spa with a limited edition Motta panettone hatbox. Designed by Saatchi & Saatchi and developed with Bartoli's technical team, Infinity Reproject® enhances rigidity, style, and sustainability through embossed textures inspired by Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and durable, certified recycled cardboard.
CCL label with Don Julio 1942 Peggy Gou. A label created with Peggy Gou. Printed using flexography with tactile screen printing, holographic foil, and embossing, it features a floating effect created by a shaped numerical pattern. Combined with a chrome cap and reflective finishes.
CM Cartotecnica Moderna with “Les Ronds” hat boxes. Round hatboxes covered in fabric that become lasting design objects. Made in Italy with fine wool, recycled cotton, and cardboard, they serve as versatile decorative pieces for homes or commercial spaces.
Eurobox with Light Box Propaganda. An e-commerce shipping box that is a double-walled suitcase with screen-printed tactile textures (brick, stone, grass, pebbles) and a lighted sign with five flashing LEDs.
Gentlebrand with Advance. A collection of twelve limited-edition fragrances inspired by chess.
Gentlebrand with OMNIA, Grappa Amarone di Valpolicella. A sensory journey in a geometric glass cube with a labyrinth-themed stopper.
IDP Direct with Tabi Collector Box, Maison Margiela. An unboxing experience for collectors inspired by the iconic split-toe Tabi silhouette.
MCC Premium Label Solution with Disaronno 500th Anniversary Edition. A metallic label enhanced with Braille, embossing and special varnishes.
Pozzoli Spa with Jack Daniel's Bonded (B Lock). A patented paper-based closure system that secures the bottle without plastic or magnets.
Studio La Regina with Nauka Gin. A bottle with iridescent foil, UV-reactive fluorescent varnish, and a hidden illustration of a ship visible through the gin. Presented in a limited-edition olive wood stand.
Studio Zak with Petras, Sustainable Premium Charcoal. A black paper package that replaces kraft paper bags, concealing carbon residue and improving the visual impact on the shelf with high-contrast white inks and a redesigned mascot.
Altedo Typography, in collaboration with the paper artist Margherita Dallaiti, Founder of lilpaperstudio. A handmade paper structure with FSC certification and laser-cut, fold-out elements that transform light and shadow into an expressive language.
