Best Packaging 2025: the winners
Who won and why: photos and jury comments on the winners in the Technology, Quality Design and Environment categories.
A highlight of Ipack-Ima (main sponsor of the event) was the award ceremony for the products and companies taking part in the contest organised by the Istituto Italiano Imballaggio and sponsored by Conai. The event offered an opportunity to reflect on the state of the art in packaging and to recognise the technological expertise demonstrated by participants across various levels.
This year's winners embody a forward-thinking vision that combines technology, sustainability, functionality and design, therefore, in line with the guiding principles identified in the 2025 trend analysis:
- sustainability as a strategic driver (use of recycled, compostable, and mono-material solutions);
- environmentally focused technologies (digitisation, airless systems, direct printing and intelligent automation);
- user experience and functional design (packaging that simplifies use, facilitates disposal, and improves storage);
- aesthetics and storytelling (premium packaging that combines elegance, brand identity and environmental responsibility);
- industrial adaptability and scalability (solutions that can be applied to multiple industries and production processes).
Once again this year, the Best Packaging contest confirmed its role as a laboratory of ideas for sustainable, efficient and consumer-focused packaging. The award-winning companies demonstrate that innovation and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand, helping to redefine the paradigms of contemporary packaging.
Technology category: products, companies and reviews
Frescosystem+, Goglio. An intelligent integration of materials, machinery, and data within a unified digital ecosystem that optimises processes, reduces waste, and represents a step forward in sustainable packaging automation.
Snack&Vai, Granterre and Press Institute. Introducing cold sealing on paper marks an innovative solution that simplifies material composition, improves recyclability and reduces consumption, setting a new sustainable standard in food packaging.
Smartflexpack Fesr 1054, Loacker. Development of direct printing technology that eliminates the need for adhesive labels. It improves recyclability, and integrates digital twin technology and computer vision, enabling advanced and sustainable control of the packaging process.
T-Bag, Smilesys and Mustangpack. A revolution in paper packaging with a heat-sealable, 100% natural system repurposed from industrial lines previously used for mask production. This innovative system reduces raw material consumption by 50% and enhances the consumer experience.
Luxury cosmetics case, Taghleef Industries and Plastigraf Trevigiana. A blend of aesthetics and sustainability in the luxury sector, achieved through an innovative laminate made from over 90% renewable resources, redefining the standards of premium packaging.
Nicetuck, Tiberpack. Development of a cartoning system that eliminates the need for glues and adhesives, reducing material usage and energy consumption, while maintaining high production efficiency.
Quality Design Special Award
Scudo, Brafim. A 3D protective system made from recycled cardboard that guarantees maximum cushioning, ease of recycling, and significant reduction in the carbon footprint.
Special Environment Award
Direct, Happy Group and Unicoop Florence. A reinvention of the draining tray in recycled XPS, mono-material, lightweight, recyclable and absorbent pad-free, which improves food preservation and reduces environmental impact by 36%.
