Packaging Première presents the innovations that will shape the upcoming edition of Avant‑Garde, the project that brings innovation at the centre of the packaging world. The initiative put together a wide range of players — exhibiting companies, design and branding studios, material manufacturers, deluxe packaging suppliers and start‑ups — all committed to developing proposals able of redefining the concept of packaging in the areas of sustainability, design and innovative materials, the three categories that structure the Avant‑Garde programme.
For each area, a jury of experts was appointed to evaluate the submissions and identify the most significant contributions. The sustainability jury included 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). A special thank‑you goes to Alessandra Alessi (Istituto Italiano Imballaggio) for her participation.
A total of 30 projects were submitted and all of them will be displayed in the dedicated Avant‑Garde area within Packaging Première. The winners will also have the opportunity to present their concept during the Avant-Garde Award Winners Ceremony, scheduled on Thursday, May 21 at 12pm inside the Trend Hall.
Design Category
Abaton – Exceptional Luxury Brand with The sides of the moon. A fragrance transformed into a suspended planet. The bottles play with light and shadow, with a white and black side and tactile embossing that enhances the olfactory, visual and sensory experience. Porous resin caps absorb the fragrance, becoming mini room diffusers. The porous paper label is printed in CMYK with silver lamination and UV varnish. The outer rigid box, in black and white with a diagonal opening and internal foam, evokes a spacecraft protecting the moon: the scent of the moon.
Agatho Parfum with Pompei Collection. Inspired by the legendary fragrances of ancient Pompeii, the perfume becomes a work of art. The olfactory refinement is matched by the aesthetics of the bottles, true collectible objects adorned with hand‑modelled Capodimonte porcelain sculptural caps. Each creation is unique.
Bartoli Spa with a Limited Edition Motta panettone hatbox. Designed by Saatchi & Saatchi and developed with Bartoli’s technical team, it showcases how design and material can interact. Infinity Reproject® enhances rigidity, style and sustainability through embossed textures inspired by Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and certified, recycled, durable cardboard.
CCL Label with Don Julio 1942 Peggy Gou. A bold, contemporary label created with Peggy Gou. Printed in flexography with tactile screen printing, holographic foil and embossing, it features a floating effect created by a shaped numeric pattern. Combined with a chromed cap and reflective finishes, the bottle becomes a luxurious object.
CM Cartotecnica Moderna with “Les Ronds” hatboxes. Round, textile‑covered hatboxes that become long‑lasting design objects. Crafted in Italy using fine wool, regenerated cotton and cardboard, they serve as versatile décor pieces for home or retail spaces.
Eurobox with Light Box Propaganda. A shipping case for e‑commerce that doesn’t compromise on aesthetics. A double‑wall E‑flute suitcase with tactile screen‑printed textures (brick, stone, grass, pebbles) and a luminous sign with five flashing LEDs.
Gentlebrand with Avance. A limited‑edition fragrance collection inspired by chess. Twelve scents, each representing a chess piece, exploring strategy, seduction and emotional duality.
Gentlebrand with OMNIA, Grappa Amarone di Valpolicella. A sensory journey in a geometric glass cube with a labyrinth‑themed cap. Coordinates engraved on the cap lead to a symbolic maze of purification and rebirth.
IDP Direct with Tabi Collector Box, Maison Margiela. A collector’s unboxing experience inspired by the iconic split‑toe Tabi silhouette. Architectural construction meets textile interiors for a narrative opening ritual.
MCC Premium Label Solution with Disaronno 500 Years Anniversary Edition. A metallised label enriched with Braille, embossing and dedicated varnishes, creating depth, brilliance and a multisensory experience.
Pozzoli Spa with Jack Daniel’s Bonded (B‑Lock™). A patented paper‑based locking system that secures the bottle without plastic or magnets, combining aesthetics, sustainability and display functionality.
Studio La Regina with Nauka Gin. A bottle featuring iridescent foils, fluorescent UV‑reactive varnish and a hidden ship illustration visible through the gin. Presented on a limited‑edition olive‑wood stand.
Studio Zak with Petras, Sustainable Premium Charcoal. A black paper pack replacing kraft bags, masking charcoal residue and enhancing shelf impact with high‑contrast white inks and a redesigned mascot.
Tipografia Altedo with an art collaboration with paper artist Margherita Dallaiti, founder of lilpaperstudio. A hand‑crafted FSC‑certified paper structure with laser‑cut pop‑up elements that transform light and shadow into expressive language.
Tubettificio Robbiese with Coffee Hub. A fully cardboard, plastic‑free refillable system organising 25 coffee pods in vertical columns. Durable, reusable and aligned with circular‑economy principles.
The winner of the Design Category is Tubettificio Robbiese with Coffee Hub.
Innovative Materials Category
Furlanis with Woven Impact. A textile adhesive label offering premium aesthetics with sustainable certified compositions and customisable finishes.
Krill Design with REKRILL®. A 100% bio‑based biopolymer made from agro‑industrial by‑products, biodegradable in soil and water, plastic‑free and suitable for advanced industrial applications.
Ma Balise with Ephém™. Biodegradable smart labels (RFID & NFC) printed on FSC paper with conductive ink, eliminating 43% of layers and all plastic components. Compostable in 30 days.
MICRORELLEUS with Microauthenfy. An anti‑counterfeiting solution integrating authentication directly into plastic packaging through micro‑optical structures engraved in the mould.
Sericyne with a non‑woven silk material. A patented silk sheet produced directly by silkworms on custom frames, eliminating spinning and weaving, fully biodegradable and suitable for luxury applications.
SUPERLATIVA® with a pearl‑industry microfilm. A patented iridescent microfilm derived from pearl‑industry waste, used with recycled paper and glass to create a new premium aesthetic language.
Wipf AG & Landguth Heimtiernahrung GmbH with a mono‑PP pet food pouch. A recyclable mono‑PP stand‑up pouch with ceramic barrier, ultrasound sealing and a transparent window, reducing CO₂ by around 40%.
The winner of the Innovative Materials Category is MICRORELLEUS with Microauthenfy.
A Special Mention goes to Ma Balise with Ephém™.
Sustainability Category
CCL Label with Sustainable Shine. A foil‑free metallic effect for premium whisky labels, reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 25% and improving recyclability.
Dafne Sechi with MEA. A refillable cork packaging system for cosmetics, promoting reuse, local supply chains and reduced environmental impact.
G&CO with EMW0261. A plastic‑free, carbon‑neutral biorepack thermoform suitable for food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, biodegradable even in seawater.
ICMA Sartorial Paper with KIND/LINEN. A collection of coloured papers made from 100% recycled bases, FSC certified, PCF, Blue Angel certified and fully recyclable.
Piantami with MATER. A regenerative packaging concept featuring a seed‑embedded label that can be planted to grow new life.
Seaman Paper Italia with Vela Renew. A recyclable paper alternative to polyethylene bags for global supply chains.
The Winner of the Sustainability Category is Seaman Paper Italia with Vela Renew.
To visit Packaging Première, registration is mandatory at packagingpremiere.it. Admission is free and reserved for industry professionals.