Seven Decades of Innovation

This year’s Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition carries special significance as we proudly celebrate the 70th anniversary of our flagship awards program—seven decades of honoring excellence, innovation, and leadership in flexible packaging. 

Since its inception in 1956, the annual competition has stood as the industry’s gold standard, recognizing the most impactful advancements shaping the future of flexible packaging.

Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in the industry, the competition spotlights breakthrough technologies, transformative processes, and forward-thinking sustainable solutions that continue to redefine what flexible packaging can achieve. Its enduring reputation is built on the exceptional caliber of entries, a rigorous and impartial judging process led by industry experts, and broad media recognition that amplifies the achievements of award recipients.

The competition features six categories—Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging, Technical Innovation, Printing, Shelf Impact, Packaging Excellence, and Sustainability—each highlighting the performance, creativity, and versatility that distinguishes flexible packaging as a premier packaging solution.

Entries are evaluated by an independent panel of respected industry professionals. Gold and Silver Awards are presented in each category, with the Highest Achievement Award reserved for the Gold Award winner that best exemplifies meaningful advancement within the industry.

Marking this milestone year, the competition expanded its global footprint with the introduction of international Gold and Silver honorees in some categories, reflecting the growing worldwide influence and innovation of the flexible packaging industry.

Winners of the 2026 competition were announced during an awards ceremony held during the Flexible Packaging Association’s (FPA) Annual Meeting, March 18–20, at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. This landmark year saw a record 108 packages submitted, totaling 360 entries, as many submissions competed across multiple categories. Ultimately, 28 packages earned 36 Achievement Awards, underscoring the depth and breadth of excellence recognized in the competition.

FPA congratulates this year’s winners and extends its sincere appreciation to all companies that participated in the 70th annual Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition. Your innovations continue to drive the industry forward.

Special thanks are extended to the 2026 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition judging panel: Fred Crowe, managing partner, Crowe and Associates LLC; Lisa McTigue Pierce, executive editor, Packaging Digest; and Dr. Yoorae Noh, assistant professor, Michigan State University (MSU) School of Packaging.

Crowe brings decades of industry experience to the judging panel and now serves as a consultant. Pierce has covered the packaging industry as a journalist for more than 40 years. As an assistant professor at MSU, Noh teaches and conducts research in plastics and packaging, with a focus on engineering solutions to improve the recycling of plastics and plastic waste.

Reflecting on the judging experience, Crowe remarked on both the collaboration and creativity on display throughout the competition. “It’s been a real pleasure getting to know the other judges and working with the two of them over the last couple of days, and seeing the ingenuity and engagement of converters, their customers, and their suppliers,” he says. “They’re bringing incredible ideas to execution. I’ve learned a lot—even after being in the industry a long time and consulting to it. It’s been an interesting and rewarding experience.”

The competition placed a strong emphasis on design trends, sustainability, and printing innovation. “You almost can’t have a package design these days without considering sustainability,” Pierce notes. “A couple of the design trends I observed included matte finishes with metallization and varnish. Several entries featured matte with varnish, and there was one entry that incorporated all three.”

Crowe echoed the pace of advancement across the industry. “The amazing thing to me is the execution that has taken place and how dramatically it has progressed over the last two or three years,” he says. “You see a significant amount of new technology being brought to the forefront, along with creativity—not only from converters, but also from product development teams—finding ways to solve these challenges.” 

Noh adds, “After reviewing all the entries, the great designs we saw demonstrate a strong strategy toward supporting the circular economy.”

Sustainability remained a central theme across submissions. “Sustainability, of course, is still key,” Pierce says. “Some of the trends I observed included mono-material structures and the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content in flexible packaging, which is really exciting.”

Noh further emphasized the technical progress behind these efforts. “What stood out to me was the commitment to reducing material complexity and improving recyclability,” she states. “We saw severalentries with PCR incorporated into food packaging—up to 30% PCR content—and 50% PCR for nonfood packaging. There was a tremendous amount of PCR used without compromising package performance, which was very impressive.”

Printing innovation also emerged as a standout area. “Converters have been able to maintain strong consumer appeal while delivering outstanding printing,” Crowe notes. “I’ve seen printing trends change dramatically, with techniques being used that I never saw before in my many years in the industry. It’s exciting to see this happening alongside the push for greater consumer engagement.”

To complement the competition, FPA published the 2026 “Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards & Innovation Showcase,” featuring the award-winning entries and all submissions. The Achievement Awards section highlights the 28 award-winning packages, organized by award level—Highest Achievement, Gold, and Silver—while the Innovation Showcase presents all competition entries in alphabetical order by package name.

Dani Diehlmann, IOM, CAE, is FPA vice president, communications.

For More Information

For more details on the Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition and to download the “Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards & Innovation Showcase,” visit flexpack.org/achievement-awards. 

For more information on FPA and the benefits of FPA membership, contact [email protected].