Collotype Labels (Italy) named Best in Show at FINAT Label Awards 2015

The winners in the 35th FINAT Label Awards have been named, with the judges noting the improved quality of entries and the diversity of applications as having made selecting the category and group winners all the more difficult - 22 category winners including five group winners overall, plus Best in Show and the recipient of the Judges Special Award.

With the the Gods and Goddesses Ouzo entry, each sleeve has the name of the god/goddess that is represented in the illustration

Collotype Labels (Italy) was named as Best in Show at the FINAT Label Awards 2015, as well as being named the Printing Processes Group winner, for the Americano Gancia label.

The judges awarded the maximum number of technical points available to this label, and said it is a ‘true combination label’ as it was produced in 10 colors using flexo, screen, offset litho, cold foil, hot foil and varnishing all in a single pass.

‘The design is clean and bright and the gold foil is very well executed with the gold type faces and medallions very, very legible,’ the judges said of the Americano Gancia label. ‘The finished result is testament to the amount of control required throughout the whole production process from pre-press through printing to finishing.’

The Marketing/End-Use Group winner was Collotype Labels North America Wines & Spirits (USA) for Dream No.7, described as a ‘delightfully complex looking label with hidden depths’. ‘This label has an almost abstract appearance with non-descript shapes “floating” throughout the ever changing background colors; the stark white, screen printed label title and the subtle complex embossing gives this label a definite quality lift,’ said the judges, who added: ‘The different levels of varnish add depth to the final result which is printed in seven colors.’

The Non-Adhesive Applications Group winner was Forlabels (Greece) for the Gods and Goddesses Ouzo entry, which featured a sleeve digitally printed in five colors on PET film. Each sleeve has the name of the god/goddess that is represented in the illustration.

The Innovation Group winner was Tovenca (Switzerland) for Cryo-Etiketten, a label that is designed to fit into a system for the cryogenic storage, preservation and handling of biological samples. The complexity of the label is in the converting and clever application of the labels to the actual phial, the judges said, with the die-cutting having to be precise and the label capable of being applied and stored in freezer conditions.

The Digital Group winner was Collotype Labels (US) for Diströya. Digital was a new group in this year’s FINAT Label Awards.

A further prize, the Judges Special Award, was given to Cabas (Greece) for Anassa Organics Tea. The judges considered that this set of labels was outstanding in its story telling and the simplicity of the printing processes used.

The awards were presented at FINAT’s inaugural European Label Forum. Later this year, the FINAT entries for the 2015 L9 World Label Awards competition will be selected for judging just before Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, Belgium at the end of September.

The 2015 FINAT Label Awards judging panel was chaired by industry expert Tony White, who was supported by Steve Wood, Murat Sipahioglu, Rik Olthof and Professor Dr Efe Gencoglu.

‘The diversity of applications never ceases to amaze us and this year was no exception,’ said White. ‘The quality level in general has improved with fewer entries being rejected for misregister. This made the selection of the category and group winners all the more difficult.

‘Many of the designs can be described as adventurous and eye-catching which indicates that brand owners are using more visual approaches to attract impulse purchase customers.’

See all of the winning labels in the image gallery below.

David Pittman

David Pittman

  • Former deputy editor