IMDA announces 2026 in-mold decoration award winners

The In-Mold Decorating Association has announced the winners of its 2026 IMDA Awards Competition, revealed at the Plastic Product Decorating Summit on September 2 in Sugar Land, Texas, recognizing outstanding applications in in-mold labeling, in-mold decorating and in-mold electronics.

Pura Group received the Ronald B. Schultz Judges' Choice Award for its Sip in Style cup, recognized for an innovative application of holographic film as both a decorative element and brand security device in an IML format. Kurz took the Best Use of In-Mold Decorating Design Achievement award for a rear light concept combining hidden-til-lit lighting, programmable mini-LEDs and decorative surface design in a single automotive component. InMold Solutions won the IMD Technical Achievement award for a Notifier alarm panel featuring 62 molded-in LED light pipes requiring precise film alignment and complex multi-gate flow management.

In the blow mold packaging category, Ren-Flex Packaging won for a McCarthy Toyota silver cooler box using BOPP clear laminated to silver IML film with direct printing onto metallized film. MCC Global IML won the injection mold packaging Design Achievement award for the Daisy Cottage Cheese container, converting the brand from direct print to metallic IML with spot gloss lacquer for shelf differentiation, and received an honorable mention for the Electrovit Activlab pharma vitamin tube. Brink Moulds and Automation won the injection mold Technical Achievement award for a one-liter ultra-lightweight thin-wall pail combining advanced IML with high-performance mold and automation technology.

In the innovative use categories, 4Labels IML Durable won the Innovative Application award for a truck mudguard demonstrating IML applied to a durable exterior vehicle component subject to UV radiation, pressure washing and continuous mechanical stress. Kurz took the Innovative Design award for a front light concept combining a three-dimensional light sculpture, crystal-based light effects and decorative surface integration in an automotive exterior application.

The 2026 competition was sponsored by InkWorks Printing, Innovia Films, Kurz, MCC Global IML, StackTeck, Sussex IM, Waypoint Marketing Communications, Wipfli and YUPO America.

The full list of winners is available on the IMDA website.