Josh Curtis from Ravensbourne University in London triumphed in the UK Packaging Design Impact Award (PIDA) and earned this year’s Gold Award. His entry “Ritini” impressed the jury with its shape, branding, and versatility. “Ritini” is an eye-catching package, a branding tool and a clever dispenser all rolled into one. The word Ritini is Greek for resin and the tear-shaped package design is inspired by the drops of resin that are the key ingredient of the vegan chewing gum. “They are the Tears of Chios,” says Josh Curtis. “The package is designed with a colour palette that is typical of Greece. It’s user friendly, easy to dispense the gum and fits perfectly in your hand.” At PIDA, design students from universities and colleges from seven countries compete with their creative packaging designs. The competition is organized as five separate events: the USA, Sweden, France/Belgium, the UK, China*, and Germany/Austria. The winners of the Gold Award at each event will meet in a Grand Finale at Luxe Pack Monaco in October.

​Lecta brings out a new Adestor hot-melt adhesive for packaging applications.​​​ Adestor HM300 is a permanent hot-melt adhesive with a very high tack especially formulated for high-speed air-blow labelling. It performs well at low temperatures and can be used at room temperature of -5ºC. Its immediate strong adhesion makes it ideal for rough and curved surfaces. The new HM300 adhesive is available in a range of different paper and film face stock. Click Read More below for additional detail.

FEFCO announces that three scientific studies break the stereotypes on reusable packaging. “It is now scientifically proven that reuse should be considered on a case-by-case basis as it is not always the best environmental option. A peer-reviewed study shows that reusable packaging has a stronger impact on climate than recyclable corrugated. EU policies place a strong emphasis on the role of packaging in the circular economy and its design to be recycled and/or reused. Packaging exists for a reason; therefore, it is vital to consider packaging functionality, sustainability, and overall performance from a life-cycle perspective. The three studies released by FEFCO were conducted by an independent consultancy (Ramboll) and a research institute (VTT). The studies evaluate the impact of recyclable corrugated board packaging compared to reusable plastic packaging and revealed a series of important conclusions. These are available here on the dedicated FEFCO webpage.