Alexander Watson Associates has been honoring producers and developers in the field of shrink sleeves (shrink film labels) with the “AWA Sleeve Label Awards” for nine years, and in 2023 the number of award-winning categories was increased by two to six. The independent three-member jury evaluates the companies according to criteria such as printing and design, adaptation of the material to the containers, processing, innovative elements, and the attractiveness of the products on the shelves. The categories include “Environment” and “Best of Show.” Masterpress took first place in these global awards last year. The Polish company scored best with the products “Tine 300g Dairy Cup Sleeve” and “Żubrówka Black Limited-Edition.”
First Place for Sustainability
In the environmental category, Masterpress submitted the Tine Dairy Cup, which the Bialystok-based company developed for Berry Superfos Lidköping in Norway, and which is currently only available there, for the competition. Masterpress is committed to sustainable production processes and the development of sustainable packaging solutions and impressed the jury in the category with its cup for dairy products. The use of a polyolefin shrink sleeve on a polypropylene cup played a decisive role. The choice of materials complied with the Design for Recycling standards defined by RecyClass. The use of the low-density polyolefin shrink sleeve represents a solution that uses mono-material. This allows the cups to be precisely assigned and recycled in the correct polymer recycling stream, explained the jury. According to the company, the process has made it possible to develop a polyolefin with a thickness of 45µ and to reduce the ecological footprint by using less material. Those responsible at Masterpress are convinced that they can offer a solution to the increasing reservations about disposable plastic, as a shrink sleeve is now fully recyclable.
Hybrid Printing Technology
Masterpress celebrated a double victory at the 2023 Awards, as the Polish shrink sleeve specialists also received the highest marks from the jury in the “Best of Show” category. The winning product is a shrink sleeve for a bottle from a limited edition of Zubrowka Black, which was sold exclusively in Poland. The black label is decorated with gold-colored elements, the design was inspired by spring water from the local Bialowieza forest, combined with the filtration process using oak charcoal. The sleeve has concealed perforations so that the label can be removed before the bottles are disposed of. To produce the label, Masterpress uses hybrid printing technology, a combination of the four common printing techniques of gravure printing, flexographic printing, offset printing, and screen printing.
By combining the different technologies, it is possible to set new standards in terms of efficiency, quality, and creativity, explains Masterpress. On the one hand, the best elements can be bundled into a single process, while on the other, the limitations that arise when using them separately are eliminated. As a result, even more elaborate and complex print jobs and projects are possible. Masterpress has the necessary printing machines with which the different technologies can be combined. This also includes a new device for research and development, which was put into operation at the beginning of the year.
