Asian printers have taken the top gongs at the recent L9 World Label Competition Best of the Best Awards 2024.
The L9 World Label Association (WLA) presented the winners, which were judged by an international panel of judges just before Labelexpo Chicago 2024.
Once the main WLA judging was complete, the winning labels were judged again in the following main printing process classes: flexography, letterpress, offset litho, combination printing and digital printing.
The winners include:
Flexographic printing category: Takara Pac Ltd (Japan) for Japanese sake Label
This two-layer label in which the upper label is printed, die-cut, laminated, then re-applied to the base layer, which is then die-cut won the award as it enables the upper label to be removed whilst leaving the base layer to remain as a product label.
It presented a very complex and innovative use of the MPS EFA-10C press, as the complete operation takes place in one pass. Along with the technical points, the label won for being excellently reproduced with definite customer appeal whilst incorporating a product security feature.
Letterpress printing: Kyushu Craft Industries (Japan) for The Frozen Eel
This label won for its use of a silver metallic substrate that creates a visual impact, with which the vendor intends to attract purchasers. It was particularly demanding for the operators to achieve accurate print reproduction, and extremely fine registration. This is particularly evident in the fine reversed out letter characters.
Offset-litho printing: Ningxia Sunrise Printing Co. Ltd. (China) for Tong Ren Tang – President Brand Instant Bird’s Nest Bottle Label
The label features a central image of a Golden Swiftlet printed using a four-colour process and a particularly fine screen ruling, but in excellent register. The image is further highlighted by the use of very accurate embossing emphasising the feathers.
The debossed lines in the background of the label, together with the radially textured outer hot-foiled border gives this label the intended quality appearance.
Combination printing: McDowell Label, a Resource Label Group Company (USA) for Isopept Vanilla Ice Cream
The striking label was printed onto a silver foil substrate, featuring an extremely even matt black background. Also printed with similarly even and dense white, onto which very fine black type characters and gold lacquer areas with reversed out fine text are printed. Finishing touches are both flat gloss and high build varnish, domed and tactile varnished with extreme accuracy, especially where positioned over the reversed out Braille dots.
Digital printing: Cymmetrik (Jiangsu) Printing Co., Ltd (China) for P&G HR Shampoo Label
Printed using a four-colour process at 1200 dpi, the label has an almost photographic appearance. The background of the label has a slight tactile feel, as do the varnished areas and the sharply printed Chinese characters. A relatively simple but effective label.
The plaques will be handed out during local awards ceremonies.
