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Humanitarian initiative wins top DuPont Award

An innovative water vest that brings huge benefits to people living in developing countries was the winner of the Diamond Award in this year’s DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation.

Fritz™ Water Vest
Fritz™ Water Vest

The Fritz™ Water Vest from Solutions Inc., a not-for-profit company that utilizes current packaging technologies and attempts to create products that improve the quality of life for all people in the world, is the winner of this year’s Diamond Award in the annual DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation.

This simple but appropriate packaging solution has been enthusiastically embraced in developing countries where water-transport issues exist. In remote areas of such countries, accessing drinkable water requires people—most often women and children—to spend many hours a day carrying heavy, unhygienic, and non-ergonomic containers on their heads and shoulders. This causes significant physical stress on their bodies over time and presents serious risk of water contamination. The Fritz Water Vest allows users to carry up to 20 lb of water safely and hygienically, with the weight evenly distributed across the chest and back. It’s an innovative application of modern packaging technology that solves water-access problems for at-risk populations.

The vest innovatively incorporates relatively new materials to accomplish two key functional needs. The multi-layer nylon structure provides a robust material suitable for rough terrain and multiple uses in dry and rugged environments. The proprietary lamination uses several layers for functional protection and allows for quick heat sealing during manufacturing. In addition, an additive included in the material inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and odors. Together these properties provide a robust, hygienic, and reusable water-carrying and storage pouch. The Fritz Water Vest is an out-of-the-box solution for a significant global problem.

For more on this award-winning concept, visit pwgo.to/2946. —Pat Reynolds

Meet the ‘Pizza pod’
Zume Pizza has been named a Diamond Finalist Award Winner in the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation for their compostable “Pizza Pod,” which keeps pizza crisp and warm for longer periods. Most pizzas are delivered in square, cardboard boxes that consumers have accepted as the industry standard but that are prone to collecting grease and moisture. The Pizza Pod is optimized to absorb maximum oil and moisture, so pizzas stay hot and crispy long after leaving the oven. Composed of 100% sustainably farmed sugarcane fiber, the Pizza Pod is tree-free, compostable, and biodegradable, making it the most sustainable pizza box on the market. It also doubles as an elevated serving tray for the product.

The innovative container allows pizza shop employees to assemble boxes with less time and labor, and requires less shelf space compared to traditional paperboard boxes. Zume Pizza’s Pizza Pod also sustains brand equity, with the branding clearly presented up to the point of consumption. What impressed the DuPont judges were the design considerations given across the full lifecycle of the package—from sourcing, to retail to consumer experience. Details on who makes the pods and how they’re made were not available from Zume. —Pat Reynolds

Digital technology for enhancement
Winning a Diamond Finalist Award for MGI Group was the JETVarnish 3D Digital Print Decoration Process for Folding Cartons & Labels. This technology is a digital advancement and variable-data replacement for traditional foil stamping and print enhancement processes. It allows companies to achieve a premium branded look for their folding cartons and labels without the time, cost, and expense of using traditional dies, screens, or plates that have been needed in the past. Since the MGI process is 100% digital, the unique personalization and customization of text, data, and 3D designs can be achieved on each piece produced.

MGI has simplified the print production decoration process for brand owners and package printers. The JETVarnish 3D solution dramatically increases the speed and ability of packaged goods firms to bring new products to market at a lower cost. The workstation software offers rapid prototyping for new product launches and full high-volume production management.

Additionally, MGI has also created a new unique hologram-based, digital finishing security process. These variable data holograms are both decorative and functional as secure, anti-counterfeiting authentication imprints. For brand owners seeking more multi-sensory packaging to attract consumers at the point of sale, MGI has created the next level of digital print finishing technology.

It’s worth noting that the JETVarnish 3D product line was also recognized in last year’s DuPont Awards competition, winning a special Leadership in Innovation Award. It marked the first time such an honor has been granted in the history of this awards program (see https://www.packworld.com/article/packaging-excellence-personified). This year’s award was based on major enhancements and advancements made over the past year by MGI, including:

• New Artificial Intelligence registration system, the AIS SmartScanner, to improve detail accuracy and quality

• New Inline Corona Treatment for substrate management

• New Flexo Primer Coating Station on Roll-fed JETVarnish 3DW for Labels & FlexPack Apps

• Faster-drying varnish formula for improved durability

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