Diamond Packaging Wins Five Awards in 31st Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition

Press Release

Rochester, NY – Diamond Packaging today announced that it won five awards in the 31st Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition, the industry's premier showcase for foiling, embossing, and other specialty effects. Awards were presented during the Print Embellishment Conference in Dallas, TX.

The competition celebrates the quality, added value, shelf presence, security, and brand recognition that specialty finishing processes lend to the printed sheet. Entries were judged by a panel of industry experts on several criteria including design, execution, and level of difficulty.

Diamond won Gold Leaf awards in the “Best Use of Embossing (Registered)” and “Best Use of Foil/Embossing – Calendar” categories for its 2024 "Suitable for Framing" corporate calendar.

The calendar reproduces beautiful and evocative Impressionist masterpieces in a gilded gold frame enclosing works of art from Vincent van Gogh, Édouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Henri-Edmond Cross – perfect for a stylish home or office setting. The dimensional picture frame features side closures with locking tabs, allowing the recipient to change the artwork at any time.

The calendars were converted utilizing Clearwater ReMagine 30% PCW paperboard, cold foiled, and offset printed with four color process inks, supplied by Ink Systems, in-line with UV matte, UV gloss, and DiamondTexture specialty coatings.

Tightly-registered coatings were used to enhance the design and highlight the individual calendar components. UV matte coating was used on the museum walls. UV satin coating was used on wainscoting, molding, and text to add contrast. Specialty coating was applied to The Starry Night artwork, giving dimension to the brush strokes. Two coatings were applied to the Landscape artwork for a subtle contrast between the color and white areas. DiamondTexture specialty coating was applied to the sand in the Figures on the Beach artwork to create haptic feedback.

Silver cold foil, supplied by Univacco, delivers shimmering metallic effects on the gilded gold picture frame and Diamond Packaging text. Holographic "wave pattern" cold foil, supplied by Kurz, adds more realism to the water in the Boating artwork.

Multi-level embossing lends distinction and depth to the design. Many of the calendar components were embossed, including the picture frame, wainscoting, molding, and leather benches. Multi-level embossing was tastefully applied to individual artwork pieces to add even more depth.

The calendar pages were converted utilizing Domtar Cougar Smooth 80# Text paper and offset printed with four color process inks and UV matte coating. The watermarks of a museum gallery setting add realism and transports the viewer to another time and place. The unique finish and subtle colors beautifully complement the design concept.

The recyclable shipper was converted utilizing Clearwater Candesce® SBS paperboard laminated to E-flute corrugated fiberboard, and offset printed with four color process inks, in-line with aqueous gloss coating. It artfully depicts a wooden shipping crate used by museums for shipping masterpieces.

Diamond won a Gold Leaf award in the “Best Use of Cold Foiling (Folding Carton)”  category for StriVectin’s Holiday Collection 2023 packaging.

The folding cartons were converted utilizing FSC-certified Billerud CrownBoard Prestige paperboard, cold foiled, and offset printed with four color process and PMS inks, in-line with UV matte and UV high gloss spot coating.

The structural design incorporates an integrated inner cell that securely holds the contents and creates a three-dimensional shadow box effect within an arched front window. The standard straight tuck carton incorporates slit lock closures with feet on the bottom panel for added stability.

The graphic design features a striking silver front panel with color accents on the front arched insert and on the top, side, and rear panels.

Overprinting PMS colors over silver cold foil differentiates all four (4) gift sets, adds distinction, and reinforces StriVectin as a prestige skincare brand. The overall matte coating provides a striking contrast to the UV gloss spot coating applied over the product photos.

Embossed logos on the front and side panels add depth and dimension to the design along with an appealing tactile quality that promotes consumer interaction.

Diamond won a Silver Leaf award in the “Best Use of Foil/Embossing – Folding Carton (Difficult)” category for Parlux Fragrances’ Amore Vince Camuto packaging.

The folding cartons were converted utilizing Clearwater Candesce SBS paperboard and offset printed with four color process and two PMS inks, in-line with UV matte and UV high gloss spot coating. The inside was printed with PMS pink ink, in-line with UV matte coating,

The UV gloss spot coating on the back panel silhouettes the shape of the signature spray bottle and provides a striking contrast to the overall matte finish surrounding it.

The silver hot foil stamped and multi-level embossed accents (flower, wax stamp, logo) on the front and top panels add distinction to the packaging and reinforce Vince Camuto as a prestige brand.

The combination of color and textures beautifully complements the design of the primary container – a clear glass flacon topped with the brand's signature cap, sealed with a red bow, and embellished with the Vince Camuto house crest medallion.

Diamond won a Bronze Leaf award in the “Best Use of Sustainable Design” category for Inter Parfums’ Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Holiday 2023 packaging.

The folding cartons were converted utilizing FSC-certified Billerud CrownBoard Prestige paperboard, cold foiled, and offset printed with four color process and custom metallic inks, in-line with aqueous matte and UV high gloss spot coating.

Overprinting custom gold ink over foil adds distinction and reinforces Donna Karan as a prestige lifestyle brand.

The overall matte coating provides a striking contrast to the UV high gloss spot coating applied over the foil accents and product photos on the rear panels.

The combination of color and textures beautifully complement the design of the primary containers, including spray vaporizers, deodorant tubes, and perfume bottle – a clear glass spray bottle with gold cap designed by Donna Karan’s late husband, sculptor Stephan Weiss, which mirrors the lines of the female form in glass.

All of Diamond’s entries were designed utilizing recyclable paperboards and manufactured using 100% clean, renewable wind energy, in a Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWL) and Carbon Neutral (Scope 1 and Scope 2) facility.

About Diamond Packaging

Founded in 1911, Diamond Packaging is a WBENC-certified, industry leader specializing in developing innovative and sustainable packaging solutions. Utilizing state-of-the-art technologies, Diamond designs and manufactures folding cartons for the personal care (cosmetics, hair care, skin care, fragrance, oral care, and shaving), health care, pharmaceutical, cannabis, and consumer electronics industries. Its client portfolio includes Bausch + Lomb, Charlotte’s Web, Kendo, L’Oréal, Otter Products, Procter & Gamble, Shiseido, and many other leading consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. Diamond differentiates itself through award-winning creative design, packaging innovation/technical expertise, and its greenbox sustainability initiative. For more information contact Dennis Bacchetta or visit www.diamondpackaging.com, or follow Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.