The L9 World Label Association (WLA) has presented the winners of the Best of the Best Awards, which were judged by an international panel of judges before Labelexpo Europe 2025. Once the main WLA judging had been completed, the winning labels were judged again in main printing process classes They include: Flexography, Letterpress, Offset Litho, Combination Printing, and Digital Printing.

The plaques will be handed out during local awards ceremonies. The winning labels in the respective classes are listed along with the company printing the label and the representative association which submitted the label.

Flexographic Printing

Winner: Fortis Solutions Group, Prime Strawberry Banana SS (Submitted by TLMI)

A distinctive Sleeve for the product, created by collaboration between customer / pre-press and print teams. The background features a smooth transition from 100% to 1% dot The product name in solid black is gloss varnished with a soft touch matt coating on the rest. Finally enhanced with a scratch ‘n sniff patch.

Letterpress Printing

Winner: Kyushu Craft Industries, Handmade Horse Meat Croquette (Submitted by JFLP (Japan))

This label is printed on PP synthetic paper. The yellow in the process set was warmed slightly to produce a visually appealing representation of the croquette. The reversed out Japanese and western text is, in places, very fine, but has been printed well, and is in some places extremely fine and sharp.

Offset-Litho Printing

Winner: MCC Americas, Freakshow Petite Petit (Submitted by FINAT)

A visually impressive label that is busy. Printed litho in eight colors, CMYK with four matched additional colors, using 175 line stochastic screening. The label has an almost continuous tone appearance. Other processes used to effect are rotary hot foil, screen varnish, and embossing.

Combination Printing

Winner: Sancak Etiket, Turkey, Nicea Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Submitted by FINAT)

Printed on silver stock, the background is predominantly a good even opaque white. The mock gold foiling is created from process colors printed onto the silver substrate. The individual spot colors in the design are created form the process color, which are finally enhanced by the accurate screen printing of tactile varnish.

Digital Printing

Winner: MCC Albany, True Honey Rare Harvest 2050+ Manuka Honey (Submitted by SALMA)

This is a label for a very expensive honey. Starting with a digital print, the printer used a technique called “floating foil,” which is the printing of the foil on top of a screen printed high build varnish.