Winner of the Packaging Category

The “Tea Gift Set” project by SHANG XIA from China is the winner of the Packaging category. The box design is inspired by traditional Chinese furniture design and combines classic elements with a modern, stylish interpretation. The tone-on-tone color scheme underscores the harmonious overall effect and lends the project a special elegance. Crafted from Gmund Cover Linen 805, the set impresses with its high-quality execution and the skillful use of various finishing techniques, including fine hot foil stamping and closure mechanisms. From the first touch to the moment it is opened, the set becomes a holistic experience that reflects the significance of the tea ceremony. A project with Gmund paper that underscores the significance of China as a design market through culture, creativity, and empathy. The jury awarded this interplay of design, material, and function the highest score.

Winner, Business Category

In the Business category, the “Swatch Book 2026 – The Metamorphosis of Paris” by Imprimerie du Marais from France stood out. This project combines French charm with Bavarian craftsmanship. Twenty-five different design creations are brought together in a single book. An extraordinary execution and complex production process for a print run of 2,500 copies. The innovative concept for holding the individual cards—each uniquely designed and removable—generated great enthusiasm. The comprehensive design of the entire project incorporates printing techniques such as hot foil stamping, screen printing, blind embossing, microperforation, and much more. As a sales tool, the work is aimed at international brands and serves as a testament to the quality and technical expertise of the print shop.

In terms of content, the project explores the cultural significance of Paris and combines it with a creative journey through various landmarks of the city.

Winner, Business Category

First place in the Business category also goes to the project “BUC-36® – Einfliegerhalle” by the agency grafikatelier Engelke & Neubauer from Germany. A historic tower is being transformed into new living space. The modern design is presented in a particularly high-quality manner in two catalogs and a handcrafted case.

Three-dimensional foils lend visual depth and invite viewers to look inside the property. The project combines various Gmund papers—such as Gmund Bauhaus Dessau, Gmund Colors Metallic, and Gmund Colors Matt—with finishing techniques like hot foil stamping and blind embossing to create a successful overall presentation.

Design, concept, and material selection interlock precisely, making the project a cohesive communication tool with a clear focus on the target audience. Used as a functional and three-dimensional tool, paper serves as a targeted medium for conveying information.

Winner, Mailing Category

The jury awarded the highest score in the Mailing category to “With Compliments” by Sammartino Arti Grafiche from Italy. A greeting card that piques the viewer’s curiosity through its creative “unfolding” mechanism, not least because it makes you “take a second look to see how it was done.” Crafted from Gmund Colors Matt and Gmund Used, the project impressed with its particularly skillful material handling and an exciting combination of paper and print. Techniques such as two-color hot foil stamping, embossing, and debossing were used. The elaborately lined envelope construction and the well-thought-out opening mechanism ensure a special user experience. An eye-catcher is the hot foil placed beneath the perforation, which creates a surprising effect when opened.

Winner, Private Category

The jury selected the “Moon Phase Calendar / Wall Calendar” by Bethge Treuleben GmbH from Germany as the first-place winner in the Private category. The exclusive 2026 Moon Phase Calendar combines artistic design, fine materials, and traditional craftsmanship. Printed on Gmund Moonlight using high-quality hand screen printing and bound with a sturdy hanging mechanism. The jury particularly appreciated the visual experience. Each page features a unique color gradient created with metallic pigments, which, in combination with the iridescent surface of Gmund Moonlight, creates a particularly elegant effect. The neon-colored print on the cover adds a striking accent.

Winner, Book Category

The project “FURRER 70,” designed by the Austrian design collective Borovskaya-Brodskaya · Gugg · Mayr, was named the winner of the Book category. This submission is like a library in a single piece. The elaborately designed slipcase combines two books into a single object. What makes the case special is the use of precise blind embossing and the absence of color, allowing the reader to feel what lies ahead.

The use of six different Gmund Colors creates a multi-layered work that goes far beyond a classic book. The well-thought-out composition inside, in which shapes and proportions are carefully coordinated, received special attention from the jury. The combination of material, design, and bookbinding techniques makes this project an outstanding example in the Book category.

Winner, Art Category

The first-place winner in the Art category is the art project “TEKTON folded_unfolded” by the artist Lukasz Chrobok from Germany. The project uses Lakepaper Blocker, which was treated in several steps with varnish and ink, thereby becoming an active component of the painting process itself. The result is a unique three-dimensionality and complexity in the work. The paper’s surface texture, absorbency, and stability create an intense visual impact, in which the material itself becomes a structured visual reality. The jury described the effect as particularly striking and was very impressed by the object’s three-dimensional structure.

Winner, Green Innovation Category

The Green Innovation category honors innovative concepts that answer the question, “How can paper products be used sustainably?”

This year’s Gmund Award in the Green Innovation category goes to Fritz Kundner GmbH & Co. KG from Germany for “Leading the Way.” Lufthansa Technik strives to help shape the future of aviation through innovation and responsible action. This packaging was designed for a groundbreaking, non-

electric ground marking system called “GuideU.” For the client PRODUCTIONMATTERS and the customer Lufthansa Technik, KUNDNER developed a project whose materials and execution are entirely dedicated to sustainable packaging solutions. Gmund Hanf and Gmund Bio Cycle were used,

with a conscious decision to avoid films and varnishes in the finishing process. The jury particularly praised the consistent focus on eco-friendly materials as well as the high-quality, artisanal execution down to the last detail. (Offset printing, blind embossing, die-cutting)

The packaging features a sample of the aircraft carpet with a GuideU strip attached, offering potential customers a realistic, tactile experience of the product. The focus on a well-thought-out concept, technical precision, and a commitment to sustainability makes this submission an outstanding example of forward-thinking use of paper.