Diamond Packaging won three awards in the 21st annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition, a premier showcase for foil stamping, embossing and other specialty effects. Awards were announced last month at the FSEA•IADD Joint Conference in Milwaukee, Wis.

The competition, which is sponsored by the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), recognizes creativity and superior execution of designs that reflect positively on the industry as a whole. Entries are judged on several criteria including design, execution and level of difficulty. Winning an award is a mark of excellence in the packaging field and recognition of superior achievement.

Diamond won a Bronze Leaf award in the “Calendar” category for its three-month corporate calendar, a long-standing company tradition and popular promotional item given to customers and suppliers. The 2014 apple-themed calendar features a simple, yet striking design that represents a natural evolution of Diamond's greenbox initiative and is a fitting tribute to New York, one of the nation’s largest apple producing states.

The presentation is designed to illustrate inline green technologies (e.g., soft touch, specialty effects coatings), UV gloss spot coating, foil stamping, multi-level embossing, debossing and intricate die cutting. The structural design allows the calendar to be hung with one lower panel or unfolded to reveal apple blossoms on the middle panels.

The calendar was converted utilizing Clearwater Candesce SBS paperboard and offset printed with four color process inks, inline with an overall aqueous gloss coating, UV gloss spot coating, specialty effects pigmented coating and DiamondTouch soft touch coating. Metal Magic provided all of the embossing dies.

Multi-level embossing and debossing the header are designed to create a dramatic sense of texture and depth, while UV gloss spot coating (water droplets) and pearlized coating (leaves) provide a striking contrast to the finish surrounding it.

The middle backers feature multi-level embossed apple blossoms enhanced with soft touch coating, contributing to a unique visual and tactile presentation. The concave die cut pattern on each side seeks to convey an apple core.

The calendar is delivered in its own recyclable shipper featuring a woodgrain design that is designed to simulate an actual apple crate, right down to the stencil typography.

Diamond won a Bronze Leaf award in the “Best Use of Embossing” category for Five Star Fragrance Company’s Michael Jordan Flight Sport Gift Set. The overall presentation works to impart unusual depth and distinction through creative design, material selection, UV matte and gloss spot coating and embossing.

The carton was converted utilizing FSC-certified metallized polyester board and offset printed with transparent red, dense black and opaque white inks, in-line with UV matte and UV high gloss coating. The UV matte spot coating on the lid provides a striking contrast to the high gloss red accents (logo, dimpled pattern) surrounding it. The multi-level embossed dimpled golf ball pattern (on the lid) reinforces the Michael Jordan brand as the ultimate in sport and style.

Diamond utilized its proprietary QuikSet structural design for the project. QuikSet is designed to provide an attractive and economical alternative to rigid set-up boxes, featuring a reinforced base and lid, direct application of graphics and stamping or embossing, flat shipping and storage, and easy set-up. With crisp, clean lines and outstanding strength, QuikSet is a perfect choice for gift sets or promotional items, according to the company.

Diamond also won a Bronze Leaf award in the “Creative Use of Foil/Embossing on a Folding Carton” for Five Star Fragrance Company’s Michael Jordan Legend Gift Set. The gift set carton, which also incorporates QuikSet structural design, is designed to feature FSC-certified metallized polyester board and intricate embossing accents that combine to create a strikingly singular and legendary presentation.

The carton was offset printed with transparent gold, dense black and opaque white inks, in-line with UV matte and UV high gloss coating. The UV matte spot coating on the lid and base provides a striking contrast to the high gloss gold accents (logos, ribbed pattern) surrounding it. The multi-level embossed pebbled surface of the basketball (on the lid) reinforces the Michael Jordan brand.