新闻

Huntersville, NC/ USA, February 17, 2026: KURZ USA has announced the launch of the KURZ Label Design Award 2026, a new design competition celebrating creative excellence, craftsmanship, and the power of print finishing. The award invites designers from the United States to explore how creativity, material, and embellishment technologies come together to create exceptional label designs that are both visually compelling and commercially viable.

“Label design is where creative vision meets technical reality,” said Allan Quimby, Head of Marketing, KURZ USA. “With the KURZ Label Design Award, we want to give designers the opportunity to explore the full potential of print embellishment and to experience how their ideas translate into real, high-quality products that are operationally scalable.”

The competition is open to both student and professional designers and aims to bridge creative vision with real-world production. By encouraging designers to think beyond the surface, the award highlights the role of texture, light, and detail in label design while keeping production feasibility in focus. Selected designs will be featured across KURZ and partner communication channels and realized with professional production expertise. Winning designs will be produced live at LOUPE 2026 at the KURZ booth and presented as finished physical products, giving designers a tangible, portfolio-ready reference that demonstrates the connection between creative design and technical execution. Submissions are open through April 30, 2026.

Two award categories for emerging and established designers

To reflect the different stages of a designer’s career while holding all submissions to the same standard of excellence, the KURZ Label Design Award 2026 features two distinct award categories. “At every career stage, great design benefits from an understanding of materials and production,” said Quimby. “This award is about creating a meaningful exchange between designers and industry experts, and about supporting design that is both expressive and feasible.”

The KURZ Rising Star 2026 category is dedicated to student designers and recent graduates who are building their portfolios and exploring the transition from concept to production. The category encourages experimentation with materials and storytelling, offering emerging designers the opportunity to see their ideas realized as finished label products. Sponsored by UPM Raflatac, the KURZ Design Excellence 2026 category addresses professional designers who are shaping brands and pushing the boundaries of label design. This category recognizes work that combines strong creative vision with a deep understanding of materials, finishing techniques, and production feasibility.

All submissions will be evaluated based on design quality, originality, and how effectively the concept translates into real-world label production. Designs are reviewed by a cross-functional panel combining creative, technical, and production expertise.

Industry sponsorships across materials, technology, and design

The KURZ Label Design Award 2026 is supported by leading partners across the label and packaging value chain. With the sponsorship of the KURZ Design Excellence category, UPM Adhesive Materials reinforces the importance of material innovation and performance in professional label design.

As part of the KURZ Group, Hinderer+Mühlich (H+M) plays a key role in bringing the winning designs to life. With its high-precision hot stamping tools, H+M enables tactile and haptic embellishment effects that add depth, texture, and storytelling to labels - transforming creative concepts into tangible, production-ready results.

How to enter the KURZ Label Design Award 2026

Designers are invited to bring bold ideas for print embellishment to life by leveraging state-of-the-art materials and advanced tools for precision hot stamping and vibrant cold transfer. The official design briefs outline the creative direction, technical guidelines, and submission requirements. Completed designs must be submitted as PDF files together with the completed submission form via email, as detailed in the brief. Participation is free of charge.

Submission window: February 9 - April 30, 2026
Shortlist announcement: June 2, 2026
Winner announcement: September 16, 2026 at LOUPE, Chicago, IL

Further information and access to the design briefs are available at: https://www.kurzusa.com/kurz-label-design-award-2026/