Plastic Free Innovation

PACKAGING
WITHOUT
PLASTIC.

The DIELINE Plastic Free Innovation Award recognizes the most breakthrough packaging that eliminates plastic through innovative materials or systems. Presented in partnership with A Plastic Planet.

The Award

RECOGNITION
FOR REAL
SUBSTITUTION.

The Plastic Free Innovation of the Year Award is selected from the top-scoring entry across the Plastic Free Innovation category. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place awards are also given.

This is the award the sustainable packaging industry actually watches — because it's judged against a global benchmark, not regional or self-reported claims.

What Qualifies

ELIMINATE,
NOT REDUCE.

  • 01Plastic-free structures — entirely free of plastic at every layer.
  • 02Bio-based alternatives positioned as plastic replacements, not co-materials.
  • 03Fiber-first systems with no plastic dependency — including barriers, closures, and inks.

The packaging must materially eliminate plastic — not simply reduce it. Mono-material plastic, recycled-content plastic, and plastic-coated fiber are not eligible.

2026 Recognition

PLASTIC FREE.
FULL STAGE.

Plastic Free Innovation winners are featured alongside every main-category recipient — same trophy ceremony, same press coverage, same DIELINE platform exposure.

See Past Winners →
DIELINE Awards 2026 Plastic Free · 3rd Place

The Partner

PRESENTED WITH
A PLASTIC PLANET.

Partner
A·PLASTIC·PLANET

A Plastic Planet

A global pro-social change-maker with a single goal: to ignite and inspire the world to turn off the plastic tap. They work collaboratively with industry, governments, the UN, and legislators to dramatically reduce the misuse of plastic in packaging.

Their involvement makes this the only sustainable packaging award judged with input from the people actually moving global plastic legislation.

How to Enter

ONE CATEGORY.
OPTION TO STACK.

Enter in the Plastic Free Innovation category (Category 06) as part of the DIELINE Awards 2027. The same entry may also be submitted into relevant product categories.

The Plastic Free entry is judged against other plastic-free work. The product-category entry is judged against the rest of the food, beverage, beauty, or other relevant field. Two judging windows. One entry's worth of work.

See Rates & Deadlines →

MATERIAL-LED
WORK
DESERVES THIS.

If you've built packaging that genuinely eliminates plastic — through material choice, system design, or both — this is the award that puts it in front of the rest of the world.