Paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product. May or may not be pressure sensitive.
Flexible Packaging
Non-rigid packaging structures used to package and protect products.
Shrink Sleeves
360-degree printed labels that utilize heat in the application process to conform the label to the shape of the product to which it is applied.
Preprint Linerboard
Thin cardboard used for the flat facings of corrugated containerboard.
Post/Direct Print Corrugated
Paperboard that contains rows of air columns, usually used in product packaging.
Folding Carton
Paper-based package that acts as the external container for an item or product.
Wide Format Inkjet Printing Award Categories
Backlit Display
Printing on all types translucent/clear plastic, both rigid and roll.
Display and POP on Paper and Board
Printing on paper & board, corrugated, and in-store displays.
Display and POP on Plastic
Printing on all types of plastics, including plastic banners and lenticular sheets.
Décor
Printing on wall coverings, floor coverings including carpets and rugs.
Banner
Imagery and text on flexible substrates, textile or otherwise, which generally convey a commercial or promotional message.
Poster/Fine Art
Reproductions of fine art intended for use as decoration.
Vehicle Wrap Installer
Printing and installation of vehicle wraps (commercial, fleet, or private).
Building Graphics Installer
Printing and installation of building wraps (interior or exterior).
Sublimation
Transfers a design onto a material or fabric using ink and heat.
Heat Transfer
Heat applied transfers (typically using printed or cut vinyl) for garments, hats, caps, and visors and non-textile products such as containers and buckets.
Specialty Award Categories
They Said It Couldn’t Be Done!
This category is for printers who exceed all limitations and expectations when tackling the numerous challenges faced on the most difficult jobs. Entries must include a copy of the finished piece, and a paragraph describing the challenges of the job and how they were overcome. Entries not containing all required elements will be disqualified.
Expanded Gamut/Hi-Fi Color
Printing additional colors (usually, but not always, orange, green, and violet) in addition to four color process.
Security Printing
Printing to prevent forgery, tampering, or counterfeiting.
Activated Printing
Connects print with digital communications (augmented reality, NFC, etc.).
Environmentally Sound
Entries must use at least three of the following: Recycled papers, soy or vegetable-based inks, aqueous coating, energy-curable inks and coatings, or other environmentally sound products not mentioned above
Self-Promotion
Print, campaigns, or packages designed to promote the capabilities of a printing company.
Embroidery
Images created by drawing or lettering with threads using automatic machines sewing directly on to a finished textile product.
3D Printing
Entries produced on a 3D printer.
Mixed Technologies
Entries produced using a convergence of various technologies (e.g. flexography + digital, screen printing + direct to apparel, etc.)
Promotional Product
Useful or decorative articles of merchandise that are utilized in marketing and communication programs.
Gravure Award Categories
Label: Pressure Sensitive and Cut & Stack
Paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product. May or may not be pressure sensitive.
Flexible Packaging and Shrink Sleeves
Non-rigid packaging structures used to package and protect products.
Paperboard/Folding Carton
Thick paper-based material, usually used in product packaging.
Corrugated
Paperboard that contains rows of air columns, usually used in product packaging.
Décor
Wallcovering, decorative laminates, floor covering, etc.
Offset Lithography Award Categories
Brochure
Brochure promoting goods or services targeted towards other businesses or consumers
Package must include a minimum of the following: letterhead, envelope, and business card.
Invitation/Greeting Card
Invitations, holiday cards, greeting cards, and postcards.
Pocket Folders/Presentation Folders
Includes presentation folders/portfolios with pockets and loose-leaf binders. Entries submitted with inserts will be judged as a unit.
Packaging–Labels
Paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product. May or may not be pressure sensitive.
Packaging–Corrugated
Paperboard that contains rows of air columns, usually used in product packaging.
Packaging–Folding Carton
Paper-based package that acts as the external container for an item or product.
Magazine–Web Offset
Fashion, popular culture, architectural, art, travel and other magazines.
Magazine–Sheetfed Offset
Fashion, popular culture, architectural, art, travel and other magazines.
Book–Web Offset
Perfect or casebound hardcover, softcover, journals, and other books.
Book–Sheetfed Offset
Perfect or casebound hardcover, softcover, journals, and other books.
Catalog–Web Offset
A multi-page printed brochure showing the products offered by a manufacturer or seller.
Catalog–Sheetfed Offset
A multi-page printed brochure showing the products offered by a manufacturer or seller.
Poster/Fine Art
Reproductions of fine art intended for use as decoration, no books or brochures.
Digital Printing Award Categories (High-Speed Inkjet and Electrophotography)
Packaging
All digital printing on all types of packaging (label/pressure sensitive, flexible packaging, paperboard, corrugated).
Special Colors, White Toner, Clear Toner
Use of special colors and toner effects.
VDP/Customized
A complex use of variable data incorporating many facets of data and design elements.
Direct Marketing
Uses mail as its exclusive means of distribution; objective is to entice the consumer to purchase.
Promotional Campaign
A coordinated effort to promote a business, product, or service that may or may not use mail as a means of distribution.
Direct-to-Garment
Printing directly to articles of apparel that are completely sewn and assembled prior to printing (not to include nylon shells, rainwear, hats, caps, visors, etc.).
Direct-to-Object
Inkjet-printing technology to decorate three-dimensional objects.
Postpress/Finishing Award Categories
Diecutting (Including Pop-Ups)
Cutting of non-standard, irregular shapes.
Digital Enhancement (Foil/Varnish)
The digital application of foils, varnish, and dimensional (3D) varnish.
Foil Stamping (Traditional)
Using the traditional hot stamping method to apply foil to a substrate.
Embossing/Debossing
Impressing or depressing an image into paper using a metal die.
Folding
Gatefolds, miniature folding, map folding, special, unique, or difficult folds.
Book Binding
Adhesive binding, case binding, and mechanical binding.
Screen Printing Award Categories
Multicolor (True Process) Garments
Articles of apparel that are completely sewn and assembled prior to printing (not to include nylon shells, rainwear, hats, caps, visors, etc.).
Single Color Textile
Printed textiles such as flags, tote bags, backpacks, draperies, tapestries, bed linens, towels, pennants, caps, visors, etc.
Multicolor (Non-Process) Textile
Printed textiles such as flags, tote bags, backpacks, draperies, tapestries, bed linens, towels, pennants, caps, visors, etc.
Multicolor (True Process) Textile
Printed textiles such as flags, tote bags, backpacks, draperies, tapestries, bed linens, towels, pennants, caps, visors, etc.
Special Effects–Textile
Unusual visual effects beyond the range of traditional inks and printing that are produced by using special effect inks or special effect techniques to include high density, gels, foils, flock, caviar beads/PVC fakes, etc.
Printed Electronics
Electronic products produced with printed conductive ink. Printed electronics, EL Lamps, force sensing devices, RFID, biosensors, resistors, photovoltaic, touch screens, batteries, fuel cells, e-paper, etc. Entries are judged on uniqueness, use of existing technology in new ways, overall quality of the product graphics, circuit(s), assembly, lamination, registration, dimensional tolerance, intricacy, and production size.
Fine Art
Non-commercial expressions of an artistic nature of either original productions (serigraphs) or reproductions of pre-existing images.
Glass, Ceramic, Metal and Wood Products
Glass, ceramic, metal, and wood products (tableware, tiles, glasses, mirrors, glass, ceramic, wood, and metal products).
Single Color Garments
Articles of apparel that are completely sewn and assembled prior to printing (not to include nylon shells, rainwear, hats, caps, visors, etc.).
Multicolor (Non-Process) Garments
Articles of apparel that are completely sewn and assembled prior to printing (not to include nylon shells, rainwear, hats, caps, visors, etc.).
Students
High School Student
Post-Secondary Student
The Tom Frecska Student Printing Competition Award is given any student or student group in high school, adult school, vocational school, or college and involved in the creation or production of print communications. Please note: This is a special division for high school and post-secondary students. In-plant university production operations not run by students are ineligible for this category.
Student entries are free for all educational institutions that are members of PRINTING United Alliance.
Each category winner will receive a cash prize of $500 to use toward their graphic arts education.
Instructors of winning entries will also receive $500 to use toward their school’s graphic arts educational program.
Printed Product of the Year Category Awards and Best of Show
Printed Product of the Year
Each Best of Category award winner is automatically entered for the Printed Product of the Year Category Awards and Best of Show, presented at the PRINTING United Expo. Nominees will be selected from the following category winners:
Flexography
Gravure
Screen Printing
Offset Lithography
Digital Printing
Wide Format Inkjet Printing
Postpress/Finishing
Best of Show
Each award winner from Printed Product of the Year Category Award is selected for the coveted Best of Show Award.
People’s Choice Award
All award winners will be displayed at PRINTING United where tradeshow attendees will vote on their favorite entry. People’s Choice Award will be presented at the at the PRINTING United Expo.