From inspiring talks across two conference stages to creative activations on the show floor, here's our highlights from Packaging Première Milan 2026

Last week we spent 3 amazing days at our sister event Packaging Première Milan. From inspiring talks across two conference stages to creative activations on the show floor, the event brought together innovation, craftsmanship, and the future of packaging design. Here are some of our highlights.

Art Gallery and Avant-Garde

Packaging Première Milan 2026 turned the entrance into an actual art gallery - Folded Realities, inspired by the theme of the year, Paper Tracks, and by the work of origami artist Elisabetta Bonuccelli.

Three immersive rooms — red, white, and black — hosted artistic projects exploring volume, texture, and materiality, all elements deeply connected to the world of packaging.

This was followed by the brilliant Avant-Garde gallery, showcasing innovative packaging selected by a panel of experts across three categories: Sustainability, Design, and Innovative Materials.

Conference stages

Across the three days, two busy conference stages welcomed experts, brands, and designers discussing industry trends and the future of packaging and luxury. Some standout talks included:

- A distinctive identity, an iconic design: rethinking a premium experience by Bauli - the talk explored how iconic Italian brand Bauli has transformed its heritage through a contemporary vision, reinterpreting a 1950s packaging design.

- Essential design, authentic material: excellence in packaging with 2025 Silver Pentawards winner Kidstudio - the studio shared the story behind a packaging project capable of conveying authenticity, sustainability, and distinctiveness, transforming materials, printing, and details into a coherent and recognizable visual language.

- The Death of the Shopping Bag - Why engineering is the new standard by Evelio Mattos - Evelio broke down the new engineering standards behind shopping bags, where structure replaces decoration and performance drives perception. He explored how geometry can increase capacity and strength without adding material, how rethinking the base and moving beyond traditional dimensions unlocks entirely new forms, and how handle design, placement, and testing define real-world usability.

- Originality is a matter of design. Packaging: from craftsmanship to industry with Mario di Paolo -  the iconic wine designer explored the relationship between craftsmanship and industrial development in packaging design, showing how authentic ideas are born through hands-on experimentation with materials before being translated into scalable production systems.

Packaging Women of Italy 2026

Packaging Première Milan also launched Packaging Women of Italy 2026, a new initiative created to celebrate the contribution of women to the packaging industry.

It was incredibly inspiring to see more than 50 outstanding women gathered in the room to celebrate this year’s winner, Anna Paola Cavanna (President of Laminati Cavanna and Vice President of Confapi).

Discovery Zone

Another standout area at Packaging Première Milan 2026 was the Discovery Zone, a space dedicated to start-ups and emerging companies redefining the future of packaging through innovation, materials research, and new technologies.

The area brought together a new generation of businesses exploring circular design, bio-based materials, AI-powered sustainability solutions, and alternative production methods. From tree-free and compostable packaging to biomaterials created from agricultural waste and fungal mycelium, the Discovery Zone offered a glimpse into how the industry is evolving towards more responsible and forward-thinking solutions.

These were just some of the standout moments from Packaging Première Milan 2026 . The event was filled with inspiration at every corner - incredible stands, beautiful packaging solutions and insightful conversations throughout the show floor. It was also great to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new ones from across the industry!