There's a particular kind of pride that comes from seeing a client's product hold its own under the bright lights of an awards stage. This year, SixB Labels is beyond grateful for another round of Graphic Excellence (GraphEx) Awards recognition through our longstanding partnership with the Printing Industries of America (PIA). We're sharing a few of our favorite winning projects below — written, we hope, with as much humility as enthusiasm — not to take a bow, but to spark ideas for your own custom label printing projects. Our Vice President, Fari Bakhshian (pictured at left), represented the team at this year's ceremony, fittingly themed "Printers in Wonderland."
High Island Drinks Series: Best of Category for Division II, Label Series
This project began with a supply-chain challenge: when international trade tariffs prompted the client to move their label printing stateside, SixB was ready to step in. The brief called for a sophisticated raised, tactile effect on the text — a challenge tailor-made for one of our Epson SurePresses. Using digital varnish ink together with re-registration functions, we layered clear varnish in precise areas to build the exact look and feel the client had been chasing, delivering labels with both crisp clarity and genuine tactile impact.
Highlights of this labeling project include:
- HD Digitally Printed
- White Bopp
- Labels Die-Cut
- Four-Color Process
- Epson Digital Toner
Oly's Co Wash: Best of Category for Division II, Tags & Labels
Personal-care products spend their lives in steamy, splash-heavy environments, so this label had to look beautiful and survive the bathroom. The self-wound gloss laminate gave it a clean, reflective finish while sealing the artwork against moisture and handling, and four-color UV digital printing on white BOPP kept the colors crisp and consistent. The result is a health-and-beauty label that feels as premium as the product inside — exactly the kind of detail that earns a Best of Category nod.
Highlights of this labeling project include:
- UV Digital
- White Bopp
- Self-Wound Gloss Laminate
- Labels Die-Cut
- Four Color Process
- Epson Digital Toner
Motif Syrup Label Series: Award of Recognition for Division ll, Label Series
Motif, a New York–based startup, came to us with a brand-new coffee syrup — a healthier alternative to the usual creams and sugars — and, by their own account, no prior labeling experience and a tight budget. We started with a series of test samples across different materials and sizes so they could trial them on their prototype before committing to custom tooling, and along the way our team caught that the nutrition facts panel was on the wrong side of the label, helping correct the layout to align with FDA guidelines. Because the client was hand-applying the labels, we guided them to a repositionable polypropylene material, and when they wanted a matte finish, we delivered it with matte digital varnish — avoiding the added cost of matte lamination. After four rounds of samples back and forth to the East Coast, Motif had a label it loved, ready in time for its inaugural photo shoot and pre-sale launch.
Highlights of this labeling project include:
- UV Digital
- White Bopp
- UV Matte Varnish
- Labels Die-Cut
- Four-Color Process
- Epson Digital Toner
Oroyo Skin Care Products: Award of Recognition for Division II, Label Series
This project began the way the best ones often do — in person. The client brought her full range of bottles into our office for a new skincare line, and we started by determining the right label dimensions for each product, deliberately matching them to tooling we already had on hand to spare her the cost of custom dies. Her artwork featured a gold logo she wanted to give a raised, embossed look, so we printed on metallic silver BOPP — the reflective base is what lets that metallic sheen come through — then used digital varnish ink on one of our HD digital Epson SurePress to layer clear varnish into a genuine raised effect, pairing a matte background against glossy raised gold for contrast you can both see and feel. After a couple of test runs, the finished labels were ready in time for the client's product photo shoot.
Highlights of this labeling project include:
- UV Digital
- Silver Bopp
- UV Matte & Gloss Varnish
- Die-Cut Labels
- Four-Color Process
- Epson Digital Toner
PIA Backstory
PIA MidAmerica notes that the Graphic Excellence Competition (GraphEx) was created in 1989 to recognize the outstanding abilities of print producers to transform paper and ink into outstanding forms of communication. Since the industry comprises very diverse companies, the competition has over 300 categories in three different divisions. The categories reflect products such as: labels, annual reports, brochures, letterheads, newsletters, direct marketing, presentation folders, cross-media campaigns, and much, much more. Divisions are determined by size of firm. Division I – Small Firm (1-20 employees); Division II – Medium Firm (21-100 employees); and Division III – Large Firm (101+ employees). PIA MidAmerica is a regional division of the PIA — covering Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. As members in good standing with PIA, the SixB Labels family will always be excited and happy to receive custom label printing awards from this body, knowing that these awards are designed to honor craft, customer service and contributions to the printing industry.
In Closing
Behind every one of these awards is the same thing: a client with a vision and a SixB team obsessed with getting the details right. We'd love to bring that same care to whatever you're working on next — whether you know exactly what you want or you're still weighing materials, finishes, and tooling. Our team is here to help you simplify the process and elevate the result. So let's connect on your next labeling project — who knows? Beyond the success of your product line, it just might end up a PIA honoree in its own right.
