DIELINE Awards 2027: Packaging Design Competition

The DIELINE Awards are an annual international competition for consumer product packaging design, founded in 2009 by Dieline, the leading online publication about packaging. The 2027 edition has nineteen categories, five of them new, plus a separate Concept and Student competition with its own jury. The competition runs through 27 February 2027, and entry rates rise at each deadline along the way, so entering early costs less.

Winners also receive free entry into the iF DESIGN AWARD 2027 and go straight to its second jury round.

Categories

The professional competition has nineteen categories covering food, beverage, beauty, health, household and other consumer products. The five new categories for 2027 include expanded Beauty, Health, Food and Beverage subcategories. The Concept and Student track has been restructured with its own jury and place and merit recognition at every level.

Who Can Enter the DIELINE Awards?

• Professional: agencies, in-house teams and brands
• Independent: studios of five people or fewer, judged by the same jury in the same categories for the same prizes as Professional entries
• Concept, Student and Design for Good: unproduced concepts, student projects and work for good causes

It suits packaging and brand designers, food and beverage specialists, and design students with strong packaging projects.

Fees

The Pre-Holiday rate has been extended to 6 November 2026: $415 for Professional, $300 for Independent and $160 for Concept, Student and Design for Good. After that, rates move to $445, $335 and $175, and they keep rising at each later deadline, reaching $545 for Professional at the final deadline in February. For Professional and Independent entries, five or more projects receive 10% off each, and ten or more receive 20% off.

Lock the Price, Keep Editing

Submitting early fixes the rate, not the project. Entries can be edited until the competition closes in February, so you can refine images, credits and descriptions after paying.

What Winners Receive

Winners and merit winners are recognised in their categories and featured on DIELINE. All winners receive free entry to the iF DESIGN AWARD 2027, starting at the second jury round.

Tips for Entering

Show the packaging photographed in use and on its own, with the whole system for a range. Explain the brief, the audience and what changed for the brand. Independent studios should check whether they qualify for the lower tier.

Preparing Your Packaging Entry

Jurors see many entries, so the first image matters most. Show the full range or system together, then individual packs, details of materials, printing and structure, and the product in context, such as on a shelf or in someone's hands. In the written description, explain the brief, the audience and the design decisions, and include any results you can share, such as sales or sustainability improvements. For concept and student entries, clear renders or well-made prototypes help the jury judge the idea. Check that credits are complete before the competition closes.

Is It Worth Entering?

The DIELINE Awards are one of the best-known packaging competitions, so a win carries weight with brands and agencies in the field. The fees are high, though, especially for professional entries after the early windows. Compare the cost with the visibility you expect, check whether your studio qualifies for the Independent rate, and consider entering only your strongest projects. Students and concept designers pay much less and have their own jury.

Things to Consider

• High fees for professional entries.
• Rates rise at every deadline.
• Independent tier for small studios.
• Final deadline: 27 February 2027.

Enter the Awards

Ready to put your packaging in front of the jury?

Enter the DIELINE Awards 2027

Categories, rates and the entry portal are on the Dieline website.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: November 3, 2026