The Packaging Awards is a tradition that pre-dates halfwheel itself. Brooks Whittington, co-founder of halfwheel, started the awards at his former blog, Smoking Stogie.
We ask each of our four writers to nominate items throughout the year, though there are no instructions given as to what should be considered. That means the list of nominations is a diverse mixture of items that look pretty, packaging formats that are innovative, and even sometimes, ones that are functional. Past finalists have ranged from cigar bundles covered in paper printed from a personal printer to gold decorated humidors.
This year, we modified the rules slightly by adding a requirement that at least one member of the halfwheel team must see the item in person in order for it to be considered. This was done so that we could get a better sense of the build quality of the items. In the end, 22 different products were nominated, each meeting the following qualifications:
- Must be a new design for 2021.
- Must be ship to stores for the first time in 2021.
- A member of the halfwheel team must see the product in person.
