What lends itself more readily to creative competition than a well designed package? The packaging industry is full of contests that showcase the high degree of graphic innovation that can be found in packages of all types and materials. Here is a short list of some of the competitions that celebrated the art of packaging design in 2014.

Sponsored by The Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP), The AmeriStar Package Competition honors selected entries based on package innovation, sustainability, protection, economics, performance, and marketing. Top AmeriStar winners include the Best of Show Award, the Sustainable Package Award, and the Design Excellence Award.

DuPont says that the competition for its DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation is the longest-running global event of its kind. The winners of the 26th (2014) edition can be viewed here.

For five decades, the editors of Graphic Design USAhave annually bestowed American Package Design Awards upon what they regard as the best work being done by graphic artists in package design (including in-store graphics and point-of-sale). The competition is sponsored by Neenah.

At the high end of the consumer spectrum, The Luxury Packaging Awards recognize and reward the latest innovations in the luxury goods market and welcome entries from across the globe. The U.K. trade publication Packaging News recently reported the 2014 winners.

Since its launch in 2007, The Dieline has been a source of creative inspiration for packaging designers everywhere. The Dieline Awards are a worldwide design competition recognizing the world's best consumer product packaging design. See the honorees for 2014 and prior years here.

The Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) calls its North American Paperboard Packaging Competition the premier competition for carton manufacturers involved in the concept, design, print, performance, and shelf appeal of paperboard packaging. Judge the 2014 winners for yourself in this roundup.

Has your company produced a winner in any of these competitions or in others like them? Please let us know—and be sure to enclose a photo.