Tokyo-based TOPPAN Holdings and its Thailand subsidiary Siam Toppan Packaging have received a WorldStar Packaging Award 2026 in the Toys category for a packaging concept that combines recyclability, cultural storytelling and post-use functionality.
The award was presented during the WorldStar Packaging Awards ceremony held on 8 May alongside interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf, Germany. The recognition marks Siam Toppan’s seventh WorldStar distinction and adds to the TOPPAN Group’s international packaging portfolio.
The winning entry was developed for One More Thai Craft Chocolates, a craft chocolate brand based in Nakhon Si Thammarat in southern Thailand. According to the companies, the packaging was designed to communicate themes of wellbeing and prosperity connected to local agricultural communities while extending the use of the package beyond its primary protective role.
Packaging Designed for Secondary Use
Named From Box to Theatre, the concept draws inspiration from Nang Talung, a traditional shadow puppet theatre originating in southern Thailand.
The front structure of the package incorporates a three-layer theatre stage format. Once the chocolates are consumed, users can tear out six traditional characters along pre-defined perforations and convert the outer carton into a miniature stage set intended for play and display.
The project reflects a broader packaging trend in which structural design is increasingly being used to extend product interaction and encourage reuse rather than immediate disposal.
Paper-Based Construction Targets Circularity
According to TOPPAN and Siam Toppan, the packaging was developed entirely from paper materials and avoids plastic viewing windows to support recyclability.
The design also incorporates transport considerations. The finished pack adopts a square format intended to improve space utilisation during logistics and distribution.
Beyond recyclability, the concept seeks to create additional consumer value by positioning the packaging itself as part of the product experience, functioning as a decorative object or toy after initial use.
Regional Storytelling as a Packaging Tool
The graphics and structural elements were also designed to communicate the origins of the chocolate product and the traditions surrounding local craft chocolate production.
By integrating regional identity with packaging functionality, the concept aims to strengthen product differentiation while supporting premium gifting and tourism-oriented positioning.
The recognition highlights how packaging development continues to move beyond protection and shelf appeal into broader areas including consumer engagement, cultural expression and material efficiency.
Organised annually by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), the WorldStar Packaging Awards recognise packaging developments across categories based on criteria including functionality, environmental performance and graphic execution.
