A compostable NFC label just earned one of packaging’s most prestigious nods. Ma Balise, the Belgian distributor behind the Ephem smart label brand, has received a Jury Special Mention at the Avant-garde Awards during Packaging Première Milano 2026 in the Innovative Materials category.
The recognition was unplanned. Faced with seven finalists in the most competitive category of the evening, the jury decided to create an additional prize specifically for Ephem. That kind of spontaneous distinction says something about where the industry’s attention is heading.
Ephem labels tackle a problem that most connected packaging overlooks entirely. Brands invest heavily in sustainable materials, recycled substrates, and plant-based inks, only to attach a conventional NFC or UHF RFID inlay built from multiple layers of plastic and metal. Those inlays can persist in landfill for a century or more. Ephem replaces the typical seven-layer plastic construction with a four-layer architecture using FSC-certified paper, a conductive ink antenna, adhesive, and a release liner. There is no PVC, no PET, and no chemical etching involved.
The result is a fully functional NFC or UHF RFID label that delivers the same read range and chip compatibility as its conventional counterpart, but is certified compostable within 90 days by DIN CERTCO and TUV Rheinland. It is also recyclable in standard paper streams, verified by PTS Paper.
Milan is the third major European event to spotlight the technology in under a year. Ephem won the LuxePack in Green Award 2025 in Monaco on its very first entry, then reached the finals at the Cosmetic 360 Awards 2025 in Paris. Three events, three signals, all pointing toward growing industry demand for sustainable smart labelling.
The timing aligns with regulatory pressure building across Europe. The EU Digital Product Passport regulation takes effect in 2027, making connected labels mandatory for cosmetics brands. That obligation will drive massive adoption of RFID and NFC inlays. The question is whether brands will default to the cheapest plastic chip available or choose a material that matches the sustainability credentials of the rest of their packaging.
Philippe Henin, founder of Ma Balise, put it simply: brands spend years making their packaging irreproachable, then compromise it all with a plastic chip nobody questions. Ephem exists to close that gap.
For brands preparing for the Digital Product Passport mandate, Ephem offers a route to compliance that does not undermine their environmental commitments. And as Milan just demonstrated, the industry is paying attention.