AWAVirtual International Sleeve Label Conference & Exhibition 2026
The AWA International Sleeve Label Conference & Exhibition is the world's only event dedicated entirely to the shrink sleeve labeling industry.
- Dates
- 17–18 November 2026
- Location
- Chicago, United States
- Edition
- 19th edition
TL;DR
- The 19th AWA International Sleeve Label Conference & Exhibition runs 17–18 November 2026 in Chicago, United States.
- The program covers two days of market insights and networking across the sleeve labeling value chain, plus facility tours at Steinhauser's and Verst Group Logistics.
- The event also hosts the AWA Sleeve Awards, and award winners receive complimentary conference registration.
About
AWA Alexander Watson Associates organizes the conference. AWA is a global provider of market research and consulting services for the specialty paper, film, packaging coating, and converting industries. Corey M. Reardon serves as President and CEO of AWA Alexander Watson Associates. The AWA Sleeve Label Awards, presented alongside the conference, marked their 11th year in 2025 with winners announced in Barcelona, Spain.
Source: awa-bv.com/press-release/awa-sleeve-label-awards-2025-winners
Who you'll find in the room
Brand Owners
Companies that own consumer product brands using shrink sleeve labeling.
Converters
Companies that convert label materials into finished shrink sleeve labels.
Material Suppliers
Suppliers of films, inks, and substrates used in sleeve label production.
Equipment Manufacturers
Manufacturers of sleeving, shrink, and application equipment for the labeling process.
Questions people ask
5 answeredThe 19th AWA International Sleeve Label Conference & Exhibition runs 17–18 November 2026.
The 2026 conference takes place in Chicago, United States.
The conference draws brand owners, converters, material suppliers, and equipment manufacturers from across the shrink sleeve labeling value chain.
Whether it is worth attending comes down to fit: highly specialized, single-industry conferences like this one deliver deep networking within a narrow supply chain, at the tradeoff of a smaller overall floor than a broad packaging trade show. It suits buyers and sellers who already treat shrink sleeve labeling as a core focus, rather than general packaging attendees looking for breadth.
Most B2B trade conferences of this kind trend toward business casual, with more formal attire common at award ceremonies. The organizer does not publish a specific dress code for this event.
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