Sonoco’s Orbit steel twist-off closure has won the first User-Friendly Packaging award at the PackNorth Award 2026, presented at the Empack trade fair in Stockholm on 30 September.

The award follows Orbit’s certification as ‘Easy to use’ by the Swedish Rheumatism Association in September, after independent user testing with people of varying hand strength and fine motor skills.

Members of the Association nominated Orbit for the new category, which the Association had persuaded the Nordic packaging competition to introduce. Stina Nordström, the Association’s Secretary General, presented the award to Sonoco. The jury praised the lid’s user-centred engineering, calling it “a strong example of how functional design can make everyday life easier.”

“Better packaging should contribute to a better life, and it starts with putting people at the centre of the design,” said Isabelle Le Graët, Communication and Customer Experience Manager at Sonoco Metal Packaging EMEA. “Something as simple as opening a can should never be an obstacle. It is not just about convenience, but also about independence.

“Receiving the Swedish Rheumatism Association’s independent Easy to use certification for our Orbit vacuum lid is therefore particularly significant for us. It confirms that Orbit is not just a good idea in theory, but a solution that actually works and can make a difference in people’s everyday lives.”

Le Graët encouraged brand owners already using Orbit to contact the Association about displaying the certification on their packaging.

Nordström said: “Through our test and our Easy to use certification, we want to highlight products that make everyday life easier for people with impaired hand function. The tests are carried out by real users with impaired hand function, and what works for them also works very well for all consumers.”

Orbit is a two-part metal lid made up of a central panel vacuum-sealed to the jar and an outer ring used to open and reclose it. Sonoco says it reduces opening torque by up to 50% compared with conventional twist-off lids. The closure works on existing glass jars and needs only minor adjustments to filling lines.