Pacific Helmets has won a top award in the 2016 Best Design Awards.

The Whanganui firm won a Gold Pin at the awards which were held in Auckland on Friday night.

Pacific Helmets won the award for its R6R rescue helmet, which they designed to be lighter than standard Kevlar helmets. The R6R to fill the gap between the plastic airsoft helmet and the full ballistic Kevlar helmets.

The firm was a finalist in the Non-Consumer Product category.

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The Gold Pin is one of the highest honours in the awards. They are handpicked from more than 1000 entries, with only a few picked in each category. Gold Pin winners are chosen by a panel of design professional from Australia and New Zealand.

Whanganui designer Cecelia Kumeroa was a finalist in the Nga Aho category, but did not receive an award.

The Best Design Awards include around 50 categories - anything from building design, to new products, to animated movies. They were established in the 1970s by the Designers Institute of New Zealand.