Packaging

Pop goes the Student Starpack Winner

As part of their on-going commitment to packaging development and supporting the designers of the future, Korsnäs has once again co-sponsored the Student Starpack Awards in the UK, together with the leading UK retailer Marks & Spencer.

Wednesday 03. December 2008 - As part of their on-going commitment to packaging development and supporting the designers of the future, Korsnäs has once again co-sponsored the Student Starpack Awards in the UK, together with the leading UK retailer Marks & Spencer.

This year M & S and Korsnäs combined to create a brief to explore the field of children’s packaging. Students could choose from a range of products to be packaged in Korsnäs cartonboard with the overall aim of designing new and innovative packaging that will appeal to children. Furthermore, the design had to take into account the environmental impact of packaging and child safety, but still be functional both for the consumer and for the producer and retailer. A challenging brief indeed!

The number and quality of the entries received was very encouraging for the future of packaging design, which this competition is keen to nurture to protect the future health of the packaging industry. The creativity and hard work evident in the pack solutions submitted by the students was clear to see, and the judges had a tough task deciding on the winning entries.

Finally a clear choice was reached for the winning pack – an ingenious popcorn pack which displayed creative thinking combined with practicality. The pack, which won a gold Student Starpack star and was also named “best in show” at the awards ceremony in London, was designed by Anni Nykänen, a student at the Lahti Institute of Design in Finland.

The winning pack has visual impact which is heightened by the transformation of the pack shape as the contents are heated and expand. The concept utilises the board characteristics of strength and formability, plus the ability to have direct contact of the food contents to the board because of its purity. The space saving design provides for efficient transportation and distribution (environmental considerations) combined with effective use of shelf space and an appealing concept for young consumers to want to try.

Best in show + Gold
Anni Nykänen, Lahti Institute of Design

Silver
Saana Hellsten, Lahti Institute of Design

Bronze
Man Li, University of Northumbria
Bronze
Monika Osinska, Lahti Institute of Design