Reusable and monomaterial proposals win the XIV National Packaging Awards

2023-06-09

Food packaging that can be reused and refilled, monomaterial packaging solutions for the ‘take away’ market as well as innovative intelligent packaging systems for sending medicines by drone from hospitals to patients safely are some of the winning proposals of the XIV edition of the National Packaging Awards, which held its awards ceremony in Valencia with the attendance of more than 200 students and professionals.

Some winners that have in common are innovative solutions so that companies can adapt to the legislative tsunami that has meant the entry into force of the Royal Decree on packaging and packaging waste or the tax on non-reusable plastic containers, among others.

A total of 636 registered students from 25 educational centers have competed in these awards, an initiative of the Packaging Innovation Cluster that seeks to establish a connection point between students and companies in the sector.

In this edition, the challenging companies have been Cabka, Encaja, Hinojosa, ITC Packaging, Logifruit and Maverick Laboratories. The Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), the School of Art and Higher Design of Alicante (EASDA) and the University of Zaragoza have been the winners of the first prizes. The Escola d’art i Superior de Disseny de Castelló, Mondragon University, the University of Valladolid, the Escola D’art i Superior de Disseny de les Illes Balears, ELISAVA School of Design and Engineering of Barcelona and the University of Deusto have also been finalists and have obtained second prizes.

The winning projects stand out for their innovative and disruptive nature, with creative proposals adapted to the philosophy of each challenging company, as explained by the director of the Cluster, Jesús Pérez, and its president, Amaya Fernández.

These awards are supported by Hinojosa and the ITENE technology center, as well as with the collaboration of Ayming, Heura, Caixa Popular, Grupo La Plana, Emsur, Sacmi, Upalet, Siegwerk, Grabalfa and Limitronic, and with ESIC Business & Marketing School. They are also financed by the Ministry of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Labor of the Generalitat Valenciana.

Single-material containers for Take-away

First of all, Hinojosa proposed to the students to redesign take-away containers with paper or cardboard containers and using the minimum possible elements. The winners of this challenge have been María Azañón, Alba López and Javier Maldonado from the Polytechnic University of Madrid with “Redesign take away Asian food”.
This project is not only limited to reducing the packaging used in the food delivery service, but, aware of the importance of building consumer loyalty, creates an ergonomic design adapted to the user. This consists of dividing the container into two containers, one for cold food and one for hot, ensuring its correct conservation until the final delivery. It is made with a multilayer cardboard made with renewable wood fiber, and a finish with water-based dispersion technology that makes it resistant to liquids and greases.

In addition, the projects “Petite” by Enara Lopez, Uxue Olariaga and Maiana Alzuguren and “With food no ¿jugamos?”from Haizea Azua Zarraga, Haizea Aranbarri and Maite Txakartegi both from Mondragon University.

Packaging for drones that guarantee health safety

The challenge proposed by Cabka was to design a container system for last-mile deliveries with drones or autonomous systems, combining current logistics with new technological solutions. The first prize went to Mireia Bernabeu from the School of Art and Higher Design of Alicante (EASDA) with her project “Pharmabox”.
This new alternative to the logistics used in the pharmaceutical sector consists of a modular set of intelligent containers, as well as a protective backpack, allowing to customize the way of shipment to the Spanish public health and adapt it to the most appropriate means of transport.

This solution is fully adapted to the current context, in which the pandemic has accentuated online shopping, it also allows to guarantee the health security of the patient who does not have to move from his home to acquire medicines.

On the other hand, Markel Peñas, Usue Macías, Ane Martín and Gorka Santamaría from the University of Deusto with “Cabcover” and Iñaki Zurbano from the University of Zaragoza with “Fold.me ”they have won a runner-up in this category.

A container that “will be with you wherever you go”

Meanwhile, the company ITC Packaging has proposed to the students to create a reusable packaging for food. In this challenge the winner has been Sandra Marcela Palacios from the School of Art and Higher Design of Alicante (EASDA) with her project “Snack GO!”.
It is a new concept of packaging for snacks, storing two types of toppings to accompany the product and allowing its reuse once consumed. It is a new way of consuming, in this case, celery and carrot sticks. Thanks to its practical size, the consumer will be able to take it with him and use it for various uses, such as storing other snacks such as nuts, fruits or other vegetables.

In this challenge, Natale Armendariz, Maider Armentia, Oier Bengoetxea and Itziar Sanchez from Mondragon University with their project “Magma” and Daniel Tena from the EASD of Castellón with “Hexabox” have won the Runner-up.

Another way to pack fruits in bulk

Logifruit challenged the students to design a packaging for bulk fruits and vegetables that can perform the current distribution circuit and at the same time be a display box. In this challenge, the winning project was “Modelo 312″ by the students Pablo Alfonso, Carlos Gutiérrez, Eva Lawn and Victorina del Carmen Parra from the Polytechnic University of Madrid.
This project is totally disruptive, since its packaging is composed of shovels that have the function of both an exhibitor and a tool for the consumer to serve the fruit they want in bulk.

The Runners-up in this challenge have been for Cecilia Diez, Soraya Pérez and Claudia Santos from the University of Valladolid with their idea “Fruta va” and for Irene Ponteduro and Ludovica Gentili from the University of Zaragoza with “Modelo 240”.

An hourglass as a shampoo

Maverick Laboratories proposed to the students the design of a new line of cosmetic packaging that is made with sustainable materials and that, when the product is finished, the consumer could reuse it for other uses. The winners of the challenge have been Ana Barrueco, Constanza Frías, Virginia Martin and Loreto Miguel from the Polytechnic University of Madrid thanks to their project “Silver Tinting”.
This innovative design consists of a shampoo shaped like an hourglass, which thanks to its outer casing allows counting time in periods of 30 seconds ensuring compliance with the times necessary for proper use. This packaging not only allows the reuse of the product, but it is a marketing strategy that surprises the consumer with its unique and different design.

Anna Calatayud, Maria Gómez and Sílvia Serrat from ELISAVA School of Design and Engineering of Barcelona with “Hopi“ and Olivia Vilora, María Sanchez and Alejandra Martínez from the University of Valladolid with ”Hex”, have won the Runners-up of this challenge.

Storage and shipping in the same design

Finally, in the challenge proposed by Encaja, the prize has been for the project “Caja Eco” of the students Irene Camañes, Ana Cuenca, Sara Fuentelsaz and Ana Covadonga of the University of Zaragoza. A solution whose design meets the requirements and objectives established by the company to create a reusable, mountable and detachable packaging, with a complete folding capacity.
The winning proposal consists of a box whose staples can be stretched, serving both for storage and shipping and without the need for the user to use tools or use too much force to disassemble it. In addition, the elastic staple creates a different brand image that, together with the handmade-looking planks, reflects the company’s values.

Here, the Runner-up prizes have been awarded to “Eco Box optimization Project” by Margarita Oliver and Iván Pons and to “Eco Box Fits” by Pau Parera and Ferran Alzamora, both from the Escola d’art i Superior de Disseny de les Illes Balears.

Plan Cantera Cluster Award

In addition, the Plan Cantera Cluster Award has been awarded again at this gala, for which one of the participating students has been awarded a scholarship by the Packaging Cluster for the Master in Management [MBM] taught by ESIC Business & Marketing School. A scholarship valued at € 21,200 whose winner has been Carmen Amorós Egea, from the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

And finally, as a novelty of this edition, a special prize chosen by the attending public has been awarded to Natale Armendariz, Maider Armentia, Oier Bengoetxea and Itziar Sanchez of Mondragon University for their project “Magma” for ITC Packaging.

Finally, the winners and finalists of these awards go directly to the final of the category reserved for young people of the Liderpack Awards, which is convened by Graphispack Association and the Hispack salon of Fira de Barcelona.

In turn, among the projects presented, the Spanish representatives will be selected at the WorldStar Student Awards, the most important packaging awards in the world for students of universities and design schools.