Students, universities receive cash prizes totaling $9,000 for innovative paper-based package designs

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2013 -- The Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA), a joint initiative between the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) and the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), announced the winners of its Ninth Annual Student Design Challenge on Monday, Sept. 23 at the PACK EXPO convention in Las Vegas, Nev.

This year's challenge tasked students with designing a functional and creative package for movie theater candy, addressing how the design could be merchandised.

"The students exceeded our expectations in terms of the range of the entries, and we hope that this exercise leaves a lasting impression of how innovative paper-based packaging can achieve design and marketing objectives," said AF&PA Group Vice President Cathy Foley.

"This year's winners showed us that paper-based packaging is not only a sustainable material, but also something that can speak to the consumer in a fun and versatile way," said PPC President Ben Markens. "Consumers can feel good about purchasing packaging that is renewable while attractive to a wide range of users - from true candy lovers to retailers - as we see with this year's winners."

2013 PPA Student Design Challenge Winners

1st Place: Pratt Institute
Team: Jennifer Ip, Elizabeth Taurisani, Amy Shun Yeh
Professor: Tom Delaney

2nd Place: Pratt Institute
Team: Marina Brant, Renato Cerqueira, Maija Rozenfelde, Jessica Vande Werken
Professor: Tom Delaney

3rd Place: Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
Team: Anna Cheung, Shirley Dai, Samiel Laury, Daniela Maldonado, Carla Yuen
Professor: Sandra Krasovec

Winners receive a cash prize to share among the team and one of equal value for the school. First place receives $2,000, second place receives $1,500, and third place receives $1,000. Winners are chosen by a team of five paperboard packaging industry professionals who rate submissions based on their response to the competition scenario, innovative structural and graphic design, functionality, and quality of the finished product.

This year a record number of students from the U.S. and Canada participated in the challenge. More than 190 students competed from 13 leading packaging and graphic design programs, including: California Polytechnic State University, Clemson University, Fashion Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, Pratt Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Ryerson College, San Jose State University, University of Florida, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Virginia Tech, and first-time participant, Maryland Institute College of Art.

For more information about the PPA Student Design Challenge, visit www.paperboardpackaging.org.

About PPA

The Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA) is a joint initiative of the American Forest & Paper Association and the Paperboard Packaging Council. The PPA promotes the benefits of paperboard packaging and products with targeted audiences. Alliance membership includes companies representing the full range of mill and converters engaged in the production of paper-based consumer goods packaging. Additional information about PPA can be found at www.paperboardpackaging.org.

About AF&PA

The American Forest & Paper Association is the national trade association of the forest products industry, representing pulp, paper, packaging and wood products manufacturers, and forest landowners. Our companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources that sustain the environment. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 4.5 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP. Industry companies produce about $200 billion in products annually and employ nearly 900,000 men and women, exceeding employment levels in the automotive, chemicals and plastics industries. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 47 states. Visit AF&PA online at www.afandpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ForestandPaper.

About PPC

Now in its 84th year, PPC is the leading industry association serving suppliers and converters of all forms of paperboard packaging. PPC works to grow, promote, and protect the paperboard packaging industry while providing its members with resources and tools to compete effectively and successfully in the marketplace. For more information, call 413.686.9191 or visit www.ppcnet.org.