Sweden-based paperboard manufacturer Iggesund Paperboard received almost 200 design proposals after issuing a global call for better, more sustainable packaging ideas.
The company has now selected three of these to reward, and opened dialogue with more designers about how to use the creations.
Iggesund’s Staffan Sjöberg said the project received lots of attention from the design community and the press.
“We’re pleased, because one of our aims was to show more designers what they can do with paperboard in general, and our products – Invercote and Incada, in particular.”
Here are the three winners:
1. Pallet-friendly toilet rolls
One of the winning entries (pictured) was a packaging system for rolls of toilet or paper towels, submitted by Maikel Roberts of Barcelona.
“It’s exciting from our perspective because it involves an upgrade from plastic wrap to paperboard,” Sjöberg says.
“Maikel created a system that allows more to be loaded on every pallet and also gives better exposure at point of sale. It also probably makes in-store handling easier.”
2. Chip and dip innovation
Three first-year design students from Stockholm, Sweden were selected for their tri-function chips packaging.
The pack protects its contents better than a traditional bag but can also be unfolded to function as a serving bowl. Finally, the lid, which is used to close the packaging, can also be used as a dip server.
Jury member and Nord-Emballage editor-in-chief Bo Wallteg said packaging that could offer several functions during its lifetime was interesting.
“I’m convinced we'll see more of this type of thing in the future,” he said.
3. Customised e-book cover
Bulgarian company Alpha Design was the third winner for its proposal of a holder and protective cover for e-book readers.
Jury member and Iggesund business developer Johan Granås said the 'book' cover offered innovation and value.
“A paperboard cover or holder is inexpensive and also means e-book readers can be supplied with customised contents and a cover that reflects the contents,” he said.
“But even if that option is not used, this should be a cheaper alternative than many other holders and covers now on the market.”
Iggesund worked with US crowdsourcing agency Crowdspring to tell designers about the competition.
Sjöberg said the team had hoped to see some local variations where they could distinguish differences between countries and parts of the world.
“We lucked out there,” he said. “The vast majority of the entries were makeovers of products from global brands.”
He also pointed out that the jury judged the concepts largely without doing a detailed analysis of the realism of every entry. Some entries were rejected as they were impossible to realise, but there were many entries with commercial potential.
