Metsä Board, the leading producer of premium fresh fiber paperboards launched the Better with Less – Design Challenge last November. This international packaging design competition aims to find new more environmentally friendly and functional packaging solutions for some of the world’s most frequently used and fastest growing types of consumer packages, including takeaway meals, e- commerce, wellness, cosmetics and dry food.

We are happy to announce that the competition has now joined forces with the Pro Carton Young Designers Award, which will provide the benefit that all student participants will have two chances to win with one great idea.

Pro Carton is the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard Manufacturers who through their competition wants to encourage innovative design with cartonboard and reduce or replace plastic. Therefore, the two competitions perfectly complement each other, and recognize the global emphasis needed on promoting young packaging design talent and developing sustainable packaging designs using renewable materials.

Since its launch in November, the Better with Less – Design Challenge has garnered a lot of positive attention globally and a number of exciting entries have already been received. The competition is being supported by an international jury consisting of renowned brand and packaging experts including Lars G. Wallentin, Terri Goldstein, Marianne Rosner Klimchuk, Peter Désilets, John B. Mahaffie, and Cyril Drouet.

“We are very excited by this development with Pro Carton as participants now have two chances to win with their design proposal. To create a true impact in the world we need to join forces and take action across the whole packaging chain. As consumption of packaging grows, we need to think about the packaging lifecycle from start to finish, and inspire discussion and innovation on more sustainable and experimental packaging. The Better with Less – Design Challenge is one forum to do this and the great response received so far shows there’s lots of new ideas emerging," said Competition Chairman Cyril Drouet, design & innovation director, Metsä Board.

Registration for the Better with Less – Design Challenge is open for designers and design students until March 31, 2018 at: www.betterwithless.org. The main prize is EUR 10,000, and for students there is an additional prize of an internship opportunity for one student with Metsä Board’s packaging services team in Shanghai. The finalists and the winners for the Better with Less – Design Challenge will be announced during spring 2018, and the Pro Carton Young Designers Award will be announced in September.