The Better with Less – Design Challenge, organized by Metsä Board and now in its second year, asks designers to create more environmentally friendly packaging solutions for e-commerce, cosmetics and food.

Submissions in four categories: cosmetics, e-commerce, food packaging and a ‘wild card’ category, are open now thru December 5, 2019, at betterwithless.org. The competition invites professional packaging designers as well as packaging design students from all over the world to submit entries (there is no entry fee).

The main prize is EUR 7,000, with the second prize EUR 2,000 and the third prize EUR 1,000. Metsä Board also will award one student the opportunity for an internship with its packaging design team in its Excellence Center in Äänekoski, Finland. The winners will be announced in spring 2020.

The huge amount of plastic packaging is a global concern, in part because global plastic waste in the oceans amounts to almost nine million tons annually. The design challenge is looking for innovative, sustainable and recyclable packaging solutions for everyday goods.

The Better with Less – Design Challenge was first launched in 2017–2018, with great success — over 300 packaging designs from 38 countries were submitted. That year’s winning design found a truly innovative, environmentally friendly cardboard alternative to plastic bubble wrap.

The competition can be followed on social media with the hashtag #betterwithless.