The Paperboard Packaging Alliance聽(PPA) announced its 2026 Student Design Challenge Finalists. The聽Student Design Challenge is a yearly competition that tests students鈥� skills in designing creative, innovative paper-based packaging by applying them to a real-world application. PPA is a joint initiative between the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) and the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC).
The 2026 Design Challenge asked students to design an influencer PR box for a new luxury confectionery brand. Submissions had to contain and protect the retail product while elevating the user experience through an engaging, memorable聽unboxing moment.听Student projects from the following schools were named as finalists:
- D膩t鈥揅alifornia Polytechnic State University
- Tempus鈥揅alifornia Polytechnic State University
- Pacha Cacao鈥揜ochester Institute of Technology
鈥淭he Student Design Challenge pushes students across North America to reimagine packaging through a sustainability lens,鈥� said Heidi Brock, President and CEO of AF&PA. 鈥淚t connects classroom learning with real-world innovation, transforming creative ideas into recyclable, paper-based solutions. By emphasizing circularity at every stage of design, the challenge highlights emerging talent and drives a more sustainable future for packaging.鈥�
This year鈥檚 winners will be announced at PPC鈥檚 2026 Fall Meeting from September 30 to October 2 in Orlando, Florida, where finalists will present their projects live before industry executives and packaging manufacturers across North America. The first-place team will win $10,500, and their school will receive $10,000. The second and third-place teams also take home cash prizes.
鈥淥ne of the most inspiring moments of our PPC Fall Meeting is watching the next generation take the main stage to present their work to an audience of industry leaders and potential future employers,鈥� said Emily Leonczyk, President of PPC. 鈥淲hat makes this opportunity so meaningful is the two-way dialogue. Students engage directly with manufacturers, executives, and innovators, while our industry has the opportunity to celebrate their creativity, listen to fresh perspectives, and better understand how we can attract, inspire, and develop the next generation of talent. We look forward to welcoming these outstanding finalists to Orlando this fall and showcasing them alongside the leaders shaping the future of paperboard packaging.”