The Paperboard Packaging Alliance聽(PPA) announced the finalists of its 2025 Student Design Challenge. The Student Design Challenge is聽an annual competition where university students apply their talent and design skills to develop innovative, creative approaches to paper-based packaging in response to real-world customer needs and marketing scenarios. PPA is a joint initiative between the American Forest & Paper Association聽(AF&PA) and the Paperboard Packaging Council聽(PPC).
This year’s Design Challenge tasked students with designing a new paperboard packaging line for an original pet care company, PPA Pets. Students were required to include a pet DNA testing system, or similar lab-dependent item.
Student聽projects from the following schools were named as finalists:
- PAWSH – California State Polytechnic University
- Protection Prevention & Awareness for Pets – Rochester Institute of Technology
- Teef Story – California State Polytechnic University
鈥淭he Student Design Challenge bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world application,鈥� said Heidi Brock, President and CEO of AF&PA. 鈥淭he Challenge empowers students nationwide to turn bold ideas into recyclable, paper-based packaging solutions. This challenge not only showcases their talent, it also helps shape the future of packaging design.鈥�
The winner will be announced at the PPC鈥檚 Spring Outlook & Strategies Conference from March 25 鈥� 27, 2026 in Louisville, KY. Each team will present their designs and showcase their prototype to current industry professionals,聽gaining valuable exposure and insight into the packaging design field.
“The Student Design Challenge shines a spotlight on the possibilities of sustainable paperboard packaging,” said Ben Markens, President of PPC. “It鈥檚 inspiring to see students bring fresh, creative ideas to an industry that鈥檚 evolving rapidly. We鈥檙e eager to showcase their designs in Louisville.鈥�