Pro Carton’s three awards – the European Excellence Award (jointly with ECMA), the Pro Carton Young Designers Award and the Pro Carton Student Video Award – will once again be offering fascinating solutions for consumers and the environment. Preparations for the public voting are up and running. The first jury sessions are currently ongoing. You can most definitely look forward to a host of exciting ideas!

During the coming weeks, the competition will go from strength to strength. Since the closing deadlines of the European Carton Excellence Award and the Pro Carton Young Designers Award, the jury panels have been busy evaluating close to a thousand ideas. And as you read this, the final decisions on shortlists and award winners are being made. It is and remains an exciting process: for entrants, teachers, supply chain partners, in fact for anyone interested in design and packaging.

Public voting will also begin shortly: first for the Pro Carton Young Designers Award, then for the European Excellence Award and finally – for the first time! – for the Pro Carton Student Video Award, which closes on 26 June. All voting will end on Friday 26 August 2022.

European Excellence Award – new impulses for the circular economy

The deadline for entries was 3 June. The jury is now meeting and will no doubt have a challenging time when it comes to selecting the best solutions. This year, highly interesting concepts have been submitted, especially on the topic of sustainability. This aspect dominates a large share of the entered solutions and thus underlines the important role of the cartonboard and carton industry in preserving an environment worth living in.

The jury consists of chair Satkar Gidda, brand consultant from UK/Poland, Susanne Lippitsch, leading packaging designer at SL Design, and Sanjeev Das, Global Packaging Director in the food and ice cream division at Unilever.

Everyone was impressed by the diversity of this year’s entries. Of course, it will be particularly interesting to see who receives the “Carton of the Year” Cup this year, therefore joining our Hall of Fame! But first comes the public voting, which starts at the end of July.

Pro Carton Young Designers Award #pcyda – entries reach an all-time high

The jury of the Pro Carton Young Designers Award was completely overwhelmed: with well over 800 entries, the number was once again significantly higher than in the previous record year of 2021. Over 100 universities and colleges took part – and more and more are becoming actively involved. Pro Carton was able to support over half of them by supplying sheets of cartonboard.

The jury faces an incredible challenge this year. Besides the chair Satkar Gidda, brand consultant from UK/Poland, it includes Roland Rex, member of the management board of WEIG Group with responsibility for customer orientation and business development, and Sanjeev Das, Global Packaging Director in the food and ice cream division at Unilever.

Each and every submission was meticulously reviewed in digital format, and a shortlist of the best 100 have been invited to send their designs to The Hague for the final round of judging. At the moment, the jury is deciding on the winners as well as a shortlist for the public voting, which will begin in mid-July.

In addition to the main European prizes, the jury has been tasked to select the winners of nine national prizes: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Pro Carton Student Video Award – fascinating stories

Submission for the Video Award is still ongoing; the deadline for entries is 26 June 2022. Pro Carton is in close contact with many universities throughout Europe, and we are eagerly awaiting the finals. For the first time, the public will also be voting for this Award. The jury will start screening immediately after the closing date and the public voting will start at the beginning of August.

The jury includes director and film producer Bady Minck, leading international advertising and design expert Simon Bolton, and Winfried Muehling, General Manager of Pro Carton and expert on the global packaging and FMCG industry. They will meet in July to decide on the best films for our public voting: expect some blockbusters!

Return of the festive Award Gala – at long last

In September this year, things will be particularly exciting for all entrants as well as everyone interested in sustainable design. Our award ceremony will traditionally be held during the festive Award Dinner on the evening of 15 September 2022 in Krakow (Poland). As is customary, the winners of all three Awards will be announced on the Pro Carton website at midnight.

Vote, vote, vote!

Starting in mid-July, public voting for all three Awards will successively be opened! Industry experts and consumers alike are invited to vote for their personal favourites. You are welcome to convince your friends and colleagues to share, like and vote for your favourites.

Stay with the action! Here you can register for the Pro Carton Newsletter. All recipients will be notified personally as soon as public voting opens. Enjoy the brilliant concepts of the leading companies in the carton industry, the designs of young designers and inspiring films on the subject of cartonboard and cartons.