Product design student wins Pro Carton Young Designers Award

Third year BA (Hons) Product Design student Bilaal Khan has won the UK Pro Carton Young Designers Award for his packaging design, which incorporates veganism into the recent trend for food kits.

The European carton and cartonboard association and its UK counterpart, BPIF Cartons, challenges designers across the country to develop innovative packaging solutions as part of the annual competition, promoting young talent in the packaging design industry.

In response to the challenge, Bilaal created an easy to use, carton-based design for a new vegan food kit. It uses minimal materials to construct, making it more cost-effective and as environmentally friendly as possible. With the volume of those eating eco-friendly diets increasing, the need for packaging to match the sustainable ethics of these consumers is of key importance.

Commenting, Bilaal said: “When submitting my design I honestly didn’t think I would be shortlisted — it was my tutors Nadine and Sam who really pushed me to send it off! To be selected from 400 entries was absolutely unbelievable. It's always nice when your design is recognised as you put your heart and soul into it. When I was announced as the winner I was in disbelief! It felt like all my research and hard work was worthwhile. I would strongly recommend students enter this competition as the aim is to save the environment through design.”

Tony Hitchin, General Manager of Pro Carton added: “Cartonboard is one of the most environmentally friendly forms of packaging, and we’re delighted to celebrate it with young designers like Bilaal through the competition. He created an innovative and exciting new way of using carton as a sustainable – and stylish – packaging solution.”

Find out more about BA (Hons) Product Design.