The Pro Carton Young Designers Award, Europe’s leading annual young talent competition for packaging design, is open for entries for 2026.
The Award plays a pioneering role in promoting sustainability, as it is the only design competition focusing exclusively on cartonboard design.
The main prize for 2026 will be a two-day all expenses paid trip to visit one of European’s leading converters and manufacturers. During the trip, students will get a behind-the-scenes look at the cartonboard lifecycle from start to finish. Students will meet with experts and receive critical feedback on their winning designs and have countless networking opportunities.
Competition Categories for 2026
Entries can be submitted in three categories:
- Creative Cartonboard Packaging | Food & Drink: The focus lies on cartonboard as the most sustainable food and beverages packaging material and its recyclability. Give us a taste of great design!
- Creative Cartonboard Packaging | All Other – excluding Food & Drink: This category focuses on using the most sustainable packaging material for non-food packaging. Everything needs packaging, have a look around yourself and get inspired!
- Sustainability: Show us your ideas as to how cartonboard can reduce or replace plastic and help us protect nature!
Prizes for 2026
In addition to the Main Prize, Pro Carton will award the following additional prizes.
- Each category winner also wins a Pro Carton trophy and certificate(s)
- Category finalists win a certificate
- The winner of the Public Vote Award will win a trophy and certificate(s)
- International publicity and recognition and the opportunity to network amongst the industry’s leaders
- Pro Carton will continuously promote the winners in the printed press and across social media channels
The Pro Carton Young Designers Award competition is aimed at all design students in Europe who are not working as professionals.
For inspiration take a look at last years entries and videos of the gala on the official website.
No Entry Fee!
It's free to enter.