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Student Design Challenge Winners Find Sustainable Alternatives for Pet Care Packaging

Rochester Institute of Technology Students Win 2025 Competition

Today, the Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA) announced the winners of the 2025 Student Design Challenge. The Student Design Challenge is an annual competition where university students in leading sustainable packaging or graphic design programs create innovative, recyclable paper-based packaging solutions that meet real-world customer needs. PPA is a joint initiative of the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) and the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC).

This year's challenge tasked design teams from across North America to create sustainable, recyclable packaging for a line of pet care products, PPA Pets. One product must be a DNA testing system or lab-dependent item, which was a unique requirement of the competition. 

Student design projects from the following schools were named as winners:

  • 1st Place: Rochester Institute of Technology: Protection Prevention & Awareness for Pets
  • 2nd Place: California Polytechnic State University: PAWSH
  • 3rd Place: California Polytechnic State University: Teef Story

“This year’s design submissions were remarkably creative and forward thinking. It’s inspiring to see these college students infuse the paperboard packaging industry with such bold ideas,” said Heidi Brock, AF&PA President and CEO. “As part of the Paperboard Packaging Alliance, we proudly work to help open doors for the next generation of designers and demonstrate the exciting opportunities available in this innovative field.”

“The Paperboard Packaging Council is thrilled to congratulate this year’s winners and every student who took on the challenge with curiosity and passion. Their work proves that sustainable packaging isn’t just possible, but exciting and inspiring,” said Ben Markens, PPC President. “We’re grateful to the student design teams who joined us at our fall conference in Vancouver, where they had the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and take a firsthand look at the vibrant future of paperboard packaging.” 

Additional acknowledgements were announced for the following entries:

Honorable Mentions: 

  • California Polytechnic State University: WagLab
  • Millersville University: Flea/Tick Spray & DNA Kit
  • Michigan State University: NEI
  • Pennsylvania College of Art & Design: PPA Pets Disposable Litter Box & Litter Testing Kit
  • Rochester Institute of Technology: Priority Postal Agency for Pets
  • Toronto Metropolitan University: Rope Roll System

People’s Choice Award: 

  • California Polytechnic State University: PAWSH

The PPA honored the winners on November 5 during the 2025 Fall Meeting & Leadership Conference in Vancouver, Canada, which brought together more than 230 paperboard packaging professionals. At the conference, PPA also announced the theme for next year’s Student Design Challenge, which will task students with designing an influencer PR box for an original luxury confectionery brand. The package must not only contain and protect the retail product, but also elevate the consumer experience by creating an engaging and memorable unboxing moment that reflects the brand’s premium positioning.

About the Paperboard Packaging Alliance

The Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA) is a joint initiative of the American Forest & Paper Association and the Paperboard Packaging Council. The mission is to promote the benefits of paperboard packaging to influence preference for these materials in packaging design and selection. PPA is a proud supporter of collegiate packaging and design programs across the U.S. and Canada, donating thousands of dollars in scholarships, materials, and classroom resources each year. Alliance membership includes companies representing the full range of mills and converters engaged in the production of paperboard packaging. Additional information about PPA can be found at www.paperboardpackaging.org.

About the American Forest & Paper Association

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance public policies that foster economic growth, job creation and global competitiveness for a vital sector that makes the essential paper and packaging products Americans use every day. The U.S. forest products industry employs more than 925,000 people, largely in rural America, and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 44 states. Our industry accounts for approximately 4.7% of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufacturing more than $435 billion in products annually. AF&PA member companies are significant producers and users of renewable biomass energy and are committed to making sustainable products for a sustainable future through the industry’s decades-long initiative — Better Practices, Better Planet 2030. For more information, visit www.afandpa.org. 

About the Paperboard Packaging Council

For 95 years, the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) has served as the premier North American association for converters of paperboard packaging and their suppliers. PPC works to grow, promote, and protect the paperboard packaging industry while providing its members with resources and tools to compete successfully in the marketplace. For more information, visit www.paperbox.org.