A trio of students have been recognised for their work in the Starpack Students Competition 2022. Run by The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3), the competition challenges students to come up with solutions to problems set by brand-leaders, design agencies and manufacturers.
Entrants can win work placements with leading packaging companies as well as cash prizes which can be the first step towards an exciting career in the industry.
Students from Staffordshire University’s Industrial Design course took on a brief from international manufacturer Logoplaste. Their task was to design a milk bottle for the next generation which is recyclable and durable enough to withstand today’s supply chain.
Adwait Joshi is in the running to win either the Bronze, Silver or Gold awards. He was inspired by cartoon petrol cans in comic books and his uniquely shaped bottle brands milk as ‘fuel for the body’.
Adwait explained: “Milk bottles sometimes can be very weak, they can leak or easily be broken, and they're not very aesthetically pleasing. Petrol cans have this very angular shape and I always thought it was a good ergonomic shape for holding liquid and for strength.
“The design brief also considered how we pour the milk out. It's easier sometimes when it is not that top heavy, so I designed it in a way so it is easier to pour the milk.”
The overall winner of the brief will receive a £600 cash prize or an all-expenses paid trip to visit Logoplaste’s Innovation lab in Portugal.
Adwait added: “I’m very pleased with how my work has turned out and I’m pleasantly surprised that my design was chosen for such a big prize out of so many others. Starpack is not a small thing, it's huge and so it is a big honour that my design has been chosen.”
Course mate Emily Pugh was also Highly Commended for her colourful take on the traditional pint bottle. She said: “It feels really good. This competition gives you an insight into the industry and you get a taste of what it will be like when you have a real life design job.”
Engineering Design student Oliver Price is shortlisted for a Bronze, Silver or Gold award for a home dining brief set by Robinson plc and is in with a chance of winning £400 plus a day’s work experience with the packaging company.
Oliver designed a gourmet burger home dining kit that includes all the ingredients to make a meal at home. It also comes with a Spotify playlist of music curated for the cooking and dining experience.
He said: “I am really pleased and proud to have been shortlisted for an award. To come from an engineering course and get the opportunity to prove myself in product design has really helped me understand where my skills and interests are.
“I will be attending the awards event in London, and I am very excited for the day, as well as the other opportunities that come with it.”
All winners of the Starpack Students Competition 2022 will be revealed at an awards ceremony on Thursday 23 June aboard the Elizabethan Paddle Steamer as it sets sail along the Thames.
Dan Lewis, Course Director for Design, added: “We’re delighted that the work by Adwait, Emily and Olly has been recognised in the Starpack Students Design Competition. Our talented students generated new and innovative solutions with the consumer experience at the heart of their concepts.
“Considering sustainability and the circular economy was a driving factor in the project and all three students worked incredibly hard to make sure their designs were supported by strong research and design insight.”
From Monday 6 to Saturday 11 June, Staffordshire University’s Degree Show 2022 showcases the final year projects of more than 300 students from across Art, Design, Media and Performance courses.
Discover more about studying at Staffordshire University at an Open Day – book your place