BillerudKorsnäs : Packaging design inspired by nature


It’s a Wild Life! That’s the brief for PIDA 2022 – packaging design inspired by nature. Some 350 design students from seven countries will participate, showing packaging design projects with a personal and innovative interpretation of the brief. PIDA aims to highlight young talents and their ideas – but also to push the development of packaging design even further. This is how BillerudKorsnäs challenges convention for a sustainable future: by meeting the packaging designers of tomorrow.

 Dating back to 2005, the Packaging Impact Design Award (PIDA) has engaged thousands of students through the years. It’s a phenomenon that keeps growing – in importance, interest and numbers. In addition to France, Germany, Sweden and the UK, design schools in the USA joined last year. In 2022 BillerudKorsnäs is pleased to welcome young designers from Austria, Belgium and China (regretfully, the PIDA China event is cancelled due to the covid situation in Shanghai).

During May and June, BillerudKorsnäs will host the competition at five local events, and in October an international winner will be selected in a Grand Finale at Luxe Pack Monaco. PIDA 2022 will be a digital event, which enables a larger audience to be part of the exciting events. Representatives of the press are welcome to attend PIDA. Please find the dates for the different events below and register here.

“On launching PIDA, we wanted to rock the boat and challenge conventions. The idea was to make room for young designers whose creativity and new thinking would help drive the development of packaging design forward”, says Lena Dahlberg, Manager Application Development Paperboard at BillerudKorsnäs. “And we have achieved this. PIDA brings new energy and inspiration to the whole industry, year after year. The students’ work never ceases to amaze us. Expectations are set high.”

 This year’s brief – back to nature

“The brief It’s a Wild Life encourages the design students to explore nature’s own ingenious, beautiful and purposeful designs, and try out how they can affect the features of their packaging projects,” says Anders Gathu, Marketing Manager Cartonboard at BillerudKorsnäs. “Each team will have its own take on the brief. It can be about shapes and patterns, function, or sustainability aspects. We don’t know. But we know we will be surprised and impressed.”

 Four prizes to win
Students compete in four different categories: sustainability, user friendliness, innovation, and “Gold Award – winner of all categories”. The jury at each individual event consists of industry professionals. The “Gold Award” winners of the five PIDA events will meet in an international grand finale at the prestigious packaging trade show LuxePack in Monaco this autumn.

“At PIDA, it becomes obvious how tight the connection is between packaging design and brand experience. This truly unique arena for interaction and networking offers an opportunity for design students to show off their talent and build relationships within the packaging industry. And the industry professionals get their fill of inspiration, creativity and innovation at an enlightening and entertaining event,” says Anders Gathu.