With the 2023 Pentawards Competition now open for entries, we celebrate last year’s gold award-winning packs from our Student Categories.

At Pentawards we want to inspire, connect and celebrate the future talent in packaging design from around the world.

Get involved in our annual competition and help kick-start your career in the industry! See below which packs stole the jury’s heart last year.

Unbroken by Marco Arroyo-Vázquez, LABASAD Barcelona School of Arts & Design

Winning gold for the Luxury goods subcategory, the limited edition bottle of winery based in Valladolid reflects 2021’s difficulty while focusing on elements such as resilience, grace and patience. The overall design showcases Japanese art, the Kintsugi effect, the art of putting back broken pieces of pottery together with gold coupled with an anecdote reflecting that cracks can be mended.

Find out more about Marco Arroyo-Vázquez’s work here.

ORIGINO Fragrance by Hanye Jin, Pratt Institute

Winning gold in the body, skin and beauty subcategory, ORIGINO is an eco-friendly concept offering refillable perfumes, diffusers and fragrance line extensions. The overall design is dedicated to bringing nature into daily life and drawing users' attention to protecting nature.

Find out more about Alisa Zamir’s work here.

"Immersive" sound sensitive intelligent Shaanxi Xifeng wine packaging by Yuxin Yao, Hunan University of Technology

Winning gold in the Beverages subcategory, the Immersive packaging draws design inspiration from the region of origin, Shaanxi Province in China incorporating three intangible elements of Nothern Shaanxi’s waist drum, the baiji social fire horse spoon mark and the white deer Yuan bamboo weaving. The drum transforms the pack to deliver an interactive experience. The colour palette showcases the Horse Spoon mark representing good luck and bamboo weaving represents the product's eco-conscious motive.

Find out more about Yuxin Yao’s work here.

THEGOODI by Ursula Michelle, Pratt Institute

Winning gold in the sustainable subcategory, THEGOODI is an eco-conscious pack designed to reduce the negative impact of small plastics on the environment by creating a loop recycling system and educating consumers about healthier consumption behaviour. Because of technological restraints, the current material and design of the blister pack were the best option for sterility and usability. The product focuses on creating a better system for the disposal of contact lenses that is practical and effortless for users.

Find out more about Ursula Michelle’s work here.

SHUO ink by Wu Qin-Rong, Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts

Winning gold in the Home, Leisure & other markets, SHUI ink’s design is inspired by the biological characteristics of an octopus, hoping to bring users relaxation and an easy experience. The bespoke bottle is symmetric making the product look amiable with the brand name printed on the lid which is also the octopus’ mouth from a design perspective as an initiative to remove the use of plastic.

Find out more about Wu Qin-Rong’s work here.

Golden saffron concept by Parnia Meghyasian, Alzahra University

Winning gold in the Food subcategory, Golden Saffron Concept crafts a packaging design that delivers the value of the saffron flower. The pack is a 3D illustration of the saffron flower, in a hexagonal box. The main element of the packaging is revealed on opening the outer packaging as an element of surprise. The saffron bloom is found in the central area, crafted using origami revealing the glass stem that holds the product. The eye-catching pack conveys the beauty of the saffron using a complex yet creative packing structure.

Find out more about Parnia Meghysian’s work here.

Could you be our next student winner? Enter this year's Pentawards competition and showcase your skills to leading brands and agencies who will judge your work. Find out more here.