With the Pentawards 2022 now open for entries, we wanted to celebrate the winners of the NXT-GEN category, which recognizes the best packaging designs created by students from all over the world.

The NXT-GEN Award provides a platform for the next generation of packaging design talent to showcase its skills on an international stage, with the aim to champion and promote the best new entrants to the global packaging design industry.

“I love this category because these will be the designers of the future”
Ramses Dingenouts, Packaging & Identity Design Manager at Heineken, Pentawards 2021 Jury member

NXT-GEN 2021, Special One by Gosha Chubukin, HSE Art & Design School

Special One soda is a social project focused towards raising mental health disorders awareness and reducing the stigma among youngsters. Five special tastes correspond to the five most common personality disorders, which are depicted graphically on the front of the can, while on the back characteristics and symptoms of the disease are explained. The packaging also has augmented reality — When pointing the camera at the can, the animation will show an interesting fact about the disease. At the click of a button, a person can take a test for the first signs of a personality disorder.

"I think it's really timely as we reflect on the post pandemic world, that we realise the importance of mental health within the design community and the wider world"

Clem Halpin, Taxi Studio, President of the Jury

NXT-GEN 2020, Akio by Robert Dadashev, British School of Art & Design

More than anything, children love to play. Akio is a Japanese-style bathing tool that turns the bathing process into a fun and interactive game. Parents can play with children during bath time to get their attention thanks to the fun and colourful design. The removable kimono will surprise a toddler, grab their attention and help make the bathing process more fun and enjoyable.

NXT - GEN 2019, Wash & Play by Natalia Radnaeva and Anna Kondratova, HSE Art and Design School

"Wash & Play" is a shampoo for dogs that turns the ordinary process of washing into an exciting game. The concept is based on a comparison between dog and child as they are both linked to an idea of tenderness and playfulness.

The packaging attracts attention due to its expressive shape and bright colour palette, and there is always a toy attached that identifies the type of shampoo according to its pattern.

NXT - GEN 2018, Panda Cigarette by Chen Yu, Hubei University of Technology

Panda Cigarette is a cigarette case that informs consumers about the dangers of smoking. Before opening the cigarette case, the user can see a complete panda pattern printed on the transparent film. When the cigarettes are taken out one by one, through the panda pattern, the skull image inside the cigarette case gradually appears.

Considering that children are instinctively attracted to pandas, the contrast between a cute panda head and a scaring deathly skull can be a more effective message for youngers comparing to conventional health warnings.

So far, these have been the Pentawards winners of the NXT - GEN Award, and we can't wait to discover what will be the new students' works for the 2022 edition.

Will you be a designer of the future? Enter the competition now and submit your best work!

For further information, check here and find out more about our competition, including entry specifications, judging criteria and our downloadable user guide.