The results of the WorldStar Student Awards 2026, another WPO (World Packaging Organisation) global competition, have been officially announced, showcasing exceptional talent from the next generation of packaging professionals. This year’s competition received 246 entries, from 90 educational institutions, across 23 countries. Every submission had previously won a local award in one of 20 different student packaging competitions worldwide or, for countries without their own student awards program, entries may qualify by receiving endorsement from the local WPO member or association organization.
Participants ranged from undergraduate to master’s level students, representing disciplines such as Packaging Design, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Food Science, Engineering, and Global Business Studies. A notable trend emerged in several educational institutions, with multi-disciplinary team entries combining different areas of expertise to create innovative packaging solutions.
43 judges formed this year’s international panel. Representing 31 countries, these packaging professionals dedicated their time and shared their unique expertise to ensure a thorough and insightful evaluation of each entry.
Key themes identified across the submissions included innovative thinking around sustainability, design for circularity, ease of use and engaging on-pack communication. These elements played a central role in recognizing the most outstanding achievements in packaging excellence and creative thinking.
Trophy leaders
A total of 30 trophies were awarded across five market categories, four special awards, and the Top Three Overall Winners. The leading countries are:
- China – 4 trophies, including Overall Bronze and 2 Gold Awards
- Australia – 4 trophies, including 2 Gold Awards
- Ghana – 4 trophies, including 1 Gold Award
- Turkey – 4 trophies, including 1 Gold Award
- Hungary – 4 trophies, including 2 Silver Awards
Top 3 overall winners
- Gold: Ella Salminen (Finland), for the project ‘Ease’, which addresses the challenge of single-use plastic utensils by cleverly incorporating a cardboard utensil into the packaging label. This achievement marks the second consecutive year that a ScanStar student has won the WorldStar Student overall first prize.
- Silver: Christian Alfred Landsberger Glik (Brazil), for the project ‘Eco-Dosadora’ which introduces an integrated dosing system for flexible packaging of fabric softeners, eliminating the need for a separate measuring cup, reducing plastic waste and manufacturing costs.
- Bronze: Chenxin Li (China) for the project ‘Cold Brewed Tea’ packaging which through a ‘telescopic accordion structure’ bottle design reshapes sustainable packaging paradigms for urban consumers.
For the President of the WPO, Luciana Pellegrino, it is essential to encourage young talents to run for the WorldStar and to explore new possibilities, both in packaging and through packaging. Students’ projects provoke and inspire to leverage innovation, technology, and sustainability across the industry.
“After all, [students] tend to explore new possibilities based on their fresh eyes which are not framed in the limitations of daily business,” said Pellegrino. “Furthermore, these students will be the professionals of the future, and we need to encourage them that it is possible to make a difference and enhance packaging’s positive impact in modern life in society.”
The organizer of WorldStar Student, Bill Marshall, who represents WPO member in South Africa, IPSA (Institute of Packaging South Africa), adds: “Student packaging competitions around the world offer opportunities for young talent to experience the interesting world of packaging and the unique blend of materials, technology, design and marketing required for creative packaging concepts. The students that are eligible to enter the WorldStar Student Awards are those that have been recognized in their own countries for their insight into the exciting challenges and rewards that a career in packaging offers. Success in achieving a global WorldStar Certificate becomes a valuable enhancement of the student’s CV and will provide a boost to their chosen careers.”
The complete list of winners is available on the official WorldStar Student website: www.worldstarstudent.org.
