Marta Jorge Gonçalves, a student at UC Packaging, studying for a degree in Design — Communication, is among the 25 finalists selected by the jury for the Pro Carton Young Designers Award 2025 in the Creative Cartonboard Packaging: Food and Drink category, for her EcoFold project. 

The European Carton Excellence Award competition, promoted by Pro Carton, challenges students to reflect on sustainability, encouraging the creation of cardboard packaging, considered the most sustainable packaging material for food and beverages due to its recyclability.

Pro Carton, in partnership with the European Carton Makers Association (ECMA), organises the annual Pro Carton Young Designers Award — a European packaging design competition for students. With an exclusive focus on the use of cartonboard, this competition promotes the development of sustainable solutions and encourages innovation among young designers across Europe. The awards gala, at which the winner of the 2025 edition will be announced, will take place in Istanbul in September 2025.

EcoFold is a sustainable packaging concept for wrapping two units of the same food product, a secondary packaging/display that combines minimalist design with maximum practicality. Constructed from a single sheet of cardboard, its refined and linear geometry offers structural strength with minimal use of material. The open, modular design allows for product visibility and is stackable for efficient storage and transport. With a strong focus on waste reduction and production simplification, EcoFold reflects a contemporary approach to eco-friendly packaging in the food industry. EcoFold proves that elegant design can be sustainable and highly functional.