With the explosion of ‘Bubble Tea’ that has taken over our high streets, what next? As plastics are an extremely flexible material, they enable the designer to mould complex and innovative shapes. This brief gives you the opportunity to create a new bubble tea pack focussed on modern aesthetics and sustainable packaging.
The Brief
To design a stylish, functional and eco-conscious bottle specifically for bottled bubble tea. The bottle should appeal to Gen Z and Millennial consumers, enhance the drinking experience (especially with tapioca pearls), and stand out on retail shelves and across social media channels. You are to design a 330-500ml Plastic bottle that should be blow moulded. Research and explore the most recent ‘Bubble Tea’ trends to hit the high street from a packaging viewpoint.
We will be looking for a 'big idea' that may be the next big consumer culture. Innovative use of plastic materials that explore open minded thinking. Your final material choice needs to ensure that adequate protection is given to the product and ensure shelf-life requirements are fully delivered. Packaging that explores the products individuality shape and form.
- Consideration of shelf and utilisation in store.
- Fit successfully on the shelves, or in the door of a standard fridge.
- Easy handling and opens easily for mixing and dispensing the contents, assume a ‘Bubble Tea’ on the go pack.
- Offer something original, innovative, or novel.
- Enhance brand to pack identity, material selection, and by use of ‘eye catching’ bottle emboss / deboss visuals to help drive consumer shelf standout success.
Your final entry should show consideration of:
- Concept sketches
- Cap design & functionality
- Final digital renderings
- Material and manufacturing recommendations
- Label layout template
- Visual mock ups
- End of life, REUSE, REFILL
Rigid Plastic - Explanation for your choice of material is required, e.g. HDPE/PET, etc.
For the mock ups - any material / model is acceptable. Use the best method possible to accurately represent your design(s)
Entry Guidelines
Entries must include uploads of the developments boards
- No model required.
- To visualise the texture/inclusion on how you believe it should look/feel.
- Access to the Winter & Company UK Ltd on the website will help to visualise the final outcome.
The 4 A3 development boards uploaded as a single PDF document should include the following:
- Research board
- Design exploration board
- Net of recommended design solution.
Development boards must not show the entrant’s name or university/college.
- The project names submitted at the time of entry will be printed as typed, if there are any errors and certificates/trophies need replacing, then the entrant will be liable for these costs.
- If you are not able to attend the ceremony in person or the ceremony becomes virtual, certificates and trophies will be sent by post to the entrants to the mailing address listed in the entry in early July 2026.
- Please make sure you have access to the mailing address past term times. If you are unsure, please enter your home address.
- IOM3 is unable to issue replacements for certificates/trophies sent to wrong addresses.
- The entry fee is £20 per entry.
- You will be invoiced for the entry payment once you have submitted your entry. If you have indicated that your college/university is paying for your entry, please ignore the invoice directed at you as another invoice will be sent directly to your college/university.
- The invoice will be received by Monday 30 March 2026 at the very latest and the deadline for payment is Friday1 May 2026. If your invoice is not paid, your entry will not be shortlisted for judging.
About the Entry
Judging criteria
Judges
Prize
Winner: £650.00 cash prize
IOM3 presents trophies to Gold, Silver and Bronze and certificates to Highly Commended entries.
About the Sponsor
Logoplaste Is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of sustainable rigid plastic packaging.
Logoplaste Innovation Lab Is the R&D division of Logoplaste supporting every phase of packaging development, delivering ground-breaking and faster time to market packaging solutions.