Recycled Plastic Student Design Wins European Innovation Award

Student award Students combine design, sustainability and injection moulding in “Pleiades” University Award

2026-01-20 Source: Arburg 3 min Reading Time

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A student design made from recycled plastic has won the “Pleiades — Plastic European Innovation Award for Design and Sustainability”, a university competition in Italy that brings together design, sustainability and industrial injection moulding.

German Consul General Susanne Welter (left) presented the 2000 Euros first prize to Caterina Gasparini, Matteo Bazzacco and Paolo Levorato, students of the Bachelor's degree course in Design at IUAV in Vicenza (from left).(Source: Arburg/ Iuav) — German Consul General Susanne Welter (left) presented the 2000 Euros first prize to Caterina Gasparini, Matteo Bazzacco and Paolo Levorato, students of the Bachelor's degree course in Design at IUAV in Vicenza (from left).
(Source: Arburg/ Iuav)

With the university competition “Pleiades — Plastic European Innovation Award for Design and Sustainability”, leading companies in the plastics industry, together with IUAV University in Venice, are presenting a project that makes the importance of design, sustainability and industrial manufacturing using injection moulding visible and tangible. The award ceremony took place on 11 December 2025 at the Palazzo Badoer of IUAV University in Venice. The competition was supported by Arburg, Chem Trend, Ewikon Hot Runner Systems, Febo E&R Polymer and Uniform Srl, together with the trade associations TMP (Association of Plastics Technicians) Italy, Women in Plastic Italy, the Fondazione Studi Universitari di Vicenza (Vicenza University Studies Foundation) and the German-Italian Chamber of Commerce AHK Italy.

The aim of this initiative is to highlight the value of durable plastic products and to strengthen cooperation between industry and academic institutions. It is aimed at students of the Bachelor’s degree course in Design at the IUAV in Vicenza. Their task: To develop a small gadget made of recycled plastic and to describe it in technical detail. With this task, the initiative focuses on the benefits of plastic parts of this kind.

Gallery

The winning gadget is called “donut-ella” and looks like the world-famous pastry. It is designed to make tangled cables a thing of the past when winding and unwinding USB cables. (Source: Arburg/ Iuav)

Donut-ella is the winner

Students submitted a total of 38 designs. The winning project was selected by an interdisciplinary jury that included representatives from all supporting companies. Arburg was represented on the decision-making committee by Ivan Panfiglio, Area Manager at Arburg in Italy, by Christian Homp, Manager of Applications at Arburg headquarters in Lossburg and by Jonas Bletscher, a member of Christian’s team.

The winning design is called “donut-ella” and was created by Caterina Gasparini, Matteo Bazzacco and Paolo Levorato from IUAV in Vicenza. It is a three-part cable winder shaped rather like a doughnut. This gadget prevents cable clutter and is compact, functional as well as easy to transport. This intriguing design is just intended to be useful in everyday life. It also aspires “to consciously evoke joy” — an example of how design and practicality can interact successfully in the plastics sector.

Award ceremony in Venice

After a welcome by representatives of IUAV University of Venice, Prof. Laura Badalucco and Prof. Luca Casarotto presented the project in detail. The subsequent award ceremony, at which a cheque for 2,000 Euros was presented to the winner, was conducted by German Consul General Susanne Welter from Milan. To conclude this event, experts from the industry and related trade associations — including representatives from the companies, Women in Plastic Italy and TMP — discussed the importance of encouraging talented young people, sustainable product design and the role of injection moulding in a modern circular economy. For the companies involved, “Pleiades” exemplifies how innovation, design culture and industrial manufacturing go hand in hand.

“Pleiades” brings together key players in Italy’s plastics industry

Ivan Panfiglio emphasised the special significance of the project, which brings together the entire plastics supply chain, promotes networking within the industry and at the same time conveys a positive image of plastics as a material: “This initiative brings creativity to the industry, while students gain valuable insights into industrial reality — added value with long-term benefits for both parties. “Pleiades” is a format that not only highlights the importance of high-quality injection moulding, but also shows how education, cooperation and innovation can strengthen the sustainable and responsible use of plastics”.

Donut-ella will be manufactured at Arburg in 2026

The winner of the competition will have the opportunity to have their design manufactured industrially and then presented at international trade fairs and events organised by Arburg. The mould will be manufactured by Uniform and equipped with hot runner systems from Ewikon. The PA6 material used will be supplied by CGT and processed on a new electric Allrounder 1000 e Trend with a clamping force of 1,000 kN. The project will be presented to an international audience for the first time at the Arburg Technology Days from 11 to 13 March 2026 in Lossburg, at which this product will be manufactured live.

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