The initiative "Pleiades – Plastic European Innovation Award for Design and Sustainability" is a university competition organised by leading companies in the plastics industry in cooperation with IUAV University in Venice. The project highlights the importance of industrial design, a sustainable approach to materials and series production using injection moulding. The award ceremony took place on 11 December 2025 at the Palazzo Badoer of IUAV University in Venice. The competition was organised with the support of Arburg, Chem Trend, Ewikon Hot Runner Systems, Febo E&R Polymer and Uniform Srl, as well as the trade associations TMP (Association of Plastics Technicians) Italy, Women in Plastic Italy, the Fondazione Studi Universitari di Vicenza and the German-Italian Chamber of Commerce AHK Italy.
The aim of the competition is to underline the value of durable plastic products and to strengthen cooperation between industry and the academic community. The initiative is aimed at students of the Bachelor’s degree course in Design at IUAV in Vicenza. The competition task consisted in developing a small gadget made of recycled plastic and providing a detailed technical description. In this way, the focus was placed on the practical benefits resulting from the use of such plastic components in everyday applications, while at the same time drawing attention to durability and reuse of raw materials.
Winning project "donut-ella"
Within the framework of the competition, students submitted a total of 38 designs. The winning gadget was selected by an interdisciplinary jury that included representatives of all the companies supporting the initiative. Arburg was represented on the evaluation committee by Ivan Panfiglio, Area Manager at Arburg in Italy, Christian Homp, Manager of Applications at Arburg headquarters in Lossburg, and Jonas Bletscher, a member of Christian Homp’s team.
The winning design is called "donut-ella" and was created by a team of students from IUAV in Vicenza: Caterina Gasparini, Matteo Bazzacco and Paolo Levorato. It is a three-part cable winder shaped like a doughnut. The gadget is designed to prevent cable clutter. It has a compact design, is functional and easy to transport. The "donut-ella" concept has been conceived as a practical solution for everyday use and, as the authors emphasise, it also "aims to consciously evoke joy" in the user. It is an example of a design that combines a functional aspect with aesthetic qualities, demonstrating how design and practicality can complement each other in the plastics sector.
Award ceremony in Venice
At the event in Venice, IUAV University representatives Prof. Laura Badalucco and Prof. Luca Casarotto presented the objectives of the "Pleiades" project and the course of the competition in detail. This was followed by the award ceremony, at which a cheque for 2,000 euros was presented to the winning team of students. The prize was handed over by German Consul General in Milan, Susanne Welter.
After the official part, a panel discussion was held with experts from industry and trade organisations, including representatives of the partner companies, Women in Plastic Italy and TMP. The discussion covered topics such as supporting young talent, designing products with sustainability in mind and the role of injection moulding in a modern circular economy. For the companies involved, "Pleiades" is an example of an initiative in which innovation, design culture and industrial manufacturing are closely linked.
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
Importance of the project for the plastics supply chain
In his comments on the competition, Ivan Panfiglio emphasised the special role of the project, which brings together various elements of the 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, which in the long term represents added value 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."
With this approach, the competition becomes a platform for knowledge exchange between the university and industry and at the same time promotes the development of practical product solutions using recyclates and durable plastics. Particular emphasis has been placed on demonstrating that well-designed, robust plastic products can combine functionality with efficient use of resources and form part of an effective circular system.
Production of "donut-ella" at Arburg in 2026
The winners of the competition will have the opportunity to have their design industrially manufactured and to present the results at international trade fairs and events organised by Arburg. The injection mould for the production of the gadget will be manufactured by Uniform and equipped with a hot runner system from Ewikon. PA6 will be used as the material, supplied by CGT. This plastic will be processed on a new electric Allrounder 1000 e Trend injection moulding machine with a clamping force of 1,000 kN.
The "donut-ella" project will be presented to an international audience for the first time at the Arburg Technology Days, which will take place from 11 to 13 March 2026 in Lossburg. During the event, production of this component will be demonstrated live, allowing visitors to follow the complete injection moulding process from the design concept to the finished plastic part. For the industry, this will be an opportunity to assess the practical implementation of a student project and an example of cooperation between an academic institution and the plastics processing industry.
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).
