Award-Winning Innovation from IUE: "Pasta Monster" Wins at the Crescents and Stars for Packaging Awards

Izmir University of Economics (IUE) student Cafer Türkel and Industrial Design alumna Eylül Aygün have achieved significant recognition at the prestigious Crescents and Stars for Packaging Awards (Ambalaj Ay Yıldızları). The duo was honored in the “Food and Beverage Packaging” category with their creative and interactive project, "Makarna Canavarı" (Pasta Monster).

Redefining conventional dry food packaging, "Makarna Canavarı" transforms a standard pasta box into an engaging, interactive play medium for children. The design features an imaginative mouth-shaped die-cut window where the raw pasta visible inside functions as the monster's "teeth." Made from sustainable cardboard, the package invites young consumers to express their creativity using crayons or markers to design custom characters.

Beyond entertainment, the project bridges intergenerational cooking moments and environmental awareness. While parents cook using the recipe cards provided in the packaging, children actively personalize the box. Demonstrating a circular and sustainable approach, the packaging avoids immediate disposal after meal preparation; instead, it is upcycled into a durable, collectible storage box for the recipe cards.

The award-winning project highlights the dynamic interdisciplinary synergy between IUE’s Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design and its Industrial Design alumni, underscoring the university's commitment to user-centric and eco-friendly design solutions.

For details: https://www.ambalajayyildizlariogrenci.com/