The 11th edition of Vidrala’s Masterglass Design Contest has reached a new participation record with 190 designs submitted

• These awards recognise sustainability in design, honouring glass containers that combine a low environmental impact production and recycling process, ease of use in daily life, and innovative proposals in terms of functionality, shapes and applications.
• The oil bottle project presented by Lola Ara has scooped the first prize. The accessits went to the designs by Idoia Baztarrika (baby food jars), Valentina Rosero (saffron packaging) and Uxue Etxebeste and Yaiza Zuazo (sparkling wine bottle).

 

22 June 2026. Vidrala, a leading group in the manufacture of glass containers with a presence in Europe, the United Kingdom and South America, has held the 11th edition of its Masterglass Design Contest, a competition that has established itself as a meeting point for young talent, innovation and the glass industry, and this year it reached a new participation record with 190 projects submitted.

The contest aims to foster creativity and bring future industrial design professionals closer to the real challenges of the packaging sector, promoting the development of innovative glass containers that respond to the emerging needs of consumers and brands.

In this edition, open to participants from universities and design schools in Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Brazil, proposals were focused on three pillars: sustainability, functionality and innovation. The designs had to champion glass containers with efficient production and a recycling process with the lowest possible impact on the environment; offer simple and practical use in everyday life; and provide distinctive solutions through new shapes, applications or uses.

The jury was made up of renowned experts from institutional, associative, academic, professional and industrial fields, such as Almudena Huidobro, from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities; Javier Cuñado, engineer and product designer; Angélica Barco, president of EIDE and director of Angélica Barco Studio; Marcelo Leslabay, PhD in Design and professor at the University of Deusto; and Asier Etxeberría, Product Design Director at Vidrala.

Out of the ten finalist projects, the first prize winner was Liria, an oil packaging project by Lola Ara (University of Navarra). The jury recognised its high visual impact and distinctive design, as well as its ability to showcase Spanish oil as a luxury item. Here, glass takes centre stage: it not only contains but enhances the product, exploring the formal boundaries of the material.

Accessit:

Mío, a baby food jar redesign project by Idoia Baztarrika (EASD Valencia)

This project transforms the traditional baby food jar into a container designed to facilitate direct consumption by incorporating a small dish. The jury highlighted its functional, sustainable and reusable approach, alongside its graphic design, packaging, and the anthropomorphic nature of the set, which adds a playful, friendly dimension aligned with the world of children.

Sancho, a saffron packaging project by Valentina Rosero (University of Navarra)

This entry stands out for dignifying a high-value product like saffron. The proposal successfully elevates the perception of the product, turning it into an elegant, premium piece suitable as a gift. Furthermore, it connects saffron with the "Spain Brand" (Marca España).

Ez Dok, a sparkling wine packaging project by Uxue Etxebeste and Yaiza Zuazo (Mondragon Unibertsitatea)

The design rethinks a conventional product like sparkling wine from the perspective of a more informal, youthful and contemporary consumption habit. The jury appreciated that the project does not limit itself to designing a container, but instead proposes a specific occasion for consumption, highlighting the serialised or variable labels that introduce visual diversity and enhance the overall experience.