Anna Ciria, student of the Bachelor in Design, receives an iF Design Student Award 2026 for ‘Oliva Terrae’

Anna Ciria, a student of Bachelor in Design, has received an iF Design Student Award 2026 in the Responsible Consumption and Production category for her Final Degree Project, Oliva Terrae, a proposal that transforms waste from the paper and olive oil industries into a new biodegradable material for graphic and packaging applications.

The project addresses one of the major challenges of contemporary production: waste generation and dependence on virgin raw materials. Using paper sludge and olive pomace, Oliva Terrae develops a circular material system that enables the creation of sustainable packaging solutions, specifically designed for the olive oil sector.

The proposal transforms these by-products into a biodegradable graphic material suitable for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional applications, demonstrating the potential of design to foster more responsible and circular production models.

The iF Design Student Award jury highlighted that the project “demonstrates how design can drive circular thinking by combining innovation, functionality and sustainability” through the transformation of waste into valuable solutions.

For Anna Ciria, the award represents an important encouragement to continue exploring sustainable design: “Winning the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD is an incredible honour and a meaningful recognition of my work in sustainable and circular design. This project explores how to transform waste into valuable materials, and this recognition motivates me to continue developing innovative and responsible design approaches.”