ThinkPack Workshop Brings Together Academia and the Packaging Industry

Ege Mobilya, Kâğıt ve Orman Ürünleri İhracatçıları Birliği, Yaşar Üniversitesi and 4.12 Design Hub jointly organized the "ThinkPack Packaging Design Workshop," bringing together academia and the packaging sector on a single platform. Held at Ege Exporters' Unions on 28 February – 1 March 2026, the workshop developed sustainable, practical and consumer-appealing packaging solutions.

The workshop was attended by 16 industrial design students, 4 mentors and 4 packaging sector company representatives. Following intensive two-day work and based on feedback from the companies, 8 original packaging designs were developed.

"We Can Expand the Project Nationwide"
Speaking at the press conference, Ege Exporters' Unions General Secretary İ. Cumhur İşbırakmaz stated that as exporters' unions, they focus on supporting members at different stages of export. İşbırakmaz noted that they have been developing intensive projects in the packaging field recently, and that the ThinkPack Workshop is one of these projects. He noted that based on the workshop's outcomes, the organization could be transformed into a nationwide event.

Quadruple Helix Collaboration Model
Yaşar Üniversitesi Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Yiğit Kazançoğlu emphasized that they base university-industry collaborations on a "quadruple helix" model encompassing academia, the private sector, public institutions and civil society organizations. Noting that packaging is not merely a product protection element but a strategic component in terms of sustainability, quality and added value, Kazançoğlu drew attention to the university's work particularly in the circular economy field. He pointed out the importance of these studies not remaining limited to academic publications but transforming into industry collaborations.

Designs To Be Exhibited on 27 April
Yaşar Üniversitesi Industrial Design Department Head Doç. Dr. Selin Gençturk stated that university-industry collaboration provides an important experience area for students. Gençturk noted that the design ideas developed as part of the workshop will be shared with the public at a packaging panel to be held on 27 April, and that sustainable design solutions could also find a place on trade fair platforms.

"We Aim To Transform Ideas Into Value"
4.12 Design Hub Founder Didem Durmaz Çetinkaya stated that the workshop was not only an idea generation process but also offered an approach to transforming ideas into economic value. Çetinkaya noted that they brought students, manufacturers and mentors together on the same platform, and that the developed designs are of a quality suitable for mass production and can contribute to employment in the long term.

During the workshop process, students received comprehensive briefings on packaging's multidimensional aspects, not just protection but also its impact on consumer decisions on store shelves and logistics advantages.

New Projects Underway in Sub-Sectors
Ege Mobilya, Kâğıt ve Orman Ürünleri İhracatçıları Birliği Vice Chair Hikmet Güngör, who attended the first day of the workshop, stated that the union has created a comprehensive event calendar for 2026 aimed at increasing value-added exports in the furniture, paper products and non-wood forest products sub-sectors. Güngör noted that the ThinkPack Packaging Design Workshop was the first event implemented within this scope, and that the process would continue with national participation organizations at packaging trade fairs and packaging design competitions.