The Collaboration Partners & The Making

The Collaboration Partners & The Making

This project was truly exceptional. It sparked the interest of a wide range of stakeholders and would not have been possible without their strong commitment, collaborative spirit, and willingness to contribute their expertise.

Alongside Stefano Pistoni and his team at UPM, epda's Industry Partner KURZ, with Julia König and Elke Andersch, proactively supported the project with their extensive knowledge of embellishment techniques and production possibilities. The third industry partner, CCL Wine & Spirits,with Christiane Spang and Aurélie Lorenzo, completed the team by offering to print the winning designs, turning the creative concepts into tangible results.

Together with the Order of Malta, represented by Aurore de Solages and Margaux de Bentzmann, and epda, the steering committee brought together expertise from design, production, branding, and the charitable sector.

The primary product selected for the Design Challenge was a scented candle in a glass container - a product already sold through the Order of Malta's online boutique to support fundraising activities. Through epda, a new candle supplier joined the project:

TANDEM. Fragrances, experts in perfume creation and olfactory marketing based in Lille, France, supplied elegant candles presented in a black cylindrical paperboard box. The outstanding quality of the product made it an ideal choice for the challenge:

• Fragrances from Grasse
• Natural waxes sourced in Europe
• Made-in-France glass containers
• 100% cotton wicks
• FSC® / PEFC-certified packaging

In addition to the candle, participants were invited to design a label for a second product: a Bas-Armagnac Hors d'Âge, aged for more than 12 years and generously provided by Armagnac Delord, France. This amber-coloured Armagnac, with its brilliant, crystal-clear appearance, is first matured in new French oak barrels before continuing its ageing process in previously used oak casks. Three bottles of this exceptional and prestigious spirit were selected as exclusive gifts for the Order of Malta to present to particularly important donors.

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The jointly developed Design Brief was officially launched in January 2026 during an online introduction session hosted by epda, where all interested designers were invited to learn more about the challenge and its objectives.

Throughout the submission period, participants had the opportunity to consult directly with the industry partners - UPM, KURZ, and CCL - to discuss technical questions regarding materials, embellishment options, and production feasibility. This exchange proved highly valuable, as one of the key judging criteria was the producibility of the designs, alongside their branding strength, storytelling, and visual impact.

The jury reflected the collaborative nature of the project, bringing together representatives from every stakeholder group. The evaluation session was both inspiring and highly productive, with each juror contributing a unique perspective:

• Aurore de Solages assessed how successfully the designs communicated the core values and mission of the Order of Malta.

• Stefano Pistoni (UPM) evaluated the label concepts from the perspective of paper selection and material performance.

• Julia König (KURZ) reviewed the embellishment concepts and their creative and technical execution.

• Christiane Spang (CCL Wine & Spirits) assessed the printability and production feasibility of the designs.

• Andrea Rizzardi (Gentlebrand), epda member and branding designer, evaluated the overall design quality and strategic brand concept from a designer's perspective.

In April and May, all industry partners joined forces to produce a total of 200 labels of the three winning design concepts selected by the jury. This collaborative production phase transformed the finalists' ideas into beautifully crafted physical products, showcasing the combined expertise of the design and manufacturing partners.

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Aurore de Solages, The Order of Malta:

‍Aurore, this collaboration project was probably a very special and unique one of its kind. There were many stakeholders and different interests involved. Where did you see your role and priorities within the project ?

It was definitely a unique project, we’ve never been approached by designers before who wanted to create something meaningful and gift it to an non-profit. My priority was to ensure that all stakeholders understood what The Order of Malta stands for and who we are. We needed to make sure that the designers grasped the essence of our association and that our core values would be reflected in the different designs that were entered in the competition. The challenge was to find the right balance between the designers' creativity and the preservation of our organization's identity, while keeping the ultimate goal in mind : maximizing the appeal of our products to drive funding for our field operations.

The jury members came from diverse professional backgrounds and areas of expertise — from design, material supply, embellishment, and printing to your own brand and marketing perspective. What was your experience during the evaluation process, which was a truly democratic one ?

It was very interesting to see how each party viewed and appreciated the different designs. It’s evident that we all had different preferences and ways of judging the different designs for instance some parties were more focused on technical issues and others on the aesthetic aspects. The discussions within the jury were extremely insightful: thanks to the expertise of the other members, we were able to gain a practical understanding of the various technical constraints and opportunities associated with each design.

Does the outcome of this design competition meet your expectations, and would you be interested in a follow-up project involving different materials or products ?

We were very pleasantly surprised by the large number of submissions and the high level of commitment from the designers ! It was a first-time experience for The Order of Malta to partner with designers in such a manner and we can’t wait to see how the candles sell on our Charity Shop online and paper catalogue, we’ll just have to see what’s to come ! In the meantime we are happy to strengthen the bond between EPDA, Team Créatif and Ther Order of Malta during this event.

‍Read all interviews we led with our Industry Partners . ‍

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Follow our story and read part 3 soon to be found in the news area: 

• The Winning Designs & The Celebration

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