1. Product in a Tin Competition
Visit for more information on the competition
Thank you to Louise Rose from Sydenham High School in London who has coordinated some of the Product in a Tin competition information and photos from to produce a PowerPoint and handouts suitable for teachers to use in the classroom. If you develop these resources further please credit the original sources.

2. Product in a Tin Competition
Visit for more information on the competition
Socks in a tin - the original inspiration for the competition.
Visit to find out more about the product. 

3. The design brief: What do I have to do?
Create a ‘Product in a Tin’ made using a material from at least two of the main materials categories used in Design & Technology e.g. wood, metal, plastic, textiles and paper/board.
The product MUST use at least two different categories of D&T materials but there's no restriction on the type of materials used, which combination of materials are used or how they are used in the product. For example an entry might combine wood and metal, wood and plastic, textiles and wood, plastic and textiles, paper and textiles or any other combination. 
The materials used can be in the form of a ready made/bought component or part or the material can be shaped and formed by the student. Whilst ready made components and parts can be used, entrants should note that judges are more likely to be impressed where students have shaped and formed materials themselves.

4. Who might the user be for my product?
The design brief says your product must have user and you have to write about this person on the application form. A user is the person who will use the product you have made. When designing you will have to think about the things they like as well as what their needs are. You will have to think about how these things will influence the design of the product, the materials used, and things like colour choices. Examples of users might be:
A person from a particular age group e.g. child, grandparent
An animal or its owner
Sports person e.g. swimmer, runner, footballer
Someone at work e.g. bus driver, fire fighter, paramedic, policeman, shop assistant
Someone doing their hobby e.g. musician, photographer
Someone going to an event e.g. traveller, holiday maker, festival goer
Think of a more unusual user e.g. an alien, a circus act, a zoo keeper, a superhero
Tip: Lots of entries are for teenagers or young children. Can you think of a more unusual user that will make your product stand out from the crowd? What about designing something for a fire fighter or an astronaut?

5. What might the purpose/function of my product be?
The design brief says that your product must have a function/purpose and you have to write about this on the application form. The product function and purpose refers to what the product does and when it might be used. Some examples might be: 
To protect something
To aid communication
To carry something
To display something
To improve someone’s quality of life
To help someone relax
To help stop someone from losing something
To help someone learn something 
To promote something e.g. a charity
Any other purpose/function you can think of!
Tip: Give as much information as possible on your entry form about the function of product to help judges understand it. Try and make the function of your product unusual so it stands out from the rest. 

6. What type of product might I make?
This is completely up to you! Think about different users and what their needs might be and what product you might make to meet these needs. Why not do some research and ask a range of users about products they use or would like to help you make your decision? Don’t forget that whatever product you make has to fit into the tin. The following list are ideas of example products that might fit into the tin size given:
Keyring
Torch
Notebook
Ear phone holder
Fidget spinner
Jewellery
Clothing 
Bag
Toy or game
Hat
Anything else that will fit into the tin!
Tip: Think about the types of products everyone else will enter. How will you make your product stand out from the crowd?

7. Why not use unusual materials such as these recycled plastic or metal foil sweet wrappers? 
What about using a high tech material such as 3M reflective tape? 
Research products in a tin that are on sale in the shops. How might they inspire you?
Could you make a product that comes apart to create a flat pack?
Could you make a product that folds up to fit into the tin?
Could you make a product made up of different items?

8. I have to use 2 different categories of D&T materials
I have to use 2 different categories of D&T materials. What does that mean?
The product must include a material from at least 2 of these categories e.g. wood and metal, paper and plastic, textiles and metal. Any combination of 2 materials can be used as long each one is from a different category. Any amount of each material is used and one can be used much more than the other. 
Categories of D&T materials are:
Wood
Metal
Plastic
Textiles
Paper and board
The example products here show different materials categories used together in products. The bird and house are made from wood and the split ring on the key ring on the key ring is metal. The jackalope toy is one of the joint 3rd place winners of the 2017 competition. It uses textiles materials, plastic for the button and beads, as well as metal wire wrapped with paper to create the antlers. The button and beads are bought components but the antlers were made by the student. 

9. Remember……
Entrants must produce and submit an actual product and not just design work. If you really don’t want to part with your work photo entries can also be submitted. These can’t win any of the prizes but will be considered for inclusion on the website.
The product can be made using hand or machine techniques. Entrants are advised to think carefully about techniques that are used and products that are glued are unlikely to be successful (unless this is appropriate for the materials being used). 
Entries must be of a high quality with well executed techniques & a finished piece of work that looks attractive. In particular don’t forget to make the product look good from all angles and that it is fit for the purpose and user it was designed for.

10. More about the tin the product has to fit in
The product has to fit in to a tubular tin that is the same size as a snack sized Pringles 40g tin.  
The product can be smaller than the tin but must be able to fit in the tin with the lid closed.
The tin is not part of the competition entry and doesn’t need to be posted. A tin doesn’t need to be purchased and the dimensions are listed in the information below to help create a mock up to check the product is the right size.

11. The Pringles Tin You don’t need to buy a Pringles tin.
Visit to print of a template for the tin

12. Previous Winners

13. The application form is useful to see the criteria they are asking of you…

14. Student activities Research
Produce an A3 research page on existing products which sell in a tin/box. Annotate what you think of the products and how they can be adapted for this competition.
Target user
Complete one of the following worksheets. Remember:
Full sentences
Full colour designs
Annotate

15. Use this worksheet and think of at least one product for each user:
Student activities
Use this worksheet and think of at least one product for each user:

16. Design your product!
Using the ideas pages, the target user page, now it’s time to use the design work sheet page.
Make it a winner – unusual, unique, imaginative!
ROCK AND ROLL!