2025 PAVE Gala T-Shirt Design Challenge

In 2023, PAVE Global introduced the idea of a commemorative PAVE Gala T-shirt to celebrate students and create an additional way to provide financial support for the next generation of design leaders. Now we invite YOU, esteemed design students, to design this year's t-shirt!

Founded in 1992 as The Planning and Visual Education Partnership (PAVE), PAVE Global is a vital and effective organization that enables young talent to build successful careers designing and creating consumer environments. Our vision is to cultivate relationships with students and educators through financial assistance, top-industry thinking, inspiration, and mentorship.

THE CHALLENGE

The theme for 2025 is "BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE." We challenge you to graphically explore PAVE's vital role as the connector between design education and students' future careers in design.

Think about how PAVE serves as the bridge that links students, educators, and industry professionals, creating pathways that transform educational experiences into successful design careers. We want to know how you visualize PAVE's role in connecting the design community and building bridges to bright futures.

T-shirt design submissions must be made by Tuesday, September 17, 2025, by 11:59 PM Eastern, through the Submittable platform.

THE REVIEW & AWARDS

Judging will be conducted virtually through two tracks: a People's Choice winner and runner-up selected by the PAVE Community via online voting, and a second winner and runner-up selected by the PAVE Board of Directors and representatives from Studio Lourdes.

Winners will receive $1,000 each and runners-up will receive $500 each. All four winning designs will be available for purchase as both T-shirts and tote bags ahead of the end-of-the-year PAVE Gala. All proceeds will support future PAVE Scholarships.

Products will be produced using an eco-friendly on-demand Direct-to-Garment printing process.

DETAILS & RESOURCES

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

• You must be currently enrolled in a 2 or 4-year program at a university, state/community college, or technical school pursuing a degree in retail design, interior design, architecture, industrial design, product design, graphic design, visual merchandising, UX design, marketing, or similar areas of study.
• You must be studying and physically located in North America (US, Canada, or Mexico).

If you are unsure if you are eligible to participate, please contact us at info@paveglobal.org.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• T-shirt Design of your interpretation of "Bridge to the Future" 
  • Print file size - 12" x 12" (this is the maximum print area, graphics will be scaled to fit all shirt sizes)
  • PNG or JPG format only
  • Minimum of 300 DPI
  • RGB color profile
• T-shirt Design Title
• Artist Statement (250 words max.)
• T-Shirt Mock-Up 
  • These mock-ups will be used for the judging process.
  • To ensure all mock-ups can be judged equally, please use a Bella Canvas Unisex Staple T-Shirt (color of your choosing) as your base. A mock-up generator for this exact t-shirt can be found here.
• All submission materials must be submitted through Submittable by Tuesday, September 17, 2025, by 11:59 PM Eastern/8:59 PM Pacific.​ ​
• PAVE utilizes a blind judging syste the student's name and/or school may not appear anywhere on the deliverables.

TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS

• Limit colors for best printing results - Use a maximum of 6 colors for cost-effective printing and optimal Direct-to-Garment results.
• Avoid gradients - Gradients don't print well with DTG printing. Use solid colors or simulate gradients through halftoning techniques.
• Create designs with the necessary DPI - Simply typing in a new resolution value into the file won't result in a higher resolution print. If your graphic's resolution is too low, the best solution is to recreate it.
• Use high contrast for readability - Ensure your design reads clearly from a distance, as it will be worn at the PAVE Gala.
• Consider scalability - Your winning design will be produced on both T-shirts and tote bags, so ensure your concept works at different sizes.
• Use transparency to your advantage - Black ink will appear gray on black garments because of the white underbase used during printing. Leave these areas fully transparent when designing for black garments.
• Avoid borders - We advise against using graphics with perfect borders since the print can warp slightly when the garment is being pulled off the pallet.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Tuesday, September 17, 2025, by 11:59 PM Eastern/8:59 PM Pacific

HAVE A QUESTION?

Please contact us at info@paveglobal.org.