FRAMINGHAM, MA — Staples has turned to some of the world's top engineering schools to find the next big green office product.

Ten global universities will compete for a $25,000 prize in a contest seeking the most innovative environmentally preferred office product, which may be a greener design of an existing product, a new product type that promotes sustainability, or a product that uses "eco-innovative" materials.

The first- and second-place teams in the Staples Global EcoEasy Challenge will receive $5,000. Eligible product categories range from desktop accessories and office chairs to binders and writing instruments.

The products will be judged on their overall function and benefits, originality, relevant market potential within Staples' target business, mass commercialization potential, and effectiveness in addressing sustainability.

Staples invited 10 worldwide engineering schools to participate in the contest, including University of New South Wales (Australia), School of Engineering of Piracicaba (Brazil), University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), University of Windsor (Canada), Indian Institute of Technology (Chennai), Tsinghua University of China, Technical University of Berlin (Germany), University of Twente (Netherlands), University of California, Berkeley (U.S.), and University of Pittsburgh (U.S.). 

Submissions from each university are now being reviewed. Finalists, who will be notified Feb. 19, will travel to New York around Earth Day to present their products.

Staples created the competition in partnership with Rochester Institute of Technology's Golisano Institute for Sustainability. Although the first run of the contest focused on 10 schools, Staples will evaluate whether to expand eligibility to additional universities in coming years.

The Staples competition is only the latest company effort to harness the creativity of outside groups. Last year, companies offered competitions to design the greenest hotel room, develop a use for a new recycled-plastic sheeting product, and create water-efficient innovations.

Image CC licensed by Flickr user NCinDC.