Page 89 - Glass Machinery Plants & Accessories no. 4-2019

The BottleDrop refillable
glass bottle is the world’s
most sustainable
package. The initiative is
led by the Oregon Beverage
Recycling Cooperative’s
refillable beer bottle
program and partners with
eight Oregon breweries

and spirits – no other packag- sumers. In a fall 2018 survey by refillable bottles can be used 25
ing material matches glass for a G&S Business Communications, times before being retired from
premium consumer experience. glass bottles and jars came out circulation and recycled into new
Design attributes only possible on top (57 per cent) as the containers, while delivering up
with glass offer an exceptional packaging US consumers believe to 66 times less CO2 emissions
package. Glass bottles with thick is most sustainable, followed by per container than aluminium
bases, embossing and decoration corrugated boxes (51 per cent), cans. The cost per filling is also
work together with label designs metal cans (38 per cent), flexibles reduced over the lifetime of the
to present a harmonized, high- (37 per cent) and plastic (34 per bottle.
quality image that convey the story cent).
of the brand and offer unmatched Glass is also ocean friendly. LOOKING AHEAD
shelf presence. Because glass bottle and jars are The industry’s economic indi-
Texture is also an important primarily made from sand and cators are steady, and consumer
design trend. Glass has always other natural ingredients, they sentiment shows glass remains
been a tactile medium and can don’t harm oceans or marine life. on top as the packaging of choice
be leveraged to include micro- Glass bottles are 100 per cent for taste, health and sustainabil-
textures that communicate where recyclable, safe and non-toxic, ity. Glass manufacturers remain
to grip, hold and pour, as well as with recycling programs for glass ready to offer more operation-
signature elements such as logos available to 81 per cent of the US al flexibility, including smaller
and graphics. More than ever, population. Recycled content in batches and rapid response, as
brands are seeking to push the glass bottles is also maximized well as continued lightweight-
envelope when it comes to tex- in markets where the quality, ing. They are also positioned to
ture, incorporating textured paper price and availability allow that respond to brands seeking to
labels, shrink sleeves, textured to occur. inspire new occasions for con-
inks, moulded or embossed clo- While consumers know that sumption by offering new capac-
sures and more. glass is endlessly recyclable, reus- ity sizes – both smaller as well
The design qualities of glass able and resealable, 2018 saw as larger and shareable. Finally,
packaging are showcased in the a surge in the refillable bottle glass packaging remains in the
2018 Clear Choice Awards win- market. Piloted in 2017, the unique position to capitalize on
ners. This competition, which BottleDrop refillable glass bottle premium and specialty experi-
recognizes glass packaging used officially launched in 2018 as the ences, which remain on-trend
by North America’s top brands world’s most sustainable pack- across product categories. O
and manufacturers, named win- age. Led by the Oregon Beverage
ners in seven categories, including Recycling Cooperative’s refillable
a new “sustainability” category. beer bottle program – featuring
Gruppo Campari’s Wild Turkey O-I’s (o-i.com) Portland, Ore.,
Longbranch took top honours in produced bottle – the initiative
the Wine and Spirits category and partners with eight Oregon brew- Joe Cattaneo
also captured the overall award. eries. Joe Cattaneo is the executive
Consumers are encouraged to director of Glass Packaging
RECYCLABLE, REFILLABLE return, rather than recycle, these Institute. For more information,
visit GPI.org
AND OCEAN FRIENDLY 500 ml and 12 oz. beer bot- upgradetoglass.com and
The desire for sustainable tles, which can be customized glassrecycles.org.
packaging is a high value for con- with label and closure. These

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