Consumer-forward trends and innovative packaging designs are shaping the ever-changing wine and spirits beverage market. There is a significant opportunity in the premium and above segments in North America. Saverglass, the global specialist in manufacturing and decorating high-end glass bottles, is offering an endless scope of solutions in terms of decoration. From customized product solutions to increasing the visual impact, Saverglass leverages its expertise to produce simple or complex luxury bottles. 

Furthermore, the development of new advanced technology allows distillers and producers to choose from a spectrum of decoration solutions: brilliant mirror effects, organic multi-color screen printing combined with hot stamping, total, partial or shaded Savercoat® effects, glossy, matte, opaque or translucent effects, night effects, 3D decoration effects, and much more.

Decoration | Coating

Packaging is an exterior reflection of not only the liquid inside but also the brand’s unique vision for its product; therefore, manufacturers are now offering limitless decoration features. Spirit brands are embracing decoration in their packaging by using processes like organic screen printing, coating, acid-etching, metallization and sandblasting.

Let’s breakdown the list of “decoration” services that Saverglass offers which is wide and non-exhaustive. Powder coating consists of spraying a bottle with a solution to give it color, opacity/transparency and finish. This process provides for a large range of colors, effects and finishes. It also makes it possible to decorate the difficult areas of a bottle or flasks; such as corners, bases and shoulders. Another popular method is high-performance organic coating for coloring glass. This process allows for a wide range of finishes (glossy, matte and satin, transparent or opaque, etc.) as well as a vast range of colors and effects (partial, shaded, two-tone, etc.). Since sustainability is also a key driver of innovation, Saverglass now produces more than 75% of its decorations in organic.

Screen-printing is the process of printing on a bottle by using screens to print the various colors of an artwork. Enamel ink and Organic inks are two types of inks commonly used in screen-printing, and the main difference is on how they are cured after application. Organic inks are cured by flashing a UV light, while enamel inks are cured in an oven. When ceramic inks are cured (essentially baked) onto the glass they become ceramic and are more durable, and they can be used in conjunction with precious metal screen-printing (which also requires high-temperature curing); however, due to environmental regulations certain colors cannot be achieved (red for example). Organic inks offer the full array of colors, and cannot be used in conjunction with metallic inks as the high-temp curing would burn off the Organic ink.  

Frosting, also called acid-etching, is a process that gives a matte or frosted appearance. It changes the feel of the bottle while providing a homogeneous aspect (‘peach skin’, silky feel) and is stable over time. Acid-etching can be total or partial (windows depending on the size of the pattern)

Sustainability

European countries have been recycling container glass for the past 30 years. Glass is the only packaging material to be 100% recyclable; with no deterioration in the physic-chemical performance of the bottles produced from recycled glass. In other words, a new bottle can be produced from 100% recycled glass originating from 100% recycled bottles. This leads to an endless cycle of glass re-use in which neither quality nor quantity is affected. Additionally, glass is a material that guarantees the preservation of the organoleptic properties of the spirit or wine and the true taste of the product. 

Glass manufacturers have to consider the following factors for sustainable practices:

• How to reduce the use of natural resources - using cullet to replace raw materials (sand, lime, and soda)
• Energy savings: cullet fusion occurs more quickly and at a lower temperature than for natural raw materials
• Reduction in CO2 emissions
• Reduction in waste volume

Sustainability is a complex topic as many variables are and companies like Saverglass are forging the best path. Saverglass, the world's leading manufacturer specializing in the production and decoration of luxury and high-end glass bottles for the wine and spirits industry, is deeply rooted in the tradition of glass manufacturing since the 15th century and is reducing its environmental impact and its use of natural resources by constantly seeking to be more efficient by using cullet glass (recycled glass) and offering organic decoration. 

Saverglass’ Organic Color Play® offers a wide range of organic ink-based colors; this process does not use heavy metals during production, such as lead (Pb), hexavalent chromium (Cr6), cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg). This is a highly efficient process that provides a huge diversity of colors and effects. Compared to screen printing carried out using enamel and requiring high-temperature annealing, these new processes greatly reduce energy consumption and provide precise adjustment between colors and remarkably intricate printing.

Trends | The Uncommon Packaging & Spirits

The beauty of this natural material is that manufacturers can find innovative shapes and exceptional colors to customize a bottle. Moreover, brands are choosing intricate punts shapes to even customize the thickness of the glass bases. For example, distillers are choosing non-traditional bottles for spirits in order to standout in a crowded market.

Submitted by Saverglass