How sustainable manufacturing is transforming the glass packaging industry

As a society we all have a collective goal to work towards a sustainable future, no matter the industry we operate in or the size of our business, we are all working towards that all-important net-zero target. Driving sustainable change is a consistent priority at Verallia, so much so, that our mission statement is ‘reimagining glass for a sustainable future’.  Sustainability manufacturing is the cornerstone of curating eco-conscious glass packaging.

Eco-Design of Glass Packaging

When you consider sustainable manufacturing, you may instinctively go to the production processes first, but developing sustainable glass packaging begins in the design phase. The innovation must be present from the offset.

Our designers are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in glass packaging to forge new bottle creations with considerably less impact on the environment.

ECOVA is the personification of our mission, with renewed designs that intertwine various properties that prioritise sustainability. The properties of the eco-designed collection containing five bottles include:

• Lightweighting – Our specialists calculated a way to dramatically reduce the weight of cork mouth bottles, making the ECOVA bottles some of the lightest in Europe, weighing just 500 grams.
• High recycled cullet composition – Each ECOVA bottle is primarily comprised of PCR glass, with over 50% composition as a minimum.
• Optimised for transportation – The bottle shapes included in the ECOVA range have been uniquely designed to optimise the number of bottles that can fit onto each pallet, to drive carbon reduction across the entire value chain.

In our latest development, our specialist has taken lightweighting one step further. Introducing My Air. At just 105g, My Air delivers refined elegance with powerful sustainability. Through extensive eco-design, testing, and development, we have curated an exceptionally lightweight glass bottle to be utilised in the soft drinks market. Lightweighting to just 105 grams means less materials are used, less energy is required in production, leading to less carbon emissions are emitted.

Packaging needs to evolve with the changing landscape, and eco-design is the first step.

 

 

Glass: A Material for the Circular Economy

Glass is a naturally occurring material, and is unique in its ability to be infinitely recycled without losing its original quality, making it inherently sustainable and circular. To benefit from the sustainable properties of this incredible material, we consistently look to maximise the use of recycled glass (cullet) in our glass bottle creations. In 2023, we utilised 57% use of external cullets in our standard flint glass in the UK. Applying recycled glass into the composition of our glass bottles delivers an array of environmental benefits from reduced energy consumption and lower CO2 emissions produced in the production process to a decreased use of virgin raw materials.

The utilisation of recycled glass is supported by the innovation in glass chemistry. Led by Selomit Gomez, our Batch and Furnace Superintendent, who is a specialist in glass chemical composition, she has explored how we can optimise the chemical split of raw materials vs PCR, looking to increase the level of recycled glass without compromising the quality of the bottle.

Today, we have broken boundaries in the UK, offering the first gin bottle that is comprised entirely of 100% UK made PCR (post-consumer recycled) glass. Our partnership with York Gin has allowed us to redefine sustainable glass packaging. Together we have forged a bespoke artistic bottle that is comprised of 100% PCR glass, known as Vista by Verallia. York Gin chose to stay in its iconic glass bottle shape which resembles York Castle, with a square structure that includes intricate embossing of the castle battlements wrapped around the neck of the bottle. However, instead of the previously used extra white flint they have adopted Vista by Verallia to significantly improve their environmental impact.

 

Decarbonising Processes for Sustainable Manufacturing

Decarbonising our operations across each of our plants is a vital component of sustainable manufacturing. Verallia has a three-pronged approach to reducing the carbon footprint of our plants; reducing energy usage of the plants, increasing the use of renewable and low carbon electricity and replacing carbon-based raw materials with carbon-free ones. As a company, we seek to reduce Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 46% by 2030 and be net zero by 2050. To explore our decarbonisation activities and the initiatives we have put in place, read our latest CSR report.

 

Spirits Brands’ Embracing Sustainability

Those operating in the spirits market can see a clear shift towards sustainability, with both emerging and heritage brands alike approaching sustainability in their own way. It has been demonstrated in the way they source ingredients, the packaging they choose, the messaging they deliver and the impact commitments they have shared.

The drive forward in sustainable manufacturing has allowed spirit brands to adopt innovative eco-conscious glass packaging. We are collaborating with many spirits brands that are approaching the market with a renewed mindset and distinguishing themselves as sustainable leaders.

One of our clients that is making waves with sustainable glass packaging, is Isle of Barra who have developed a vessel that pays homage to the Scottish island they call home. Their bespoke bottle featured a hand-marbled pattern that symbolised the ocean and colouring that reflects the distillery’s signature botanical, carrageen seaweed. For this creation, the distillery wanted to move away from 100% white flint that their previous bottle was comprised of and into a bottle that was comprised of over 50% recycled cullet, alongside weighing 17% less than their previous edition.

Alternatively, we have DropWorks Distillery which looks to bring a new genre of rum to the world. They chose to adopt the Patet bottle from our ECOVA range for all six rum variations and liqueurs. As with all of our ECOVA bottles, the Patet comprises primarily of recycled glass cullet and is designed for optimal shipping to significantly reduce its environmental footprint.

 

Moving Forwards in Glass Packaging

Feeding the fires of innovation, Verallia will continue to push boundaries in sustainable manufacturing to develop eco-conscious glass packaging that supports spirit brands on their sustainability journey. We want to curate bottles that break the mould both in terms of design and their environmental impact.

If you are looking to develop distinctive glass packaging that prioritises sustainability, then speak to our experts to explore how Verallia can support.