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Global Package’s Wild Glass Answers Sustainability and Landfill Issues

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Study after study has proved that consumers prefer glass over other packaging materials for several reasons: Because it is aesthetically pleasing, is virtually inert and doesn’t interact with the food or beverage it holds, and because it is recyclable.

Global Package has a long tradition of promoting glass in the wine and spirits industries for these very reasons. Our latest collection of Wild Glass, produced by Estal Packaging, is 100% sustainable “real cycled” and boasts a production process that is both efficient and ecologically sustainable. It utilizes only post-consumer recycled glass collected from municipalities and its production method uses lowerfuel consumption, resulting in a reduction of CO2 as well as less extraction of virgin material.

Importantly, glass addresses the sustainability issue that today’s consumers are demanding. According to a 2019 article in Chemical & Engineering News:

“Glass can be recycled endlessly by crushing, blending, and melting it together with sand and other starting materials. Doing so benefits manufacturers, the environment, and consumers. Yet each year only one-third of the roughly 10 million metric tons of glass that Americans throw away is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills. In contrast, some European countries recycle more that 90% of their glass. US glass trade groups (such as Owens-Illinois) are working to boost these numbers.”  

In addition, a recent report by Owens-Illinois reveals that waste management companies in North America and around the world are running out of landfill space, a growing problem now that China is no longer accepting our trash. In a recent article in American Recycler entitled “Landfill Space Continues to Decline” author Maura Keller reports that “the future of landfills looks bleak” and estimates that we have less than two decades before landfills in the US reach capacity, with single-use plastics in the form of beverage containers, take out containers, shampoo bottles, detergent bottles and similar items contributing the lion’s share.

As landfills grow in short supply, glass packaging becomes an increasingly vital component to reaching America’s aggressive sustainable goals. Here’s more from American Recycler:

“Haulers and others will be disincentivized to put obvious recyclables like glass in landfills, and we’ll see a broader harmonizing of our waste management and recycling policies to further disincentivize putting recyclables in landfills …At the same time, glass-only curbside collection and/or alternate collection systems will become the predominant collection method boosting glass collection in the U.S. to 50 percent by 2030.”

In other words, waste management companies will increasingly force consumers to recycle their glass containers, not toss them into landfill collection bins, so the sustainable value of glass grows exponentially. Global Package’s line of Wild Glass is the most sustainable glass on the market. Additionally, each of thesebottles is truly unique since the production process allows for slight imperfections in the natural formation of the glass to remain, making each bottle an aesthetic one-of-a-kind work of art. As important, the manufacturing process retains all the benefits of automation. Tests run by Estal, our glass partners in Europe, have shown a significant reduction in the discard rate since the process doesn’t discard bottles with these slight cosmetic imperfections. It’s a win-win …100% sustainability and gorgeous quality design.

As Global Package continues to work with leaders in the glass industry to find solutions to the landfill and recycling concerns, we are proud to offer the full line of Wild Glass, which is now inventoried here in California. Global Package (www.globalpackage.net) is located at 2793 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Napa, CA 94558 and can be reached at 707-224-5670.

Enhancing Elegance in Packaging While Reducing Carbon Footprint

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Winemaker Sue Tipton knew it was time for a change. She had to address some packaging concerns she was learning about from customers and retailers. But she also needed to approach the updates without disrupting the brand’s iconic bottle design.

She and her husband, Rodney, opened Acquiesce Winery in 2012. After being inspired by the famed Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines on a visit to the Southern Rhone region of France, she decided to focus on white Rhone varietals. Their vineyard started with four acres of white Rhone grapes and, over the next eight years, they planted an additional 6.5 acres of white Rhone varietals with plans for another 5 acres next year. Today, the winery produces 4,000 cases/year.

Since opening, the winery has packaged its wine in a unique bowling pin-shaped flint glass bottle, with a deep punt. “While I loved the original eye-catching design, the unusual shape made the bottles somewhat challenging to display on market shelving and to store in standard wine racks,” Sue says. “That was one factor influencing the update decision.”

In early April 2019 Sue reached out to her glass supplier, Global Package, to explore these concerns. As the winery had grown in size, it now needed to find a practical solution to address the bottle’s balance, display, and storage issues, while retaining the unique, elegant bottle shape so identified with the brand.

The Tipton’s desire to lower the winery’s carbon footprint was another very important goal. “This was a huge motivator for us,” Sue adds. “Our vineyards are sustainable and we wanted to carry that ethic throughout our operations.”

To achieve these objectives, Sue called upon Global Package’s owner and CEO, Erica Harrop. She had worked with Harrop in 2011 when she purchased the original bottle. “Over the years we’d heard from winemakers, winery owners, and others that Erica was still the best in the business,” says Sue. “After we met to discuss the project in February 2019, I got the first drawing of the updated design the end of March.”

A custom mold drawing was created and Sue received a 3-D model of the bottle. It was a sleeker design, without a punt for better balance, but with the winery’s Lady Acquiesce logo embossed on the bottom. According to Sue, the meaning of the logo reinforces the winery’s focus on the environment  …”to acquiesce, or surrender to Mother Nature, to submit to the vineyard and the grapes so they are allowed to present their true character.”

The new streamlined glass bottles are significantly lighter weight, which saves the winery approximately 12,600 pounds per year in glass, or four ounces per bottle, without sacrificing the same 750ml of wine per bottle. In addition, cases are shipped in cartons that are 100% recyclable paper and pulp. All are measures that have substantially reduced the winery’s carbon footprint.

“We couldn’t have done it without Erica’s expert guidance,” Sue emphasizes. “Her knowledge, attention to detail and accessibility gave me confidence that we would meet all our goals and the glass would be ready in time for bottling the 2019 vintage. As in all significant projects with lots of moving pieces and multiple players, there were challenges, but Erica was diligent in addressing each one with the appropriate level of required urgency. We love the result and the feedback from our loyal customers confirms the success of the project. We will continue to partner with Global Package going forward.”

Acquiesce’s world-class white wines have recently captured industry honors: In 2020, the winery was awarded Best of Class for its Viognier at the invitation-only American Fine Wine Competition (AFWC). In 2019, it received Double Gold Medals for its Ingénue, Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc, and Picpoul Blanc wines.

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Acquiesce Winery is located in the Lodi Appellation of California, and offers award-winning premium white and rosé wines lovingly created in small batches. Vines are sourced from the famed Château de Beaucastel of Châteauneuf du Pape, France, exhibiting a timeless elegance that’s fused with great fruit expression, thanks to Lodi’s sandy soils and Mediterranean climate. Its unique wines are carefully crafted using the best Rhône varietals: Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette Blanche, Bourboulenc, Belle Blanc (white blend) and Grenache Rosé.