Glass Bottle/Container Decoration

Problem statement:

Glass bottles are aesthetically attractive on their own, but additional decoration techniques are commonly used to enhance the design even further. Some of these techniques, however, may hinder the natural sustainability credentials of glass. Decoration methods such as labelling, sleeving, coating, direct ink application,  or glued-on plastic/metal embellishments can seriously limit how much, if any of the glass is recycled, usually because these additional materials are not recyclable and/or difficult to remove post use from the bottle either by the consumer or recycling technology.

Challenge:

To improve the overall sustainability of our glass bottles whilst maintaining a wide creative scope in product design, we need to have access to container decoration techniques which complement current recycling behaviours and processes by enabling straight-forward and safe separation of materials by consumers or modern recycling technology, or by incorporating decoration into the glass whilst retaining full or near-full recyclability. We are searching for solutions which complement our existing filling and supply chain processes and ideally can be applied online at the same time and location as product filling.

Potential solutions could include but are not limited to:
 
 

• Sustainable Alternatives to current ink/ adhesives and similar technologies that can be printed directly to the bottle in line with filling/production process.
• Pressure Sensitive Labelling – alternatives to adhesives/materials to remove the barrier or risk that Labelled areas prevent glass being recycled.
• Alternatives to current labelling technologies that are 100% recyclable or compostable (and where relevant use sustainable inks).
• Integrate the latest digital technologies that allow the engagement of the consumer from a supporting sustainability viewpoint.
• Solutions that make the liquid the hero, reducing the amount of decoration on the bottle surface.
• Flexible decoration alternatives that allow for online mass customisation (promotional or bespoke).