O-I Glass is stepping up its commitment to eco-friendly wine packaging by joining the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR).
This organisation brings together industry leaders from across the wine supply chain, from grape growers to retailers, to develop best practices for sustainable wine production. The SWR consists of more than 120 members.
O-I Glass, the first glassmaker to join the SWR globally, will collaborate with other members to set standards for sustainable wine packaging, which represents nearly a fifth of O-I's global glass container portfolio.
Lighter bottles, lower footprint
The SWR has already set an ambitious goal: to reduce the average weight of standard wine bottles by 25% to less than 420g by the end of 2026.
O-I is well on its way to achieving this target. Its recently launched Estampe bottle weighs only 390g, exceeding the SWR's reduction target.
Additionally, the Estampe boasts a 25% lower carbon footprint compared to traditional 500g bottles and utilises up to 80% recycled content.
Closing the loop on glass packaging
Beyond lightweighting, O-I champions closed-loop recycling initiatives. Its '100% Sicily' bottle showcases this commitment.
Made from 90% locally recycled glass and secondary raw materials, this bottle exemplifies a sustainable, local solution. This closed-loop system keeps glass within the Sicilian wine region in Italy, reducing the need to import empty bottles.
Collaboration for a sustainable future
“O-I is working closely with wine producers around the world to demonstrate that all aspects of wine production can be achieved sustainably while maintaining the integrity of the packaging and adding value to the local wine region,” said Randy Burns, chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer for O-I.
“While we believe that glass packaging is already the most sustainable choice across the full life cycle of wine packaging, O-I is actively fostering relationships through organisations like the Sustainable Wine Roundtable to engage our full ecosystem in advancing our sustainable journey.”
By joining the SWR, O-I Glass gains access to a valuable platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
This will empower it to further refine its sustainable packaging solutions and advocate for best practices across the wine industry.
