Minelli Magazine - Packaging

Beverage packaging: the secrets for luxurious and sustainable design

Written by Edoardo Cavagnetto | December 03 2019

When we talk about beverage packaging, especially for spirits, the design of the bottle is an important element that may affect buyers’ purchasing decisions. We refer to both the container and the cap, which contributes by giving prestige to the product. Elegance is an intrinsic characteristic of spirits packaging, but can it also be sustainable? Let’s discuss it in this article.

Why nonecological beverage packaging is a danger today

Tons of plastics drain into the oceans every day, causing significant problems for our environment and ecosystem. The problem is that most beverage containers are made of plastic, which is not a recyclable material.

In this article, we try to explain:


Due to the lack of recycling regulations and some bad practices, packaging parts often end up in drains and also pollute the ocean. Eight million tons of plastic find their way into the ocean every year. This debris is digested by marine species and seabirds, resulting in disastrous consequences for our environment.
As individuals, we can surely try to change our habits, but companies have the biggest responsibility. Management needs to make sure that a company’s strategy and sustainability efforts are aligned. Divergence makes them fragile, lacking real commitment and prioritization. They must take the issue seriously, finding sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging. Wood could be the solution, being a natural and ecological material.

In the world of spirits and alcoholic beverages, wood is widely used for caps and containers, thanks to its unique characteristics. Let’s discuss them.

Why is wood used for beverage packaging?

Wood is very different from other materials for many reasons:

  • It conveys an idea of prestige if properly processed

Touch is a vital human need and a deeply emotional form of communication. Wood gives a sensory experience that is impossible with other materials. The difference between wood and plastics, for example, is that the former is natural, warm, and alive. There are many types of wood, each with its own characteristics and specificities. Two logs can’t be equal even if they are the same wood type because they will have different veins, knots, and colours. Wood is also special because it can be left rough in its natural appearance or processed and refined with different types of finishing. If processed, wood can be transformed and becomes a sophisticated and elegant product, perfect for liquor bottle caps and boxes. The fact that compared to plastic wood doesn’t require moulds is also an advantage. If clients demand a complex and detailed product, wood can be quickly shaped to meet their requirements.

  • It can be combined with other materials

In the world of spirits and liquors, it is difficult to find wooden bottles. Generally, they are made of glass. It is then necessary that the wooden cap be combined with glass without losing its functionality. This can only be achieved if the supplier has the right tools and machinery and is able to produce precise objects.

Pursuing a luxury aesthetical result, the combination of different materials is often chosen for the design of liquor caps. Some very prestigious wood essences can exalt caps in zama, reminding other luxurious wood application. Thuja burl reminds expensive cars, the reddish fibres of Mahogany suggest the warm perfume of Cuban cigars in their wooden box, the regular veins of the Spruce evoke the perfect sound of artisan violins.

This is great, but the realization of those products requires a deep knowledge of the different kind of wood to make them fit perfectly with other materials. A high-precision mechanical approach – with the right tools and machinery - should be applied on wood machining to achieve this superior results.

  • It is possible to produce semi-processed objects just in time

Since wood can be manufactured quickly, it is possible to adjust production to meet market demand. It means that the supplier can create semifinished caps and then complete them according to clients’ preferences.

For example, a small number of red caps can be produced and put on the market. If consumers like them, production can be completed, painting the remaining caps the same color. Otherwise, the color can be changed. We can call this system smart supply chain, as production can be aligned to market trends.
Moreover, goods can be produced just in time only when clients request them. It means that there is a great emphasis on efficiency and a reduction of costs associated with the warehouse.

  • It is sustainable

As mentioned, sustainability is a major issue today. Consumers are really committed to environmental problems—such as climate change, ocean pollution, and sustainability—and they would surely prefer to purchase products from companies that try to respect the ecosystem.

Wood is immediately recognized as sustainable, being a renewable resource. It grows naturally, and today modern forestry standards harvest wood in a sustainable way to preserve the environment. In a sustainable lumbering practice, new seedlings are planted when trees are removed, ensuring that forests regrow. FSC is an organization that certifies the sustainability of wood. Furthermore, wood has many benefits regarding carbon emissions, effect on water quality, and overall environmental impact.

The importance of design and functionality of wooden caps

When we have something to eat or drink, the container is much more important than in other fields. Its primary function, in effect, is to protect the content inside. The biggest issue will be leaks or contamination while at the store and in our houses.

Some products, especially if they contain alcohol, are influenced by the presence of oxygen and will need bottles that protect against sunlight, loss of carbonation, and oxygen. The risk is that if not properly protected their taste and quality could be affected. In that respect, it is fundamental that the cap fits perfectly onto the bottle to avoid the penetration of external substances.

Furthermore, packaging today must involve feelings and emotions, especially in the spirits field, where a bottle is often a collector’s item rather than a simple object. Collecting liquor bottles can be an engaging interest, especially for those who love alcohol because of the bottles’ aesthetically diverse designs. Whiskey, Cognac, and Chartreuse bottles can be real objects of desire that people want to display on their shelves and counters even when the content has been finished and the container is empty. Packaging is very important in emphasizing the heritage and prestige of each bottle. At first look, it tells a story. It persuades to give it more than just a glance, to really look and pick it up from the shelf, and to engage with it even before taking a sip. Packaging is not just a simple container: attitudes toward liquor and spirits packaging are evolving, and nontraditional packaging continues to grow in popularity.

How to choose the ideal supplier

Besides being a sustainable material, wood responds to producers’ need to create unique and distinctive products that let them stand out from the crowd and be recognizable. Especially in the spirits and liquor field, this is increasingly important to be competitive in the market. Consumers today are more sophisticated; they look for high-quality products, and they also have greater expectations in terms of choice. Companies must be aware of this and create objects that meet these criteria.

To do that, it is fundamental to choose the right supplier whose goals align with yours. You have to ensure that your partner has modern machinery to guarantee precision, personalization, and punctuality. The possibility to review product samples before production is also a great advantage to ensure the result will meet your standards. Moreover, as we are talking about wood manufacturing, the supplier must respect all the parameters dictated by the market. In that respect, FSC Certification—which guarantees that the raw material comes from responsibly managed forests and provides environmental, social, and economic benefits—is a must.

Since 1937, Minelli S.p.A. ensures perfection in the quality and design of each product manufactured and uses all of our specialists’ experience to serve our customers, providing unmatched cost-effectiveness.

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