Glass bottles have been part of the wine tradition for centuries. Their production, however, requires huge amounts of energy. As a result, today there is the need to find more sustainable materials capable of reducing the CO2 footprint. In this context, Frugalpac, a British producer of packaging, had the innovative idea of making a paper bottle. The result is Frugal Bottle, a 75 cl bottle made of 94% recycled cardboard, which has a carbon footprint up to six times (84%) lower than a single-use glass bottle and over a third less than a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic. In addition, it features an internal pouch suitable for containing wine or spirits and can be refrigerated, keeping the liquid at the right temperature.
At the moment the cost of this bottle is equal to that of a glass one, but due to the soaring prices of raw materials, higher energy costs and the war in Ukraine - where some production plants have closed in this period - there are conditions for Frugal Bottle to become a convenient alternative to the conventional glass bottle.
In addition, it should be considered that the bottle material facilitates handling, since it weighs only 83 grams, that is five times less than a glass bottle.
Another feature not to be overlooked is recyclability. In fact, in order to recycle the bottle it is sufficient to strip the plastic coating from the paper and dispose the resulting materials into the respective bins. The coating weighs only 15 grams, compared to 64 grams of a 100% recycled plastic bottle.
The first wine that will be put on sale in this sustainable bottle is Italian: "3Q", an Umbrian blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
A number of big British supermarkets and hotel chains have already expressed their interest in Frugal Bottle, which will be available in the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands in the coming weeks under the When in Rome brand.
