Page 13 - Grapevine NovDec 2020
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In The Winery
“Screw capsules provide immediate ease of open- noticed on the shelf and provide tamper evidence.
ing and reclosing capability,” said Stebbins. “With Sizing is important in these situations because the
standard liners, both taste and freshness are pre- tear tabs used in these applications must be prop-
served, so the wine you put in is pretty much the erly aligned to fit the type of bottle finish and clo-
wine you pour out. The roll-on pilfer proof short sure combination.”
or longer skirted styles require machine applica-
tion, meaning there could be additional financial Sustainability and Recyclability
investment and technical expertise required, either
in-house or by way of a mobile bottler. To help off- Stebbins told The Grapevine Magazine that
set this, Waterloo Container offers a skirted option Waterloo Container has seen an uptick in envi-
that can be hand-applied, which is a great fit for ronmentally conscious clients requesting specific
smaller craft winemakers.” information on its products’ recyclability and sus-
tainability. Unfortunately, while the technology
Bar Top is available to recycle almost any type of closure,
the reality is that the infrastructure to recycle is
Bar tops – sometimes referred to as t-tops – offer not readily available to all in the United States. All
the widest range of customization options, includ- major vendors make claims and provide reports
ing top and shank materials. Waterloo Container regarding the sustainability and recyclability rates
offers newer co-injected synthetic styles to allevi- of their products on their websites, and depending
ate the known problems of break-offs and general on different factors, those rates vary. For example,
difficulty removing them from the bottle. Bar tops Amcor STELVIN screw caps boast an 80% recycling
are gaining popularity for specialty wine products rate in Germany, while Europe’s overall rate is
and allow for machine or hand application. They reported at only 40%.
are generally easy to open and repeatedly reseal
the bottle, making them a popular choice in spirit Janson Capsules offers fully recyclable products,
packaging. including their E-Cap, manufactured from alumi-
num-based materials. Thomas said that more win-
Capsules eries are starting to consider this type of product
based on market demand. They are an excellent
“Polylam capsules are the most commonly alternative to the standard Polylam capsules that
requested closure and are suitable for any type contain a layer of polyethylene, a non-recyclable
of wine, including premium wines,” said Thomas. component. Their tin capsules are fully recyclable
“They are a cost-effective alternative when needed, and printed using water-based materials.
or when the winemaker just wants to upscale from
the PVC capsules... Tin capsules are better suited Thoughts, Trends and Innovations
for the super-premium or exclusive wines that gen-
erally use heavier bottles and higher-end packag- Thomas told The Grapevine Magazine that Janson
ing. Tin is a great choice because of its unique tex- Capsules is currently working on innovations in
ture and soft feel. Tin capsules bring a very elegant capsules and closures. Without getting too specific,
and expensive look to your wine bottle.” they are looking to align their products with new
technologies, environmental protection standards
“As an East Coast distributor, we get more and new ways to consume wines.
requests for PVC heat shrink capsules than for
Polylam or tin capsules,” said Stebbins. “This may “I really believe that due to the unprecedented
be reflective of the typical price points seen here COVID-19 situation we are all living through, the
in the east as compared to the west. Other bottle way the wine closure industry has to operate to
closure treatments, like heat shrink PVC capsules, succeed will be tied to the local, sustainable and
are an easy and economical way to finish off the surely the digital world,” said Thomas. “Having full
tops of wine bottles while helping the product get access to great support with excellent technical
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