10 Mar 2024 Waste-not glass innovation out of France
To cut down on waste, Champagne Telmont’s new bottles come in 193,000 shades of green…
When glassmakers switch from one colour to another, the in-between glass doesn’t quite match the desired shade of either batch. What could have been made into usable bottles or jars is removed from the furnace and even if the material is recycled, much energy, resources and time are lost in the process.
It’s a wasteful practice that France’s Champagne Telmont opted to eradicate. Starting this year, the Damery-based house will accept all shades that emerge when glass manufacturer, Verallia, transitions from a previous colour to the standard tint used for Telmont.
The result? Annually, 193,000 bottles will be sold in one-of-a-kind shades ranging ‘from green to cinnamon.’
More interesting green options
This isn’t Telmont’s first foray into sustainability. Last year, it worked with Verallia to develop a champagne bottle weighing 800 grams. That’s 35 less than what’s typically used, and not an easy feat since a champagne bottle holds more pressure than a car tyre.
Telmont also stopped selling champagne in gift boxes (too much waste), forbids distribution of its bubbly beverage by airplane and is transitioning all of its vineyards to 100% certified organic.
Comments from Trend Watching….
Since packaging represents more than a quarter of Champagne Telmont’s Scope 3 emissions — the CO2 and other greenhouse gases not produced by the company itself — it’s a major part of the brand’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint. Operating from an approach it describes as ‘In the Name of Mother Nature,’ the decision to relinquish chromatic requirements is, well, low-hanging fruit.
Which standards does your brand strictly adhere to that it could loosen or let go? What does everyone take as a given that might just be force of habit, driven by reasons that are long forgotten or no longer relevant?
Source: Trend Watching