Premium tequila brand Patrón unveiled a new, slimmer bottle that's easier to hold and better for the environment.
The new glass bottles weigh 8% less than the old design, allowing transporters to use less fuel when shipping the products worldwide, according to a press release on ThePackHub. The embossed edges on the new bottles are designed for easier handling — and, hopefully, less spilled tequila.
The redesign — the first in Patrón's 36-year history — promises to significantly reduce the company's carbon footprint. Global trade contributes to the warming of our planet, because the planes, trucks, and ships that deliver goods tend to emit polluting gases. However, the less cargo weighs, the less energy is needed to transport it.
Patrón has long incorporated sustainability into its brand identity. Its "Art of Patrón" bottle contest encouraged tequila-lovers to keep bottles and corks out of landfills by repurposing them into stunning works of art. Finalists included a windchime, a lamp, and a fountain, but the grand prize went to a functional hammock made from 1,523 corks.
The redesign is also part of a broader shift toward sustainable packaging solutions in the alcohol industry. Some tequila and vodka companies have introduced aluminum bottles, which require even less energy to recycle than glass. They also weigh less, which means less transport pollution.
However, almost any packaging is better for the environment than petroleum-derived plastics. Unlike plastic packaging, glass can be recycled endlessly with no decrease in quality, according to the Glass Packaging Institute. Glass also does not emit harmful chemicals or degrade into pesky microplastics.
Still, the recycling rate for glass containers in the US in 2018 was less than 32%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This suggests that a significant amount of glass packaging winds up in landfills. Therefore, reducing the weight of glass packaging — and committing to reusing existing bottles — can prevent landfill crowding.
Now that's something to drink to.
"The 8% glass weight reduction is a practical design change that can contribute to lower transport emissions without compromising brand identity," Zac Jenkins, Membership Manager of packaging consultancy ThePackHub, said in a statement. "This is an excellent example of how brands can evolve sustainably while maintaining their premium appeal."
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