100% r-PET food grade high-end packaging

        Amcor Rigid Packaging (ARP) and Ron Rubin Winery have partnered to develop a 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) wine bottle with a screw cap that features a high barrier coating of silicon oxide (SiOx).

        The KHS InnoPET Plasmax barrier is a silicon oxide (SiOx) coating that protects wine from direct contact with r-PET, a material that is more breathable than glass. Oxygen cannot penetrate the SiOx barrier, so the wine is protected from oxidation and retains its quality and flavor. In addition, the silica coating is transparent, and the transparent r-PET bottle shows the color of the blue barrel wine. The bottle body is the same as glass, and the coated bottle can be recycled with PET and r-PET bottles.

        Chris Kozak, Amcor's manager of sustainable development marketing communications, said that "Both Ron Rubin Winery and KHS completed extensive testing to confirm that the product maintains the expected flavor."

        The product is now available for mass production. This is the "first" high-end wine bottle made entirely of r-PET. ARP and Ron Rubin Winery claim that the Blue Bin will be available in the United States. The name "Blue Bin" is a playful interpretation of the r-PET used to make the bottle.

        Ron Rubin is a certified brand in sustainable practices and has a California Sustainable Vineyard and Winery certification. The company conducted a two-year evaluation of wine packaging to develop a premium wine for environmentally conscious wine lovers. Ron Rubin Winery requires wine packaging with a smaller carbon footprint than glass bottles, but still protects the contents of the wine from oxidation. 85% lighter than glass bottles and 1/3 less carbon emissions. According to ARP, glass bottles produce 30% of the carbon footprint and are the single product with the greatest environmental impact in the wine value chain. PET bottles are 85% lighter than glass bottles and have only one-third of the greenhouse gas emissions of glass bottles. In addition to its sustainability advantages, the new r-PET bottle offers several benefits to consumers. It’s lighter than glass, making it easier to transport. And because r-PET bottles don’t shatter, they’re safer to use in outdoor settings, such as camping, beach outings, picnics and poolside sipping. SiOx coating protects wine quality The r-PET bottle also meets Ron Rubin Winery’s requirements for product protection, with an ultra-thin, glass-like oxygen barrier coating applied to the inside of the bottle.

        “Plasmax is a thin, glass-like oxygen barrier layer inside the bottle. This protective layer holds the wine in place while the r-PET bottle maintains its shape,” said Jonathan Jarman, ARP’s marketing manager for spirits and wines. “This is a truly transformative moment in the North American wine market, ushering in an era where sustainable packaging for products is valued and appreciated as much as the product itself.”