Will 2022 be the Year Sustainability Takes Hold in Wine & Spirits?

Premiumization across Wine & Spirits has been an ongoing trend for over 20 years. In recent years, we’ve also seen the sustainability trend grab hold of the industries we serve. From food and beverage, to health and personal care, to consumerpackaged goods and more, companies are looking for new solutions that can bolster their brands’ sustainability credentials and meet changing consumer desires. Many are designing products with more sustainable packaging that still speaks to the premium drift Wine & Spirits brands are known for. Perhaps you’ve helped some of your own clients achieve their sustainability and premiumization-driven design visions.

We believe 2022 will be the year the sustainability trend truly takes hold in the wine & spirits industry. And we’re not the only ones with this outlook.

• An August 2021 article at beveragedynamics.com, listed “sustainability matters” as one of the top alcohol trends to look out for in 2022.

• A May 2021 article on Liquor.com explored how some winemakers have realized that packaging may have a greater impact on carbon footprint than production practices.

• Diageo, which produces more than 200 alcohol brands globally (including many of the most recognized brands in wine & spirits) recently announced the opening of a carbon-neutral distillery in Kentucky for its Bulleit brand whiskey. Another distillery, in Quebec, is slated to be carbon-neutral by 2025. Diageo has an ambitious plan to be carbon-neutral in all its operations by 2030.

• An April 2020 article in Forbes explained how some distilleries are working to be more sustainable. Their efforts range from sourcing local glass (to avoid longdistance shipping), to using wind and solar power, to incorporating zero-waste materials in the distilling process.

The bottom line? More wine & spirits brands are finding ways to make their operations and products more sustainable. It’s happening at various scales — from individual bottles to entire plants and supply chains. As label providers, you have a great opportunity to partner with these brands on their packaging design and production.

New Facestocks

With a close eye on both the sustainability and premiumization trends, we’ve added five new facestocks to our Wine & Spirits portfolio in 2022. These complement the many sustainable options already in the portfolio, while delivering the performance and shelf appeal these brands need.

Eclipse Black

A 30% PCW 60# paper facestock with a smooth texture that’s excellent for adding embossments. It’s offered at an affordable price point as a more entry-level alternative to our Black Cotton paper facestock and other premium options.

White Hemp

A premium, 60# facestock made with 25% hemp fiber and 75% PCW. We launched our Hemp line in 2021 to overall positive reception. This new offering’s white color gives it even greater design versatility, while it’s high wet strength properties — it’s passed our ice bucket test — mean it does even more to resist water and condensation.

Titanium White Eggshell

A whiter version of our top-selling embossable spec, with a textured feel. This features a heavier weight, helping it to stand out in the market.

Embossable Foil

A bright silver, 145# metal foil with exceptional embossing properties. It’s ideal for wine and spirits brands using medallions to make their bottles stand out on shelves.

Stoneface

This off-white facestock features a slightly grainy texture. It’s made with a combination of 80% stone (calcium carbonate powder sourced from construction waste) and 20% recycled PE resin acting as a binder. Stoneface outperforms traditional paper in resistance to moisture and tearing. Converters already using it report it’s easy to use across multiple printing technologies. It’s a bold choice to boost the shelf appeal of either wine or spirits brands.

What’s next? Maybe you’ll tell us

With our Wine & Spirits portfolio, we deliver label solutions that help you take advantage of industry trends. Yes, we keep a close eye on what’s happening in the industry. But we also listen to what individual converters tell us they need.

Through our Engineered Solutions, we can work with you to develop custom made labels that differentiate your business and help you grow profitably. Sometimes, these solutions become part of our portfolio offering — as in the case of our new Stoneface material.

To learn more about our Wine & Spirits portfolio, get samples of new or existing products, or talk about a unique need that will help your business grow, contact your Avery Dennison representative.