Shrink sleeves for shrunken bottles: Clondalkin manufacturer replicates Silent Pool Gin’s big glass bottle design

26 Jun 2019 --- Pre-cut lid and shrink sleeve manufacturer Chadwicks of Bury (part of the Clondalkin Group) has developed a shrink sleeve for new single-serve bottles of Silent Pool Gin. The smaller bottle format is a response to growing consumer demand and will allow sampling of the product without the need to commit to a multi-serve bottle. The shrink sleeve uses origination and ink technology to successfully replicate the original bottle’s design.

“The main challenge was to come up with an ink match and finish that replicated the original ‘sprayed’ bottle, which already existed in the marketplace. We had the challenge of finding a metallic copper finish which was not ‘off the shelf’ to match the main filigree work on the design. We worked closely with our ink supplier to formulate a one-off metallic copper to match,” Paul Mayall, Shrink Sleeve Technical Manager, Chadwicks tells PackagingInsights.

Another challenge was matching the main background teal color of the original bottle. The manufacturers had to implement small ink transfer onto a translucent material in order to keep a consistent subtle colored background, explains Mayall.

The shrink sleeve solution was necessary as the single-serve bottles were not compatible with the design and print process used on the standard 70cl Silent Pool Gin bottles, which are spray coated before being printed. The sleeves could be used to replace any sprayed or etched bottle, and the process is quicker and more economical that spray coating the glass before applying a heat transfer or screen print image, Mayall notes.

It was crucial to accurately replicate the design in order to maintain brand consistency on the smaller bottles. “I am pleased to say that shrink sleeving has provided us with the ideal packaging solution and allowed us to replicate the high-end, quality feel that we required,” says Ian McCulloch, CEO Silent Pool Distillers.

As the shrink sleeve can easily be removed, it will not affect the recyclability of the Silent Pool Gin glass bottle.

This is also not the first time that Chadwicks has produced packaging for drinks. Last year, they created a set of “eye-catching” easy peel lids for a range of gin and vodka infused ice cocktails from frozen cocktail brand, LIC. The designs were printed on easy peel 46mm aluminum foil lids.

By Katherine Durrell