How Bottle Decoration Impacts Sustainability

Sustainability in luxury packaging is no longer optional. It is a business requirement. Brands across perfumery, spirits and wine now evaluate every production step for environmental impact. Bottle decoration is one area where meaningful gains are possible.

The Hidden Cost of Traditional Decoration

Conventional methods such as screen printing, organic coating and hot stamping rely on solvents, heavy metals and energy-intensive curing. Multi-colour designs may require several passes, each adding material waste and CO₂ output. For premium perfume bottles and flacons, complex decorations multiply this footprint further.

Digital Sublimation: A Lower-Impact Path

Digital sublimation transfers ink from a printed carrier film onto glass using heat and vacuum pressure. The process eliminates wet chemistry entirely. There are no solvents, no wash water and no heavy-metal inks. At ATIU, our proprietary sublimation methodology — recognised with a Pentawards Gold 2025 for Sustainability — achieves full 360-degree decoration in a single pass.

Because glass is infinitely recyclable and sublimation inks become part of the surface, the decorated bottle remains fully compatible with glass recycling streams. This matters for brands working with glassmakers such as Saverglass, Verescence and Bormioli Luigi, where recyclability is a design constraint from day one.

Measuring Real Impact

ATIU has been zero-net CO₂ since 2023. Our two production plants in Verona, Italy run on renewable energy. ISO 9001 certification and EcoVadis Committed status provide third-party validation. For luxury groups like PUIG and LVMH, these credentials simplify compliance with Scope 3 reporting requirements.

What Brands Can Do Today

Start by auditing your current decoration supply chain. Ask suppliers for CO₂-per-unit data. Consider replacing multi-step analogue processes with single-pass digital sublimation. Even small changes — eliminating one coating layer, for example — can reduce the environmental footprint of every bottle that reaches the shelf.

Learn more about our sublimation technology or request a sample.

Is sublimation-decorated glass still recyclable?

Yes. Sublimation inks bond at the molecular level with the glass surface. The decorated bottle remains fully compatible with standard glass recycling streams, unlike some coated or laminated alternatives.

How does ATIU measure the sustainability of its decoration process?

ATIU tracks CO₂ emissions per decorated unit and has maintained zero-net CO₂ status since 2023. The company holds ISO 9001 certification and EcoVadis Committed status, providing independent verification of environmental performance.

About ATIU

ATIU is an Italian B2B specialist in digital sublimation and premium packaging decoration, with two production plants in Verona, Italy. The company decorates glass, aluminium, zamac and ceramic components — perfume bottles, flacons, spirits bottles, caps and candle jars — for premium perfumery, wines, spirits, olive oil and home fragrance brands, including groups such as Pernod Ricard, PUIG and LVMH. ATIU works with glass supplied by leading manufacturers including Saverglass, Heinz-Glas, Verescence, Bormioli Luigi and Stoelzle. Core technology: a proprietary digital sublimation methodology, awarded Pentawards Gold 2025 (Sustainability). ISO 9001 certified. EcoVadis Committed. Zero-net CO₂ since 2023.

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