It’s no secret that wine and spirits were popular during the pandemic. As consumers entertained at home – and continue to do so – wine and spirits are quite popular for dinner parties. And in many cases, the label will sell the product.

Avery Dennison, a substrate supplier based in Mentor, OH, USA, has identified numerous trends that have impacted product development. While premiumization has been ongoing in this market for more than 20 years, there has been a noticeable shift toward sustainability. This is reflected in Avery Dennison’s newest product portfolios.

“Packaging is being designed to stand out and differentiate themselves from the crowd,” explains Vanita Marzette, senior product manager – Wine and Spirits, Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials. “But at the same time, brands are looking for ways to integrate more sustainability into their packaging. More wine and 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, we have a great opportunity to partner with these brands on their packaging design and production goals,” adds Marzette. “Many are designing products with more sustainable packaging that still speaks to the premium drift wine and spirits brands are known for.”

While sustainability is key for the entire supply chain, differentiation on the shelf is still critical. “Due to the premiumization trend, they are looking for materials that provoke that premium feel,” comments Marzette. “This has been done in many ways such as thicker materials that hold embossing well. Materials with a tactile feel and unique embellishments enhanced with beautiful print designs are also popular.”

Avery Dennison has unveiled a wide range of products to accomplish these goals in the wine and spirits market. Eclipse Black is 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 Avery Dennison’s Black Cotton paper facestock and other premium options.

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

Avery Dennison’s Eggshell is a whiter version of its top-selling embossable spec, with a textured feel. This features a heavier weight, helping it to stand out in the market. Eggshell is recognizable by its cream, uncoated matte printing paper with a felt finish for a handcrafted look and feel. The product is also made from FSC-certified paper.

For a foil look and feel, Avery Dennison has released its Embossable foil, which is characterized by a bright silver, 145# metal foil with excellent embossing properties. It’s ideal for wine and spirits brands using medallions to make their bottles stand out on shelves, Marzette notes.

Finally, Stoneface is an off-white facestock featuring 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,” remarks Marzette. “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.”

In the future, the continued proliferation of brands will have converters seeking the newest materials to help with shelf appeal. “The search continues for unique materials, whether organic or natural materials, leather, metals, etc.,” says Marzette. “These materials can sometimes be challenging to put on a bottle. Our technical team can help work with converters and brands to meet these challenges.”