By creating their own bespoke bottle, The Secret Garden is not only creating a stand-out product in the over-crowded UK gin scene but it is also helping the company achieve a lower carbon footprint – a passion of co-owner Imogen Armstrong. “We are committed as a business to minimizing our impact on the planet. From sustainable gardening to sourcing eco-friendly packaging, our goal is not only to create fantastic spirits, but also to make a positive difference. For us, being ‘sustainable’ isn’t just using less plastic and recycling where possible, although that is important, it really means working hand in hand with nature, a relationship that should be based on give and take. It is all about balance, and the collective outcome of that balance is sustainability. Ultimately, we produce a product in an energy and water-intensive industry so we have to mitigate the environmental impact of our energy-intensive operations. We have plans to continually measure and reduce our emissions and this new bottle is key to that this year.”
It was important for Imogen to have a bottle that has proper green credentials and for sustainability to be key in their decision making. Although the embossed design requires a slightly thicker glass, the decision was made to use recycled material. Another key decision was to use a UK manufacturer. “We have moved away from using bottles manufactured from 100% white flint glass in Italy to a bottle manufactured in Leeds with 70% recycled glass. The glass only travels 216 miles from the factory to us here in Edinburgh. That’s compared to the1650 mile journey from Italy,” explains Imogen. Her sister, Isobel, the other co-owner driving the design adds, “and the recycled glass gives a uniqueness to every bottle which reflects the natural world.”
The design team also decided on sustainable wood and cork for the new stopper and the labels are FSC certified and use UPM Raflatac Forest Film, which uses 100% renewable wood-based raw materials. The tamper proof seal is made from recycled vegetable matter that is compostable and all the shipping materials only consist of paper which is completely recyclable. As Imogen says, “add this sustainable packaging to a truly delicious all-natural liquid made from quality ingredients without additives or preservatives and you have a product that underscores our commitment to reducing our environmental impact.”
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