We speak with Labrenta, the manufacturer of premium closures for the spirits market, to learn about their latest products, innovations and trends in the industry.

Who is Labrenta and what’s your area of expertise?

Founded 50 years ago in Italy, Labrenta specializes in the design and manufacturing of premium and design closures for the spirits market, as well as oil & vinegar and wine. Innovation, research & development and materials selection are the bedrock of our process to create the perfect closure for each specific need, designed and based on the customers' requirements.

Thanks to constant research on materials and technologies, we’re always up-to-date with the latest trend to offer tailor-made service for premium special projects. 100% Made in Italy and in-house, 100% committed to the world.

What are the latest trends in premium closure design?

Today, sustainability is playing an increasingly central role in guiding consumers’ behaviour and determining preferences in purchasing choices, and so do trends. We have adopted sustainable practices to tailor products and services, also enabling conscious and responsible consumption. That is why we increased our partnership with Mixcycling, a start-up born within the company, that produces new sustainable blends by cutting the plastic component by a minimum of 10 to over 50% by replacing it with organic fibres.

That said, customization and design are also taken into consideration in closures choice. If you think that the cap is the last step between the consumer and the drink they’re going to enjoy, you can imagine how important could be this small part of a whole packaging. Also, there’s a growing trend for more “premium” products, which means that spirits packaging must be more appealing, and it’s also the closure that can make this difference.

Why is picking the right type of closure so important?

Labrenta spin-off is exactly about the importance of choosing the right closure: providing the right top means to us giving to customers not just any closure but the right one, the perfect closure for each specific need. Opening a bottle always marks a meeting, and all our efforts are focused on that moment. We want to make it unique and perfect. This happens when the cap design excites, when the “pop” sound of the closure is perfect and finally, when the spirits you drink is the one expected, thanks to the closure which preserves its essence.

Can you share an example of projects you have recently worked on or are developing?

We’re working closely with Mixcycling start-up to produce new products with a reduced environmental impact by cutting the most percentage of plastic, and we’ll see most of them coming this year.

Make a Mark Project

Another relevant project regards the partnership with worldwide design brand agencies that have given birth to the Make a Mark Project, a platform to create and draw inspiration around new packaging concepts within the wine & spirits market, with a focus on sustainability, luxury and innovation sides. This is a three-year project with the goal of exploring packaging innovations from a 360-degree perspective that includes glass, labels, finishing and of course closures.

Can you tell us more about why sustainability is important to you and sustainable options in closures?

We were born as a company which uses raw materials such as cork is, so we know how the environment respect is important and we are aware of our commitment to the earth. That is why last year we launched an ambitious project to follow the Sustainable Development Agenda by the United Nations by presenting Labrenta Green Deal 2030: a strategic roadmap consisting of several stages relating to the use of increasingly sustainable materials, the choice of partners who share the same sensitivity and drive for innovation, along with the adoption of internal practices to reduce environmental impact.

Sughera caps

To make it, we consolidated the partnership with Mixcycling, which will lead to two organic-based product lines. Sughera, our innovative and patented material, is composed of natural cork grains from production waste, and plastic polymers, tied with no glue. Gipy Monolith collection (GPI caps) will see later this year screw caps composed of cork, marc waste, bamboo, rice husks and also jeans!

In 2021 we replaced 18% of the plastic materials used with low-impact products made by Mixcyicling. This allowed us to use 38,550 kg less plastic and cut emissions by more than 10%.

Gipy Monolith collection

What is your focus for the next few years?

Our focus for the next years will remain the sustainability, which will drive the launch of new products and technologies, with an eye always open on new solutions. Also, the Green Deal 2030 action plan is set by years and divided by areas of intervention: we believe that involving different departments and actors in this, will allow us not only to achieve in a more comprehensive way the settled objectives but above all is to make sustainability an intrinsic element of the corporate culture.

Sughera caps

High customization and design will also remain a driving force to innovate our products and to guide our business strategy, by collaborating with different actors beyond customers and producers: and so brand designers and design agencies, which are every day more and more involved in the packaging industry.

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Labrenta is a proud sponsor of the Pentawards