UPM Raflatac launches new collection of responsibly sourced label materials for wine, spirits, and beverage

IG IT on June 26, 2023

(UPM Raflatac, Helsinki, 26 June 2023 at 13:00 EEST) – UPM Raflatac is pleased to announce the launch of its new collection of wine, spirits and beverage label materials – Rêverie 3 – that embraces circularity by using recycled fibers in aesthetically attractive labels. The new collection demonstrates, via unique collaborations with five leading Spanish designers, that sustainability and impactful design can work together to deliver stunning results. The Rêverie 3 collection offers packaging designers a toolkit of visually appealing labels that are all made with materials from well-managed, FSC® certified (FSC C012530) forests, recycled materials and other controlled sources.

With more and more brands now seeing the inclusion of FSC and PCR packaging as a necessity, UPM Raflatac wanted to showcase the potential of today’s sustainable label materials. With this in mind, five of the company’s responsibly sourced label materials were given to five Spanish design agencies, with the brief to create a new collection.

“The label designs in the Rêverie 3 collection were created for high end wine, spirits, sparkling cider, craft beer and tomato juice drinks, with excellent execution of the artworks with different printing techniques managed by Gráficas Varias,” Joss Ramel, Packaging Solutions Manager for Spain and Portugal at UPM Raflatac states.

The five UPM Raflatac label materials that were chosen are:

  • BIARRITZ WSA PCR-FSC (20% recycled fibers) – Created for use with high-quality wine and spirits labeling applications, the natural pigmentation of the material accentuates the premium appearance of the label. Estudio Series Nemoused this material to create the sparkling cider bottle label design.

  • DROPS WSA PCR-FSC (100% recycled fibers) – Designed for high-quality wine and spirits labeling applications, this label material features an accentuated uneven, textured surface combining a translucent effect and enhanced tactility, thanks to it having undergone a unique paper-making process. Estudio Mabaused this material to create the spirits bottle label design.

  • FENIX WSA PCR-FSC (40% recycled fibers) – Developed for high-quality wine and spirits labeling applications, this paper shows minimal impurities, giving a delicate hint of the recycled content. Estudio Puigdemont Roca used this material to create the tomato juice bottle label design.

  • HIPSTER WSA PCR-FSC (100% recycled fibers) – Created for high-quality wine and spirits labeling applications, it has a warm and elegant white shade that is combined with a delicate, uneven, felt marked surface that enables the creation of labels with unique personality. Estudio Calcco used this material to create the wine bottle label design.

  • VINTAGE WSA PCR-FSC (30% recycled fibers) – This material is ideal for use in wine, spirits and beverage labeling applications where an authentic and artisanal look is desired, as it has a kraft brown shade to it. Bulldog Studio used this material to create the craft beer bottle label design.

“We designers have a responsibility and a duty to use materials of this kind. The industry is progressing. Suppliers have more and more options for using sustainable materials. Having a range of recycled papers with this much personality and quality, that are hyper-specialised, is amazing for us designers,” Miguel Angel del Baño from Estudio Maba, comments on their experience in using UPM Raflatac’s label materials. “It allows for high-quality projects, which to some extent is not often the case with recycled papers,” Albert Puigdemont at Estudio Puigdemont Roca adds. “I was pleasantly surprised by the print quality, especially in the area of relief and stamped finishes, the ease of adherence, fixing and raising. It looked as if it would never be possible to have elegant, high-class recycled paper for premium products. But now, we can say that papers of this quality do exist. The Rêverie 3 series from UPM Raflatac has managed it,” Sergio Aja Iglesias, Estudio Calcco concludes.

“Responsible sourcing is in our DNA here at UPM Raflatac. Thanks to our sustainable supply chain, we are able to offer designers FSC-certified labels that have varying percentages of PCR content, suiting any requirement. Rêverie 3 was already an extraordinary range due to the use of the recycled content. However, what the designers have done with the materials, has truly taken it to the next level. It just shows what can be done when high quality materials are combined with creativity. This collaboration has shown that recycled fiber materials can stand alongside other labels and deliver in terms of both quality and impact,” Eulalia Alcaraz, Business Director at UPM Raflatac comments.

Other partners in the Rêverie 3 Collection include: 
Printer – Gráficas Varias www.graficasvarias.com
Foils and tooling supplied by – Kurz www.kurz-graphics.com
Rêverie 3 folder designed by – Bulldog Studio www.bulldogstudio.es
Bottles by – Verallia www.verallia.com