CREALIS UNVEILS LIGHTFIT, THE WIREHOOD DESIGNED FOR THE LIGHT 26 LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE
Reducing carbon emissions is now one of the greatest challenges facing the Champagne industry.
Following several years of research conducted by Champagne grower Cédric Moussé and Saverglass on a new-generation lightweight bottle, CREALIS is announcing the launch of a wirehood specifically designed to support this innovation.
AN INNOVATION SERVING CHAMPAGNE’S DECARBONIZATION EFFORTS
Designed to significantly reduce the environmental impact of packaging, the Light 26 bottle weighs just 725 grams, compared with 835 to 900 grams for a traditional Champagne bottle. Its development is part of the collective effort led by Champagne producers and institutions to reduce the industry’s carbon emissions. According to the Champagne Committee, packaging accounts for just over 30% of the total carbon footprint of the Champagne sector. Glass remains one of the largest sources of CO₂ emissions associated with packaging. By significantly reducing bottle weight, the Light 26 project aims to lower the carbon footprint associated with glass packaging, delivering a 12% reduction in emissions during bottle production. |
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A WIREHOOD DESIGNED FORTHE LIGHT 26 BOTTLETo achieve its performance and lightweight objectives, the Light 26 bottle features a completely redesigned architecture. Its neck ring is 2 mm higher than that of a standard bottle, while its collar has a smaller diameter, requiring the development of a dedicated wirehood. To meet these new technical requirements, the teams at CREALIS Muselet (formerly Muselet Valentin), based in Oiry and certified as an Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV), developed a new dedicated wirehood: LightFIT. Beyond the product itself, this innovation also required adapting the manufacturing process, including the design of a dedicated machine at the Oiry facility to ensure production meets the quality, safety and throughput standards expected by the Champagne industry. After one year of development, this new solution is ready to support the growing adoption of the Light 26 bottle while meeting producers’ customization requirements. As for the foil, it must comply with a reduced taper already found on certain models on the market but different from the traditional Champagne standard. Its maximum height of 90 mm, compared with approximately 110 mm for a standard Champagne foil, also contributes to reducing material usage. |
AN INNOVATION ALREADY ON THE MARKET
The first bottles fitted with the LightFIT wirehood have been marketed in recent days by Cédric Moussé’s family estate in Cuisles, marking an important milestone in the environmental transition of Champagne packaging.
A twelfth-generation winegrower committed to organic viticulture and pursuing carbon neutrality by 2030, Cédric Moussé sees two major benefits in this bottle: significantly reducing the environmental impact of packaging and achieving, in a 75 cl bottle, the ageing potential and aromatic expression traditionally associated with magnums.
This year, around thirty Champagne producers are expected to adopt the Light 26 bottle. A movement that is set to accelerate in the coming years and to which CREALIS intends to contribute by providing closure and closure solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the industry.
Isabelle Gruard, CREALIS