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Following the launch earlier this year of its UV protection coating, the Italian glassmaker is introducing a ceramic-based glass matting process that it claims is significantly kinder to the environment than acid etching.
Dubbed Eco-Friendly Matting, the decoration technique entails the application of a water-based ceramic lacquer that is heated to 600°, coating the glass bottle or container with a satin finish. “The process can recreate the look and feel of acid-etched glass without calling for the use of toxic substances,” explains the glassmaker, making it both a cleaner and safer decoration process. In addition, the coating does not disrupt the glass-recycling stream.
The technique is compatible with other decoration processes able to withstand the 600° firing; it can be applied either on the entire bottle or container or in touches with masking techniques. Bormioli Luigi points out that ceramic lacquering has aesthetic advantages in that it allows for the use of a wider and more precisely calibrated palette of colors.