Monmouthshire craft spirits producer Silver Circle Distillery has unveiled a bold new look for its best-selling product Wye Valley Gin: a bottle made from 100% recycled glass that is lighter, and more sustainable, with a design that accentuates the natural beauty and character of the glass itself.
The redesign, the result of an 18-month project, is central to the distillery’s drive to combine environmental responsibility with business resilience. The new bottle weighs a third less than an average premium spirits bottle, cutting raw material use and reducing transport emissions. Analysis shows that bottles made entirely from recycled glass can deliver up to 65% less environmental impact than those made from new glass, thanks to reduced energy use, fewer raw materials, and lower production waste.
Made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) glass, each bottle carries natural bubbles, tonal variations, and slight imperfections, details considered flaws in traditional glassmaking, now celebrated as a design feature. “We wanted something that is both elegant and sustainable,” said Co-Founder Nina Howden. “The subtle aesthetic imperfections in the glass give the bottles a beautiful, unique character.”
Evolving the design
The new bottle retains the recognisable shape and colour of the original but introduces a softer, curved shoulder and an innovative, reworked label concept. The front label updates the brand’s logo badge with a premium, tactile design on natural-feel paper, complete with debossing and gold and blue foiling. Meanwhile, the much-loved map of the Wye Valley, that was printed around the original bottle, now appears on the inside back label, creating a three-dimensional, magnified effect when viewed through the liquid. The inside labels are printed in six subtle colour variations, designed to complement the natural tones of the recycled glass and accentuate its imperfections, giving each bottle a unique, distinctive look.
Building a Circular Future
The Wye Valley Gin redesign reflects the principles of a circular economy, where materials are kept in use rather than discarded. By moving to bottles made from 100% recycled glass, the need for virgin raw materials is reduced and the carbon footprint of extraction and processing is avoided. Each bottle represents a closed loop: glass once used and discarded is reborn as new packaging, ready for another life.
Silver Circle’s refill initiative, launched in 2022, takes this even further by giving customers the option to refill their recycled bottles again and again through 500ml aluminium refill cans, in-person distillery refills, or 5-litre jerrycans for trade. Together, the recycled bottle and refill scheme represent the next stage in the distillery’s mission to cut waste, lower carbon emissions, and build a more sustainable future.
A more resilient business model
For Silver Circle, the new bottle also reflects a more commercially resilient, sustainable way of operating in an industry still affected by the pandemic and cost of living crisis. The original decorated bottles required very large minimum orders, affecting cashflow, filling valuable warehouse space, and often taking up to six months to arrive. By contrast, the new recycled bottles can be ordered in flexible quantities with shorter lead times, making production more agile and economically viable for a modern independent craft distillery.
The newly branded Wye Valley Gin will be launched at Abergavenny Food Festival this weekend before going on sale on 22nd September 2025.