Keeping products well-protected from environmental factors is one of packaging’s first and foremost uses. A number of things have the potential to damage your products before reaching your customers, such as impact and contamination. However, one of the most important things to consider is exposure to UV light as a result of direct sunlight. In this blog, we explore how different types of glass are best equipped to protect against UV degradation and which glass packaging you should choose for your products as a result.
Why the Type of Glass Packaging Matters
If you’re choosing glass bottle packaging or glass vials for your new product, the packaging you choose is important for a variety of reasons. Selecting the right packaging to ensure that your choice aligns with your brand and appears as appealing as possible to your customers is a key focus for any business. However, choosing the type of packaging to ensure its contents are protected as much as possible is just as vital.
UV degradation is the process of a substance deteriorating as a result of exposure to UV (ultraviolet) radiation from the sun. If products such as medications, vitamins, skincare products, fragrances, and many others are regularly exposed to direct sunlight, the quality, effectiveness, and even safety of the product are affected. As a result, choosing packaging that resists UV light should be a priority for many manufacturers.
Does UV Go Through Glass?
When choosing packaging, does glass block UV at all? Glass offers some resistance against UV rays; however, this depends on the type of glass that is chosen for your product. Clear glass blocks most UVB rays, which are more powerful but less deeply penetrating. However, it still lets through a lot of UVA rays, which are lower energy but can penetrate glass. These UVA rays are enough to damage delicate products and reduce their quality and shelf life.
Is All Glass UV-Resistant?
The resistance of UV glass differs depending on the type of glass that is chosen. This is a result of their chemical composition, as the materials that some glass is made of are more resistant to UV rays than others. As such, the resistance of the different types of glass used in product packaging is as follows:
Clear Glass
Clear glass offers very little UV protection and allows most UV light to penetrate through. As a result, clear glass packaging should only be chosen for products that aren’t sensitive to UV, as their contents will otherwise degrade very quickly. They do have the benefit of clearly showcasing your product, so clear glass medicine bottles are a preferred choice when UV degradation isn’t a concern.
Green and Blue Glass
Green and blue glass packaging offers a similar amount of UV protection, which is only moderate. They are a more preferable option in comparison to clear glass for preventing UV rays from affecting their contents, though they are not the most suitable choice in this regard.
Black Glass
Black glass does an excellent job at blocking the majority of UV light from reaching its contents, making black bottles a suitable choice for skincare packaging, cosmetic packaging, and many other industries where an equal focus on both aesthetics and practicality is key.
Amber Glass
Amber glass is the industry standard for UV-resistant packaging, being the most effective and widely used for pharmaceutical packaging. Its combination of iron, sulfur, and carbon creates a molecular structure that is highly resistant to UV rays and blocks nearly all rays from reaching the contents of the packaging. Therefore, amber glass bottles and amber glass jars are our most recommended choice for the majority of businesses.
UV-Resistant Packaging and More at Origin
Origin offers a wide range of effective glass packaging, suited to lifestyle, health, pharmaceutical, and wellbeing product packaging. Our packaging options not only offer protection from UV degradation but are also designed to reliably protect their contents from impact while maintaining a visually appealing appearance. In addition, our range also includes child-resistant packaging and tamper-proof packaging to ensure your customers’ safety.
If you’d like to find out more about the UV protection of our lifestyle product packaging or have any other questions about our diverse range of products, chat with our expert team today.
