Why Is It Important to Have Sustainable Packaging?

When it comes to choosing your favorite alcohol, one factor traditionally not on the list has been sustainable packaging. But demands have changed. The world has changed.

The pandemic has accelerated a trend towards people buying their alcohol online, for convenience. At the same time, customers are becoming ever more eco-conscious.

Drake’s was again ahead of the game in satisfying both desires. Our ready-to-drink BOXTAILS are proving to be a huge online-ordering success across America.

The packaging for the pre-mixed cocktails is both recycled and recyclable. The outer box is made from recycled paper and is 100% compostable. That is important for the sustainable ethos of Drake’s, for the environment, and it should be important for you, too.

In the US, fewer than 30% of drinks cans are recycled. So, for example, more than 8 BILLION seltzer cans will be dumped in the ground this year alone. Then there is the carbon footprint to consider in terms of the number of truckloads of empty seltzer cans that must be transported to bottling plants.

Compare these with the flat-packed 1.75-liter cartons used for BOXTAILS. It takes NINE truckloads of cans to equal the volume of a single load of boxes. The volume of those boxes matters - serving 14 cocktails per box, with a long shelf life. Buying just one BOXTAILS product from our website will prevent five cans going into landfills.

Are Cans On Their Way Out?

Aluminum hard seltzer cans are made using bauxite, an ore that is mined and refined. Let’s have a look in a bit more detail. Bauxite is most commonly found in Australia, Brazil and India. Large areas of land are bull-dozed to mine it from the dirt. Chemical processes are then used to filter out silica and iron oxides, until nothing but powdery alumina remains. More chemical processes involving large amounts of heat are used to form pure, molten aluminum.

As you might expect, all this has a considerable impact on the environment. First there is the loss of habitats and wildlife from clearing grasslands and trees for mining bauxite. The operation creates vast carbon emissions, land erosion, and uses enormous amounts of water and electricity. Mining bauxite has also been found to pollute waterways, by contaminating rivers and sediment with heavy metals. This threatens the health of both wildlife and people who live near the mines.

It is clear that making aluminum cans for spirits is harmful to the planet. Are cans on their way out? Perhaps they should be - put it that way.

Why Should I Care?

If you’re sitting there thinking, all this doesn’t sound great, but to be honest, I just want to enjoy the smooth taste of Drake’s Organic Spirits…

Yes, of course we are here for you, our aim is to please. But you might be surprised to know that if you don’t care about the sustainability efforts of your favorite brands, you are in the minority.

GreenPrint’s Business of Sustainability Index was revealed in 2021, which found that:

• 77% of Americans are concerned about the environmental impact of products they buy.
• 75% of Millennials are willing to pay more for an environmentally sustainable product (also 63% of Gen Z, 64% of Gen X and 57% of Boomers).
• 76% of Americans would switch their preferred packaged brand if they were offsetting carbon emissions.

A separate survey by McKinsey found that more than half of consumers in the US are ‘highly concerned’ about the environmental impact of packaging. A majority said they would buy more sustainably packaged products if they were available and clearly labeled.  And of course, Drake’s products are clearly labeled because we are very proud of our eco-friendly credentials.

We Should Watch Out for Greenwashing Though, right?

Of course, you should. Many companies claim to be earth-friendly when they are not - or one of their products is and the others fall short.

Looking back at the GreenPrint study, it was found that 53% of Americans never or only sometimes believe environmental claims. And 45% of Americans say they need validation from a third party to trust a statement from a company (like Drake’s)

That’s where Drake’s can come to your rescue, again.

Our entire range is certified as USDA organic, vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and Kosher. So, you can trust us on our openness about our sustainable packaging, as well.

We remain true to our word about our products - Better for You, Better for The Environment.