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Following 2 years of R&D, Maison Ruinart announces disruptive new eco-designed packaging: Zero plastic, 100% recyclable, 9 times lighter

Maison Ruinart’s new disruptive eco-designed packaging

On the occasion of the VINEXPO PARIS trade fair, Maison Ruinart is proud to announce, on February 11th, 2020, a long-term project to reimagine the packaging for its R, R vintage, Rosé and Blanc de Blancs cuvées. Representing more than two years of R&D, the new cases will replace the Maison’s existing champagne boxes. Set to revolutionize the gift-box and cases market, the packaging is eco-designed, uses zero plastic and is 100% recyclable. It will be unveiled at the VIVATECH trade show in Paris in June 2020 and will be rolled out gradually in western Europe from the 4th quarter

“With this second skin case Maison Ruinart confirms its pioneering role in champagne, and its ambition in terms of social and environmental responsibility. This disruptive project embodies the Maison’s firm commitment to more sustainable development for its packaging across all stages of the development and marketing of our products, from the tending of the vine to the consumer experience” – Frédéric Dufour, President of Maison Ruinart.

Ever since its founding in 1729, Maison Ruinart has dared to innovate. The very first champagne house, it was also the first to market a rosé champagne in 1764; the first to acquire the millennial chalk cellars ideal for aging wines; the first to collaborate with artists in 1896, by commissioning Alphonse Mucha to design an advertising campaign to promote its wines, as well as the first to use wooden cases for the transport of its bottles in 1769.

Building on this pioneering spirit, the Maison has developed an innovative eco-responsible ultra-light case – crafted from natural wood fibers sourced from sustainably managed European forests – that is easily and fully recyclable.

Like a second skin made of paper, it follows the lines of the bottle’s emblematic curves and allows the integrity of the Ruinart flavor to be preserved until tasting. Its raw and sophisticated texture and form nods to Crayères, the Maison’s historic chalk-pit cellars in Reims, classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The perfecting of this chalk-like texture – with the richness, depth and finesse of its embossed details – represents a true technological feat.

A total of seven prototypes were considered before achieving the final result, obtained by experimenting with different technological advances in the art of paper making, molded to precisely follow the contours of the bottle in a single piece. The absence of edges, made possible thanks to the precise, high-pressure waterjet cutting of the hull’s contours (a process specially developed for Ruinart), gives it its unique elegance, as does its closure system, activated by a snap button molded directly into the case.

This disruptive new case represents another step in the Maison’s holistic approach to development that respects the environment, from the vine to the tasting, integrating all the stages involved in the elaboration of champagne, including packaging, service tools and visibility. The new case is nine times lighter than the existing box and reduces the carbon footprint by 60% compared to the current generation of Ruinart boxes, which already feature among the champagne industry’s best-regarded in this respect. The Maison’s foray into eco-design dates back to 2012.

Marking a departure from the familiar visual codes and forms associated with the boxes used for champagne bottles, the case breaks with the category’s traditional offering. It embodies Maison Ruinart’s vision in a more sustainable, contemporary product, which the House hopes will inspire other players.

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