Back 
With Crush Story we retrace the ethical chain of grapes up to the ecological paper Crush Grape through the use of by-products derived from the processing for wine.
On the 7th August, on the occasion of the harvest of the first bunch of grapes that officially started the 2019 harvest season, Coldiretti announced that Italy is once again the world leader in wine production, ahead of both France and Spain, with an estimated production between 47 and 49 million hectolitres, despite a 10% decrease compared to 2018.
The harvest continues until November: from North to South Italy, it traditionally starts with the Pinot and Chardonnay grapes, on a path that continues in September and October with the collection of the native red grapes: Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Nebbiolo. The harvest in Italy ends in November with the Aglianico and Nerello grapes. [1]
The processing grapes for wine production generates different types of by-products. These can become an opportunity for the economy and the environment and they are used in different industrial sectors, according to the principles of circular economy.
Let’s find out how the waste of wine production becomes a sustainable and ecological resource for paper production.
Crush Story Grape: a case history of circular economy, from vineyard to eco-sustainable paper
During the harvest period, which in Italy takes place between August and November (source Coldiretti), the grapes are harvested from the vineyards and then transformed into wine.
The residue from the first processing of the grapes is the marc, a by-product deriving from the grape pressing. The marc is recovered and used to produce distillates.
From the distillation other by-products are generated: grape seeds and de-alcoholised marc. Grape seed oil is obtained from the remaining grape seeds, whilst the de-alcoholised marc is used as a filler for animal feed.
After the different processing steps, the de-alcoholised marc, i.e. the residue deriving from the pressing of the grape bunches and their subsequent production processes, is dried and is then micronized by Favini. The resulting flour is then mixed with water and natural fibres to produce a unique ecological paper: Crush Grape and is made at Favini’s dedicated mill site in Rossano Veneto.
Thanks to Favini’s innovative process, the by-products of wine processing save 15% virgin fibre and become a precious alternative raw material. This reuse of waste within an ethical supply chain follows the principles of circular economy.
At this point Crush paper can be used and converted to create various applications, such as luxury packaging and catalogues, coordinated imagery, labels, invitations and notebooks. Crush Grape is also available in a 90 gsm label version, perfect for printing wet-strength labels. Is there any better concept than a substrate that comes from the grape residues for the label of a bottle of wine?
In addition to the by-product of grape, Favini also use the process residue from corn, lavender, citrus, cherry, olive, coffee, kiwi, hazelnut and almond.
An example of circular economy: From the champagne vineyard comes the ecological packaging of Veuve Clicquot
In 2015, from the collaboration with the champagne house Veuve Clicquot, a paper was created from the by-products of their champagne production process. In complete respect of the environment, after the pressing of the grape bunches, the skin of the grapes finds a new use.
The skins are dried and micronized to become a raw material for the production of a unique ecological paper, saving 25% virgin fibres. From “cases” of the fruit pulp, to the raw material of luxury packaging for champagne!
Crush for Avery Dennison: ecological papers for Wine & Spirits labels
The most recent example, launched today at Label Expo, the international trade show for labeling, is the new material developed by Avery Dennison for wine labels using Crush Grape as the facestock, which has a special treatment for wet resistance. This item, offers an ecological alternative to the whole of the Wine & Spirits sector and it is part of a range that also includes Crush Citrus as well as the brand new Crush Barley, perfect for liquors and whiskeys.
For more inspiration on Crush to produce your own creative projects see Crush’s Pinterest board.
Have you used our ecological Crush paper and would you like to share the result on our social media feed? Contact us at [email protected] with your piece of circular economy history.
Continue to follow the Crush Story:
- From citrus fruit to paper
- From bean to Crush Coffee
- From flower to Crush Lavender
- From cherry tree to Crush Cherry paper
- From corn crop to Crush paper
- From nut kernels into Crush paper
- From field to Crush Barley
- From kiwi fruit to the ecological paper Crush
- From olive grove to the ecological paper Crush
- From the bean to Crush Cocoa
- From coconut to paper
[1] https://www.coldiretti.it/economia/al-via-la-vendemmia-10-litalia-leader-mondiale