Spirits, Wine & Water Bottles, and all the Contours

Some of the most elegant bottles available today have distinct features, contours, and necks. Think of the high-end spirit bottles, and luxury wine bottles, these catch the eye from afar whether it be with bottle design or the decoration on the bottle. The design starts well before the liquid is poured into it. Glass spirit bottles are made by melting raw materials like sand, soda ash, and limestone at extremely high temperatures to create molten glass. This glass is then shaped using blow or press molding techniques, followed by cooling and annealing to strengthen the bottle. It is at this point that the bottle can then be decorated with a label or direct-to-object methods and then filled. Although, depending on the decoration method the filling can come before or after the branding step.

From traditional craftsmanship to cutting-edge digital printing, every stage of bottle creation offers opportunities for creativity and precision. This article explores how modern technology is reshaping decoration for contoured bottles and vessels.

The Evolution of Bottle Decoration

A traditional but increasingly rare method involves dipping spirit bottles in wax, a finishing touch that symbolizes heritage and timelessness. While it may seem surprising, the wax was once used as a practical solution to prevent mice from chewing through the cork, preserving the integrity of the bottle. Maker’s Mark whisky is one of the most well-known companies that is still dipping their bottles to ensure that they don’t leak, as well as creating an iconic look and feel.

Liquor bottles often feature intricate contours, which, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as “the outline of a curve or irregular figure.” Branding on these uniquely shaped bottles can be challenging, as the surface area for traditional labels is limited. Paper adhesive labels are a popular solution, especially for partial wraps or when different labels are applied to opposite sides. However, adhesive labels are better suited for straight-walled bottles and can be difficult to apply effectively on tapered or contoured surfaces.

Not limited to premium liquor bottles, the demand for striking, high-quality branding extends to a wide range of drinkware and beverage containers. From collectible tumblers to reusable glassware, brands are seeking ways to make their vessels stand out and reflect both craftsmanship and identity. These products often carry licensed artwork, logos, or limited-edition designs that must meet the highest standards of color accuracy and durability. After investing heavily in licensing agreements, companies must ensure that every printed element, from a logo’s exact hue to the smallest type detail, faithfully represents the brand’s image. Achieving this level of precision requires the right combination of printing technology, materials, and expertise, particularly when working with curved, or otherwise challenging surfaces. In this environment, quality control and consistency are not just desired; they are essential for maintaining brand integrity and consumer trust.

Historically, decorating highly contoured vessels has been difficult and decorators worked around by ceasing decoration up the neck of the vessel. Problem not solved, but avoided.

Vessels for Inkjet Printers with High Throw Technology

Until now, with advanced changes in technology, contoured bottles can be now be digitally decorated thanks to high throw technology. What types of bottles are perfect contenders for high throw digital inkjet printing?

Wine Bottles

Print beautifully up the neck of the wine bottle for a seamless design.

Water Bottles

Showcase captivating full-tip-to-tip artwork that covers the entire surface of the water bottle. An excellent example of this can be seen in the main blog image.

Spirits Bottles

Create eye-catching artwork that elegantly wraps around and extends up the neck of your bottle.

How High Throw Technology Enables Printing

Ink throw distance refers to the space between a printer’s printhead and the substrate. A longer ink throw (or high throw) enables printing on a wider range of vessels, including those with contours or unique shapes. High throw inkjet printers are able to follow the shape in a more precise manner.

High throw technology can be an additional benefit on both cylindrical inkjet printers and UV flatbed printers, both enabling decorators to push the limits and decorate with high resolution on a wider range of products.

This feature is especially useful for decorating handled drinkware, as traditional cylindrical inkjet printers struggle with the handles. High throw inkjet printers can print larger artwork on the face of handled items, avoiding the handle completely. To learn more about printing larger logos on handled drinkware please visit: X5-T High Throw.

High throw or extended throw is also beneficial to other areas of printing as well, for a wide variety of non-flat surfaces, different heights on a substrate, and protruding edges. High Throw Cylindrical inkjet printers also excel at printing on stepped drinkware, another incredibly popular application at the moment.

The Role of UV Inkjet Printing

Looking to learn more about UV Inkjet printing? Please visit: UV Inkjet Printer- The Ultimate Guide. The quick definition of UV inkjet printing is the process of taking a 2D digital image and directly printing it onto a 3D object with UV inks and curing with UV LED. The printhead releases tiny droplets of ink onto the substrate while the UV light shines to instantly cure the ink to prevent spreading for the utmost crisp image.

Blending Tradition with Innovation

From traditional wax dipping to today’s precision digital printing, the art of decorating bottles continues to evolve. As technology advances, brands can now combine heritage with innovation to create bottles that are as captivating as the contents inside.

Something new is coming soon from Inkcups, to learn more about this machine, make sure to visit Inkcups at PRINTING United at booth C1530.