About Friends of Glass

Friends of Glass is a community which supports everything about glass packaging and helps you include glass in your lifestyle.

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Why Glass?

Learn why we love glass, and why we’re dedicated to promoting its numerous benefits to people all over the world.

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Join a growing community of people who care about a better planet and a healthier lifestyle.

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Stories

Hear stories from the community, and discover all the reasons why glass is better for us, and better for the planet.

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Explore the latest stories, research and news from across the Friends of Glass community

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Healthy lunch on the go, in glass jars!

It’s January and for many of us this month heralds the inevitable backlash against the indulgence of food and drink during the Christmas period. While there’s no shortage of advice on getting fit and healthy: gyms, the latest diets and the new super-foods, the expense, time and effort these things take can be overwhelming.

2 min

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6 handmade gifts this Christmas

Capture the true spirit of Christmas with handmade gifts stored beautifully in upcycled glass jars…

5 min

Capture the true spirit of Christmas with handmade gifts stored beautifully in upcycled glass jars…

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Request a bottle bank

No bottle banks in your neighborhood? Write to your local authority to have one installed. You can simply write them this letter…

1 min

No bottle banks in your neighborhood? Write to your local authority to have one installed. You can simply write them this letter…

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5 Ways to Decorate For Christmas Using Glass

Snowflakes are falling, knitwear is finding its way out of the closet, and the frost is biting our noses – winter has arrived! 

6 min

Snowflakes are falling, knitwear is finding its way out of the closet, and the frost is biting our noses – winter has arrived! 

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Why 5,000 year-old glass is still wine’s best friend

We love new things at Friends of Glass – but did you know that just by being told something is new can distort how people feel about something?

3 min

We love new things at Friends of Glass – but did you know that just by being told something is new can distort how people feel about something?

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Using glass around the home this Earth Day

Happy Earth Day! Today (22 April) we are exploring the ways you can recycle and reuse glass around your home. There are loads of small changes you can make to live a more sustainable lifestyle and incorporate glass around your home. Here are a few of our tips.

2 min

Happy Earth Day! Today (22 April) we are exploring the ways you can recycle and reuse glass around your home. There are loads of small changes you can make to live a more sustainable lifestyle and incorporate glass around your home. Here are a few of our tips.

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Friends of Glass urge brands to move back into glass after consumer survey results

Following Earth Day, the pan-European consumer movement Friends of Glass is calling on brands to make the switch back to glass.

2 min

Following Earth Day, the pan-European consumer movement Friends of Glass is calling on brands to make the switch back to glass.

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What happens to my glass after it’s recycled?

Towards the end of 2019, FEVE and Friends of Glass launched their ‘Close the Glass Loop’ campaign to boost the glass collection for recycling rate to a target of 90% across Europe.

2 min

Towards the end of 2019, FEVE and Friends of Glass launched their ‘Close the Glass Loop’ campaign to boost the glass collection for recycling rate to a target of 90% across Europe.

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The best gifts in glass this Christmas

It’s that time of year again.

3 min

It’s that time of year again.

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What is a deposit return scheme and why should glass not be included? – Friends of Glass

There’s been a lot of talk recently about the proposed deposit return scheme in Scotland which is currently scheduled to come into effect in 2021. But at Friends of Glass, we realised that a lot of people may not actually know what a deposit return scheme is and how it’ll effect how we recycle our household waste.

3 min

There’s been a lot of talk recently about the proposed deposit return scheme in Scotland which is currently scheduled to come into effect in 2021. But at Friends of Glass, we realised that a lot of people may not actually know what a deposit return scheme is and how it’ll effect how we recycle our household waste.

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The Recycle Week Recap

Last week saw the latest edition of Recycle Now’s annual ‘Recycle Week’ celebration with brands and individuals from around the UK take inspiration from environmental activists, such as David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg, to take recycling back into their own hands.

2 min

Last week saw the latest edition of Recycle Now’s annual ‘Recycle Week’ celebration with brands and individuals from around the UK take inspiration from environmental activists, such as David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg, to take recycling back into their own hands.

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Recycle Week Case Study: Trerobart Primary School, Pontypridd

This Recycle Week, change is in your hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. Pontypridd’s Trerobart Primary School have learned a whole new world of knowledge through the project.

2 min

This Recycle Week, change is in your hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. Pontypridd’s Trerobart Primary School have learned a whole new world of knowledge through the project.

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Recycle Week Case Study: Ysgol Maes Y Felin, Holywell

This Recycle Week, change is in your hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. Ysgol Maes Y Felin is keeping it local with their activism after being inspired by Glass Guardians.

2 min

This Recycle Week, change is in your hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. Ysgol Maes Y Felin is keeping it local with their activism after being inspired by Glass Guardians.

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Recycle Week Case Study: Blackwell Primary School, Alfreton

This Recycle Week, change is in your hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. Blackwell Primary School in Alfreton embody that with their Tough Tomatoes environmental action group.

2 min

This Recycle Week, change is in your hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. Blackwell Primary School in Alfreton embody that with their Tough Tomatoes environmental action group.

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Recycle Week Case Study: Pensby Primary School, The Wirral

This Recycle Week, change is in our own hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. The second case study comes courtesy of Pensby Primary School in the Wirral.

2 min

This Recycle Week, change is in our own hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. The second case study comes courtesy of Pensby Primary School in the Wirral.

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Friends of Glass support Recycle Week

It’s that time of year again as we celebrate recycling with Recycle Week and both Friends of Glass and British Glass are delighted to be supporting the campaign yet again.

2 min

It’s that time of year again as we celebrate recycling with Recycle Week and both Friends of Glass and British Glass are delighted to be supporting the campaign yet again.

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Recycle Week Case Study: St Helens CoE School, North Devon

This Recycle Week, change is in your hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. We’ll be bringing you an example each day of this week, starting with St Helens school in Devon.

2 min

This Recycle Week, change is in your hands and our Glass Guardians programme has sparked a number of little acts of activism. We’ll be bringing you an example each day of this week, starting with St Helens school in Devon.

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Jo’s 162-mile trek beats the weather

Yorkshire woman Jo Moseley has paddleboarded the width of the UK – on canals.

2 min

Yorkshire woman Jo Moseley has paddleboarded the width of the UK – on canals.

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Waste not want not – freezing food in glass

With plenty of summer fruit and veg around now, this is a good time to save as much as possible of any fresh food you have spare now. And you can save it in spare glass jars

2 min

With plenty of summer fruit and veg around now, this is a good time to save as much as possible of any fresh food you have spare now. And you can save it in spare glass jars

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Five Ways Glass Can Reduce Your Plastic Use

Hot on the heels of iconic broadcaster David Attenborough’s landmark documentary ‘Climate Change – The Facts’, the BBC have introduced their latest environmental series ‘War on Plastic’.

3 min

Hot on the heels of iconic broadcaster David Attenborough’s landmark documentary ‘Climate Change – The Facts’, the BBC have introduced their latest environmental series ‘War on Plastic’.

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How the Great British Spring Clean and Global Recycling Day can help glass

New beginnings and spring go hand in hand.

2 min

New beginnings and spring go hand in hand.

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Four ways glass can help you lead a sustainable lifestyle

Leading a more sustainable lifestyle is something that has become more prominent in current times.

2 min

Leading a more sustainable lifestyle is something that has become more prominent in current times.

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Friends of Glass 2018 Consumer Survey Results

A survey conducted for Friends of Glass found that 9 out of 10 millennial Europeans have become more conscious of the environmental impact of their consumer habits in the last year.

3 min

A survey conducted for Friends of Glass found that 9 out of 10 millennial Europeans have become more conscious of the environmental impact of their consumer habits in the last year.

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The Friends of Glass New Year’s resolutions

As we enter 2019, many of us will see the start of a new year as a chance to wipe the slate clean and make positive changes with our New Year’s resolutions.

2 min

As we enter 2019, many of us will see the start of a new year as a chance to wipe the slate clean and make positive changes with our New Year’s resolutions.

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The 12 days of Christmas

Here at Friends of Glass we’ve decided to get in the festive spirit and what better way to do so than with the 12 days of Christmas carol.

3 min

Here at Friends of Glass we’ve decided to get in the festive spirit and what better way to do so than with the 12 days of Christmas carol.

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The student guide to recycling glass

We know it’s tough being a student.

4 min

We know it’s tough being a student.

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Students encouraged to recycle glass in new competition

University first year students in three key sites – York, Cardiff and Oxford, with 32,000 fresher students in total – are being urged to get recycling.

2 min

University first year students in three key sites – York, Cardiff and Oxford, with 32,000 fresher students in total – are being urged to get recycling.

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Know what you can recycle

More people than ever are recycling and we couldn’t be happier – the glass industry love to use recycled glass when they manufacture new containers but not all types of glass can be used in production.

2 min

More people than ever are recycling and we couldn’t be happier – the glass industry love to use recycled glass when they manufacture new containers but not all types of glass can be used in production.

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Duerr’s case study

In the second of our occasional blogs that look at the most recent striking and innovative ideas in glass bottle and jar design, we talk to those responsible for turning the humble marmalade jar into a work of art.

2 min

In the second of our occasional blogs that look at the most recent striking and innovative ideas in glass bottle and jar design, we talk to those responsible for turning the humble marmalade jar into a work of art.

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ABSOLUT-LY Fabulous

At Friends of Glass, we love to see the arrival of exciting new bottle and jar designs. In the first of a new occasional series, we talk to those responsible for some of the most recent striking and innovative ideas.

2 min

At Friends of Glass, we love to see the arrival of exciting new bottle and jar designs. In the first of a new occasional series, we talk to those responsible for some of the most recent striking and innovative ideas.

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Leeds enjoys a Lidl Recycling Love

Glass recycling in Leeds is set to get a boost this February thanks to a set of brand new glass banks being installed in Lidl’s Halton store carpark from February 12th. The banks join over 700 other bottle banks in the Leeds area, making it easier than ever for the people of Leeds to recycle their glass bottle and jars.

2 min

Glass recycling in Leeds is set to get a boost this February thanks to a set of brand new glass banks being installed in Lidl’s Halton store carpark from February 12th. The banks join over 700 other bottle banks in the Leeds area, making it easier than ever for the people of Leeds to recycle their glass bottle and jars.

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Does it really get recycled?

A recent poll revealed that some people don’t bother recycling because they don’t think the material will actually be recycled. We can assure you that this is not true for glass! Glass is never rubbish – it’s a valuable resource. Here are four good reasons to believe that every bottle and jar you use really can and should go on to have another useful life.

2 min

A recent poll revealed that some people don’t bother recycling because they don’t think the material will actually be recycled. We can assure you that this is not true for glass! Glass is never rubbish – it’s a valuable resource. Here are four good reasons to believe that every bottle and jar you use really can and should go on to have another useful life.

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Top 5 new glass bottles and jars

We think glass is great for good reasons – being 100% recyclable and good for protecting food and our health. But sometimes it’s just the clever and creative design in glass that get us excited.

2 min

We think glass is great for good reasons – being 100% recyclable and good for protecting food and our health. But sometimes it’s just the clever and creative design in glass that get us excited.

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Why Recycle Week really does matter all year round

Glass is great when it comes to recycling. All bottles and jars are 100% recyclable and just about every part of the country has a system in place for households to recycle their glass packaging when it’s finished with.

2 min

Glass is great when it comes to recycling. All bottles and jars are 100% recyclable and just about every part of the country has a system in place for households to recycle their glass packaging when it’s finished with.

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Recycle Week – what goes around comes around. Learn about the week.

It’s Recycle Week and this year’s theme – What goes around comes around – inspires us to enjoy the benefits of creating a circular economy – where we make, use and recycle. This is in contrast to the unsustainable make, use, discard linear economy. Recycle Week is great opportunity to learn more, find ways to recycle more, and get more people involved.

2 min

It’s Recycle Week and this year’s theme – What goes around comes around – inspires us to enjoy the benefits of creating a circular economy – where we make, use and recycle. This is in contrast to the unsustainable make, use, discard linear economy. Recycle Week is great opportunity to learn more, find ways to recycle more, and get more people involved.

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Striving for zero glass waste

When you throw something away, it doesn’t magically disappear. It goes to landfill, an incinerator or litters the land or ocean. But when you recycle, you reduce waste.

2 min

When you throw something away, it doesn’t magically disappear. It goes to landfill, an incinerator or litters the land or ocean. But when you recycle, you reduce waste.

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Don’t believe the wine box hype – keep recycling!

2 min

Discover how you can make an impact

From how we live at home to how we show up for the planet, our everyday choices can be the starting point for a more sustainable future.

Take action now

Choose glass

A timeless favourite, loved by generations of consumers and brands.

Learn why

Recycle glass

8 in 10 bottles in Europe are collected for recycling – making their way back onto shelves in as little as a month.

Find out how

Reuse glass

From DIY crafts to stylish storage solutions, the options for repurposing empty containers are endless.

Get inspired
not-just-a-jar

Glass is so much more than just a bottle or jar.

A bottle isn’t just a bottle. A jar isn’t just a jar. Glass is much more than the ingredients it’s made from or the product it holds – it’s a guardian of taste, an infinite shape-shifter, and a creative canvas.