Bormioli Luigi Partners with Penn State to Develop Eco-Friendly LionGlass for Packaging

Bormioli Luigi Teams Up with Penn State to Advance Eco-Friendly Glass Technology

Bormioli Luigi, a well-known Italy-based, family-owned glassmaking company recognized for its high-quality, luxury, “Made in Italy” glassware for home use and professional packaging of spirits, perfumes, and cosmetics, has extended its collaboration with Penn State University (PSU). Next year, they will launch a project to commercialize a new line of sustainable glass for bottle packaging. The latest addition to the Bormioli range is LionGlass, a material expected to be suitable for cosmetic packaging.

With PSU, the partnership was established in 2024 to scale Penn State’s LionGlass as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional soda-lime glass. Now, this LionGlass will be part of Bormioli’s perfume/scent packaging.

As per PSU’s study and understanding, LionGlass melts at 400°C, which is lower than that of conventional glass. It discards the direct carbon dioxide emission footprint by separating carbonates from the glass full batch. It provides improved mechanical durability, as a few incidents capture double the crack resistance compared to conventional glass.

The co-inventor of LionGlass and an assistant research professor at Penn State, Nicholas Clark, said, “We have proved the melting of the LionGlass at a noteworthy temperature, eliminating carbonates. Alongside, we have also illustrated the formability of LionGlass and its potential to stay smooth and visible.”

The researchers inspecting LionGlass for cosmetic packaging ran a pilot project in Murano, Italy. In March, the team met the melting target of around 200-kilogram batches of LionGlass and produced around 150 clean glass cups. The trial also demonstrated its compatibility and resilience with traditional industrial glass manufacturing methods.

The next step for this project is to optimize LionGlass compositions to enhance chemical durability and mechanical performance, thereby expanding and matching the key properties of soda-lime glass. The next trial might take place in the coming months.

A major producer of glass containers for food and beverages, Verallia, also sealed a deal with PSU to scale up the use of LionGlass. PSU’s potential LionGlass has gained attention and recognition in the packaging industry. The demand for the same is accelerating among many packaging enthusiasts and companies. The expansion of the partnership with Bormioli demonstrates the benefits for both parties.