Frosting Glass Bottles

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Frosting has become very popular when decorating glass spirit bottles. The technique was made famous by Grey Goose Vodka and has since been copied by dozens of others. The primary advantage in clear spirits is the creation of a semi-opaque canvas for other decorating techniques. Adding tints is a great way to differentiate flavored versions of a clear spirit. Today frosting on glass bottles can be achieved through 2 different processes; chemical etching and spray lacquering.

Chemical frosting is often referred to as acid frosting since it was originally developed using hydrofluoric or sulfuric acids to etch the surface of the glass. In the U.S., use of such corrosive and dangerous chemicals have been restricted or banned. Respecting the safety of our employees and our community we have developed alternative formulations to produce the same result in an environmentally friendly manner.

Spray frosting is accomplished by uniformly spraying a semi-translucent lacquer on the surface of the bottle. This lacquer must then be cured, usually by heat, to improve adherence. All spray frosting is not created equal; although the intention is to mimic chemical frosting, many attempts fall short. As with all spray lacquers, even after curing, they can be highly susceptible to scuffing. Be sure to ask for a ship test to be performed before approving any spray lacquers.

There are a number of factors that will determine which process is right for you. Chemical frosting is typically less expensive; spray frosting has a much higher material and energy costs. Chemical frosting can be affected by various glass coatings applied during bottle manufacturing. This can sometimes be resolved by decontamination; if not then spray frosting is the alternative. Both processes can be masked to create clear panels or decorative elements. Both can produce varying degrees of opacity but spray frosting also allows for the introduction of tints and special textures. Chemical frosting is much less susceptible to scuffing in transit.

We at Decotech are experts in both techniques for frosting glass. In addition we offer spraying, printing, stamping, decaling, labeling, gluing and graphic design, all performed under a single roof. If you would like to learn more about how we can help your product get noticed, please call me, Dave Desai, at 201-569-1900 x.103, or e-mail me at dave.desai@decotech-inc.com.