Posted on July 31, 2020March 22, 2022 by Silver Spur Corp.

Top 5 Proven Uses for Glass Packers

glass packers in cobalt and amber - Silver Spur Corp.

Top 5 Proven Uses for Glass Packers

Have you ever wondered why most households prefer using glass packers as opposed to plastics or any other materials? Glass bottles have been available for ages. To date, glass packers are still a favorite among most households across the world.

Glass offers excellent strength, weight and compatibility for materials that cannot use plastic containers. Glass packers are also preferred in many households since they are easier to clean. This is because they are unlikely to develop scratches that may harbor residue or bad odor.

Notably, glass bottles retain the taste of liquid placed on them without altering the original flavor. Glass is safer for use at home since it doesn’t have harmful chemicals that may pose a health threat to users. It is easier to identify whether glass is clean or not compared to other packing materials made of metal or plastics. Comparatively, glass packers can be reused for a more extended period of time without worrying about additional wear and tear.

Best of all, glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity. Most glass containers can go from a recycling bin to a store shelf in as little as 30 days. It’s estimated that almost 80% of recovered glass containers are made into new glass bottles.

This article stipulates a myriad of uses that glass packers can serve.

#1. Administration of Drugs

Are you running a clinic or selling supplements? A packer bottle style has a wide mouth for easy access when filling and dispensing products. Glass packer bottles are most commonly used to house pills, tablets, vitamins, and supplements, making it a good choice for a variety of products people use every day.

The amber-colored glass shelters photosensitive compounds from light damage. This makes them the perfect choice for storing and dispensing medications, vitamins, flavorings and more.

These popular wide-mouth glass bottles are also available in cobalt blue. The cobalt blue glass packers also offer good UV protection in a color that will help your product stand out on a crowded store shelf or online.

#2. Storage of Laboratory Chemicals

Typically, glass packers are the real deal in the storage of bases and acids. Ideally, ordinary glass is incapable of reacting chemically with various substances, including acids. In essence, glass cannot contaminate chemicals.

This is why glass packers are better at storing chemical substances in factories, laboratories, schools, and other entities that use chemicals for various reasons. Since glass is inert and nonporous, you won’t have a reaction with your chemicals. There’s also no leaching to contaminate other solutions.

#3. Used for Preservation

Glass packers are also preferred in the preservation of food and beverages for a more extended period. Glass is not reactive to most substances hence ideal for use in the storage and long-term preservation of things such as syrup, pickles, jams, jellies, fruit and more.

#4. Used in Field Sampling

Wide mouth bottles are commonly used for field sampling. These bottles are easily transportable from the field to the lab making them the go-to vessel for lab technicians.

Since it often takes time to analyze samples, the glass packers are critical in the storage of lab samples for future analysis. Glass packer bottles are also colored, making them ideal for storing photosensitive material for laboratory use.

#5. Storage of Food & Beverages

Glass packers are also effective in the storage of beverage and other food substances. Glass offers exceptional appeal when displayed on the shelves. In essence, It is easier to show off a product via glass bottles than plastics.

Additionally, products packaged in glass bottles never lose their taste. This means glass never affect product flavor or freshness in any way.

Health & Safety Standards

Glass bottles are the safest in storage since they are never affected by prevailing temperature changes. Unlike plastics that can melt and affect the quality of food substances, glass can maintain product quality on the shelf for the longest time possible. In other words, packaging products in glass bottles ensure the products packed remain fresh without the worry of getting stale.

The use of glass packers in packaging is an essential element in ensuring high health standards are maintained. If you are looking for durable and quality bottles, contact us or request a sample to try out our glass packers. Let us help you find the right packaging solution today.

Posted on August 28, 2020March 22, 2022 by Silver Spur Corp.

Exactly Why Are Glass Bottles or Plastic Bottles Better?

colored variety of glass bottles and plastic bottles

Exactly Why Are Glass Bottles or Plastic Bottles Better?

There are plenty of options available when shopping for bottles but should you get glass or plastic bottles? It can be difficult to determine which type is better to buy. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of each.

Benefits of Glass Bottles

Glass Bottles are Eco-Friendly

One of the benefits of glass bottles is that they are 100% recyclable. They can be recycled numerous times without lowering the quality. In fact, 80% of glass containers get turned into new products. As a result, fewer emissions get produced and released into the air. The recycling process is fairly quick, with bottles going back onto shelves in about 30 days. These bottles are a preferred choice among people who are environmentally conscious.

Another reason to prefer glass bottles are that they protect the integrity of the contents inside them. Glass is useful for having an extremely low rate of chemical interactions. This means that food and beverages are less likely to lose their flavor in glass containers.

Glass Bottles – So Many Choices

Silver Spur offers a wide range of glass bottles in many shapes, colors and sizes, including Boston Rounds and Euro Rounds. Both come in amber glass which is often used to protect oils, medicines, and other pharmaceutical products. Glass bottles that have a powder coating will prevent long-wavelength rays from damaging the products inside.

Glass Bottles are Highly Durable

Overall, glass bottles tend to have higher durability. While they can break if dropped, they can last a lot longer. A person can use one of these bottles multiple times without the quality of the bottle decreasing. Glass bottles are less likely to get holes from daily use. Some types of glass bottles have additional strength. Thicker glass can improve a container’s durability. Powder-coated glass bottles have a higher resistance to chipping and scratching. The strength of glass bottles can help save money by not having to buy new bottles often.

Benefits of Plastic Bottles

PET or Polyethylene Terephthalate

One reason to choose plastic bottles is that they can easily be fashioned into different shapes, sizes and colors. One high-quality material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET plastic gets used for shampoo bottles, salad dressings, and drink bottles. This type of plastic can be readily colored to signify its use.

Handles and important markings or and labels can easily be added to the bottles. Plastic bottles will not only improve in their appearance, but they can become more efficient to use.

HDPE or High-Density Polyethylene

Plastic bottles can withstand extremely high and low temperatures. The type of material can impact the temperature range of the bottle. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) will have a much higher resistance to hot and cold conditions. HDPE plastic bottles can tolerate temperatures between –220 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit for a short period of time. They can be in conditions as low as –100 degrees Fahrenheit for a longer duration. PET plastic can also endure hot and freezing temperatures, but it has a smaller range than HDPE. If a food or drink needs to be stored in the freezer, then plastic bottles are the preferred choice.

Plastic Bottles are Recyclable

Just like their glass counterparts, plastic bottles are recyclable. Different materials can be turned into other products like carpet fibers and strapping materials. One of the advantages of recycling plastic bottles is their low weight. As a result, the cost of transporting them to a recycling center is cheaper than with other types of bottles. Almost all plastic containers are recyclable, and each bottle gets categorized into different numbers. PET bottles are labeled as number 1 plastics, and HDPE is listed as number 2.

Glass and plastic bottles each come with their own merits. Silver Spur offers a wide selection of both types of bottles to meet your needs. To learn more, contact us today.

Posted on December 30, 2020March 22, 2022 by Silver Spur Corp.

Why Amber Glass Bottles Are Perfect for Nutraceutical and Pharmaceutical Use

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Why Amber Glass Bottles Are Perfect

for Nutraceutical and Pharmaceutical Use

Most people don’t give this much thought, but amber glass is made a certain color and by certain materials for a reason. If you think about all of the dark glass bottles you’ve encountered in your lifetime—beer bottles, cosmetic bottles and jars, essential oil bottles, and sublingual supplement bottles—you’ll realize that the majority of them have that amber color.

It’s safe to say that amber glass is in high demand across a multitude of industries. So, if your business is to supply manufacturers with the essential glass packaging for their products, then amber glass bottles should be at the top of your supply list. Keep reading to find out more about amber glass bottles and why you should always have them in stock.

Amber Glass For Everyone

As mentioned above, amber bottles are made the way they are for a reason. The main reason being that if everything were put in clear bottles, our liquids, oils, and serums, etc. wouldn’t last very long.

Many industries, including the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, rely heavily on amber glass bottles but the list doesn’t end there. Other industries include:

Skincare
Cosmetic packaging
Beer and liquor
CBD and cannabis packaging
Essential oils

It may seem like a short list, however, there are hundreds of thousands of different products out there that utilize amber glass bottles. Keep in mind that do-it-yourselfers are never in short supply either, and amber glass is typically their first choice in product packaging.

How is Amber Glass Made?

Amber glass has some unique properties that make it a top choice for product packaging. While basic glassware, such as clear glass jars and bottles, are made from a liquefied form of sand that is heated and poured into certain shapes, amber glass is made a bit differently.

Amber glass is actually a mixture of sand, limestone, and soda ash. All of these elements are heated to a very high temperature. When the mixture is completely melted and molten, other materials are added to the mix to give the glass its different properties and color depth.

The elements of iron, sulfur, and carbon are usually added to the mixture to give the glass a nice dark coloring. The reason for this coloring is to protect the product inside, which we’ll talk about more later. From there, machines and workers are used to shape the freshly made liquid glass into bottle, jar, or cup form. Once the glass cools, it begins to harden into its designated shape.

How Amber Glass Bottles Are Beneficial

Glass, in general, comes with a variety of benefits for product manufacturers. It’s considered to be inert, which means it won’t break down or seep chemicals into the products. It’s also relatively inexpensive since the materials that it’s made from are widely available. And it can be tempered or have a variety of minerals and metals added to it for strength, and it doesn’t retain heat.

Amber glass, however, takes things to another level:

They Protect Light-Sensitive Products

One of the main benefits of using amber glass is that it provides the best protection against UV light, blue light, and other light wavelengths under the 450-nanometer range. UV rays can cause what is known as photooxidation.

Photooxidation has the capacity to break down and alter the chemical makeup of a product, thereby cutting its shelf life in half or rendering it completely useless. In some cases, photooxidation can actually cause the ingredients within certain products to become toxic, causing adverse health reactions when used.

The high level of UV protection against different wavelengths of light allows for a longer shelf life of the product being stored. This is precisely why these glass bottles keep beer fresh, essential oils potent, and allows cosmetics and skincare products to work with 100 percent efficiency.

They Provide a Safer Interaction

Glass, in general, is made from natural materials, so manufacturers don’t have to worry about the bottles breaking down and leaking chemicals into the stored product.

This also means that there won’t be any chemical interactions between the glass and product inside, unlike plastic which is latent with chemicals that break down fairly easily and interact with the stored product.

They Are Versatile

Amber glass comes in a wide range of shapes, styles, and sizes. Whether you need amber glass bottles, vials, jugs, or jars, numerous amber glass options are available.

Amber glass bottles are suitable for nearly every product, ranging from a 1 oz sample jar to an entire beer growler. Aside from skincare, cosmetics, wine, and beer, amber glass is also suitable for storing chemicals and other raw materials—including acids and bases.

They Are Recyclable and Can Be Reused

Most glass containers are recyclable, but when there’s color involved, the rules can get a bit tricky. Amber glass is technically 100 percent recyclable—but it can only be broken down and reshaped into a new amber glass bottle, jar, etc.

Amber glass bottles can also be cleaned and reused multiple times. Unlike plastic, they’re durable and take years and years to completely break down. Not to mention, glass isn’t porous like plastic, so it’s perfectly safe to reuse.

Give Your Customers the Best

Amber glass is the best product packaging that you can have in stock for your customers. It’s eye-catching, non-toxic, versatile, recyclable, affordable, and it offers the highest level of UV protection from light and chemicals.

We offer amber glass bottles in all shapes and sizes that will fit all of your packaging needs. So, if you’re in the market for wholesale amber glass bottles, contact us and our team will help you get set up right away.

Posted on January 22, 2020March 22, 2022 by Silver Spur Corp.

Why HDPE & PET Plastic Bottles Are So Popular

Why HDPE & PET Plastic Bottles Are So Popular

Thousands of plastic bottles pass through consumers’ hands each day, but rarely does anyone give a second thought to the actual plastic material such as HDPE vs PET. It’s just something to hold a product in, until it fails. Maybe the lid doesn’t stay on or the plastic bottle cracks. All of a sudden, there’s a problem and the reality hits. Quality storage containers make a difference.

Safety of HDPE vs PET

Bottles made from poor quality plastics are not durable or safe. Medicines improperly stored are a danger to children and pets. Faulty child-proof caps can allow children to access medications, causing overdoses. Each year, more than 34,000 children are sent to the emergency room after ingesting medication. Over 9,000 of them are hospitalized.

Some plastics are unsafe and cause toxins to leach into the product. Foods and liquids stored improperly can absorb the toxins, especially when heated or stored over a long period of time. The importance of using the right food grade plastic cannot be underestimated. HDPE plastic is currently considered a low-hazard plastic with a low risk of leaching. PET plastic is approved as safe for food and beverage contact by the FDA and other regulatory agencies throughout the world, and has been for more than 30 years.

PET Plastic Containers

Polyethylene terephthalate, more commonly known as PET or PETE plastic or polyester. This plastic is clear and strong but lightweight. It’s commonly used for drink bottles, salad dressings, shampoo bottles, peanut butter, milk jugs, cooking oils, and food storage. Thirty years of testing has proven this plastic to be safe for contact with food packaging, drinks, and pharmaceuticals. Because it is resistant to micro-organisms and will not react to foods or biodegrade, and is 100% recyclable, PET is one of the most popular plastics to use. In fact, PET plastic is the most recycled plastic in the U.S and worldwide. The FDA and other world-wide health organizations recognize PET’s safety. It does not contain bisphenol-A (BPA) or phthalate.

PET bottles can be easily decorated and molded into a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Their high clarity allows for good product visibility and they are easily colored to complement a brand and label. When you’re looking for protection of products such as pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals, amber colored bottles offer high resistance to UV rays.

HDPE Plastic Containers

High-density polyethylene, or HDPE, is widely used in both rigid and flexible products. Its versatility allows it to be used for everything from hard hats to storage containers to bags. Lightweight yet strong and impact-resistant, this plastic has replaced many metals and wood for playground equipment, decks, and car parts, yet remains highly recyclable. It is FDA-approved and safe for food, liquids, and pharmaceuticals, and does not contain BPA or phthalate.

An important property of HDPE plastic is the ability to withstand cold temperatures. HDPE plastic can endure long-term temperatures of up to -100 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows products such as food and beverages to be frozen for later use. It also has the ability to withstand temperatures between 212 and -220 degrees Fahrenheit for short periods of time, making it sometimes suitable for autoclave sterilization.

What’s The Difference? HDPE vs PET

People often ask the fundamental differences between HDPE vs PET plastic bottles. PET plastic is clear and glass-like while HDPE plastic is more opaque and flexible. Both are safe and are great options for consumables. HDPE bottles provide good stress crack resistance and impact strength along with a uniform wall thickness for better labeling and appearance. PET plastic containers are manufactured using a two-stage injection blow molding process. Clear PET bottles provide a great alcohol, solvent and moisture barrier.

Why Use Plastic? HDPE vs PET

Plastic is durable and lightweight, making it ideal for storage and more economical for transporting. Drug interactions and leaching can be an issue with certain medications and supplements, but in the battle between HDPE vs PET, both plastics are safe and are commonly used. The white bottles give further protection by blocking light.

Silver Spur Bottles & Closures

Silver Spur was founded in California in 1978 and quickly became well-known for their glass amber bottles. The business grew and now carries a large variety of glass and plastic containers. Along with the amber, they also offer cobalt blue, flint, green, and frosted glass bottles.

The PET and HDPE plastic, wide-mouthed bottles can be ordered in white or clear and come in a variety of sizes. The PET plastic also comes in amber. These round bottles are perfect for pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals and are ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 certified.

Quality caps are also important to mention. Safety is a top concern and the integrity of the product and safety of the consumer is vital. A nice selection of plastic fine rib closures are available as heat sealed or pressure sealed. Also in stock are plastic child-proof caps that come in a variety of convenient sizes.

With years of experience, a large selection of products, and a commitment to great customer service, Silver Spur Corporation will be able to assist with any packaging need. Please contact us with any questions about our available products and how we can best serve you.

Posted on December 4, 2019March 22, 2022 by Silver Spur Corp.

The History of Boston Round Bottles

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The History of Boston Round Bottles

Everybody talks about the discovery of fire and the invention of the wheel as humankind’s greatest achievements. But there’s another achievement that has an ancient history and a transformative effect on our way of life. The humble Boston Round glass bottle.

Bottles are so commonplace now that it’s hard to imagine them not existing. Our dive into the history of the glass Boston Round bottle needs to begin with how bottles came about in the first place.

When you start to think about everyday items in your home and workplace, you’ll find that you might know little about their histories. Objects we take for granted haven’t been around forever. Yet each one makes our lives easier.

If you’re intrigued about the history of glass bottles and the Boston Round bottles, keep reading to see what we’ve uncovered.

A Leap into the History of Glass Bottles

Before glass bottles, our ancestors made water containers from animal hides and gourds.

The first known invention of glass bottles was in ancient Egypt over 3000 years ago. The Egyptians made rudimentary glass bottles at first. They created a paste made from the natural substance silica and coated it in molten glass.

Glass itself was invented two thousand years prior. It wasn’t until glass blowing techniques came about in the 1st century BC that the material was used for many applications.

As glass jars and bottles are durable and useful, they were made in increasing quantities as the centuries passed. Glass bottles were made on a mass scale with the invention of automatic glass blowing technology in the late 19th century.

When Was the Boston Round Glass Bottle Invented?

Whether you recognize the name or not, you’ll recognize the bottle. The Boston Round bottle is commonplace, particularly in drug dispensaries and pharmaceutical companies. In fact, you might well have a few in your bathroom cabinet.

When glass bottles became easier to make in the 19th and 20th centuries, production shot up. They were particularly popular in the medicinal industry as the ideal form of packaging because glass is airtight and keeps odors out (or in). The ability to create dark-colored glass such as amber was also beneficial, as it prevents UV rays from degrading light-sensitive products inside.

Boston Round glass bottles could potentially have been designed to store liquids over solids as they have a narrow neck. This narrow diameter would’ve helped prevent any evaporation around the original cork stopper, something a solid, like a tablet, wouldn’t suffer from.

There are no records to describe when the Boston Round bottle came about. This is possibly because many glass bottle suppliers existed in the late 1800s and 1900s, each offering similar bottles.

Where Did Boston Round Bottles Get Their Name?

When glass bottle manufacturing took off in the pharmaceutical industry, bottles were commonly described by their shape. Bottles containing beverages, particularly carbonated drinks, were often round. This is because a round bottle has much more inherent strength than one of any other shape.

The likelihood is that Boston Round bottles have “round” in the name purely as a shape descriptor.

So why are they named “Boston”?

Strangely enough, they were also referred to as a Winchester bottle, particularly in the UK. Named Winchester Quart bottles, they were commonplace in 1860 at least when the Pharmaceutical Journal Part Two was published. The journal states, “…a Winchester quart bottle, which every druggist has in his store-room…”

It was named Winchester, not for the English city but after a measure at the time called a “Winchester”.

There’s no indication of why Winchester Quart bottles are also known as Boston Round bottles, but they were a common bottle at the turn of the 20th century and manufactured by many glassmakers.

What Are Boston Round Bottles Made From?

Traditional Boston Round bottles were made of glass, often brown-colored glass. This was most likely to protect its content from light. This is why you typically see an amber Boston Round bottle as opposed to a clear glass bottle. You can also choose from a cobalt blue or a green soda lime glass color.

The Boston Round glass bottle type has never gone out of fashion though thanks to its useful shape and these days it can be made out of glass or plastic. Glass is durable, easy to sterilize and 100% recyclable, making it an ideal material for storing a range of medicinal compounds.

Plastic has the benefit of being lightweight and still strong. The Boston Round also features a threaded neck for a screw cap. These became common from 1930 onwards and took over from corks and glass stoppers as the most useful sealing method.

Why Are They So Popular?

Whether you call them Boston Rounds, Winchester Bottles or Winchester Quarts, the bottle shape has seen enduring popularity for over a hundred years. The rounded shoulder is useful for solids and creams as angled shoulders can cause the contents to get stuck. The narrow neck is traditionally beneficial for liquids, preventing evaporation and making it easier to pour accurately. As they’re round, they’re also exceptionally strong and more comfortable to handle.

Of all the glass bottle shapes, it seems that this was the optimal design. You can use them with many different types of tops as well. We’ve even optimized the caps to the bottles to include liquid droppers, lotion pumps, spray tops, as well as the standard screw-on black cap.

These days, you can buy Boston Round bottles in a wide variety of colors. From clear glass to amber, cobalt blue, and green, both colored plastic and glass bottles are available to suit your needs. The amber color can protect your contents from the sun, whereas the clear Boston Round bottles allows for maximum visibility of the contents in your bottle. Clear Boston Round bottles are perfect for liquids that you want to display such as colorful herbal supplements.

Boston Round Bottles Are Popular As Ever

The history of pharmaceutical equipment is fascinating and often overlooked. Boston Round bottles are such a popular shape that we all have instances of them around our homes. These glass bottles have been used for packaging for many years and are tried and true.

Useful for everything from essential oils to medicines to CBD’s and creams, we can’t see the Boston Round falling out of favor.

If you’re looking for Boston Round bottles, check out our selection. When you start using your new Boston Round bottles, you know you’ll be using a little piece of history.