Fitzroy Amsterdam has taken an entirely new approach to reusing beach plastics for packaging. Its strategy, “From waste to wasted,” involves collecting plastic Coca-Cola bottle labels from the beaches of the Dutch North Sea Islands, melting them, and forming them into caps for its new Fitzroy Premium Navy Rum. Through this process, the caps take on a gorgeous, marble-like appearance, with each cap having a unique design.
Fitzroy Amsterdam is a creative agency that branched out into spirits after it saw a lack of environmentally conscious packaging in the category. “As an ad agency, we previously worked for big brands like Bacardi, Jack Daniels, and Heineken, so we got to know the market for hard liquors quite well,” says Fitzroy co-owner Jur Baart. “We were always wondering why there were no brands or products addressing environmental issues. Our main goal was to raise awareness and invite people to join in this modest form of ‘activism.’”
Baart explains that Fitzroy collects the plastic that washes up on the Wadden islands in the Netherlands. They then clean the plastic waste, after which they heat it with an iron press. When the temperature is right, the waste is pressed into a small, square mold and allowed to cool. “It’s actually not a complex process, but it does require a certain amount of attention and care,” he says.
The marble appearance of the cap is the result of what happens organically when plastic with a variety of colors is melted and pressed together, Baart explains. “We think this is a special part of this handcrafted bottle cap, using something artificial like plastic waste to recreate the natural look of marble,” he says.
