Modern bottled water is portable, convenient, and typically comes in a durable plastic bottle. While plastics have certainly revolutionized packaging and manufacturing, are there still companies that bottle water in glass containers? Which brands of water use glass bottles?
Perrier, Mountain Valley Spring Water, and Hildon Natural Mineral Water are all bottled water brands that use glass bottles. Glass bottles are beautiful, classic, easier to recycle, and can be repurposed around the house, but care should be taken with transport and storage.
Keep reading to learn more about bottled water brands that use glass bottles, what glass bottles can offer the consumer, and how to properly store and transport glass bottles.
You may be interested in my article on the 9 types of bottled water.
Table of Contents
Which Water Brands Use Glass Bottles?
While glass is not as popular a bottling medium as it was in years past, there is still a certain charm in buying water that has been bottled in glass. So which brands stand out as famous for using glass bottles?
Perrier
Perrier, with its famous dark green bottles, is a brand of sparkling mineral water that famously uses glass bottles. This French bottled water has high natural quantities of calcium and magnesium and is great for those with mineral deficiencies or seeking something refreshing and natural to pair with alcohol in cocktails or juice in mocktails.
Mountain Valley Spring Water
Mountain Valley Spring Water, bottled in Arkansas, is another heritage bottled water brand that uses glass bottles. This naturally mineral-rich spring water comes in both sparkling and still varieties and is bottled in a handsome, pale green bottle. Enjoy Mountain Valley as a refreshing Summer beverage when the company calls or as a mixer for other flavorful drinks.
Hildon Natural Mineral Water
Hildon Natural Mineral Water is an English brand that prides itself on purity and excellent taste, and crispness. The company uses clear glass bottles and has both sparkling and still options. All Hildon Natural Mineral Water is purity and quality tested for unmatched mineral content consistency and freshness.
ACQUA PANNA
Acqua Panna is an Italian brand of still mineral water that is sourced from natural springs in the region of Tuscany. It is known for its smooth and velvety taste, as well as its low mineral content. Acqua Panna is a popular choice among fine dining restaurants and is often paired with wine due to its neutral taste and refreshing quality. The glass bottles add to the brand’s sophistication and make it a luxurious choice for those seeking a high-quality drinking experience.
Antiposes
Antipodes is a brand of premium still water that hails from New Zealand. It is sourced from a natural aquifer deep beneath the ground and is known for its purity, crispness, and refreshing taste. The glass bottles used by Antipodes are elegant and sleek, adding to the brand’s overall luxurious image.
Evian Spring Water
Evian Spring Water is a premium brand of still water that originates from a natural spring in the French Alps. It is known for its crisp, clean taste, which is the result of the water filtering through layers of glacial sand and clay. Evian Spring Water is naturally high in minerals, including calcium and magnesium, which are essential for a healthy body.
San Pellegrino
San Pellegrino is a well-known Italian brand of sparkling mineral water that is sourced from natural springs in the Lombardy region of Italy. Their water is known for its high mineral content, which includes calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. San Pellegrino has a distinctive taste, with a slight effervescence and a tangy flavor that makes it a popular choice for pairing with food. The green and elegant glass bottles add to the brand’s premium image.
All of these brands are high-quality and place special emphasis on purity and freshness. They are also all naturally sourced and use glass bottles as a nod to their heritage status and as a means of conveying a commitment to quality and excellence.
So, if the glass is such a status symbol, why do we see so little of it these days? Why do so few companies produce water in glass bottles anymore?
The following table lists some of the most popular bottled water brands and the material the bottles are mode of.
| Brand Name | Bottle Material |
| ACQUA PANNA | Glass |
| Antipodes | Glass |
| Evian Spring Water | Glass |
| Hildon | Glass |
| Mountain Valley Spring Water | Glass |
| Perrier | Glass |
| San Pellegrino | Glass |
| Saratoga Spring Water | Glass |
| Starkey Spring Water | Glass |
| Voss Water | Glass |
| Aquafina | Plastic |
| Dasani | Plastic |
| Fiji Water | Plastic |
| Icelandic Glacial | Plastic |
| Smartwater | Plastic |
Why Is Glass Bottled Water So Rare?
Until the 1970s, most beverages were bottled in glass. The plastics revolution in packaging meant that bottles could be made much larger and that broken glass was no longer a hazard.
Plastic soon became the preferred medium for bottling companies. Corporations could bottle more liquid cheaply and sell more soda pop, water, and juice. Glass bottles began to fall by the wayside, as glass production was seen as overly expensive and even dangerous should the glass bottles be handled by small children.
By the 1990s, plastic had far outpaced glass as a preferred bottling medium for water. This coincided with the take-off of bottled water as a trendy, portable water solution and an increased Western emphasis on exercise, outdoor activities, and hydration.
This love affair with plastic, however, has created environmental issues that are difficult to solve and have led many corporations and individuals to re-thinking their relationship to disposable plastics. So, what makes glass better than plastic? Are there reasons to use bottled water in the glass as opposed to plastic bottles, and what added benefits do glass bottles offer?
What Do Glass Bottles Offer?
Glass bottles tend to be sturdy and attractive, lending them to store a variety of materials around the house. Once you get done with your bottled water, you can reuse the glass bottle to store other liquids or solids or for decorative purposes. Some common ways to reuse glass bottles around the house include:
- As a vase for cut flowers or dried grasses
- Paint the glass bottles to make a charming gift or centerpiece
- Fill glass bottles with lentils, spices, or other foods
- Use glass bottles as part of lawn decor (e.g., a glass bottle tree)
- Start a collection of uniquely colored glass bottles
Glass is also easier to recycle than plastic, making them far safer to throw into the recycling bin, too. Glass lends itself to being recycled multiple times over, unlike plastics, whose quality and integrity tend to break down over time.
Glass bottles also have an undeniable old-fashioned aesthetic and charm. Just as some admire old-school speakers and boom boxes for their technical usefulness and the craftsmanship involved, for some consumers, a traditional glass bottle has a similar appeal. It’s sturdy, classic, and looks beautiful displayed on a windowsill, especially when the sunlight shines through.
So, let’s say you’ve decided to ditch plastic bottled water for water bottled in glass. Can you still carry it around with you? What’s the best way to safely transport water in a glass bottle during day-to-day activities?
How Should I Transport Water in a Glass Bottle?
If you take glass bottled water with you in the car, the safest place for your bottle is going to be in a cup holder. Should you be transporting a glass bottle on a hiking trail or the beach, storing it carefully in your backpack’s side water bottle pocket should work just fine. Just make sure not to drop your pack suddenly or throw it down roughly on the ground.
If no side pocket is available, wrap your glass water bottle in a thick shirt or a towel before placing it in a knapsack, and handle bags carefully. The more materials between your glass bottle and the exterior of the bag, the better. Avoid putting pressure on top of the bottle or the bag, and make sure to keep glass bottles away from small children.
You may also choose to store water in glass bottles in a latched ice-filled cooler for added protection as well as temperature control.
Conclusion
Perrier, Mountain Valley Spring Water, and Hildon Natural Mineral Water are all water brands that use glass bottles. These brands also have a focus on purity and quality and are naturally sourced, as well as being rich sources of natural minerals.
Glass bottles are often prized for their solidity and beauty. While glass used to be a packaging staple, the rise of malleable and less breakable plastics in the 1970s led to fewer glass bottles on the market. However, glass is easier to recycle than plastics and can even be reused around the house or turned into art projects.
Safely transporting water in glass bottles can be done with the help of a vehicle’s cup holder, an ice-filled cooler with a latch, or the side bottle pocket of a backpack. If no such pocket is available, wrap your glass bottle in a thick shirt or towel before placing it in your backpack, and treat your backpack gently.