Blue vs. Amber Glass: Which Is Better for UV Protection?

Amber vs. Cobalt Blue Glass: The Best Bottle for your Light Sensitive Product

Have you ever opened a bottle of beer and immediately noticed the flavor was off? Odds are it was out in the sun too long, which is exactly why beer bottles are brown. Sunlight contains ultraviolet radiation that can damage your product in the same way it causes sunburn or can bleach out the color of a beach towel that has been outside all season. Ultraviolet (UV) rays are only a small percentage of the light from the sun, but they often pose the biggest problem for your essential oil, beer, spirit, etc.

The best way to protect your product is to ensure that it is stored in a cool, dark environment to prevent light exposure. When this is not possible, packaging your light sensitive product in the proper glass container can also help prevent quality loss or damage. Glass comes in clear, amber glass, green, cobalt glass and more. They each provide different levels of protection against UV light.

Will Glass Prevent Sunlight from Damaging my Essential Oil, Beer, etc.?

Glass absorbs a large amount of UVB light no matter what the color. This is why you will not be easily sunburned through your window. However, sunlight contains both UVA and UVB light. Clear glass only can protect against a small percentage of UVA light.

Tinted glass can protect your light sensitive product better than clear glass as it prevents more UVA light from passing through. The color in tinted glass helps filter damaging rays and keep your essential oil or similar product fresh longer.

Which Color Glass Bottle is the Best to Protect my Light Sensitive Product, Amber vs. Cobalt Blue Glass?

Amber glass offers protection from most light wavelengths under 450 nm, making it the best choice for optimum protection against damaging UV light. Amber packaging is often used in the pharmaceutical, spirit, personal care industry and more.

Cobalt glass bottles can provide adequate protection from light depending on your product as it absorbs more light than clear glass bottles. Many manufacturers choose cobalt glass over amber glass as it is an attractive material to allow your product to stand out on the shelves.

What About Green Glass Bottles?

While you might see beer and similar products stored in green glass, it offers little protection against UV radiation compared to other colors of tinted glass. Similar to clear glass, however, green glass packaging will display your product more prominently and might be an option depending on the chemical composition of your oil, beverage, cream, etc.

Which Tinted Glass Bottle is the Best Choice for Your Product?

Choosing between clear vs. green, or amber vs. cobalt blue glass requires you to know how much sunlight your product can tolerate without loosing quality, as well as deciding which color represents your brand the best. If you need more information regarding our glass bottles, contact as by email or call us at 630.629.6600 today!

Have you been putting sunscreen on your beer bottles and essential oils? We sure hope not! However, light damage is no joke when it comes to selecting the right type of container for your product. Sunlight contains ultraviolet radiation that can damage your product in the same way it causes sunburn. Just as we might reach for a bottle of sunblock, our products need containers that protect them against harmful UV rays.

Two types of glass tints– amber glass and cobalt glass– typically go head-to-head in the conversation about UV protection. These color options dominate styles such as glass boston rounds and glass packer bottles, frequently used in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries. Although amber glass offers the most protection against UV light, cobalt glass remains an excellent packaging option for many reasons. Let's delve into the debate, beginning with the science behind UV light and glass.


Glass & UV Light

The sun emits several types of light, one of which is ultraviolet (UV) radiation. There are two kinds of UV radiation from the sun that break through Earth’s atmosphere: UVA and UVB. No matter what color it is, glass will absorb almost 100% of UVB light. This is why you will not be easily sunburned through your window. However, over 50% of UVA rays can pass through glass. When it comes to containers, that means access to your product.

The best way to protect your product is to ensure that it is stored in a cool, dark environment to prevent light exposure. In addition to proper storage, packaging your light sensitive product in the proper glass container can help prevent quality loss or damage, extending shelf-life. Different tints of glass provide different levels of protection against UV light.

Clear Glass Protection

According to the International UV Association, ordinary glass will allow UV wavelengths of about 330 nm to pass through it. About 75% of UVA passes through clear glass. When comparing amber vs clear glass bottles, unless they are reinforced with a protective film, clear glass bottles do not offer much UV protection.

Cobalt Blue vs Amber Glass Protection

Cobalt blue glass can provide adequate protection from UV light because the deep blue tint absorbs more light than clear glass. Cobalt blue glass also filters visible yellow light, expanding the ability to see blue and violet. This is why cobalt blue glass is often used as an optical filter for flame tests. 

Amber glass protects from most light wavelengths under 450 nm, making it the best choice for optimum protection against damaging UV rays. When comparing blue vs amber glass, amber glass tends to be the preferred choice for light-sensitive products due to its superior UV protection and broad light-filtering capabilities. Besides UV rays, amber glass is effective at filtering out blue light. 


When to Use Cobalt Blue vs Amber Glass?

Both cobalt blue and amber glass are staples of many industries. Although the final choice belongs to you, your product’s needs and your brand’s aesthetic, understanding a bit about how cobalt and amber glass are used can help shape your decision.

What Is the Purpose of Cobalt Blue Glass?

In terms of containers, cobalt blue glass containers are popular choices for cosmetics, essential oils, nutraceutical products, and wine. Its elegant and eye-catching hue helps brands achieve a unique, attractive look.

Additionally, as mentioned previously, cobalt blue glass itself makes for an excellent optical filter for flame tests, filtering bright yellow light. It remains the preferred choice for furnace observation industries.

What Is the Purpose of Amber Glass?

Have you ever opened a bottle of beer and immediately noticed the flavor was off? Odds are it was out in the sun too long, leading to a type of sun damage called “skunking”. The beer industry heavily relies on amber glass to maintain the flavor of light-sensitive beer.

Other applications that enjoy the UV protection provided by amber glass include cosmetics, essential oils, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, solvents and beverages such as sodas and ciders.


Deciding Between Blue vs Amber Glass

Choosing between cobalt blue vs amber glass requires you to know how much sunlight your product can tolerate without losing quality, as well as deciding which color represents your brand the best. Although amber glass provides more UV protection for light-sensitive products, cobalt glass boasts a stunning visual appeal while still providing moderate light protection when paired with proper storage. Regardless of container, it is crucial to store light-sensitive products in cool, dark environments.

If you need more information regarding our glass bottles, contact us by email sales@thecarycompany.com or call us at 630.629.6600 today! 

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