fiber vs. styrofoam

[Ned Hoey]

I think that considering the effort made to avoid shipping when even warm weather is possible, the slightly better insulation performance attributed to styrofoam seems unnecessary. The most recent styfo shippers are pretty stripped down to minimum so maybe these are no better. They do remain non recyclable. Plus they are much less reusable because they often break during their first trip.
Fiber is EASILY reused or recycled, and should be perfectly acceptable for the shipping standards of Garagiste.

Any appreciable difference in cost?

[guitarguy]

I have been getting Monte Bello futures from RIdge for several years in fiber. Unlike Garagiste styrefoam that I have to throw away here in Texas, I can recycle the entire fiber case and cardboard, which I like a lot. Occasionally the fiber gets beat up in shipment, but I have had styrefoam bashed to hell and back too and have never had a bottle break in either shipping option. I would love a change, not only for the environment but the cardboard shippers are horizontal meaning that you can throw the cases in the cellar with the taped top up and the wine will be on its side until you have time to empty the cases. Good deal all the way around.

GG

[Sparkdogg]

Agree with Guitarguy that the fiber shippers make for more efficient storage. The styrafoam shipper is much larger than a standard 12-bottle wine container.

I just received 26 cases from Gargiste that I will need to put in a wine storage facility. I'd like to repack them so I will have room for even more purchases. Does anyone know a source for a standard wine box (besides the local liquor store)?

[guitarguy]

I live in the southwest and my cases from Garagiste arrived with the bottoms blown out of about one-third of the bottle compartments. Apparently UPS just bounces those bottles enough that they blow through the thin styrofoam bottom of the individual bottle compartment. The same thing used to happen when I was in the midwest and received shipments from the left coast. I never have had a problem with the cardboard egg-type shippers, but these are probably harder to load since they have to be loaded three bottles or four bottles and then a cardboard insert placed in, then another few bottles, then cardboard, etc. I suspect Garagiste's trepidation to go this way may include the additional labor and time required to load out this type of case. I can understand that. But man, I had to go to every dumpster in the county after dark to find enough places to dump my 21 empty styrofoam inserts (recycled the box) and I felt like a heel for landfilling them. I could not even re-sell the containers because of the blown out bottoms. I await the inevitable broken bottle in a blown out compartment. There must be a better solution.

Check local box distributors (look under boxes in the Yellow Pages) or bottle making companies (glass companies). They may sell you empty cases. I have to believe the local liquor store would tell you to take whatever you need.

[jnurthen]

I would even pay a small premium for a fiber shipper. Disposing of the styro is far too difficult and I hate putting that much into landfill.

[rnellans]

I live in AZ...so if the insulation 'effect' is as good with fiber, I would be happy to go that way, in view of the difficulty in disposing of styrofoam...I question whether that would be the case however.

[guitarguy]

Awesome Garagiste, the spring shipment in cardboard. Looks like a lot of paper product there but it all went to recycle, a huge upgrade from the styrofoam that I sent to the landfill last fall. Yea, go Jon and the team at G'iste.

[thamnosma]

Completely agree, good job!

[peterhimes]

like many others I am so glad to see fiber packing in my latest shipments. My local landfill no longer recycles styrofoam so aside from just having to dump it in the landfill I have to store up a carful of styrofoam and pay $10 for the pleasure!