Glass

Renewable, non-polluting and recyclable: A safe bet!

Glass is created from a mixture of natural raw materials and is considered to be one of mans most impressive discoveries. Combining sand, sodium carbonate, aluminium oxide at high temperatures, this originates a transparent liquid which constitutes in itself a clear sustainable option! The same raw materials have been used for thousands of years – always renewable. The production process results in very low levels of pollution as well as waste. Above all, glass is eternally recyclable.

This ancient technique of glass blowing, one of many secrets kept by glass manufacturers/makers, Marinha Grande’s products, mark the Portuguese industrial period. Today, the Portuguese industry have three main sub-sectores in glass making: Flat glass; container glassware and crystalware. There are two parts in the production of a glass piece: the production of the glass object without any decoration and the decoration itself by dipping in hydrofluoric acid or sandblasting, painting and etching.

Blowing glass is an art form. A glass gob (glass in almost liquid form) is collected with a hollow blowing-iron or pipe from a hot furnace (around 1200 degrees) to be moulded into shape through blowing. This is done by very few who are still able to keep up the technique.

In respect to various finishes, Etching is a decorative form that allows the design to be engraved directly onto the glass through a mechanical system using needles. A worker guides a master needle on top of a drawing that multiplies this movement to other needles that create the design directly onto the glass.

Depósito da Marinha Grande continues to believe in the manual glass production side of glass making, associated with other industrial techniques available, they offer a wide range of products that guarantee quality.