bottles

A bottle is a hollow container with a neck that narrows to an opening, designed to hold liquids and sometimes solids. Bottles vary widely in size, shape, and closure type, but they share the goal of containing contents securely while allowing controlled access.

Historically, bottles emerged from clay vessels in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. The invention of glass blowing in the first centuries BCE allowed standardized bottle shapes and mass production. In the 19th and 20th centuries, glass and later plastics became dominant packaging materials.

Materials commonly used for bottles include glass, plastics (notably PET), metal (aluminum or steel), and ceramic or clay for traditional or specialty products. Glass is inert and reusable but heavy; plastics are lightweight and inexpensive but pose disposal and pollution concerns; metals provide durability; ceramics offer aesthetic appeal.

Bottles are manufactured by blowing, pressing, or molding glass, and blow molding or injection molding for plastics. Closures include corks, screw caps, crown caps, and snap-on tops. Design features such as punt bottoms, shoulder shapes, and neck finishes influence strength, pourability, and branding.

Applications span beverages (wine, beer, soft drinks), pharmaceuticals (amber glass bottles protect from light), cosmetics and personal care, and laboratory or industrial chemicals. Bottle types are often categorized by content, such as wine bottles, beer bottles, or medicine bottles.

Recycling and sustainability considerations affect bottle design and end-of-life management. Glass is widely recyclable; PET is recyclable but recycling rates vary. Reducing single-use bottles and increasing efficient recycling are ongoing environmental priorities.