Should we source glass from China or use UK manufacturers, and what are the alternative suppliers beyond the major established brands?

The community recommends UK glass manufacturers over China for most producers, despite China's cheaper mould costs and quick turnaround. Freight costs from China have risen significantly and may eliminate unit-cost savings; UK suppliers offer better credit terms, stock holding, and consistency.

**UK manufacturers:** - **Stoelzle** — recommended particularly for blue glass; can amortise mould costs and offer credit/stock holding - **Allied** — established UK manufacturer with similar benefits to Stoelzle - **Saverglass** — praised for reliability; can handle painting and screenprinting for orders over 5,000 bottles, useful for scaling - **Encirc** — alternative UK supplier - **Vetroelite** — alternative UK supplier

**China sourcing trade-offs (if considering):** - Pros: cheaper mould costs, quick production turnaround, slightly lower unit costs - Cons: container freight from China now "completely mad" cost-wise, shipping time, upfront payment required, must take full delivery at once, quality inconsistency

**Caveat:** Freight costs from China have risen to a point where they may fully offset any unit-cost advantage. Members advised wariness about this route at present. For "off the shelf" stock, contact the UK suppliers directly (e.g. Louis at Stoelzle).