Dark storage jars

Why dark glass protects the contents better than clear glass

Dark storage jars shield the contents from light, and that is the whole point. Over time, light—especially daylight and UV rays—degrades the color, scent, flavor, and nutrients in many dry goods. Clear glass looks nice on the shelf, but it lets light shine straight through to your spices, herbs, tea, and coffee. Dark glass dims the light, helping the contents stay fresher for longer.

The effect is greatest for items you use slowly. A jar of paprika, dried oregano, or green tea often sits out for weeks or months, and that is precisely when the light has time to do damage. If you keep these items in dark glass, they will retain their color and aroma instead of fading and losing their flavor. If you want to read more about how jars generally create order in the kitchen, we have gathered our tips in our guide to storage jars – how to get order and an overview in the kitchen.

What you can advantageously store in dark storage jars

Everything light-sensitive belongs here. Spices and dried herbs are the obvious choices: turmeric, paprika, chili, oregano, thyme, and the blends you mix yourself. Tea and coffee also belong here, because both tea leaves and coffee beans lose aroma when exposed to light. The same goes for supplements, grains, nuts, and seeds, which contain fats that go rancid faster in light.

Homemade goods also thrive in dark glass. Dried mushrooms, homemade muesli, granola, or your own spice blends hold both flavor and appearance longer. In short: if the item typically sits out for a long time, and color and scent matter to you, then dark glass is a good choice. The very large quantities of flour and sugar that you use quickly do not need light protection in the same way, and here you can easily use our standard square storage jars in clear glass instead.

Square shape that utilizes the shelf better

The jars in this collection are square, and that is a practical detail more than an aesthetic one. Square jars stand side by side without wasted space between them, whereas round jars leave gaps. On a narrow spice rack or in a deep cupboard, this means you can fit more jars into the same space, and the rows stand straight and tidy.

The square shape also makes the jar stable. It doesn't tip over as easily when you pull one out of the row, and it is easy to grip. Together with the uniform wooden lid, it provides a calm, cohesive look in the cupboard, where it would otherwise quickly become a jumble of bags and various types of packaging.

Four sizes from 500 to 2000 ml

The collection comes in four sizes, so you can match the jar to how much you actually use of each item. The smallest, Square Storage Jar with Acacia Wood Lid 500 ml, is suitable for spices and herbs you use in small quantities. The Square Storage Jar with Acacia Wood Lid 1000 ml is a good all-round jar for tea, coffee, grains, and nuts.

If you need more space, there is the Square Storage Jar with Acacia Wood Lid 1800 ml and the largest, the Square Storage Jar with Acacia Wood Lid 2000 ml, for muesli, granola, and the dry goods you buy in larger portions. A small tip: choose the size based on how quickly you use up the item. A jar that stands half-empty for months exposes the contents to more air than it is worth.

How the wooden lid keeps the contents fresh

The lid is made of acacia wood, which provides both a warm, natural look and a practical function. Natural materials like wood and glass are the essence of a calm kitchen interior, and they match each other across the entire series, so you can mix sizes without breaking the uniform look.

The lid seals tightly around the jar, keeping air and moisture out so that your dry goods don't get soft or lose their aroma. It is this combination that makes the jars worth filling up again and again: you simply pour a new bag into the same jar instead of collecting half-open bags in the cupboard. If you want to see the entire series of jars with wooden lids, you can find them under storage jars with acacia wood lids.

Label them

Once spices and dry goods are in identical jars, the visual difference you used to recognize them by disappears. That is why it makes sense to add labels, so you know at a glance what is what and avoid having to open three jars to find the right one. This is also what transforms a messy shelf into a system you can actually maintain.

We have labels that fit the jars and maintain the same calm, uniform look. You can find them under labels. If you need inspiration on how to label your spices so they are easy to find, we have written about it in labels for spices – create order and an overview in the kitchen today.

Refillable glass instead of disposable packaging

The dark glass jars are made to be used again and again. Instead of having spices and dry goods lying around in plastic bags and trays that you throw away and buy new ones of, you pour the goods into the jar and refill it when it's empty. This saves on packaging over time and also gives you a neater cupboard.

Glass also withstands washing and cleaning without being damaged or absorbing odors, so the same jar can be used for different items over the years. If you want to build an entire system at once rather than collecting jars one by one, you can take a look at our storage jar package solutions, where several jars are sold together.

If you are unsure where to start, you don't have to overhaul the whole kitchen at once. Take one shelf or one cupboard at a time, and if you have any questions along the way, we are ready to help.