Tubes
Plastic Tubes
Plastic cosmetic tubes are extruded or laminated squeeze packs from 5 ml to 300 ml that dispense creams, gels and fluids hygienically and evacuate almost completely — the strongest all-round format for viscous formulas.
- 5 ml
- 10 ml
- 15 ml
- 20 ml
- 30 ml
- 50 ml
At a glance
- Best for
- Cleanser and treatment ranges · Sun care and after-sun · Hand and foot care
- Formula fit
- Cleanser and gel · Cream and moisturiser · Sun and after-sun
- Materials
- PE (virgin and PCR) · PE with EVOH barrier layer · ABL and PBL look constructions
- Decoration
- Custom colour matched to the brand palette · Printing on body, lid and shoulder
What are plastic tubes?
Tubes win on three counts: they protect the formula from air between uses, they dispense viscous textures cleanly without a pump, and they can be decorated across the full body and shoulder with high-quality print. That combination makes tubes the default for cleanser, treatment masks, sun care and hand cream.
We supply extruded PE tubes and barrier tubes in glossy, matte and soft-touch finishes, in 300 µm to 500 µm wall thickness, with flip-top, disc-top, screw and applied-cap closures.
Typical specification range
Values below are the ranges we quote most often. Confirm against your formula viscosity, fill weight and destination market before freezing a specification.
| Parameter | Options we quote |
|---|---|
| Capacities | 5 ml, 10 ml, 15 ml, 20 ml, 30 ml, 50 ml, 75 ml, 100 ml, 120 ml, 150 ml, 200 ml, 250 ml, 300 ml |
| Materials | PE (virgin and PCR), PE with EVOH barrier layer, ABL and PBL look constructions, PCR-PE closure options |
| Closures / dispensing | Flip-top cap, Disc-top cap, Screw cap, Push-pull cap, Nozzle cap, Spout cap |
| Customisation | Custom colour matched to the brand palette, Printing on body, lid and shoulder, Hot stamping for premium retail packs, Frosted, soft-touch or metallic finishing, Secondary packing: cartons, inserts, shrink sleeve, Closure and component upgrades (airless, dropper, pump) |
| MOQ | 1,000 pcs per design for stock moulds; 3,000 pcs for decorated orders; 10,000 pcs per size for custom moulds. |
| Sampling time | Stock samples in 5–10 working days; custom colour and decorated samples in 10–20 working days. |
| Production lead time | 15–30 working days after sample approval, depending on quantity, decoration and assembly complexity. |
Product features
Near-complete evacuation
A squeezed tube empties almost fully, which suits expensive formulas where a few grams of residual product matter.
Formula protection between uses
Head-space stays minimal and product only leaves the tube, so oxidative exposure is far lower than in an open jar.
Full-surface decoration
Offset, flexo, screen and digital printing cover the tube body and shoulder, with hot stamping, matte varnish and soft-touch over-lamination available.
Who it is suitable for
- Cleanser and treatment ranges
- Sun care and after-sun
- Hand and foot care
- Professional and pharmacy formats
- Travel and trial sizes
Suitable formulas and products
- Cleanser and gel
- Cream and moisturiser
- Sun and after-sun
- Hand cream
- Toothpaste-style pastes
- Ointment
Customisation options
Plastic Tubes can be delivered as a stock-mould pack with your colour and decoration, or developed into a proprietary format. Decoration is specified against the final surface finish so print adhesion and colour hold in use.
- Custom colour matched to the brand palette
- Printing on body, lid and shoulder
- Hot stamping for premium retail packs
- Frosted, soft-touch or metallic finishing
- Secondary packing: cartons, inserts, shrink sleeve
- Closure and component upgrades (airless, dropper, pump)
How these are manufactured
Parts are moulded by injection, injection blow or extrusion blow moulding depending on the format and material, then assembled, decorated and inspected in lots. Moulding parameters are recorded per mould so repeat orders match the approved sample. Read the manufacturing process.
Quality control
Dimension and weight checks, closure torque, leak and dose testing where relevant, colour verification (ΔE ≤ 1.5 opaque parts) and AQL 1.0/2.5 final inspection. Lot records are supplied with the shipping documents. See the inspection checklist.
Materials for this range
- PE — material guide
- PCR plastic — material guide
- PP — material guide
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions buyers ask most about plastic tubes. Send any specific question through the contact form and a packaging engineer will reply in writing.
How many layers does a cosmetic tube have?
Standard extruded PE tubes use five to seven layers, including barrier layers (EVOH) for formula protection, tie layers for bonding and virgin inner layers for contact safety. The outer layer carries print and finish.
What is the maximum protection tube construction?
An EVOH-barrier tube with a sealed head gives the best barrier against oxygen and fragrance loss; for very demanding formulas we quote an ABL-look construction or a barrier-laminated tube.
What wall thickness is standard for a cosmetic tube?
300 µm for 30–50 ml, 350–400 µm for 75–150 ml and 400–500 µm for 200–300 ml. Heavier walls feel more premium but cost more resin per unit.
What is the MOQ for plastic tubes?
Tubes start at 3,000 pcs per design because of print set-up; PCR and barrier constructions usually start at 5,000 pcs.
What is the MOQ for plastic tubes?
1,000 pcs per design for stock moulds; 3,000 pcs for decorated orders; 10,000 pcs per size for custom moulds.
Can I customise the colour?
Yes. Colour is matched to a Pantone reference or a physical sample and verified on production-resin parts. Custom colour matched to the brand palette is the standard route, and we supply samples for approval before the run.
Can you print or emboss my logo?
Yes — printing, hot stamping, coating, labelling and custom closures are all available for plastic tubes. Choose the method with your surface finish in mind: gloss print or foil works best on matte and soft-touch surfaces.
Can I request samples?
Stock samples in 5–10 working days; custom colour and decorated samples in 10–20 working days. Stock samples are supplied free (up to five pieces per SKU, courier at your cost); custom colour and decorated samples are quoted per project, typically USD 120–450.
Can you develop a custom mould?
Yes. Custom tooling is quoted as a separate line item with the cavity plan stated, usually from around 10,000 pcs per size and 25–40 calendar days from drawing approval to first-article inspection.
What is the production lead time?
15–30 working days after sample approval, depending on quantity, decoration and assembly complexity.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. We ship plastic tubes to the United States, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Latin America, quoting FOB, CIF, DDP and air freight.
Which materials are available?
PE (virgin and PCR), PE with EVOH barrier layer, ABL and PBL look constructions, PCR-PE closure options. Selection is driven by formula compatibility, clarity requirements, decoration and any recycled-content target.
Still have a question? Talk to a packaging expert.
More in Tubes
Squeeze Tubes
A squeeze tube is a collapsible plastic pack that dispenses product by hand pressure: no mechanism, no air ingress, minimal product loss and low unit cost, which is why it dominates cream and gel packaging.
5 ml · 10 ml · 15 ml · 20 ml · more
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Cosmetic Tube Packaging
Cosmetic tube packaging combines a tube body and cap with a printing system — offset, flexo, screen or digital — that can cover the entire pack, which makes tubes the most brand-communicative low-cost format in skincare.
5 ml · 10 ml · 15 ml · 20 ml · more
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Travel-Size Tubes
Travel-size tubes are 5–30 ml packs in 19–30 mm diameters, used for deluxe sizes, amenity programmes and sampling where the pack must be light, sealed and identical in quality to the retail format.
5 ml · 10 ml · 15 ml · 20 ml · more
View range →Continue researching
Quotes and samples for plastic tubes
Send the capacity, quantity, colour reference and decoration you need. We reply with MOQ, unit price band, sampling time and lead time — and we will tell you if a different format suits your formula better. Stock mould formats from 1,000 pcs per design; decorated orders typically from 3,000 pcs; custom moulds usually from 10,000 pcs per size.
No account required · NDA available · Quote replies within one business day (Mon–Sat, GMT+8)