Decoration is offset print, silk screen or hot stamp over a base coat and varnish, glossy or matte. Caps can be PP, AS, aluminium, wood or bamboo.
Send the formula, the fill volume and the shelf life you need. We match the internal lacquer to the formula from there.
Product Paramenters
|
Item |
Specification |
|
Tube type |
Pure aluminium collapsible tube, impact extruded in one piece |
|
Aluminium |
99.5% minimum, soft temper |
|
Diameter |
13.5 / 16 / 19 / 22 / 25 / 28 / 30 / 32 / 35 / 38 / 40 / 45 / 50 mm |
|
Tube shape |
Round, oval |
|
Capacity |
3–250 ml; tube length set by fill volume |
|
Wall thickness |
0.40 mm at the body; 0.45–0.50 mm from D35 up |
|
Internal lacquer |
Epoxy-phenolic, 10–18 g/m²; polyamide-imide for BPA-free declarations |
|
External finish |
Base coat, print, varnish; glossy or matte |
|
Colour |
Any Pantone colour |
|
Printing |
Offset up to 6 colours, silk screen, hot stamping, labelling |
|
Orifice |
Open as standard; membrane sealed with piercing cap on request |
|
Cap |
Screw, flip-top, nozzle, applicator; PP, AS, aluminium, wood or bamboo |
|
Tail seal |
Single-fold crimp, 5–7 mm; latex band optional |
|
Testing |
100% in-line air pressure test; batch burst and fill test |
|
MOQ |
10,000 pcs per size and print |
|
Packing |
Tray into 5-ply export carton; caps packed separately |
|
Samples |
Free stock samples; printed samples 7–10 days |
|
Lead time |
15–30 days after artwork approval |
Aluminium Tubes Cosmetics Packaging Leakage/Pressure Test
Product-related information
1: Why are aluminum tubes an ideal packaging solution for cosmetics?
Aluminum tubes are an excellent choice for cosmetic packaging because they offer strong protection for sensitive formulas. They provide outstanding resistance to light, oxygen, and moisture, helping preserve the stability and effectiveness of ingredients like vitamin A, essential oils, and other active compounds. In addition, aluminum tube materials meet cosmetic safety standards, so they are non‑toxic, free from harmful substances, and safe for direct contact with beauty and personal care products.
2: What quality features should a high‑quality aluminum cosmetic tube have?
A premium aluminum cosmetic tube should have a smooth, clean surface with even wall thickness, free from scratches, uneven coloring, or other visible defects. The sealed end should be straight and secure to prevent leaks and protect the product from contamination. To meet different branding and application needs, aluminum tubes can also be customized with high‑quality printing, hot stamping, and various closure options-such as screw caps, flip‑top caps, and specialized dispensing systems.
3: Are aluminum cosmetic tubes environmentally friendly?
Yes. Aluminum is one of the most sustainable packaging materials available because it can be recycled over and over again without losing its original properties. Its high recycling rate helps cut down on waste and lowers the environmental impact of cosmetic packaging. By combining excellent product protection with long‑term recyclability, aluminum tubes support the growing demand for eco‑friendly and sustainable beauty packaging.
Internal Lacquer: Where It Stops
Aluminium is amphoteric. Acid dissolves the oxide skin, alkali attacks the metal, and both reactions release hydrogen. An aqueous formula outside roughly pH 4.5–8.0 will eat a bare wall; inside that window water still reacts, just slowly enough that the damage shows up in month eighteen rather than week two. Anhydrous fills are the only ones we would run unlined: petrolatum, wax ointments, silicone bases.
Standard is a single coat of epoxy-phenolic at 10–18 g/m², cured at 190–210 °C. It bonds to aluminium, stays flexible enough to survive the tail crimp, and holds against the surfactants, glycols and preservatives used in skin care. High-acid toothpaste and solvent-heavy formulas get a two-coat build at 20–30 g/m². Where a buyer needs a BPA-free declaration, we move to polyamide-imide.
The lacquer does not reach the tail. The last stretch of the shell stays bare so the crimp can close metal against metal, because a coated crimp does not seal. That bare band sits inside the tube, at the end the product reaches last and sits in longest, and it is usually where a pinhole starts. The cut edge of the orifice is bare for the same reason: no lacquer survives the trimming.
So an internal lacquer protects the wall, not the seal. The seal is covered by the latex band described in the next section.
|
Test |
Method |
Acceptance |
|
Film weight |
Gravimetric, coated against uncoated coupon |
10–18 g/m² |
|
Porosity |
Acidified copper sulphate, 5 minutes |
No copper deposit on the film |
|
Adhesion |
Cross-hatch, then tape pull |
No film lifted from the lattice |
|
Boiling water |
30 minutes immersion, adhesion re-checked |
No blistering, no lift |
|
Acid resistance |
24 hours in 5% citric acid at 25 °C |
No blistering, no pinhole |
|
Fill compatibility |
Filled tube, 40 °C, 4 weeks, checked weekly |
No gas, no odour shift, no perforation |
Qualification Certificate
Tail Seal, Crimp and Orifice
The tail is folded once and closed between crimping jaws at 5–7 mm. Single fold is standard. For a hot fill above 60 °C, or a product thin enough to creep past a fold, we run a double fold: the tail edge is turned back on itself before the jaws close, so two thicknesses of metal sit between the product and the outside.
A latex band is a strip of latex laid inside the tail before crimping. It bridges the bare band that the lacquer leaves, so the product never sits against uncoated aluminium at the seal. Natural latex is the default. For a latex-free line, or a market that flags latex allergens, we use a synthetic band. Say so at quotation stage; it changes the tube specification and not the artwork.
The neck comes open or sealed. Open is standard: the cap seals against the orifice and the product meets the liner from filling onward. Membrane sealed means a thin aluminium membrane closes the neck and the cap carries a pin that pierces it on first use. Use it for eye ointment, pharmacy lines, or anything where the top two millimetres thickening in the orifice becomes a complaint. It doubles as a tamper indicator.
Every tube is pressure tested on the line before capping. Batch samples go through burst, drop and a four-week fill test at 40 °C.
|
Check |
Method |
Acceptance |
|
Crimp width |
Calliper across the folded tail |
5–7 mm, constant across the width |
|
Seal integrity |
100% in-line air pressure test |
No pressure decay; no bubble at the crimp under water |
|
Latex band |
Visual and pull check |
Covers the bare tail, no gap at either end |
|
Drop |
1.2 m, six faces, filled |
No split at the crimp |
|
Storage |
40 °C, 4 weeks, filled |
No leak, no product past the crimp |
FAQ
Q1: Can I get a sample to check the quality?
A: Yes. Stock samples are free and you cover the freight. Tell us the tube diameter, the fill volume and the cap you want to test, and we send the nearest match from stock.
Q2: Can we print or label on the tube?
A: Yes. Offset up to six colours, silk screen, hot stamping and labelling all run on the same line. Offset holds gradients, silk screen holds a heavy opaque white, and hot stamp gives a metallic finish. Artwork is checked against a printed proof before the run starts.
Q3: How do you control quality?
A: Incoming aluminium is checked for hardness and wall thickness. Every tube is air pressure tested before capping. Printing is inspected against the approved proof at the start of each run, and batch samples go through burst, drop and a four-week fill test at 40 degrees C.
Q4: What is the MOQ and sample lead time?
A: MOQ 10,000 pcs; samples in 7–10 days. Free samples available.
Q5: Does the tube need an internal lacquer for my formula?
A: It depends on the formula, not on the tube. Anhydrous fills such as petrolatum, wax ointments and silicone bases run unlined. Anything aqueous needs a lacquer, and so does anything outside pH 4.5–8.0. We use a single coat of epoxy-phenolic at 10–18 g/m² as standard, a two-coat build for high-acid or solvent-heavy formulas, and polyamide-imide where a BPA-free declaration is required. Send the formula and the shelf life and we will name the system, then run a four-week fill test at 40 °C before bulk.
Q6: How is the tail sealed, and do you offer a latex band?
A: Single-fold crimp at 5–7 mm, which is standard. Double fold for a hot fill above 60 °C. A latex band is available on request and is the usual choice for anything that attacks aluminium, because the internal lacquer stops short of the tail and that bare band sits inside the seal. A synthetic band covers latex-free lines. Every tube is air pressure tested on the line, and batch samples get burst and drop tests.
Q7: Is the tube open or membrane sealed?
A: Open by default. The cap seals against the orifice. Membrane sealed is the option for eye ointment and pharmacy lines: a thin aluminium membrane closes the neck and the cap carries a pin that pierces it on first use. It keeps the orifice from drying out and works as a tamper indicator.
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