Sixteen packaging types, three routes, one table.
MOQ is set by how much of the piece is made for you. The table gives three routes per type: an existing component in a stock colour; the same component with your decoration; and a private mould. The published industry floor is 5,000–10,000 pieces per item; the lower figures are reachable only where a partner factory is already tooled for small runs, and they are indicative, not a commitment. Every row links to the product page with the specification behind it.
| Packaging type | Stock, undecorated (floor) | Stock + decoration | Private mould (floor) | Tooling RMB ≈ USD | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airless bottles | ~10,000 (multi-component assembly; some stock lines lower) | 10,000; sprayed outer sleeve 2,000–5,000 per shape on top | 10,000 custom; full 90–120 day programme | Injection tool RMB 25,000–70,000 ≈ USD 3,500–9,700 per component | Plastic only (PP / PETG / PCR); piston and pump from separate lines; pump life ≥1,500 cycles tested |
| Dropper bottles | ~500 stock glass in warehouse; low thousands on a public-mould run | 2,000 screen print; 2,000–5,000 sprayed or anodised collar; frosted stock shape from ~1,000 | 3,000–5,000 on a short-run glassworks line; 30,000+ made-to-order at most furnaces | Glass mould RMB 2,500–4,000 ≈ USD 350–555 per set; 4–8 cavity RMB 16,000–32,000 ≈ USD 2,200–4,450 | Dropper assembly (cap, collar, pipette, bulb) carries its own ~500 floor in stock colours |
| Glass bottles | ~500 in stock; low thousands on a public mould | 2,000 print; 2,000–5,000 sprayed per shape; ≤2 print + hot-stamp passes | 5,000+ on short-run lines; 30,000–200,000 made-to-order | Hand mould ≈ USD 350; automatic ≈ USD 555 per cavity; 4–8 cavity set USD 2,200–4,450 | Furnace runs continuously, so the item must justify a machine changeover |
| Cosmetic jars (PP / acrylic / glass) | ~500 stock, incl. double-wall stock shapes | 2,000 print; sprayed cap 2,000–5,000; plated cap ~10,000 | 3,000–10,000 plus tooling | RMB 25,000–70,000 ≈ USD 3,500–9,700; worked mid-size tool ≈ RMB 76,500 (USD 10,600) | Jar, inner lid, foil seal, cap and spatula are separate minimums |
| Matte black glass jars | Low thousands on stock glass | 2,000–5,000 per shape for the sprayed matte black; screen print / hot stamp on top +2,000 | 10,000–30,000 pcs with a one-time tooling charge; rarely necessary for this shape | Glass mould RMB 2,500–4,000 per set ≈ USD 350–555 | Spray adds ≈ RMB 0.5–1.1 (USD 0.07–0.15) per piece; coverage checked neck to base |
| Cosmetic tubes | Not stocked like jars — 5,000–10,000 per SKU extruded to order; 3,000 negotiable | Same (print is part of the tube run); ±10% over/under delivery is industry practice | Private-mould caps add tooling; tube body is public tooling by diameter | Print plates RMB 200–300 ≈ USD 28–42 per design; cap tool USD 3,000–10,000 | Large tube factories hold 10,000; plan against 10,000 |
| HDPE shampoo & body bottles | ~500 stock (natural, white, black, clear) | 2,000 print; 2,000–5,000 sprayed per geometry; moulded-in colour 5,000–10,000 | 3,000–10,000 plus tooling | Blow mould RMB 25,000–70,000 ≈ USD 3,500–9,700, 30/40/30, brand-owned | Shampoo and conditioner bottles are two spray set-ups unless they share one body; closures stay at 10,000 if plated |
| Sunscreen packaging (airless, tube, tottle, stick) | Airless ~10,000; tube 5,000–10,000; stock tottle / stick low thousands | Spray 2,000–5,000 per shape on stock bodies; tube print inside the run | 10,000 custom airless; 3,000–10,000 custom stick or tottle plus tooling | RMB 25,000–70,000 per component tool; tube plates USD 28–42 | Material must pass the 48°C / 30-day contact test with the SPF filter system before the minimum is committed |
| Deodorant packaging (stick, roll-on) | Low thousands on stock oval / round sticks (typical partner-factory range) | 2,000 print; 2,000–5,000 sprayed per shape; moulded-in colour 5,000–10,000 | 3,000–10,000 plus tooling (typical partner-factory range) | Multi-part stick tooling RMB 25,000–70,000 per component; elevator and cup are separate tools | A twist-up stick is 4–5 moulded parts, each a separate minimum |
| Fragrance bottles (flacon + pump + cap + collar) | 500–1,000 stock clear flacon; stock silver / gold collars lower | 3,000–5,000 sprayed flacon; 2,000–5,000 sprayed ABS cap; 5,000–10,000 magnetic or plated cap; 10,000 custom-tone collar | 10,000+ own flacon mould (some lines from 5,000) | Glass mould RMB 2,500–4,000 ≈ USD 350–555 per set; 4–8 cavity USD 2,200–4,450 | Clear glass shows every flaw, so sprayed minimums sit above skincare glass; rigid box 1,000–2,000 |
| Lip packaging (gloss, stick, balm) | Custom-decorated stock gloss tube from ~1,000 | 2,000–5,000 sprayed per shape; moulded-in colour from ~3,000; plated ~10,000 | 3,000–10,000 to amortise the tool; custom lipstick shapes from ~3,000 plus tooling | RMB 25,000–70,000 ≈ USD 3,500–9,700 per component; custom mechanism 80–90 days | Anodised aluminium shells are batch-based: a second batch rarely matches without a control sample |
| Gift sets / rigid boxes | Rigid box from ~500 simple; 1,000–2,000 typical; complex gatefold or multi-compartment from ~1,000 | Hot stamp, emboss and soft-touch inside the run; EVA / paper insert measured off the approved sample | n/a — a rigid box is cut per size; the cutting die is the only tool | Cutting die and hot-stamp plate: low one-off cost | Cut for the exact flacon after glass is confirmed, never in parallel |
| Paper / folding cartons | 2,000–5,000 folding cartons; digital print reaches lower on simple cartons | Included in the run; hot stamp / emboss plates small one-off | n/a — die-cut, not moulded | Cutting die low cost; USD 50–500 per hot-stamp die or print screen | Metallised board and speciality stock do not go below ~1,000: the printer cannot nest the sheet economically |
| Flexible pouches & sachets | Stock-film route: quantity set by the print run, low thousands on partner short-run lines | Printed on stock film 25–35 days; custom laminate plants quote ~30,000 (small plants) to ~100,000 (large plants) per artwork for foil sachets | Custom structure or spout tooling adds 55–75 days | Cylinders / plates RMB 850–1,500 ≈ USD 120–210 per colour | Pure aluminium laminate costs ≈ 30% more than metallised; ±10% over/under run |
| Eco / PCR packaging | ~500 where a partner factory already runs the item in PCR; otherwise the resin lot sets it | 2,000 print; sprayed 2,000–5,000 per shape; masterbatch custom colour 5,000–10,000 | 3,000–10,000 plus tooling | RMB 25,000–70,000 ≈ USD 3,500–9,700; 30/40/30; brand-owned | Buy PCR and masterbatch for the full range in one lot; resin certificate on every order |
| Refillable systems (pod, cartridge, refill pouch) | Stock outer + custom pod from ~1,000 units | Sprayed / anodised outer 2,000–5,000 per shape | Fully custom outer from ~3,000 plus tool; airless cartridge ~10,000 custom | Closure-size tool USD 3,000–10,000 — get three quotes; quotes vary by a factor of three | Pod engagement and release force measured across 100 cycles on 20 samples before the minimum is committed |
Read the table per component, not per finished unit. A pump bottle is a bottle, a pump and an overcap, often from three plants with three minimums; a fragrance pack is a flacon, a pump, a cap, a collar and a box. The number in the first column applies to each of them. Tooling is quoted from eight cost lines and paid 30/40/30; the eight lines and the ownership clause are on mould cost and ownership.
What nine China suppliers publish as their own minimum.
Every figure below is quoted from that company's own public page, as published on their own pages and checked 30 Aug 2026. They are listed to show where the industry floor sits, not to rank anyone; a supplier that publishes a firm 10,000 is telling you the truth about its line. The method and the full comparison are in the MOQ comparison article.
| Supplier | Published minimum | Where published |
|---|---|---|
| Dalica | "MOQ typically starts from 5000 pieces per product" | FAQ page |
| Boyu Packaging | Plastic from 5,000; glass from 10,000; lead time 20–35 days | Own supplier roundup, 20 Aug 2026 |
| Gidea PAC | "a typical MOQ ranges from 5,000 to 20,000 units" | MOQ explainer |
| Topfeel Pack | "For most items, the MOQ starts at 10,000 pieces" | FAQ page |
| UKPACK | "standard MOQ is 10,000 pieces per design" for custom airless jars; samples in 7 working days; mass production in 35 days | Airless jars page |
| Lisson / Function Packaging | Custom cosmetic tubes "MOQ typically starts from 10,000 pieces" | Tube customisation page |
| Vesla | "MOQ: 5,000 pcs on stock molds; custom molds from 10,000 pcs"; production 7–15 days on stock moulds | Homepage capabilities section |
| JingSourcing | Mould-development items "typically start at around 10,000 pcs"; unique-shape cosmetic bottles "around 50,000 pcs per style" | MOQ guide |
| Vella | Undecorated stock from about 500; stock plus screen print from 2,000; sprayed custom colour 2,000–5,000 per component geometry; electroplated closures 10,000; new mould 3,000–10,000 plus RMB 25,000–70,000 tooling; digital labels and sleeves about 100 | Low MOQ page |
The published industry floor is 5,000–10,000 pieces per item. Vella's lower figures come from a mechanism, not a claim. A sourcing partner routes each component to whichever partner factory is already tooled for small runs, and substitutes an existing mould with custom decoration for a newly cut one. The saving comes from avoiding the tooling, not from beating factory prices. Where no small-run route exists, Vella cannot beat the factory minimum either: electroplated closures remain around 10,000 through Vella too, and made-to-order glass keeps its 30,000+ furnace minimum whoever asks.
Decoration-driven minimums.
The thresholds are not arbitrary. Each comes from a specific machine set-up that has to happen for your order alone, and the size of that set-up sets the floor. Printing is cheap and colour is expensive: put a tight budget into shape and the printed mark, not into a bespoke colour or a plated cap. The thirteen processes with cycle times and limits are on the decoration process comparison.
| Finish | What the set-up actually is | Effect on your minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-wrap label or shrink sleeve | Digital press; no set-up beyond the file | Lowest of all routes: ~100–500 | Full colour on a stock bottle; BOPP or PP film for anything used in a shower |
| Screen printing | A screen per colour; inexpensive | Almost none: 2,000 comes from the decorating line, not the artwork | Glass ≈ RMB 0.1 (USD 0.014) per colour; cylinder = one colour, shaped bottle = two or more |
| Hot stamping / foil | A die, cut once and reusable | Small: a modest one-off | Glass ≈ RMB 0.4 (USD 0.055) per design; keep print + stamp to ≤2 passes |
| Pad printing, laser marking, water transfer | Etched plate, no tooling, or none | Almost none | Small logos on curved surfaces; permanent codes; all-over patterns on flat or gently curved parts |
| Frosting (acid-etch / sandblast) | A finishing pass on clear glass | Moderate; frosted stock shapes from ~1,000 | Attaches to the glass run |
| Sprayed colour | Spray line set up, run and cleaned down for your tone alone | Significant: 2,000–5,000 per component shape | Glass +RMB 0.5–1.1 (USD 0.07–0.15) per bottle; different shapes cannot be hung and sprayed together |
| Vacuum metallising | ≈6 h chamber cycle plus base and top coat | Set-up drives MOQ | Gold, silver, copper, gunmetal look on caps, collars, sleeves |
| Anodising (aluminium) | Batch-based; fixtures and dye | Batch minimums; custom tone ~10,000 on collars | A second batch rarely matches the first without a control sample |
| Moulded-in custom colour | Full material changeover and purge on the moulding line | Large: 5,000–10,000 | Colour through the material; only exists where a factory already runs the item that way |
| Electroplating / metallic closures | Plating line configured for your tone alone | Largest: ~10,000; not moved by any supplier | Below 10,000 most factories stock closures in black and white only |
| In-mould labelling | Mould modification | Tied to the mould; a label change is a tooling change | Wash-off-proof graphics on shampoo and skincare bottles |
| New mould (your own shape) | Steel cut for your shape | 3,000–10,000 plus RMB 25,000–70,000 tooling | Closure tool USD 3,000–10,000; get three quotes |
Two legitimate ways under the numbers. Move the colour to the label: a full-wrap label or sleeve gives full-colour artwork on a stock bottle from about 500 pieces, where a sprayed colour would need 2,000 and a moulded colour 10,000. Treat decoration as one programme, not per item: six products of 2,000 sharing one gold finish present the plating line with 12,000 pieces, which clears a threshold none of the six would clear alone, and it is the only way the gold will actually match across the range. See matching a collection across formats.
How to read an MOQ quote.
A minimum is only useful if you know what it attaches to. Seven checks turn a headline number into a quantity you can plan against; the twelve supplier questions behind them are on how to evaluate a China packaging supplier.
| What the quote says | What to check | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| "MOQ 5,000" | Per component or per finished unit? Ask for the bottle, the pump and the cap separately. | One headline number that turns out to be per part later |
| "Stock mould" vs "our mould" | Existing public tooling, or a new tool? If new, who owns it and is the clause in the contract? | "We keep the mould", or silence on the question |
| "Custom colour available" | Sprayed (2,000–5,000 per shape) or moulded-in (5,000–10,000)? Sprayed white and moulded-in white do not match each other. | A colour minimum quoted once for six shapes |
| "±10%" | Over/under delivery is industry practice on tubes and pouches; budget for it and agree who pays for the surplus | A firm quantity on an extruded or printed run with no tolerance stated |
| Unit price | 20–40% higher on a small run than in bulk; that premium is the price of not financing stock. A quote 20% below market that hides the mould fee has landed 32% above market in audited cases | A price with no quantity break and no tooling line |
| Decoration line | Is the decorator the same plant? Forming and finishing are usually two suppliers; one golden sample and one adhesion test should cover both | "We do everything in-house" for glass, plating, tubes and cartons together |
| Below 500 pieces | Freight from China outweighs the goods; a distributor in your own market who sells by the unit serves you better | A China supplier that says yes to 200 pieces of a decorated component |
One honest boundary: we are a sourcing partner working with vetted partner factories, not the moulder or the glassworks. The figures on this page are what those factories run for small orders, updated as their lines change; the number you can hold us to is the one in your Quote + Supplier Options, per component, with the route stated. Partner factories operate to ISO 22716 / GMP; the pass thresholds applied to every order are on the QC standards page, and the days behind each route on the lead time index.
Send the formats and the quantity; we come back with the route that lands under the floor.
Format, size, decoration and how many units you actually need to start. Within 24 hours you get the minimum per component, the route (stock, stock plus decoration or mould) and indicative FOB pricing.
Related reading.
- Cosmetic packaging lead time index 2026 — the days behind every route on this page, for the same sixteen types.
- Real minimum order quantities, by route — the eleven-route table this index expands, with the two ways under the numbers.
- Mould cost and ownership — the eight cost lines, 30/40/30 payment and the clause that keeps the tool yours.
- Decoration process comparison — thirteen processes, which carry set-up cost and which barely move the minimum.
- What is a packaging solutions provider? — why routing, not discounting, is what changes the minimum.
Frequently asked
What is the minimum order quantity for cosmetic packaging from China in 2026?
The published industry floor is 5,000–10,000 pieces per item, and it applies per component, not per finished unit. Through partner factories already tooled for small runs the indicative floors are about 500 for an undecorated stock bottle, jar, dropper or HDPE bottle; 2,000 for stock plus a screen-printed logo; 2,000–5,000 per shape for sprayed custom colour; 5,000–10,000 for tubes and for moulded-in colour; around 10,000 for airless bottles and for electroplated closures; 3,000–10,000 plus tooling for a new mould; 2,000–5,000 for folding cartons; and about 100–500 for digital labels and sleeves. Made-to-order glass keeps a 30,000–200,000 furnace minimum, which is why fragrance and glass programmes usually run on stock shapes with custom decoration.
Which cosmetic packaging types have the highest MOQ?
Anything where a line must be configured for your order alone. Electroplated, metallic or custom-colour closures sit around 10,000 and are not moved by any supplier. Airless bottles carry about 10,000 because they are multi-component assemblies. Tubes are extruded to order at 5,000–10,000 per SKU, with 3,000 sometimes negotiable. Made-to-order glass from a new mould runs 30,000–200,000 pieces because a furnace cannot stop for a small run. Printed foil sachets from laminate plants are quoted at roughly 30,000 to 100,000 per artwork. A new injection mould in any material carries 3,000–10,000 pieces plus RMB 25,000–70,000 of tooling.
Why can a sourcing partner quote a lower MOQ than a factory?
Because of routing, not discounting. A factory quotes the economics of its own line; a sourcing partner routes each component to whichever vetted partner factory is already tooled for small runs and substitutes an existing mould with custom decoration for a newly cut one. The saving comes from avoiding the tooling, not from beating factory prices. Where no small-run route exists, nobody beats the factory: electroplated closures stay at about 10,000 and custom glass at 30,000-plus through a sourcing partner too. A second mechanism is batching decoration across SKUs, so six products of 2,000 sharing one finish present the line with 12,000 pieces.
Is a cosmetic packaging MOQ per order or per component?
Per component, almost always. A pump bottle is a bottle, a pump and an overcap, often from three plants with three separate minimums; a published figure of 5,000 usually means 5,000 of each part. A fragrance pack is a flacon, a pump, a cap, a collar and a rigid box, each with its own floor. Ask any supplier for the number per part, and ask whether a sprayed colour minimum is quoted once or once per shape, because different geometries cannot be hung and sprayed together.
How much does a private mould cost and what MOQ does it carry?
A plastic injection or blow mould for a cosmetic component typically runs RMB 25,000–70,000, approximately USD 3,500–9,700, with a worked mid-size single-component tool coming to about RMB 76,500 (USD 10,600); a closure tool is roughly USD 3,000–10,000, and quotes vary by a factor of three between toolmakers, so get three. Glass moulds are cheaper: about RMB 2,500 (USD 350) for a hand mould, RMB 4,000 (USD 555) per automatic cavity and RMB 16,000–32,000 (USD 2,200–4,450) for a 4–8 cavity set, but made-to-order glass carries a 30,000–200,000 piece minimum. A private plastic mould carries 3,000–10,000 pieces to amortise the tool, is paid 30/40/30, is rated for about 800,000 cycles and should be owned by the brand under a written clause.
What if I need fewer than 500 pieces of cosmetic packaging?
Then a China sourcing route is usually the wrong one, and it is better to say so before an exchange of emails. Below about 500 pieces the freight from China outweighs the goods, and no factory will pick and pack a very small decorated order at a sensible price. A packaging distributor in your own market who sells by the unit will serve you better, faster and cheaper for photographs and first customers. Two things still work at low volume from China: a full-wrap label or digital sleeve on a stock bottle from about 100–500 pieces, and shipping cartons from about 100.