Precision
Drop by drop.
Nothing wasted.
Nothing wasted.
Everything you need to
brief us in one page.
Sizes
10 – 100 ml
10 · 15 · 20 · 30 · 50 · 100 ml
Custom sizes available
Custom sizes available
Material
Glass · PET · PCR
Borosilicate · Soda-lime · Clear glass
PET · PCR-PET
PET · PCR-PET
Glass Colours
Clear · Amber · Frosted
Flint clear · UV amber · Acid-etched frosted
Cobalt blue · Coloured spray
Cobalt blue · Coloured spray
Dropper Types
Rubber · Silicone · CR
Standard rubber bulb · Silicone (alcohol-safe)
Child-resistant · Calibrated · Auto-close
Child-resistant · Calibrated · Auto-close
Drop Size
15 – 100 µl
Precision: 15–30 µl · Serum: 30–50 µl
Facial oil: 50–100 µl
Facial oil: 50–100 µl
Decoration
Screen · Stamp · Etch
Silk-screen 1–4 colours · Hot stamp
Acid-etch frosting · Coloured spray coat
Acid-etch frosting · Coloured spray coat
Compliance
REACH · SGS · FDA
SGS glass quality cert · REACH compliance
FDA food-contact grade available
FDA food-contact grade available
Lead Time
25 – 90 days
Stock glass + deco: 25–35 days
Custom shape tooling: 70–90 days
Custom shape tooling: 70–90 days
Why Dropper
Precise dosing.
Precise dosing.
Premium positioning.
The dropper bottle signals clinical precision — a measured drop applied where needed, nothing wasted. Amber and frosted glass protect light-sensitive actives (vitamin C, retinol, peptides) while communicating luxury. The dropper format is associated with the highest active concentrations on the market.
Dropper bottles from China, with numbers.
A 30 ml stock glass dropper bottle from China starts at about 500 pieces undecorated via partner factories already tooled for small runs, about 2,000 pieces with a screen-printed logo, and 2,000–5,000 with a sprayed colour or anodised collar; a glass bottle in your own shape is a different product with an industry-floor MOQ of 30,000–200,000 pieces. The dropper is a glass pipette in every case — the choice is the bulb: silicone for facial oils, essential oils and alcohol-heavy actives, TPE only for plain water-based serums, because TPE bulbs swell in oils. Necks are 18/400 and 20/400 on glass (18/415 for tall-neck droppers; 18/410 and 20/410 on PET), and the closure is bought to the bottle's neck drawing, never the reverse.
Specification table — glass and PET dropper bottles
| Parameter | Published value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Capacities | 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 50, 60, 100 ml (5–200 ml standard glass range) | 30 ml is the serum standard; 15 ml for oils and eye serums |
| Glass grades | High-flint (default for skincare), super-flint (premium colourless), amber (blocks UV below ~450 nm), frosted (acid-etched high-flint), cobalt | Standard flint carries a slight green edge tint — acceptable under spray or amber, not for clear premium |
| Neck finishes — glass | 18/400, 20/400, 22/400 (one thread turn, short neck); 18/415 tall neck (two turns) | A 400 cap does not seat on a 415 neck even at the same 18 mm diameter |
| Neck finishes — PET / PETG | Ø18, Ø20 in 400 / 410 / 415 (410 = 1.5 turns) | Neck is formed at the preform stage and does not change during blowing |
| Dropper assembly | Cap (PP, ABS or aluminium-over-plastic collar) + glass pipette (straight or bent tip) + bulb (silicone or TPE) | Anodised aluminium collars are colour-matched per batch; a second batch rarely matches without a control sample |
| Pipette length | Cut to bottle height, tip 5 mm clear of the base | Measured to the bottle drawing, tolerance +2 / −1 mm class as for dip tubes |
| Drop size | 15–30 µl precision · 30–50 µl serum · 50–100 µl facial oil | Set by tip bore and bulk viscosity; verified per bottle-pipette pairing |
| Wall thickness | ≥2 mm at the base on standard serum glass; 3–4 mm for thick-base premium | Blow-blow forming for narrow-neck; NNPB where wall control matters |
| Fill capacity | Brim-full vs fill-line capacity with headspace for expansion, ±5% brim-full tolerance | Specified on the drawing; check base stability on a filling line |
| Neck drawing | T, E, I, S, X at minimum (plus A, Z, D for tamper bands and chucks) | I (inner bore) sets the pipette diameter; ask for the full drawing before approving any closure |
MOQ · mould · lead time by route
| Route | Indicative minimum | Tooling | Factory-gate lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock glass bottle, undecorated + stock dropper | From about 500 pcs per component (bottle ~500 in stock; dropper ~500 in stock colours); low thousands if a public-mould run is needed | None | 7–10 days if in stock; 30–60 days if a glass run is required |
| Stock glass + screen print / hot stamp | About 2,000 pcs | Screen or foil plate — trivial | Stock cycle + 5–7 days |
| Stock glass + frosting | Moderate floor, typical partner-factory range 2,000–5,000 | None (acid-etch pass) | Inside the 30–60 day glass window |
| Stock glass + sprayed colour | 2,000–5,000 pcs per shape | Colour-matching set-up | 30–40 days |
| Dropper with sprayed or anodised collar | 2,000–5,000 pcs | Stock tooling; private pipette or collar shape is rarely worth it | 7–25 days; anodised aluminium 25–40 days (runs in parallel) |
| Made-to-order glass, your own shape | 30,000 to 100,000–200,000 pcs (furnace runs continuously; the item must justify a changeover) | Automatic IS mould ≈ RMB 4,000 ≈ USD 555 per cavity; 4–8 cavity set RMB 16,000–32,000 ≈ USD 2,200–4,450; hand mould ≈ RMB 2,500 ≈ USD 350 | 30–60 days from mould approval |
| Stock PET / PETG dropper bottle | From about 500 undecorated; 2,000 printed | None; a private blow mould RMB 25,000–70,000 ≈ USD 3,500–9,700 | 7–25 days |
| Buffer rule | — | — | Quoted cycle × 1.3; +15 days across Chinese New Year (6 February 2027); sea 18–25 days to US West Coast, 30–35 to Northern Europe, 20–25 to Australia; +5–10 days clearance each end |
QC thresholds a partner factory signs against
| Test | Method | Pass threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Seal integrity | Filled, capped, held 45°C for 24 h inverted and on its side | No weep at neck or dropper; weight loss ≤0.5% |
| Vacuum leak | Vacuum chamber, lying and inverted | −0.06 MPa for standard bulks; −0.08 MPa for 15 min, loss ≤0.5% for alcohol or volatile bulks |
| Opening torque | Torque meter after application | 0.2–0.7 N·m; no thread strip; reverse torque ≥2.5 N·m; application 0.6–1.2 N·m |
| Thermal shock (glass) | GB/T 4547: 55°C water bath 15 min → 20°C water 20 min | No cracking |
| Internal stress (annealing) | GB 4545, polariscope | Within grade; no residual stress bands |
| Thermal cycling, filled | Oven 48 ± 2°C 48 h; freezer −5 to −15°C 48 h | No cracking, leakage or decoration change after room-temperature recovery |
| Drop, filled and capped | 1.5 m at 45° onto concrete | No functional damage; breakage allowance agreed for transit |
| Decoration adhesion | 3M 600 tape over print and hot stamp, 10 passes, pulled at 45° | No lift; hot-stamp loss ≤0.5 mm² |
| Print position | Under 30 ml: vertical ±0.5 mm, tilt ±0.25 mm · 30 ml and over: ±0.75 mm, ±0.25 mm | — |
| Frosting | Visual under 500–550 lux | No bright spots on the front face; sides ≤5 of ≤0.8 mm; base ≤5 of ≤1.0 mm; frost stops below the thread root |
| Glass defects, front face | Coloured specks, bubbles, sand pits | 1–2 of Ø ≤0.5 mm, not clustered, not on artwork; stones over 1 mm rejected; none on sealing land or thread |
| Bulb compatibility | Dropper conditioned in actual bulk at 48°C for 30 days | No swelling, hardening or odour; drop volume within the agreed tolerance after conditioning |
| Colour | Against signed golden sample under D65 | ΔE within agreed tolerance; amber batches swatch-approved |
| Acceptance sampling | ISO 2859-1 general level II | AQL 0 critical, 1.0–1.5 major, 2.5–4.0 minor |
| Heavy metals | Third-party laboratory | Pb+Cd+Hg+Cr(VI) ≤100 ppm (EU 94/62/EC) |
Compatibility — glass pipette, silicone vs TPE bulb, and the hard rules
| Formula | Bottle | Bulb / gasket rule | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facial oil, 100% oil phase, essential oils | Amber glass 15–30 ml, 18/400 or 20/400 | Silicone bulb; silicone or fluoroelastomer gasket | TPE and NBR swell in oils; low surface tension creeps past loose threads — tight engagement matters |
| Vitamin C, retinol (oxygen- and light-sensitive) | Amber or opaque glass; opaque carton | Silicone bulb; consider an airless bottle if oxidation is the priority | A clear PET dropper bottle is the format most likely to turn a vitamin C serum brown on shelf |
| Serum with ethanol above ~30% | Glass, or alcohol-rated PETG; never standard PET | Silicone bulb; PTFE-coated or solvent-grade gasket; ethanol resistance (e.g. ≥50%) written into the spec | PET swells and deforms above ~30% ethanol — a full-line recall has been caused by exactly this |
| AHA/BHA, pH below 4 | Glass or PP | Dropper or orifice-reducer plug (no metal spring in the fluid path) | Acid corrodes standard pump springs; the dropper is the low-risk closure |
| Water-based serum, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide | High-flint or frosted glass; PET or PETG for e-commerce | TPE bulb acceptable; silicone if in doubt | Nothing attacks the bulb; the question is drop size and seal |
| Acetone or fragrance concentrate | Glass only | Purpose-made plug and cap liner; solvent-resistant print | Dissolves PET, PS, AS, PMMA and most standard gaskets |
Decoration process × indicative MOQ (glass)
| Process | Indicative add-on | Effect on MOQ | Adhesion check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | ≈ RMB 0.1 ≈ USD 0.014 per colour per bottle; cylinder = one colour, shaped = two or more | Almost none | 3M 600 tape, no lift under 0.5 mm² |
| Hot stamping | ≈ RMB 0.4 ≈ USD 0.055 per design; ≤2 passes with screen print in total | Small | 3M 600; no ghosting, no serrated edges |
| Frosting (acid etch) | Per bottle by size | Moderate | Bright-spot limits per face |
| Spray coating (opaque, gradient) | ≈ RMB 0.5–1.1 ≈ USD 0.07–0.15 per bottle | 2,000–5,000 per shape | 3M 810 over 2 mm cross-hatch; pencil hardness ≥2H |
| Anodised aluminium collar | Medium–high; HV300 standard film | Batch colour matching | ΔE under D65 against control sample |
| Electroplated collar or cap | Medium–high | Around 10,000 | Never in contact with skin or bulk; no nickel on touch surfaces |
| Full-wrap label | Lowest | From about 100–500 | Rub and 75% alcohol wipe |
Six-module program for dropper bottles
| Module | What we do for dropper bottles | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Spec | Take formula type, viscosity, ethanol %, pH and target drop size; fix glass grade, capacity, neck finish (18/400, 20/400 or 18/415), pipette length and bulb material; cross-check the bottle and dropper drawings on T, E, I, S and X | Packaging Spec Sheet |
| 2 Source | Route bottle and dropper to partner factories already tooled for small runs; quote stock, stock-plus-decoration and made-to-order glass with the real minimum per component | Quote + Supplier Options |
| 3 Sample | Bottle and dropper as an assembled set; 48°C / 30-day soak of the bulb in your actual bulk; 45°C / 24 h seal hold; drop volume on 50 sequential drops | Golden Sample + Compatibility Report |
| 4 Mould | Only above the glass floor: cavity count, RMB / USD mould quote itemised, 30/40/30 payment, ownership with the brand | Mould Ownership Agreement |
| 5 QC | IQC on droppers before they reach the line; FQC against the golden sample under 500–550 lux; OQC to agreed AQL | Inspection Report |
| 6 Ship | Glass in suspended trays; breakage allowance agreed up front; ten-node calendar with ×1.3 buffer and CNY +15 days | Production Calendar + Packing Standard |
All figures are indicative ranges from our engineering references, applied through vetted partner factories operating to ISO 22716 / GMP. Glass grades, forming, defect limits and mould costs are on the glass bottle specifications page; the 400 / 410 / 415 series and torque thresholds are on neck finish and closure standards; the four inspection gates are on our QC standards. For a serum, oil and cream range planned together see skincare packaging solutions, and read how to evaluate a China packaging supplier before paying a deposit. Related formats: glass bottles for toners and essences and airless bottles when oxidation, not dosing, is the priority.
Related standards: GB/T 4547 thermal shock · GB 4545 internal stress · GB/T 4548 hydrolytic resistance · GB 6652 impact · ISO 2859-1 AQL · EU 94/62/EC heavy metals · formula × packaging compatibility matrix · China production calendar.
The dropper assembly is where most quality failures hide.
A beautiful glass bottle with a poorly fitted dropper is a consumer complaint waiting to happen. Vella's dropper sourcing checks the bottle and closure assembly together, not as separate components.
01
Dropper Seal Integrity
The bulb must create an airtight seal against the glass neck. We test 20 samples per batch: squeeze, release, invert — no air entry, no backflow. Any assembly that fails at 40°C doesn't leave the factory.
02
Drop Volume Consistency
We measure drop size for every new dropper-glass pairing. Consumer dosing instructions only work if each drop is consistent. Our standard: ±20% variation across 50 sequential drops from a fresh bottle.
03
Light Protection Validation
For amber glass, we verify UV transmission specs with the glass batch certificate. For frosted glass, we clarify that frosting reduces but doesn't eliminate UV — and recommend an opaque carton for photosensitive formulas.
04
Formula Compatibility
Rubber bulbs can be damaged by high-alcohol formulas and essential oils. We require silicone bulbs for alcohol-heavy formulas, and test compatibility with a 30-day stress soak in the actual formula before production approval.
Frequently asked about dropper bottles.
When should I choose a dropper bottle over an airless bottle?
Dropper bottles are the right choice when precise, measured dosing is part of the product experience — facial oils, high-concentration serums, active treatments. They're also better when the formula has a colour or texture the consumer should see. Airless bottles are better when oxidation protection is the priority and you need a pump format. Many brands use both in the same range.
What glass type is right for my vitamin C serum?
Amber glass is the technically correct answer — it blocks the UV spectrum that degrades L-ascorbic acid. But the most reliable approach is amber glass plus an opaque outer carton, which eliminates light entry entirely regardless of shelf display conditions. For more stable derivatives like ascorbyl glucoside, clear glass with a carton is acceptable.
What is a calibrated dropper and when do I need one?
A calibrated dropper has volume markings on the glass pipette, allowing consumers to measure a precise quantity (0.5 ml, 1 ml, etc.). They're used for professional-grade or clinical-strength products where exact dosing matters — retinol treatments, pH-sensitive acids, prescription-strength derivatives. They add cost but reinforce clinical positioning.
Can I get a child-resistant dropper?
Yes. Child-resistant (CR) dropper assemblies are available — they require a press-and-turn action to remove the dropper. These are required for products marketed as containing actives at prescription-adjacent concentrations, or for US retail distribution of certain categories. Vella can spec the appropriate CR standard for your target market.
What is the MOQ for a custom frosted glass dropper bottle?
A frosted finish on a stock glass shape is an acid-etch pass on finished high-flint glass, so the minimum is set by the decorating line rather than the glass: typically 2,000–5,000 pieces per shape through partner factories, with printed-only stock glass from about 2,000 and undecorated stock from about 500. A glass bottle in your own shape is a different route — made-to-order glass carries an industry-floor MOQ of 30,000 to 100,000–200,000 pieces and a 30–60 day cycle, even though the mould itself is only about RMB 4,000 ≈ USD 555 per cavity. For an early launch, a stock shape with frosting or print is the practical route — distinctive product without the glass floor.
Can I use the same dropper bottle across multiple SKUs?
Yes — and we specifically recommend it for cohesive range design. We help brands pick a single glass shape and closure family, then differentiate SKUs through decoration (different screen print per product, different closure colour). This also typically reduces per-unit costs through volume consolidation.
Where can I buy glass dropper bottles in bulk?
From a glass works directly at its published floor, from a marketplace for stock items, or through a sourcing partner that quotes the stock range via partner factories already tooled. For the 10–100 ml amber, frosted and clear glass dropper bottles sourced here, indicative floors are about 500 pieces undecorated, 2,000 screen-printed and 2,000–5,000 sprayed per shape, on 18/410, 20/400 and 18/415 necks. Your own glass shape means made-to-order glass at 30,000 pieces and up. Ask for the pipette and bulb material in writing and test the filled assembly against your formula.
Often ordered alongside dropper bottles.
Read before you brief us.
- 30 ml Glass Dropper Bottle MOQ from China: Stock, Printed, Sprayed and Custom
- Dropper Bottle Neck Finishes Explained: 18/410, 20/400, 18/415 and What Fits What
- Dropper & Serum Bottles from China: A Sourcing Guide for Skincare Brands
- Glass Pipette, Silicone or TPE Bulb: Choosing a Dropper for Facial Oils and Actives
Not sure what to specify? Use the Packaging Spec Builder — formula, volume, quantity and launch date in, a 12-line spec sheet with MOQ verdict and order-by date out.
Tell us what you need,
we'll find it.
Send a brief — format, size, quantity, finish — and we'll come back with factory options, material recommendations and an indicative price within 24 hours.
Three things worth reading first.
- What eight China suppliers actually publish as their minimum order quantity — Dalica, Boyu, Gidea PAC, Topfeel Pack, UKPACK, Lisson, JingSourcing and Vella side by side, each figure quoted from that company’s own page. The published industry floor is 5,000–10,000 pieces per item, and this explains what moves it.
- Why a matched collection across bottles, jars and tubes is harder than it looks — a spray minimum attaches to the shape, not the colour, so six formats in one colour is six set-ups rather than one. Plus why two “white” components from the same brief can still fail to match.
- Sourcing partner, factory or trading company — which do you actually need? — eight questions that reveal which model a supplier really belongs to, including the honest case against using a sourcing partner at all.