Airless Packaging
Refillable Airless Packaging
Refillable airless packaging combines the protection of an airless pump with a reusable outer body: the decorated shell stays, the inner cartridge and piston are replaced.
- 15 ml
- 20 ml
- 30 ml
- 50 ml
- 75 ml
- 100 ml
At a glance
- Best for
- Brands with refill commitments · Actives-led premium ranges · Markets with refill retail programmes
- Formula fit
- Serum · Retinol treatment · Eye cream
- Materials
- PP (outer and cartridge) · PCR PP outer · Acrylic outer shell
- Decoration
- Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap · Screen printing or UV printing on the outer wall
What are refillable airless packaging?
Airless refill systems exist because the protection and the outer branding are both worth keeping. The outer bottle is the expensive, decorated, brand-visible part; the inner cartridge is the part that contacts the formula and needs replacing.
The engineering risk is the interface: the cartridge must seat, seal and lock without compromising the vacuum. We validate the removal force, insertion force and seal integrity over repeated refill cycles before production.
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 | 15 ml, 20 ml, 30 ml, 50 ml, 75 ml, 100 ml, 150 ml |
| Materials | PP (outer and cartridge), PCR PP outer, Acrylic outer shell, PE/EVOH pouch cartridge |
| Closures / dispensing | Screw-out cartridge, Push-in self-locking cartridge, Twist-release base, Refill cap and piston set |
| Customisation | Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap, Screen printing or UV printing on the outer wall, Hot stamping and metal-look collars, Soft-touch, satin, matte or frosted coating, Metallised actuator and collar finishes, Refill cartridge colour differentiation, PCR or mono-material outer components |
| 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
Protection without waste
The formula stays sealed from air while the pack's plastic is reused across multiple fills.
Defined refill mechanism
Screw-out, push-in and twist-release designs are specified with removal and insertion force targets and cycle testing.
Lower refill unit cost
The refill cartridge contains a fraction of the resin, which typically lowers the customer's refill price and improves repeat purchase economics.
Who it is suitable for
- Brands with refill commitments
- Actives-led premium ranges
- Markets with refill retail programmes
- Travel and gift sets with refills
- Subscription replenishment models
Suitable formulas and products
- Serum
- Retinol treatment
- Eye cream
- Moisturiser
- Sun care
- Body treatment
Customisation options
Refillable Airless Packaging 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 on outer bottle, actuator and overcap
- Screen printing or UV printing on the outer wall
- Hot stamping and metal-look collars
- Soft-touch, satin, matte or frosted coating
- Metallised actuator and collar finishes
- Refill cartridge colour differentiation
- PCR or mono-material outer components
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
- PCR plastic — material guide
- PP — material guide
- Acrylic — material guide
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions buyers ask most about refillable airless packaging. Send any specific question through the contact form and a packaging engineer will reply in writing.
How many refill cycles can an airless refill pack take?
It depends on the mechanism and materials. We recommend setting a target with us — for example 5 or 10 cycles — then validating with insertion/removal and seal tests, rather than publishing an unverified reuse number.
Does refilling affect preservation?
The cartridge is sealed like a standard airless pack, so protection is comparable — provided the cartridge seal and pump are replaced with it. Customers must not be able to refill with contaminated containers, so the design must prevent opening the cartridge.
Can the refill cartridge be mono-material PP?
Yes. A PP cartridge with a PP piston and PP pump components is the simplest mono-material refill construction, with the outer body available in PCR PP or acrylic depending on positioning.
What is the MOQ for refillable airless packaging?
Systems start at 3,000 pcs per component (outer, cartridge, pump, overcap), with the refill cartridge often quoted in larger volumes because of repeat demand.
What is the MOQ for refillable airless packaging?
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 on outer bottle, actuator and overcap 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 refillable airless packaging. 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 refillable airless packaging 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?
PP (outer and cartridge), PCR PP outer, Acrylic outer shell, PE/EVOH pouch cartridge. Selection is driven by formula compatibility, clarity requirements, decoration and any recycled-content target.
Still have a question? Talk to a packaging expert.
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Quotes and samples for refillable airless packaging
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)