Short answer
A perfume package is a set of parts that must fit each other and tolerate the perfume: the bottle and its neck finish, the pump (crimped or screwed on), the dip tube cut to the bottle, the collar that hides the crimp, the cap, and the carton and labels. Specify each part by its supplier's part number and dimensions, match the pump to the neck finish exactly, order samples before quantities, and test the filled package with your own perfume — for leaks, weight loss through the seal, spray performance and discoloration — before you commit. Record the components as a packaging list alongside the formula, because a change of pump is a change to the product.
The parts
| Part | What to specify | Common pitfalls |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle | Nominal capacity, brimful capacity, glass type and color, neck finish, height and base dimensions, coating or lacquer | Brimful capacity too close to the fill; thick glass bases making the bottle look fuller or emptier than expected |
| Neck finish | Crimp neck (commonly described by a diameter in millimeters, such as the widely used 15 mm "FEA 15") or a screw thread finish (described by diameter and thread style, for example 18/415) | Pumps and bottles from different suppliers that look alike but do not seal |
| Pump | Type (crimp or screw), neck size, output per actuation, gasket material, metal or plastic ferrule | Gaskets that swell or leak with some fragrance materials; output that does not suit the product |
| Dip tube | Length, cut angle or curve | Too short to empty the bottle; too long and bent so it sprays unevenly |
| Collar | Inner diameter matched to the crimped pump, finish | Loose collars that rattle or fall off |
| Cap (overcap) | Fit on the collar or pump, material, weight | Caps that do not click home on every bottle because of tolerances |
| Carton, insert, labels | Dimensions, print, label material and adhesive | Label adhesives and inks that fail when touched by perfume |
Crimp or screw
A crimp pump is pressed onto the bottle's neck by a crimping tool that folds its metal ferrule under the neck's lip. It seals well, looks clean under a collar, and cannot be opened without damaging it — the norm in fine fragrance. It needs a crimping tool set for that neck size and pump, and crimp height has to be right to seal without cracking glass. A screw pump threads onto a matching finish. It needs no special tool and allows refilling or reuse, but threads and caps are more visible and may loosen. For a small brand filling by hand, screw finishes are easier to start with; crimp finishes need more set-up and give a more traditional finish. The filling side is covered in how to fill perfume bottles.
Matching parts from several suppliers
Neck descriptions are a starting point, not a guarantee. Two "15 mm" components can differ in tolerances enough to leak. To avoid surprises:
- Buy bottle, pump, collar and cap as a matched set from one supplier where possible.
- Otherwise ask each supplier for technical drawings and check the critical dimensions match.
- Always assemble and test samples with your perfume before ordering quantities.
- Cut and test a dip tube in the actual bottle; the right length lets it reach the lowest point when the bottle is upright, usually with a slight curve.
Testing the package with your perfume
A pump that works with water may fail with a perfume. Run these checks on a set of filled, closed packages, alongside a control in plain glass:
- Leak test: stand some bottles upright and some inverted for several days; check for wetness at the crimp and in the cap.
- Weight-loss test: weigh each filled bottle, store some at room temperature and some at elevated temperature, and reweigh weekly. A steady loss shows evaporation through the seal. An invented example: ten 50 ml bottles lose an average of 0.12 g over four weeks at an elevated temperature; whether that is acceptable is your decision, recorded as a criterion before the test starts.
- Spray test: after storage, check the first actuation primes properly and the output and pattern are unchanged.
- Visual checks: color of the perfume against the glass control, cloudiness, swelling of gaskets, corrosion of metal parts, damage to lacquer and labels from drips.
These run naturally as part of a stability test in the final package; see perfume stability testing. Light-sensitive formulas benefit from colored or coated glass or a carton; see antioxidants and UV absorbers for the formula side.
Writing the packaging specification
For each component keep: supplier and part number, material, dimensions and tolerances (from the drawing), color and finish, output per actuation for pumps, unit cost, minimum order quantity and lead time. List the components against the product, with quantities per unit — one bottle, one pump, one collar, one cap, one carton, labels. That packaging list goes into costing (perfume cost calculation) and into production planning (raw material requirements), and it is part of what a manufacturer needs at handover (production handover).
Practical buying notes
- Stock bottles and pumps are far cheaper and quicker than custom molds; most small brands start there and decorate with collars, caps, labels and cartons.
- Minimum order quantities for printed or decorated parts can be much larger than for plain ones; check them before designing.
- Order a small surplus of pumps and caps; some will fail or be damaged in filling.
- If a contract manufacturer will fill, agree the components with them early — their crimping and filling equipment may favor particular necks (see choosing a contract manufacturer).
Packaging is part of the lab-to-production path described in how to organize a perfume lab.
Frequently asked questions
What does "FEA 15" mean?
It is a common way to describe a 15 mm crimp neck finish and the pumps made for it. Use it to search, then confirm the exact dimensions on the drawings.
Why does my pump leak only with my perfume?
Fragrance materials and ethanol can swell or soften some gasket materials, and some formulas creep through seals more than others. Ask the supplier for a pump with a different gasket, and test again.
Can I reuse the same components for an oil perfume?
Often not. Oils are more viscous and are usually packed in roll-on or dropper formats; test any component with the actual product.
Written and reviewed by the RUŌOD Lab team. This article is general education about perfume formulation and record-keeping; it is not legal, regulatory or safety advice, and the examples are illustrations, not validated commercial formulas. How we write and check these guides.