How to choose the right plastic spray bottle for liquid products

Choosing the best spray bottle or container for your product is almost as important as the product itself. The essential questions are: - Who will be using your product? This will this affect the shape and size of the container - What material should the container be made of? – PET, HDPE or recycled plastic? - How will the product be dispensed? Will you need a trigger spray or a fine mist sprayer? - Consider the needs of consumers when selecting spray bottle shape and size Your consumers will want the container or spray bottle to be appealing and convenient to use. Popular shapes for spray bottles can be seen in our Elan and Ceri ranges which are known in the industry for their ease of filling and labelling. It might be worth considering the end target market for your product and how the shape may appeal to them. Traditionally, curved packaging can represent femininity and straight angled packaging can represent masculinity. Larger spray bottles, such as 1000ml, often include waisted features to allow for better grip, which is ideal for the elderly, people with smaller hands or for use in an industrial setting where the user may need to wear gloves. Containers for specialist, industrial or medical products will generally require sufficient space for usage instructions and warnings, so bottles with a large label area are a good choice for this. You can also order free samples of our products for next day delivery by clicking ‘add to sample cart’ on any of our product pages. Alternatively, #Ask Cambrian on 01686 611 360 Size of your chosen packaging The size of the spray bottle should be appropriate to the purpose of the product and the typical end user. If your packaging is for a specialist product that requires only a small application, such as a lens cleaner, smaller bottles of 125ml to 250ml are recommended. These bottles have a 24mm neck, so a mist spray or mini trigger head works well for dispensing the product. Spray-applied products used in the household, such as cleaning solutions or auto care products, are typically contained in 500ml to 750ml spray bottles, preventing them from becoming too heavy while providing the necessary volume. 1000ml bottles and larger are good for commercial and professional use but are generally too heavy for domestic use. Aspects to consider when choosing spray bottles and containers You need to consider: - is the product light sensitive? - how will the use of colour impact my brand image? If your product is a coloured liquid which specifically aligns with your brand image, then clear PET plastic spray bottles might be appropriate as the colour of the liquid will show through, resulting in a coloured effect. If the colour of your product does not look very attractive to consumers, then it is best to have it concealed by a white container. White is the ideal background for when colourful labels will be applied to the finished pack. Black bottles help to block UV light – an excellent choice for products such as those based on hypoclorous acid and other constituents that degenerate in natural light. The translucent finish of natural HDPE allows the level of the liquid contents to be seen, which can be a benefit. Spray bottle compatibility and sustainability When choosing the material for your container or spray bottle, compatibility with the contents is very important: choose from PET plastic bottles (Polyethylene Terephthalate), HDPE (High Density Poly Ethylene), Ecycle recycled bottles (rHDPE) or 30% PCR plastic packaging. Because it is non-reactive, PET plastic is mainly used for solvent liquids, drinks, dressings, oils, shampoo, and mouthwash. PET plastic in inherently resistant to solvents but should not be used for alkaline products of pH greater than 8. HDPE packaging or spray bottles can be used for acidic and alkaline products, such as chemicals and cleaning products but HDPE has limited compatibility with solvents and hydrocarbon-based products. For more information, view our Quick Reference Materials Guide: https://cambrianpackaging.co.uk/knowledge/ When sustainability is a concern, consider our Ecycle™ range, which is made in 100% recycled HDPE polymer. Our ZER0 range includes HDPE and PET bottles manufactured with 30% rPET plastic polymer. Bottles from these ranges will not be liable for the Plastic Packaging Tax. For more information, read our whitepaper. Dispensers for spray-applied products and spray bottles As general guidance, bottles of 250ml and smaller are usually fitted with a 24mm neck so they can be paired with either mist sprays or mini trigger heads. 500ml spray bottles and larger have 28mm necks to suit full size trigger heads or industrial trigger heads where necessary. All these items are held in stock at Cambrian in addition to standard closures, dispensing closures and lotion pumps. We will be very pleased to help you select the best option for your requirements. #AskCambrian on 01686 611 360.

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