Innovations Increase Interest in Tubes

November 13, 2014

Both cosmetics and food product manufacturers are showing greater interest in tubes as packaging material as innovations in tube production, printing, and caps ensure better products that are less expensive to make and transport and, therefore, greener. There are various innovations in tubes that make them better stand out on shelves, a must for marketers.

Importance of Purity Sealing

Whether a manufacturer wants to market food items such as tomato sauce or mustard or cosmeceuticals sealing is an important factor. The trend toward packing food products in tubes started in Europe and has spread to Japan and the US. When assured of purity sealing manufacturers of food products are ready to use squeeze tubes that are convenient to store and easy to use as the product is always available close to the orifice.

Labeling Improvements

Improvements in labeling technology have also made marketers consider using tubes for packaging products. While earlier some designs could only be produced on labels, increasing production costs as the labels had to be printed and applied separately, now it is possible to print the tubes in line, reducing costs. Additionally, the latest technology allows for the design and color to be applied to the crimp area as well, increasing the design possibilities.

Large Sized Tubes

The cosmetics industry often offers customers larger sized bonus packages. In the past this was a difficulty as tubes and caps were not available in larger sizes. With this barrier now broken and larger sized tubes and corresponding caps now available, cosmetics manufacturers can use tubes for their bonus products as well.

Unit Dose Tube Applicators

Another innovation that will increase the use of tubes among manufacturers and consumers of cosmetics is that of unit does tube applicators. Applicators made of foam, felt, uncompressed melamine, polyurethane, and wools are used for specific products such as single use temporary hair colors.

Green and Lower Cost Tubes

Another set of major innovations in tubes relate to greener tubes that are also lower cost products. These tubes meet two different requirements of product manufacturers and customers as the greener tubes have customer appeal and the lower cost of tubes enables tube manufacturers and cosmetics manufacturers to pass on cost savings to the consumer.

Some of the innovations include manufacturing processes that allow caps and applicators to be made without wastage of materials as cuttings are reused in the manufacturing process, waste less tube manufacturing where the tubes are cut to the right size, and direct in line silk screen printing on the tube eliminating the need for labels and the additional cost of applying of labels.

Innovations in tubes have impacted various facets such as the new applicators, larger tubes, silk screen printing on tubes, printing on crimp area, and lower wastage of raw materials used in the manufacturing of tubes. Lighter tubes that are easier to transport are also part of the greening of tube technology. Together, these changes ensure that tubes can be used by manufacturers of cosmetics and food products with the clear assurance that consumers will find the packaging easier to use.