Custom Rigid Paper Tubes

Choosing Diameter and Height

Start with the item that goes inside. For bottles and jars, measure the widest diameter and the full height including any pump or cap, then add 2 to 4 mm to the diameter and around 5 mm to the height so the product slides in without scraping the print. If you are using an insert, we size the tube around the insert rather than the bottle.

For loose products such as tea, think in fill weight rather than size. A tube around 76 mm across and 120 mm tall holds roughly what a typical retail tea pouch holds, while a 100 mm tube suits a larger refill. If you are unsure, send us your current pouch and we will suggest a size that leaves a little headroom for the liner.

Very tall, narrow tubes look elegant but can be tipped over easily in a shop. Keep height under about three times the diameter for shelf products, or add a weighted base insert. Our steps for measuring your product help you pick the right diameter.

Wraps, Foils and Inside Print

The outside paper is where the branding lives. It can be printed in full colour, in Pantone spot colours, or left as a plain coloured or textured paper with only a foil logo. Matt and soft-touch laminates suit cosmetics and tea; gloss laminate gives strong colour for confectionery and gifts. Foil stamping in gold, silver, rose gold or copper wraps neatly around the curve when the artwork is set up correctly.

The inside of the tube can be lined with a contrasting colour, which is a small detail that customers often photograph. Embossing on the lid top, a printed disc on the base, or a ribbon pull under the lid all add finish without changing the structure.

For tea and coffee, the tube is the outer pack and the product goes into a sealed inner bag. Food-contact grade board is available on request if you prefer loose product directly against the inner wall. Our page on boards and finishes explains the wrap papers available.

Getting the Artwork to Wrap Correctly

Artwork for a tube is set up as a long flat rectangle whose width equals the circumference plus a small overlap. Logos placed near the seam can end up split, so we mark a safe zone on the template. Text should run parallel to the base unless you want a spiral effect, and very fine lines can soften slightly where the paper bends around a small diameter.

We send a free design proof showing the wrap flat and a rendered view of the finished tube, so you can check where each element sits before production begins. If you have a logo but no wrap artwork yet, Design Your Box with your logo and we will lay it out.

Quotes, Timing and Delivery

Send the diameter, height, lid style and quantity you have in mind, and we will email a custom quote within one working day. Rigid tubes are built to order, so minimums depend on size and finish; we keep them low and state them per job.

After you approve the proof, production takes 4 to 7 working days. Delivery is free and tracked to UK mainland addresses, normally within 2 to 3 working days. Tubes arrive assembled with lids on, packed in outer cartons to protect the wraps in transit. Any tube that arrives misprinted or damaged can be reported within 10 days for a reprint or refund. Our explainer on how packaging pricing works shows what changes the price per tube.

Small Details Worth Asking For

A thumb notch cut into the body rim makes a tight lid easier to lift, which helps older customers. A short ribbon tab glued under the lid does the same job and adds colour. If the tube will be posted rather than handed over, a shrink band or a printed paper seal across the lid joint shows the customer it has not been opened.

For ranges with several flavours or scents, one printed body with different coloured lids is an economical way to tell products apart on a shelf.

Think too about how the tube will be displayed. On a café counter or in a gift shop, tubes are often stacked in a pyramid or lined up three deep, so the front of each one needs the product name clearly visible from a metre away. A wide band of colour around the middle, with the name inside it, reads well from any angle. Small print such as ingredients, brewing notes or usage directions can sit on the back of the wrap or on the base disc, where it stays out of the way of the main design. Tubes that need an internal step to hold a bottle are covered by cardboard tubes with inserts.