Push up paper tube
Paperboard, plastic free200 minimum · 10 to 12 business daysA push up paper tube is a spiral wound paperboard container with a paperboard disc inside that the user pushes up from the bottom to advance a solid product, with a slip cap on top. We produce them from 200 units in 10 to 12 business days after proof, in kraft or white, with no plastic parts. The 0.5 ounce lip balm and 2.65 ounce deodorant sizes are the standards.
When to choose it, and when not to
Choose a push up paper tube for any solid product that is applied straight from the container: deodorant, lip balm, solid lotion bars, solid perfume, sunscreen sticks, beard balm, muscle rubs. It replaces a plastic twist-up tube with a paper one that goes in the paper recycling. Natural and refill brands lead the market here and their buyers check the material before they check the scent. Fill it hot, let it set, cap it.
Choose a paper tube with lid when the product sits in a jar or is lifted out rather than pushed up, since the push disc is wasted on anything that is not a stick. Choose a lip balm carton when you already have a filled plastic tube and only need an outer printed box.
Specifications
| Board | Spiral wound paperboard, 0.04 to 0.06 in wall, kraft or white liner |
|---|---|
| Digital CMYK on a paper wrap, or one color flexo direct on kraft | |
| Finish | Water-based matte or gloss varnish, wax-resistant inner liner |
| Closure | Slip cap, 0.5 to 0.75 in deep, plus a push disc at the base |
| Insert | Paperboard push disc, wax coated, fitted |
| Liner | Grease-resistant paper liner |
| Minimum | 200 units |
| Lead time | 10 to 12 business days after proof |
| Ships | Assembled and capped, in cartons of 200 to 500 by size |
| Sizes we run | 0.6 x 2.5 in (0.15 oz lip balm) 1 x 3 in (0.5 oz balm or solid perfume) 1.5 x 3.5 in (1 oz solid lotion) 1.75 x 4 in (2 to 2.65 oz deodorant) 2 x 4.5 in (3 oz solid sunscreen) any size from 0.5 x 2 to 2.5 x 6 in |
Materials that suit it
Questions people ask
Does the product leak through the paper?
No. The inside is a grease-resistant paper liner rated for oils and waxes, and the push disc is wax coated. Solid deodorants, balms and lotion bars sit in it for a 12 to 18 month shelf life without staining the outside. Very soft formulas with a high liquid oil content can weep in heat; tell us the melt point and we advise.
How do I fill it?
Pour the melted product straight in with the disc pushed to the bottom, at up to 167°F. Let it set, then cap it. Filling upright on a tray is usual. Do not fill above the top rim less 0.125 inch or the cap will not seat. We supply a fill line on the spec sheet.
Is it really plastic free?
Yes. The tube, the cap, the push disc and the liner are all paper and board with a wax or water-based coating. There is no plastic sleeve, no plastic mechanism and no plastic film on the print. The whole tube is recyclable as mixed paper once empty.
What sizes do you run?
From a 0.6 inch diameter lip balm to a 2.5 inch solid sunscreen stick. The most common are 1 inch for balms and solid perfumes, and 1.75 inch for a 2 to 2.65 ounce deodorant, which matches the fill weight buyers know from plastic tubes.
Can I print the ingredient list on it?
Yes. On a 1.75 by 4 inch tube the wrap gives you about 5.5 by 3.5 inches of print, enough for a logo, the scent, a short ingredient list at 6 point and the net weight. The 1 inch lip balm tube is tighter and the ingredients usually go on the outer carton or a hang tag.
How is a push up paper tube different from custom lip balm tubes?
Size range. The push up paper tube covers solid products from deodorant and lotion bars to sunscreen sticks, on a 0.04 to 0.06 in wall with a wax-coated push disc and a grease-resistant liner, from 200 units in 10 to 12 business days after proof. Custom lip balm tubes are the small version, 0.75 or 1 inch diameter and 2.5 to 3.25 inches tall, sized to standard balm mold inserts, from 500 units in 12 to 14 business days. Lip balm and small sticks suit the lip balm tube; anything wider suits the push up tube.
Similar styles
Read next
Ready to price your push up paper tube?
Send the size and quantity for a quote and a dieline, usually within one business day. Your digital proof follows, usually within one business day of your artwork. Design help and the Swatch Book of materials are free.