Tea tin style tube
Paperboard with metal ends200 minimum · 10 to 14 business daysA tea tin style tube is a spiral wound paperboard canister with a tinplate bottom and a metal slip lid, so it looks and closes like a tin but prints like paper. We produce them from 200 units in 10 to 14 business days after proof, with a food-contact liner inside. The 2.5 by 4 and 3 by 5 inch sizes hold 2 to 4 ounces of loose leaf tea.
When to choose it, and when not to
Choose a tea tin style tube when you want the counter presence of a metal tin without the cost or the weight of an all-metal can. Loose leaf tea, ground coffee, spice blends, cocoa, bath salts and loose incense all suit it. The metal lid gives a tighter close than a paper cap and the buyer keeps the tube on the counter, which is the point: your brand stays in the kitchen for months after the tea is gone.
Choose a tea pouch when the product is a refill or a low-cost line, since the tube costs more and is meant to be refilled from the pouch. Choose a paper tube with lid when the product is not food and does not need the metal ends or the liner.
Specifications
| Board | Spiral wound paperboard, 0.06 to 0.08 in wall, white liner |
|---|---|
| Digital or offset CMYK on a paper wrap, foil and spot UV optional | |
| Finish | Matte or gloss varnish, soft-touch lamination on request |
| Closure | Tinplate slip lid, silver or black, with a tinplate bottom end |
| Insert | None, an inner paper seal disc on request |
| Liner | Foil or PE paper liner |
| Minimum | 200 units |
| Lead time | 10 to 14 business days after proof |
| Ships | Assembled with lids on, in cartons of 50 to 100 by size |
| Sizes we run | 2 x 3.5 in (1 oz tea, spice) 2.5 x 4 in (2 oz tea) 3 x 5 in (4 oz tea, 8 oz coffee) 3.5 x 6 in (8 oz tea, 12 oz coffee) 4 x 7 in (1 lb coffee) any size from 1.5 x 2.5 to 5 x 10 in |
Materials that suit it
Questions people ask
Is the metal lid airtight?
Close to it. A tinplate slip lid on a paper tube is a tight friction fit that keeps tea fresh for 6 to 12 months, but it is not a hermetic seal. For a true seal, add the inner paper seal disc that the buyer peels off on first opening, or sell the tea in a sealed pouch inside the tube.
What liner is inside?
A food-contact grade liner bonded to the inside of the board: foil-faced paper for coffee and anything with oils, PE paper for tea and dry spices. The liner stops flavor transfer from the board and keeps moisture out through the wall. We send the liner spec with the proof.
Silver or black lid?
Both are stocked. Silver reads as classic tea; black suits coffee and a darker brand palette. A printed or foiled lid top is possible with a paper label applied to the metal, which is the usual way to put a blend name on the lid.
How much coffee fits in a 3 by 5 inch tube?
About 8 ounces of whole bean, or 4 ounces of most loose leaf teas. Tea is lighter than coffee for the same volume, so the same tube holds half the weight. The 3.5 by 6 inch tube takes 12 ounces of coffee. Send us the product and we test fill.
Is it recyclable?
The board and paper wrap are recyclable as mixed paper, and the tinplate lid and bottom are recyclable as metal once separated. The liner is bonded to the board, so a foil liner makes the tube body mixed material; a PE paper liner is more widely accepted. Say what your brand needs and we run the matching liner.
How is the tea tin style tube different from a paper tube with lid?
The tea tin tube has a tinplate bottom and a silver or black metal slip lid with a foil or PE liner inside, so it closes tighter and reads like a tin on the counter. The paper tube with lid has a paper slip-on cap and paper ends, metal ends on request, in kraft or white. Both start at 200 units in 10 to 14 business days after proof. Loose tea, coffee and spices kept for weeks suit the tea tin tube; candles, bath products and gifts suit the paper tube.
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Ready to price your tea tin style 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.