Key Takeaways
- Indicative FOB Ningbo prices for 10,000–50,000 pcs: US$0.28–0.45 for 5–15 ml AS minis, US$0.32–0.60 for 15–50 ml PP/AS, US$0.48–0.95 for 80–120 ml AS; electroplating adds US$0.08–0.25, bamboo or aluminum shells lift the unit to US$0.90–2.50.
- Factory MOQ is 5,000 pcs per model and color; a 20 ft container holds roughly 150,000–200,000 pcs of 30 ml airless bottles, a 40 HQ about 380,000–450,000.
- A normal custom order — stock mold, your color and printing — ships about 15 days after deposit; special finishes such as electroplating or bamboo shells add 5–10 days; a new mold is 35–45 days. Standard payment is 30% T/T deposit, 70% against the B/L copy.
Quick answer
Wholesale airless pump bottles from a Chinese factory cost between US$0.28 and US$0.95 per piece for standard PP and AS formats at 10,000–50,000 pcs, FOB Ningbo. MOQ is 5,000 pcs per model and color, samples are free, a normal custom run ships in about 15 days and payment is 30/70 T/T. Premium finishes — electroplating, bamboo, anodized aluminum — push the unit price toward US$1–2.50.
Those are the headline numbers. The rest of this guide explains what moves the price, how to size a container, what paperwork you need and how to avoid the two mistakes that cost importers the most money: ordering the wrong material for the formula, and ordering decoration without a signed color standard.
This guide is written by Hongye Packaging, an airless bottle factory in Yuyao, Zhejiang. The price bands are from our own quotations and from what customers tell us competitors charge; treat them as a sanity check, not a price list.
Airless bottle wholesale price bands (FOB Ningbo, 2026)
| Format | Capacity | Material | Indicative unit price (10k–50k pcs) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eye-cream mini | 5 / 10 / 12 / 15 ml | AS outer, PP inner | US$0.28–0.45 | Duckbill, roller-ball or ceramic head add US$0.05–0.15 |
| Standard round | 15 / 30 / 50 ml | PP (frosted/opaque) | US$0.32–0.52 | Most economical skincare format |
| Standard round | 15 / 30 / 50 ml | AS (clear) | US$0.36–0.60 | Glass-like clarity; check formula compatibility |
| Large lotion / spray | 80 / 100 / 120 ml | AS | US$0.48–0.95 | Fine-mist sprayer version slightly higher |
| Snap-on / lock-switch | 15 / 30 / 50 ml | PP or AS | US$0.40–0.65 | Lock switch prevents actuation in transit |
| Electroplated collar/cap | any | ABS plated | + US$0.08–0.25 | Gold, silver, rose gold |
| Refillable (inner + shell) | 15 / 30 ml | PP inner, AS/plated shell | US$0.70–1.30 per set | Replacement inner bottles US$0.25–0.40 |
| Bamboo shell | 15 / 30 / 50 ml | Bamboo + PP/AS | US$0.90–1.80 | Natural grain varies; agree a range |
| Anodized aluminum shell | 15 / 30 / 50 ml | Aluminum + PP | US$1.20–2.50 | Sand-blasted or brushed finish |
What moves a quote inside the band: order quantity (50k is 10–15% cheaper than 10k), resin price that month, pump type (lotion pump is cheapest, fine-mist and massage heads cost more), and decoration.
MOQ: what 5,000 pieces really means
Factory MOQ is 5,000 pcs per model and color. In practice:
- Mixed capacities are fine. 15/30/50 ml of the same series share tooling for the pump and cap, so 2,000 + 1,500 + 1,500 is normally accepted as one 5,000-pc order.
- Mixed colors are not free. Each spray-paint or masterbatch color needs a machine changeover and a color-matching run; below ~1,500 pcs per color expect a surcharge of US$150–300 per color.
- Trial orders of stock items in standard white, clear or frosted can be discussed — ask rather than assume.
- New molds need volume. A custom shape only makes economic sense at 20,000–50,000 pcs per year because the mold (US$3,000–8,000 per component set) is amortized into the unit price. See our OEM and private label guide.
Packing and container loading
Airless bottles ship assembled (pump fitted, cap on) in polybags inside 5-ply export cartons on pallets or loose-loaded. Typical figures for our standard round series:
| Capacity | Pcs per carton | Carton size (cm) | 20 ft container | 40 HQ container |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 ml | 800–1,000 | 56 × 38 × 36 | ~260,000 pcs | ~600,000 pcs |
| 30 ml | 500–600 | 58 × 40 × 40 | ~150,000–200,000 pcs | ~380,000–450,000 pcs |
| 50 ml | 350–400 | 60 × 40 × 44 | ~100,000 pcs | ~240,000 pcs |
| 100 ml | 200–240 | 60 × 42 × 50 | ~55,000 pcs | ~130,000 pcs |
Two decisions affect freight cost: assembled vs. unassembled (shipping pumps and bottles separately saves 15–20% volume but needs assembly at your filler), and pallets vs. floor-loaded (pallets cost ~8% volume but save a day of unloading labor). For LCL shipments under 10 CBM, floor-loaded assembled cartons are the usual choice.
Lead time, step by step
| Stage | Custom order, stock mold | Special finishes (plating, bamboo/aluminum) | New mold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quotation | 24 hours | 24–48 hours | 3–5 days (DFM review) |
| Samples | 1–3 days (free) | 7–10 days | 25–30 days (T1 sample) |
| Deposit → production | ~15 days | 20–25 days | 35–45 days |
| Inspection & loading | 2–3 days | 2–3 days | 2–3 days |
| Ningbo → US West Coast | 14–18 days sea | ||
| Ningbo → Rotterdam / Hamburg | 30–35 days sea |
Add 5–7 days to everything in the two weeks before Chinese New Year and the first week of October.
Need exact numbers for your quantity? Tell us capacity, pump type, decoration and target market and we return a quotation with carton and container data within 24 hours.
Get wholesale pricingImport paperwork and HS codes
- HS code. Complete airless bottles with pump are generally declared under 3923.30 (plastic bottles, flasks and similar articles). If pumps ship separately, they fall under 8424.89 or 8424.20. Bamboo or aluminum shells do not usually change the heading because plastic remains the essential character — but confirm with your broker.
- Duty. US general rate for 3923.30 is 3% plus any Section 301 tariff applicable to China-origin goods at the time of import; EU rate is 6.5%. Check current schedules, they change.
- Documents from the factory. Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and on request a certificate of origin (CCPIT), material declarations (resin grade, BPA-free statement, EU 10/2011 or FDA 21 CFR compliance letter for food-contact-grade PP) and BSCI/ISO certificates for retailer audits.
- Incoterm. We quote FOB Ningbo. Your forwarder arranges sea freight, insurance and customs clearance; most importers use a forwarder with an office in Ningbo for LCL consolidation.
Material choice: the mistake that costs the most
The single most expensive error we see is choosing AS (clear acrylonitrile styrene) for a formula that attacks it. AS gives beautiful clarity but is sensitive to essential oils, high-alcohol toners and some sunscreen filters, which can cause stress cracking after 2–6 weeks of contact. PP is opaque or frosted but chemically robust.
Rule of thumb: serums, water-based essences, emulsions → AS is fine. Oils, high-alcohol, retinol in oil carriers, mineral sunscreens → PP inner bottle. Our AS airless series uses a PP piston and pump path, so only the outer wall sees the formula; our full-PP series is the safe default when in doubt. Packing a cream rather than a lotion? Our airless pump jar guide covers jar sizes, acrylic vs PP and the dispensing tests to run before you order.
Always run a 4-week compatibility test with free samples before the wholesale order. It costs nothing and prevents a container of cracked bottles.
Sample test checklist before you order
Free samples are only useful if you test them. Our customers’ QC teams run this 30-minute protocol on three bottles per series:
- Priming: a new pump should deliver product within 3–5 strokes. More than 8 indicates a piston seal or valve problem.
- Dosage: weigh 10 strokes on a 0.01 g scale; variation should stay within ±10% of the nominal 0.23 ml or 0.5 ml.
- Evacuation: pump until empty and weigh the residue; good airless bottles leave under 5% of the fill.
- Drop test: 1 m onto concrete, cap on, three orientations — no leak, no cap pop.
- Compatibility: fill with the real formula, store at 40 °C for 4 weeks, inspect for stress cracks (AS) or discoloration.
Record the results and attach them to the purchase order; they become the acceptance standard for the production inspection.
Six questions to ask before the deposit
- Is the quotation FOB Ningbo and does it include a carton specification? If not, freight estimates will be wrong.
- Which resin grade and which colorant? Ask for the grade name; this is what your compliance file needs.
- What is the pump dosage and tolerance? Standard lotion pumps deliver 0.23 ml ± 10% or 0.5 ml ± 10% per stroke; confirm which you are buying.
- What is the evacuation rate? Good airless bottles reach 95–99%; ask for the test method.
- What is the color standard? For custom colors, sign a physical color chip or Pantone reference with ΔE tolerance before production.
- What is the inspection plan? AQL 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor is standard in cosmetic packaging; third-party inspection (SGS, Intertek, QIMA) costs US$250–350 per man-day and is money well spent on a first order.
Where to buy
Wholesale airless bottles are made almost entirely in Zhejiang; see our ranking of 10 Chinese airless bottle manufacturers for who does what. If you want a factory that makes the bottle, pump and cap in one plant and ships free samples the same week, browse our airless range or send your RFQ.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does an airless pump bottle cost wholesale?+
At factory level in Zhejiang, 15–50 ml PP or AS airless bottles with pump cost roughly US$0.32–0.60 each for 10,000–50,000 pcs FOB Ningbo. Small 5–15 ml eye-cream bottles run US$0.28–0.45, 80–120 ml bottles US$0.48–0.95. Electroplating, bamboo or aluminum shells and custom printing add to these bands.
What is the minimum order for wholesale airless bottles?+
5,000 pcs per model and color at Hongye, below the 10,000 pcs that is typical for Zhejiang factories. Mixed capacities within one series (for example 15/30/50 ml of the same design) can usually share one order, and trial quantities of stock items in standard colors can be discussed.
How many airless bottles fit in a 20 ft container?+
Roughly 150,000–200,000 pcs of 30 ml airless bottles, depending on carton size and whether bottles are shipped assembled. A 40 HQ container holds around 380,000–450,000 pcs of 30 ml. We provide exact carton and container loading data with every quotation.
What HS code applies to airless pump bottles?+
Most customs authorities classify complete airless bottles with pump under HS 3923.30 (plastic bottles and similar articles) or, if the pump is shipped separately, the pump under HS 8424.89/8424.20. Confirm with your customs broker; classification affects duty rates in the US and EU.
What payment terms do Chinese packaging factories accept?+
The standard is 30% T/T deposit with the order and 70% T/T against the bill of lading copy. L/C at sight is accepted for larger orders. PayPal and Western Union are used for sample and small trial orders.
Can I get free samples before placing a wholesale order?+
Yes. Hongye ships stock samples free of charge, freight collect on your courier account. Custom-color or decorated samples are quoted case by case.