Considering dropper bottles for containing and dispensing your products? It’s important to understand how they work and differ from alternative packaging products, to see if they’re the right fit for you and your product.
Here, Origin covers everything you need to know about dropper bottles…
What are dropper bottles?
Dropper bottles are primary packaging containers that feature specialised lids with built-in dropper devices. They are designed to administer accurately-dosed liquid drops – often medicines, consumables such as flavour drops, fragrances and essential oils.
The dropper mechanism is built into the bottle lid and features a dropper insert or squeezable pipette which is used to withdraw liquid from the bottle and dispense it accurately in single droplets.
What are dropper bottle inserts?
Dropper inserts are used in glass or plastic bottles to dispense liquids. They are a safer alternative to dropper pipettes, which can be useful but are not always ideal as oils can eat away at the rubber material.
As a result, dropper inserts are often used instead of pipettes for products like essential oils.
There are four cap styles to choose from – including vertical and horizontal solutions and tamper-evident caps.
How to use dropper bottles
Unlike squeezable dropper pipettes, the key thing to know about dropper inserts is that the product does all the work and squeezing is unnecessary.
When using vertical droppers, turn the bottle 180 degrees, allowing the air to go in as the drop falls. This provides the correct amount of oil for dispensing. For horizontal droppers, pour at about 135 degrees, similarly to how you would pour wine.
Dropper insert flow rates
Dropper insert flow rates refer to the speed at which droplets are dispensed. Typically, the first drop dispensed should take 3 to 5 seconds and after that, it should take 1 to 3 seconds.
However, flow rates can be changed by optimising the dropper. This can be done by adding a dropper insert – which is effective when it comes to controlling the flow of the liquid as it leaves the bottle – or changing the dropper to increase or decrease the rate flow.
This allows you to have more control over your product. Depending on the thickness of the liquid, different orifice sizes will be needed to achieve the desired flow rate.
To give you an idea of which size you need, essential oils such as tea tree oil, orange, lemon, eucalyptus, lime, cypress, ginger, lavender, peppermint, and wintergreen are thinner and less viscous, while oils with a thicker viscosity include vanilla, patchouli, cedarwood, vetiver, clary sage, jasminum sambac, and ylang ylang.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What materials of dropper bottles are there?
Dropper bottles can be produced with a range of materials, including glass and plastics such as High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). Dropper bottles must be made from rigid, impact-resistant and non-squeezable materials.
- What are dropper bottles used for?
Dropper bottles are used for many things, such as in the pharmaceutical industry to safely contain a variety of pharmaceutical liquids. They’re also often used in ophthalmic contexts and for things like essential oils and aromatherapy. With vape liquids growing in popularity, this is now a common use for dropper bottles, too.
- What are the transportation benefits of dropper bottles?
Dropper bottles are cost-effective and simple to transport, as they can be shipped in large volumes at a time. This is because they are light and compact, so they don’t take up much space at all.
- What are the different dropper bottle closures?
You can choose from a range of dropper bottle closures, depending on the needs of the user and the purpose of the bottle. There are dropper nozzles, atomisers, screw necks or snack necks. Be sure to find out which of these is right for you before buying dropper bottles.
- What are the different colour options of dropper bottles?
Dropper bottles come in a variety of colours to meet branding requirements and presentation styles. It is also possible to choose amber glass dropper bottles that protect the liquid inside from harmful and damaging UV rays and lights.
Dropper bottles from Origin
Looking for high-quality, customisable dropper bottles that are compatible with a range of dropper inserts, pipettes and closures? View Origin’s extensive range of glass and plastic dropper bottles.
Origin makes it simple to find the dropper bottles and related products you require, as well as assisting with achieving the perfect flow rate – so you can give your customers the best experience possible. Chat with our helpful team today.