HDPE and PET Plastic Packaging for Essential Oils

Essential oils, by their very nature, are quite concentrated. This makes them potent when it comes to helping folks sleep, relieving their stress, and improving their well-being. However, it also makes packaging them somewhat problematic.

You see, the problem is that essential oils tend to be caustic and need to be stored in non-porous and non-reactive containers. Traditionally, this has meant packaging essential oils in glass jars and bottles.

Unfortunately, glass is heavy and expensive. It's also prone to breaking if dropped.

So What About Plastic?

First off, we should emphasize that not all plastics are safe for essential oils. Most plastics tend to break down a bit too easily when exposed to the corrosive properties of these oils.

However, there are two types of plastic that work well with essential oils. HDPE (high-density polyethylene plastic) and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) are durable and more resistant to breaking down and leaking than other plastics. They weigh less than glass and won't shatter if dropped. And, best of all, HDPE and PET plastic are cheaper than glass--not only in wholesale prices, but in terms of shipping.

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Plastic

HDPE is strong and dense. It's made up of longer chains with stronger bonds than typical plastic, which makes it safer for use with essential oils. HDPE is also known as Plastic #2 and is generally labeled as such by manufacturers. You can usually identify an HDPE container by looking for the "#2" printed on the bottom.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Plastic

PET is another good plastic option for storing, shipping, and selling essential oils. It's not quite as durable as HDPE, but it's resistant enough to breaking down to safely hold essential oils that have been properly diluted.

Hints for Storing Essential Oils

As with glass containers, all HDPE and PET plastic jars and bottles need to be tinted or (ideally) completely dark if they're being used for essential oils. Exposing those oils to direct sunlight can affect their colors and their constituents. That's also why it's important to keep your essential oils stored in a cool, dark place.

Wholesale HDPE/PET Plastic Jars and Bottles

If you're looking for the perfect wholesale plastic bottles or jars for packaging your essential oils, Plascene has got you covered. We offer an extensive range of standard and custom HDPE and PET containers. And like all our HDPE/PET plastic products, our wholesale PET/HDPE jars and bottles are 100% recyclable and available in a wide range of custom options. Check out Plascene’s online catalog for a full list of our wholesale PET jars and bottles.