Properly fitting jar lids, can lids and bottle caps are all essential to keeping your product fresh and securely contained. These items can often be bought with bottles, cans and jars, but are also available wholesale. Items like wholesale bottle caps can be custom-designed to fit your container perfectly, so you can decide on your own colors, text and other features.

Bottle, can and jar cap packaging materials basics can be purchased from any packaging materials manufacturer. To ensure that lids and jar caps fit correctly, it's often advisable to purchase both the container and lid from the same manufacturer. Generally, companies produce containers and lids that are matched in size.

1. Check the size and diameter of bottling supplies before you buy, or you could end up with caps that won't fit your bottles.

2. When selecting a material for your bottle, can and jar packaging, consider how well that material will respond under stress and what kind of seal it will make.

3. Wide mouthed bottles may be more difficult to find caps for.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy fitted jar lids for your glass or plastic containers

Jar lids are usually made of metal, and create a seal by twisting an interlocking lid onto the container. This type of lid can be engraved or embossed, or covered with a paper label to display the company logo and text. Jar lids are commonly used for food products, candles and some personal products. If you can't find a lid that suits your particular jar, most companies will work with you to create a custom design.

I recommend: Get jar lids from Buckeye Novelty Cans or Freund Container & Supply.

Purchase can lids that suit your product

Can lids are usually made of metal or plastic. This type of lid is usually a screw cap or slipcover designed to fit a small opening at the top of the can. Although can lids can be found in screw cap or slipcover form, they are also commonly available as brush caps and nozzles. If you can't find the perfect can lid for your canned product, try commissioning a custom design. The lid manufacturing company can work with you to get the correct size, utility and materials to make your lid fit and function properly.

I recommend: Check out All-Pak's selection of can lids, or buy some from M. Jacob & Sons.

Select a cap that fits your bottle packaging design and helps dispense your product

Bottle caps come in many different shapes, sizes and colors. It's best to select a bottle cap that matches your packaging and makes using the product easier. For instance, liquids that are dispensed one drop at a time often have dropper caps, while flip tops give allow control over the product's application. And of course, custom cap packaging is often available from the supplier.

I recommend: Purchase bottle caps from United States Plastic, or Weatherchem.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If your containers will store acidic liquids, consider buying acid-resistant caps to ensure that your products are properly contained, and that the bottle caps or lids will not degrade over time.