Bottling supplies like bottle caps and can and jar lids are essential to almost every product container, but determining the price of your jar capping depends on a lot of different factors. You can usually purchase caps and lids with the containers themselves, or separately. Bottle packaging can also play a roll in determining whether the price of your can lids and jar lids are pricey or cheap.

The pricing and costs of bottle, can and jar cap packaging materials can vary greatly, depending on the materials used, the number of container lids produced, and whether they are a custom model. Special features like embossing, unusual shapes or custom label design may make your caps and lids more expensive.

1. Some materials will be more expensive than others. Metal jar lids, for instance, are usually more expensive than plastic lids.

2. Larger bottle caps and jar and can lids generally cost more than smaller models, because they use more materials.

3. Special lids, like eye dropper lids, cost more than plain models.

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Purchase bottle caps in bulk to save money

Wholesale bottle caps usually come in large batches, with limited options for color, features and sizes. This type of cap works best if you use a common size bottle, or you only want standard features. Generally speaking, suppliers specify a minimum order. Custom bottle caps can also sometimes be mass-produced, depending on your design company and its manufacturing capabilities. Wholesale bottle caps can cost as little as $0.06 to $0.25 per cap, while custom bottle caps generally cost more. The price per cap generally decreases when you purchase large numbers.

I recommend: Buy bottle caps from Plastic Molded Concepts or the O.BERK Company.

Select can and jar lids with paper labels for more flexibility

Although can and jar lids are usually available in embossed metal, paper labels is generally cheaper than embossing services, and allows you to switch to plastic lids if need be. When purchasing lids with printed labels, remember to factor in the price of ink, paper and printing facilities. These can be provided by a printing facility for a small fee. Most of the time, labeling and material costs are included in the fee if you let a provider manufacture your lids. Lids can cost as little as $0.05 per lid or as much as $0.50 per lid.

I recommend: Get can and jar lids from the Penn Bottle and Supply Co. or Container & Packaging Supply.

Buy can and jar lids together with containers

Some can and jar lid suppliers give you the option of purchasing the container and lid in a set. These can often be bought in bulk, and work best for unusual lid designs that might make finding a fitting container difficult. Purchasing containers and lids together is generally more expensive than purchasing the items separately, but it can save you time and money if the design you're looking for is unusual. Containers with lids can be anywhere from $0.25 to $0.80 cents apiece.

I recommend: Purchase container and lid sets from eBottles.com or the SKS Bottle & Packaging.

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Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're getting your bottle caps or lids custom manufactured, you may be able to find the materials cheaper than the manufacturing company and provide them. Providing the materials yourself can also save you money by forgoing the traditional markup manufacturing companies may charge.

Custom canning and bottling as a home business or hobby is a cost-effective way to preserve homemade foods, spices, perfumes, or other liquid or powder blends that need to be stored and dispensed. Wholesale bottle caps as well as individual jar lids are easy to find online in many plastic and metal varieties.

Can and jar cap packaging materials include not just standard plastic or metal screw top lids, but also specialty lids such as child-safe caps, corks, pumps, and sprayers, so you'll be ready to package and dispense any product in the safest, most convenient container.

When shopping for bottle, can and jar cap packaging materials, look for the following:

1. Browse plastic screw tops for narrow neck bottles;

2. Check out metal lids for can lids and jar capping;

3. Look for specialty caps and tops to fill special needs such as spraying or shaking to dispense;

4. Sell your surplus back to cash in on excess wholesale products.

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Check out plastic bottle caps for narrow neck bottles

Wholesale bottle caps are easiest to find in plastic screw-top models. You can shop wholesale or for single units. Read the features of each lid (such as diameter, lining, and top and side texture) to compare.

I recommend: Buy wholesale when getting plastic lids--they're relatively inexpensive, but if you're concerned about getting the best deal, get a price quote ahead of time or request a sample.

Browse metal jar lids and caps for canning

If you're canning food items or storing anything to distribute in a jar, one of the many types of metal cap or lid will be ideal. Metal bottle, can and jar cap packaging materials are perfect for glass containers as well as metal cans. Metal lids also are typically inexpensive and you can buy them in bulk.

I recommend: Buy metal dome caps or metal lids if you're doing any home canning using jars. Metal jar lids are cheap and easy to use when canning, either for your own home use or for gifts or retail.

Look for custom bottling supplies to fill specific needs

Specialty bottling and canning supplies include any caps for storing or dispensing items in an alternative manner. Custom bottle caps can keep a container closed tight to keep kids out, corks can make bottling more attractive or authentic or caps can make dispensing easier with pumps or misters. Think about any storage or dispensing needs you have as you shop for metal and plastic lids and caps.

I recommend: Plastic lids are most commonly available in custom bottle caps such as child resistant closure, spice shaker caps, pumps and sprayers, but if you're bottling perfume, wine or oils you may want to order corks in a size to fit your containers.

Sell back your excess bottling supplies

If you order bottle caps wholesale, you may end up with some extra surplus. Thankfully, you can often sell this surplus of plastic or metal lids back to a bottle cap manufacturer to sell along with their items.

I recommend: Wait until you're done canning or bottling, and sell your surplus if you're sure you have extra caps you won't need. It's convenient to sell your excess lids and caps back if you don't need them, but keep a few just in case you find out you need a few replacements later.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Shop for lids and caps when you're buying other bottling supplies such as cans and jars. Often, you can get package deals from manufacturers, or at least save on shipping and be sure the lids will fit.

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.

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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.

A lot of people do their own canning or bottling, whether for personal use or for resale. If you're interested in canning or bottling, it pays to learn something about the terminology before you start looking for materials; granted, the terms are simple and straightforward, but there are many variations and close compatibility is crucial to successful bottling and canning. Start with the following bottle, can and jar cap packaging materials:

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Screw caps and lids

Screw caps and lids are popular for almost all applications except home canning, which uses a different method of sealing designed to minimize the chance of contamination. The ubiquitous threaded screw caps and lids seal and reseal easily.

I recommend: Midwest Bottles illustrates dozens of different types of screw caps and lids.

Mason or canning lids

Unlike screw lids, Mason lids, also known as canning lids, aren't threaded - rather they're typically used in home canning where the cooling of the Mason jar's contents creates a vacuum seal that keeps the lid tight.

I recommend: Mason lids are discussed at MissVickie.com.

Metal screw bands

Metal screw bands, also called jar bands, are used in canning to keep the canning lid tight against the jar mouth while the contents of the jar cool. After cooling, the metal screw bands can be removed and reused.

I recommend: DoItYourself.com has an excellent description of how metal screw bands are used in canning.

Wide mouth

Wide mouth jars and lids, which have openings nearly as large as the diameter of the jar, are designed for large objects or for ease in removing contents. They're particularly popular in canning fruits and vegetables and for arts and crafts applications.

I recommend: Freund Container & Supply illustrates a number of different types of wide-mouth jars.

Jar rubbers

Some old-fashioned-style jars and bottles use a clamping system that requires a rubber ring, called a jar rubber, which fits between the lid and the neck of the jar for sealing.

I recommend: Pick Your Own provides a history of canning, including the old-fashioned clamping jar.

Dispensing caps

Dispensing caps typically screw onto bottles or jars and are used to dispense the contents of the bottle or jar. Dispensing caps include flip-top caps, twist-top caps, brush tops, droppers, tamper-evident caps, snap-top caps, and flip-spout caps.

I recommend: SKS Bottle & Packaging has a great page that shows many different types of dispensing caps.