Types of Containers

Bottles, Jars, Vials, Packers

Bottles - Plastic/Glass/Metal

Both glass and plastic bottles are sold in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. The most common shapes for bottles are the Boston Round, bullet, cylinder, square, packers and oval. They can also come in more irregular shapes such as animals and foods. You can find plastic bottles in some of the more common types of plastic like PET, HDPE, LPDE, PVC, PP, PS and acrylic. Metal or aluminum bottles are most recognizable with the bullet shape and the original aluminum coating. However, they are also available in other colors like white, black, or brushed metal and in other shapes like a cylinder, tapered round or oval shape. Many of these bottles are used in several industries including pharmaceutical, food & beverage, pet care, beauty, home & garden, and automotive. Plastic, metal, and glass bottles can be used for nail polish, food, drinks, oils, vinegars, medicines, make-up tubes, shampoo, and mouthwash, to name a few. There are also several types of specialty plastic bottles including f-style bottles, trigger-ovals and handleware bottles that are frequently used for household, industrial and automotive cleaning products, automotive fluids, chemicals and more.

Jars - Plastic/Glass

Glass and plastic jars are defined as wide mouth containers, usually without handles. They can be different shapes, sizes, colors and materials. Plastic jars can be made from several types of plastic with the most common being made out of PET, HDPE, PVC, PP and acrylic. These plastic jars can be single-walled or double-walled with a decorative exterior that can sometimes be made of metal or a metallic type finish. Low-profile jars are great for eye creams and other beauty products. Jars can range in size from 1ML to 2 gallons, giving them a large variety of uses. The most common closures used with jars are continuous thread closures, and when put together, they can be used in multiple industries like beauty, automotive, household, pet care and more.

Glass Candle Jars

Candle glass is similar to glass jars and are available in several colors with flint, clear and frosted being the most popular. Candle glass is typically designed to have thicker sides to handle higher heats for when candles are poured. These containers are both functional and decorative, which help candles stand out on shelves. They can be found in a variety of sizes including smaller votive styles and larger tumbler styles. Apothecary style candle glass is a popular option; it is typically designed with a sloping shape and will often include a domed lid. Popular for the holidays or crafting, candle glass is often found in personal care, home & garden and food & beverage industries.

Vials

Vials tend to be smaller containers made of either plastic or glass. They are normally made of glass, but they can also be made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and more. Vials are often used in the pharmaceutical and personal care industries to hold serums, oils, medications, fragrances or small, sample size products. Vials are perfect for precise storage and small volumes. These are versatile because they are available with continuous thread closures, dropper tips, plugs or other orifice reducer fitments.

Packers

McKernan carries an extensive line of packers made of glass, PET and HDPE that are ideal for pills, vitamins, supplements, medicinal herbs and other pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and herbaceutical applications for use with both humans and pets. Packers are designed for easy filling and durability. They pair well with continuous thread caps, but are mostly used with child-resistant (CR) caps, especially when used in the pharmaceutical industry. Packers are typically measured in cubic centimeters (cc's), but there is no volume difference between a milliliter (ml) and cubic centimeter (cc).