Laminated Tubes – High-Barrier Packaging for Cosmetics, Pharmaceuticals & Food
Laminated tubes are high-barrier, visually attractive packaging solutions widely used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food, and household products. At Xinfly Packaging, we supply custom ABL and PBL laminated tubes that combine excellent product protection, premium printing quality, and consumer-friendly dispensing.
What Are Laminated Tubes?
Laminated tubes are constructed from multiple layers of different materials that are laminated together to form a tube body. This structure provides strong barrier properties and allows high-quality decoration similar to printed sleeves.
Laminated tubes are commonly used for:
Toothpaste and oral care products
Cosmetic creams, gels, and lotions
Pharmaceutical ointments and medicated gels
Food products such as sauces, condiments, and pastes
Household and industrial pastes or gels
They combine the advantages of aluminum and plastic tubes, offering both barrier performance and flexibility with an attractive appearance.
Advantages of Laminated Tubes
1. Excellent Barrier Protection
The multi-layer structure of laminated tubes provides strong resistance against oxygen, moisture, and light. This helps protect sensitive ingredients, maintain fragrance and color, and extend product shelf life.
2. Premium Printing & Shelf Impact
Laminated tubes allow high-resolution printing with vivid colors, fine details, and special effects. Brands can achieve sophisticated designs that stand out in retail and online displays.
3. Smooth, Consistent Appearance
The tube body maintains a smooth, uniform surface, even after multiple squeezes. This keeps the product looking neat and premium throughout its use cycle.
4. Consumer-Friendly Squeezing
Laminated tubes are flexible and easy to squeeze, allowing users to dispense the right amount of product with minimal effort. They provide a comfortable, familiar experience for daily use items like toothpaste and skincare.
5. Versatile Applications
Thanks to their strong barrier and high-quality appearance, laminated tubes are suitable for mass-market, dermocosmetic, pharmaceutical, and premium product lines across many categories.
Types of Laminated Tubes: ABL & PBL
ABL TUBES VS PBL TUBES
ABL (Aluminum Barrier Laminate) Tubes
ABL tubes contain an aluminum layer within the laminate structure, providing very high barrier protection. They are ideal for products that are sensitive to light and oxygen, such as medicated creams, toothpaste, and certain food or industrial products.
PBL (Plastic Barrier Laminate) Tubes
PBL tubes use plastic barrier layers without aluminum, offering good barrier performance with improved recyclability and a softer, more plastic-like feel. They are widely used for cosmetics, personal care, and food packaging where aluminum-free solutions are preferred.
Custom Laminated Tube Options
Xinfly Packaging provides a comprehensive range of customization choices for laminated tubes to meet different market segments and brand requirements.
Material Structures
ABL laminated tubes with various aluminum layer thicknesses
PBL laminated tubes with different plastic barrier structures
Customized laminate thickness and layer combinations based on product needs
Diameters & Capacities
Standard diameters range from Ø16 mm to Ø50 mm, covering small sample sizes to larger family-use products. Filling capacities typically range from 10 ml to 250 ml, adjustable according to your formula and application.
Caps & Closures
Flip-top caps (round, oval, or flat)
Screw caps and stand-up caps
Child-resistant and tamper-evident closures (for pharma and chemical products)
Special applicator tips for targeted application
Printing & Surface Finishes
High-resolution flexo or offset printing
Silk screen printing for strong, opaque effects
Hot stamping foils in gold, silver, or custom colors
Matte, glossy, metallic, or soft-touch finishes
Registered varnish and spot effects for premium branding
Why Choose Xinfly Packaging for Laminated Tubes?
Technical Know-How in ABL & PBL Tubes
We have extensive experience working with both ABL and PBL structures and can recommend the most suitable laminate for your formula, market, and regulatory requirements.
Stable Quality & Reliable Barrier Performance
Our laminated tubes are produced on advanced lines with strict quality control, ensuring consistent wall thickness, strong sealing, and dependable barrier properties for sensitive products.
High-Impact Branding & Design Support
We work closely with your design team to adjust artworks, select finishes, and optimize layout, helping your laminated tubes deliver strong shelf impact and brand recognition.
Flexible MOQ & Global Service
From new launches and niche products to large-scale mass production, we offer flexible minimum order quantities and responsive service for customers around the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Key questions about laminated cosmetic tubes – ABL vs PBL, barrier performance, decoration options, recyclability, MOQ and typical uses.
Q1What are laminated tubes and how are they different from regular PE tubes?
Laminated tubes are made from multi-layer webs that are formed into a tube body, usually combining plastic layers and sometimes an aluminum barrier layer.
Compared with mono-PE tubes, laminated tubes can offer:
Better barrier against oxygen, light and aroma loss
Improved print quality with high-definition graphics
A more “foil-like” or premium look for certain finishes
They are widely used for toothpaste, creams, gels and cosmetic formulas that need extra protection.
Q2What is the difference between ABL and PBL laminated tubes?
ABL (Aluminum Barrier Laminate) includes an aluminum layer in the structure, giving very strong barrier against oxygen, moisture, light and aroma.
PBL (Plastic Barrier Laminate) uses only plastic layers (for example PE/EVOH/PE), providing good barrier while remaining full-plastic.
In short:
ABL – maximum barrier, ideal for highly sensitive or strong-smelling formulas
PBL – all-plastic solution, better for lightweight and recyclable-focused designs
Q3When should I choose laminated tubes instead of extruded PE tubes?
Laminated tubes are recommended when:
Your formula is sensitive to oxygen, light or moisture
You need to keep fragrance and active ingredients stable for a long shelf life
You want very high-resolution printing or a metallic / foil-like effect
Your category (e.g. toothpaste, medicated creams, whitening products) commonly uses laminate for performance
For simpler formulas or entry-price products, a mono-PE tube may be enough.
Q4Are laminated tubes suitable for skincare and cosmetic products, not just toothpaste?
Yes. Laminated tubes are widely used for:
Whitening and dermatological creams
SPF and sun-care formulas
Anti-acne gels and spot treatments
Premium hand cream and body care
They are especially useful when you need long shelf life and protection for active ingredients like vitamin C, retinol or acids.
Q5What decoration and finishes are available for laminated tubes?
Laminated tubes can combine:
High-definition flexo/gravure or offset printing
Silk-screen overprint for raised, tactile logos
Hot-stamping for metallic details
Matte, gloss, soft-touch or pearl varnishes
The laminate web provides a very smooth surface, which helps achieve sharp text and vibrant color even in small font sizes.
Q6Are laminated tubes recyclable or eco-friendly?
PBL plastic laminated tubes can be designed for better compatibility with existing plastic recycling streams, especially when combined with PE closures and mono-material concepts.
ABL tubes are more challenging to recycle due to the aluminum layer, but they can still be justified where barrier is critical and overall waste reduction (less product spoilage) is a priority.
For brands focused on sustainability, we can:
Favor plastic barrier laminates over aluminum where possible
Optimize laminate and cap design for mono-material solutions
Combine with PCR content in specific layers where regulations allow
Q7Do laminated tubes feel different in the hand compared to PE tubes?
Laminated tubes can feel slightly more rigid and “crisp”, especially ABL structures, while still being squeezable.
The wall has a more uniform thickness and smooth surface, which often gives a more premium impression.
PBL laminates can be engineered to balance squeezability and barrier to match the experience you want on shelf.
Q8Can I use the same filling and sealing equipment for laminated tubes?
In many cases, existing tube filling and tail sealing machines can handle laminated tubes with appropriate parameter settings.
However, sealing temperature, pressure and dwell time may need adjustment because laminate webs behave differently from extruded tubes.
We suggest running line trials with a small batch of laminated tubes to fine-tune your process before full-scale production.
Q9What are typical MOQ and lead times for laminated tubes?
Because laminated webs and printing plates must be prepared in advance, typical MOQ is about 10,000 pcs per size/design for fully custom laminated tubes.
After artwork, laminate spec and samples are approved, mass production normally takes about 25–35 days, depending on structure, decoration and cap type.
Q10What information do you need to recommend the right laminated tube?
To suggest the best ABL or PBL structure, we need:
Formula type (water-based, oil-based, with acids, whitening actives, etc.)
Required shelf life and storage conditions
Target volume and diameter
Preferred finish and print effect
Any sustainability targets (recyclable, PCR, lightweighting)
With this information, Xinfly Packaging can customize the laminated tube structure, decoration and closures to match your brand and technical needs.
Not sure whether to choose ABL or PBL laminated tubes?
Share your formula, shelf-life target and branding requirements — we’ll compare laminated tube options and help you select the best structure, decoration and MOQ plan for your launch.
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Our experienced sales and technical support team provides one-on-one guidance throughout your project.
From packaging customization to after-sales service, we guarantee clear communication and efficient solutions for your brand.
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Quality Assurance
Every product follows EIA and STD standards and undergoes five stages of automated testing to ensure 100% consistency.
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