PET vs PETG: Which Clear Plastic
PET is the workhorse: clear, stiff, low-cost and widely recycled. PETG is thicker-walled, slightly softer and reads closer to glass, at roughly 20–30 % more per unit. Choose PETG where the pack is selling thickness; PET everywhere else.
| PET | PETG | |
|---|---|---|
| Clarity | Clear, thin | Clear, glass-like |
| Wall | 0.5–0.7 mm typical | 1.0–2.0 mm |
| Cost per unit | Baseline | 20–30 % higher |
| Chemical resistance | Poor with strong solvents | Better, still not solvent-proof |
| Recycling | Widely recycled (clear) | Less widely accepted |
| Best for | Serum, toner, shampoo, food | Airless, premium creams, thick-wall bottles |
Representative image — exact dimensions, colour and finish are confirmed on the approved drawing.
Not sure the neck fits your pump? Run the spec checker →
The Test That Settles It
Hold the pack at arm's length. If the product's colour is the hero, PET. If the pack's weight and thickness are the hero, PETG.
Where Each Fails
PET crazes at the shoulder with alcohol or essential oils after weeks. PETG resists better but still cracks with strong solvents, and it is not accepted in as many recycling streams.
Crazing
Fine surface cracks that appear after weeks, not days. A four-week soak test is the only reliable check.
Recycling
Clear PET is the most accepted plastic. PETG often falls outside the bottle stream.
Compatibility, Packing and Tolerance
Closures That Fit
Send the neck finish and we match a closure from the same plant: disc-top and flip-top caps, lotion and foam pumps, mist sprayers and droppers. Closures are fitted and tested on the bottle before packing, which is where most leaks originate.
Packing and Freight
Carton quantity, carton dimensions and gross weight are quoted with the unit price. FOB Shantou is the default term; EXW and CIF are quoted on request. Payment is 30 % deposit, 70 % against the bill of lading.
Tolerance
Dimensions hold to ± 1.5 % and weight to ± 1 g against the approved drawing. Anything outside that range is remade, not discounted.
Decoration Options and What They Cost in MOQ
Silkscreen in one to four colours starts at 1,000 pcs and adds about five days; the plate is a one-off, which is why it does not repeat on a reorder. Labels are lower in unit cost for multi-colour artwork and allow short runs. Hot stamp, spray coat and metallising start at 3,000 pcs because the line set-up is heavier and the reject rate is higher.
Decoration also decides the recycling story. A paper label with a wash-off adhesive keeps a PET bottle in the PET stream; a full-body sleeve does not. If the pack carries a recyclability claim, the decoration is part of the claim, not a design detail.
Sampling and Approval
A sample from an existing mould takes 7 days and comes from the production tool, not a showroom piece. For a new shape, tooling takes 15–20 days before sampling. We ship the sample with the drawing it was made to, so the approval is against a number rather than a photograph.
If the formula contains alcohol, a high level of essential oil or a particulate, say so at sample stage — the compatibility test runs four weeks and it costs less to find a problem then than in a container.
How We Quote and Ship
Send capacity, neck, quantity and the closure you intend to use. We reply within one business day with unit price, packing data (pcs per carton, carton size, gross weight) and lead time — the packing data is what your freight forwarder needs, so it is quoted with the price rather than after.
Production is 25–35 days after sample approval on existing moulds, 15–20 days longer if a new mould is needed. Payment is 30 % deposit and 70 % against the bill of lading; FOB Shantou is the default term, EXW and CIF on request.
What We Do Not Do
We do not fill, formulate or design labels, and we do not hot-fill in standard PET above about 60 °C. We hold ISO 9001:2015 (PCC85724Q01277R1S), RoHS reports for PE and PET and an EU 10/2011 migration test — and we do not claim FDA, REACH or GRS certification we do not hold.
Frequently Asked
Is PETG better than PET?
Only where thickness and glass-like clarity matter; otherwise PET costs less and recycles better.
Can PETG be recycled?
Less widely than PET — check the local stream before making a recyclability claim.
Which is more expensive?
PETG, by roughly 20–30 % per unit at the same capacity.
Do you mould both?
Yes — PET and PETG bottles, jars and airless packs.
Related
Send the Spec, Get the Number
Capacity, neck, quantity — we come back with unit price, packing data and lead time.