A tube looks simple until you specify one: the wall construction decides how much oxygen reaches the formula, whether the tube recycles at home, and what it costs. Here are the four families brands actually order.
The four tube families
| Tube | Barrier | Recyclable | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABL (aluminium barrier) | Highest | Not mono — hard to recycle | Sensitive, oxygen-fragile formulas |
| PBL (plastic barrier) | High | Mono-PBL stream emerging | Mid-range creams, no metal taste |
| Mono-material PE | Good | Yes, established stream | Everyday lotions, eco claims |
| Sugarcane bio-PE | Good | Yes, renewable carbon | Green positioning, same PE recycle |
ABL: the barrier workhorse
Aluminium-barrier laminate sandwiches a thin aluminium foil between plastic layers, giving the tightest oxygen and light barrier of any tube. That is why it carries retinol, self-tan and fragrance concentrates. The cost is recyclability: the foil layer makes it a multi-material that most curbside streams reject.
PBL and mono-material PE
Plastic-barrier laminate drops the foil for an EVOH or oxide layer, keeping a strong barrier while moving toward a single polymer. Mono-material PE goes further: one polymer throughout, so it enters the established PE recycling stream. The barrier is a step down from ABL, but for most lotions and cleansers it is more than enough.
Sugarcane bio-PE
- Chemically identical to fossil PE, so it runs on the same PE recycling stream.
- The carbon is captured from sugarcane growth, lowering the tube’s footprint.
- Use it when the green claim must survive a recycler’s sorting, not just a label.
How to choose
Lead with the formula: if it is oxygen-fragile, ABL. If it is a daily lotion and the claim is recyclable, mono-material PE or sugarcane bio-PE. If you want a high barrier without metal, PBL. Tell us the formula and the recycling claim and we will match the wall construction and the decoration that prints on it.
Send us your formula sensitivity and sustainability claim and we will specify the tube wall, closure and print method.