Black packaging materials in cosmetics
Why slight scratches are not grounds for complaint
Black jars, bottles and folding boxes represent elegance, premium quality and a clear brand statement in cosmetics. At the same time, they repeatedly lead to discussions in practice, especially when slight scratches or abrasions become visible.
It is important to note that these phenomena are technically unavoidable and do not constitute a defect.
Mechanical filling means unavoidable surface contact
Today, modern cosmetic products are almost exclusively filled mechanically and at high speed. The packaging materials pass through various stations:
- Sorting and separation
- Transport via conveyor belts
- Positioning, filling and sealing.
- Labelling and packaging.
In all these process steps, contact between packaging materials, machine components and transport elements is inevitable. Even with optimally adjusted lines and high-quality materials, microscopically fine friction marks are created.
These are simply more visible on black surfaces than on light-coloured or transparent packaging materials – but technically they are unavoidable.
Black surfaces make even the smallest marks visible
Black is a particularly challenging colour in packaging.
Even minimal surface changes appear as light lines due to light reflection.
– Matt or soft-touch coated surfaces are more sensitive to friction.
– Scratches are usually purely visual and do not affect function or stability.
What is hardly noticeable on white or coloured packaging materials is immediately apparent on black packaging materials, even though the quality is objectively no worse.
Scratch marks on black packaging materials are therefore not grounds for complaint
Slight scratch marks or abrasion on black jars and bottles:
do not impair function
do not alter the tightness or product safety.
are not an indication of faulty production.
They are not caused by improper handling, but by normal machine operation.
Therefore, these visual deviations are not considered grounds for complaint in the industry, provided there is no structural damage.
Black folding boxes: White edges are due to the material
Black folding boxes also regularly give rise to queries when the white cardboard core shows through slightly at the edges or folds.
There are clear reasons for this:
– The material is subjected to mechanical stress during punching, creasing and folding.
– The black printing ink or colouring is thinner at the edges due to the design.
This makes the light-coloured cardboard core visible.
This effect is normal from a physical and printing technology perspective and is not an indication of inferior quality or incorrect processing.
Other typical characteristics of black packaging materials are:
– Scratch marks
– Edge abrasion
Brand owners who rely on black packaging materials should be aware of the following points:
– Black plastics show dust, fingerprints and handling marks more quickly.
– Matt black surfaces are more sensitive than high-gloss variants.
– Visual deviations are generally more noticeable with black.
High visual perfection requires manual filling, which is hardly realistic from an economic point of view.
– Black is a design decision, but not a technical simplification.
Transparent communication avoids complaints.
Packaging suppliers and fillers should inform their customers at an early stage about the following:
– Black packaging is more visually sensitive.
– Mechanical filling inevitably leads to slight surface marks.
– White cardboard edges are normal on black folding boxes.
– These effects do not constitute a quality defect.
Clear expectations before the start of the project prevent misunderstandings and unnecessary discussions later on.
Conclusion Black packaging materials in cosmetics
Black packaging materials look high-quality, but place special demands on production, handling and expectation management. Slight scratch marks and visible cardboard edges are technically unavoidable and common in the industry.
Those who choose black are consciously opting for a design with character rather than absolute visual perfection. The key thing is that function, product safety and stability are guaranteed at all times.
And that is exactly the case with professionally manufactured black packaging materials.
Feel free to ask us – we have partner packaging suppliers in Europe who are experts in this field.