This comparison is written by an aluminium manufacturer, so read it with that in mind. A plastic or glass supplier would weigh the same criteria differently — which is exactly why the criteria are laid out separately from the conclusion.
Work through them in order. The first one usually removes most of the shortlist before the commercial questions are worth asking.
The comparison, criterion by criterion
| Holds propellant pressure | Yes — the standard choice for pressurised aerosols Plastic: Not the usual choice for pressurised aerosols Glass: Used in low-pressure formats, most often with a pump |
|---|---|
| Weight per unit | Light for a metal container Plastic: Lightest of the three Glass: Heaviest — and freight is charged on weight |
| Behaviour if mishandled | Dents; does not shatter Plastic: Cracks or splits Glass: Shatters — the reason it is rare for pressurised products |
| Recycling | Established stream in most markets; our standard cans have no plastic liner Plastic: Depends heavily on the resin and on local collection Glass: Recyclable, but the weight works against the overall footprint |
| Decoration | Print up to 9 colours plus lacquer and vacuum coating Plastic: Usually labels or sleeves Glass: Print or frosting, often with a label for the rest |
| Compatibility / barrier | Good, with an internal lacquer chosen for the formula Plastic: Can interact with some solvents and actives Glass: The most inert of the three |
| Where it usually wins | Pressurised products, premium decoration, high volumes Plastic: Non-pressurised formats where weight and unit cost dominate Glass: Products where inertness or shelf presence outranks weight |
Pressure comes first, and it decides most of the shortlist
If the product is propelled by pressurised gas, the container has to hold that pressure and its opening has to accept a crimped valve. That requirement alone rules out most of what people imagine when they picture "a bottle". Weight, decoration and cost only become interesting once the format can physically do the job.
Weight is a cost you pay every time you ship
Freight is charged on weight and volume, not on unit price. A heavier container raises the cost of every shipment for as long as the product is sold, which is why glass — for all its shelf presence — ends up on the wrong side of the calculation for products that travel far and sell at a moderate price.
Recyclability: judge the whole pack, not the body
Aluminium has an established recycling stream in most markets and keeps its properties through repeated recycling. Our standard cans are aluminium with no plastic liner, which is the version of the claim that survives scrutiny. But the body is not the whole pack: the valve, actuator and cap all count, and a recyclability statement usually breaks down at exactly that point. Read your own claim that way before you put it on a label.
Compatibility is where aluminium needs a partner
Aluminium is not inert to every formulation. That is why an internal lacquer is specified, and why we hold a food-contact coating report for the lacquer material we use. If your formula is aggressive, the coating is what makes aluminium viable — it is a specification decision, not a formality, and it is worth settling before artwork is signed off. The test report article explains what that coating report does and does not cover.
Where our position is obvious
We produce aluminium. A plastic or glass supplier would weigh these same criteria differently, and you should read both accounts before deciding. What we can do honestly is tell you when aluminium is the wrong answer — for a low-volume non-pressurised product, the tooling and minimum order rarely make sense, and we would rather say that up front than take an order that disappoints.
Frequently asked questions
Can you supply plastic or glass aerosol packaging instead?
Aluminium is what we produce, and this page is written from that position rather than pretending to be neutral. If your project needs a different format we will say so instead of quoting something we do not make — that is more useful to you than a quotation you cannot use.
Why is pressure the first question rather than cost?
Because it eliminates formats before anything else matters. If the product is propelled by a pressurised gas, the container has to contain that pressure and the opening has to take a crimped valve. Start there and the shortlist is usually obvious.
Is aluminium actually recyclable in practice, or just in theory?
Aluminium is one of the few packaging materials with an established recycling stream in most markets, and it can be recycled repeatedly without losing its properties. What matters for your claim is the whole pack, not the body — check what the valve, actuator and cap add, because that is where a recyclability claim usually breaks down.
Does the internal coating matter for the choice of material?
It matters for compatibility. Aluminium is not inert to every formulation, which is why we apply an internal lacquer and why the food-contact coating report exists at all. If your formula is aggressive, the coating is what makes aluminium workable — it is not a detail to settle later.
Next step
Send the formulation, the fill volume, the target market and an idea of annual volume. We will tell you whether aluminium is the right format, and if it is, which of the cans on our product pages fits — including the printing options described for each one.