Custom Kraft Push-Up Tubes for Solid Balms and Sticks
Small brown kraft tubes with a base you press up with a thumb, so a solid stick rises out of the top as it is used. They replace a twist-up stick for makers of balms, deodorants and solid perfumes.
Written price from£0.25 a box
What are kraft push-up tubes?
Kraft push-up tubes are small rolled kraft tubes with a removable lid and a sliding base. The customer presses the base to lift the solid product above the rim. Each one is cut to fit your stick, then printed around the body or left plain.
- How it works
- A sliding disc in the base lifts the stick as the customer presses it
- Lid
- Push-on kraft lid; white inner neck as in our photos
- Inside
- Plain or white inner surface; coated insides quoted on request
- Arrives
- Ready to fill, lids fitted, boxed upright
Kraft Push-Up Tubes Sizes
| Size | Typical inside size | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Mini | 20 × 20 × 70 mm | Lip balm |
| Small | 30 × 30 × 90 mm | Solid perfume |
| Medium | 45 × 45 × 110 mm | Deodorant stick |
| Large | 60 × 60 × 120 mm | Solid lotion bar |
Sizes are typical starting points, not stock sizes. Every box is cut to the inside size you send.
Who uses kraft push-up tubes?
Push-up tubes are made for solid products that are rubbed straight onto skin. The brown tube looks handmade in the best sense, which suits small skincare and grooming brands.
Most of the makers who ask us for them sell one of these:
- Lip balms and tinted lip sticks
- Solid deodorant sticks
- Solid perfumes and colognes
- Lotion bars and massage bars
- Cuticle balms, beard balms and chunky children's crayons
If your product is soft enough to scoop with a finger, a pot or a round box suits it better. Push-up tubes need a stick that holds its shape when pressed out. A good test is to stand a finished stick on the bench overnight in a warm room. If it still has crisp edges in the morning, it will push up cleanly.
How does a push-up tube work?
The tube has three parts, and each one is cut to your stick.
| Part | What it does | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Holds the stick and carries your print | Inside diameter matches the stick |
| Sliding base | A disc the customer presses up with a thumb | Moves smoothly without letting the stick drop |
| Lid | Slides over a white inner neck at the top | Comes off easily but stays on in a bag |
Our first photo shows the result: a yellow balm standing a few millimetres above the rim, ready to use, and a lid lying beside it. As the stick wears down, the customer presses again. There is no twist mechanism to jam. Customers also like that they can see exactly how much is left, and that the empty tube is just card and a lid.
What size push-up tube do you need?
Start from the stick, not the volume on your label. Measure the diameter of the set stick and its height, then allow a little room above it for the lid. Typical inside sizes, diameter, diameter and height in millimetres:
- Mini, about 20 × 20 × 70: a lip balm
- Small, about 30 × 30 × 90: a solid perfume or a cuticle balm
- Medium, about 45 × 45 × 110: a solid deodorant stick
- Large, about 60 × 60 × 120: a lotion or massage bar
If you pour into a mould first, measure a finished stick from that mould. If you pour straight into the tube, tell us the fill height you want and the designer works back from that. Leave a few millimetres of empty tube above the product, so the lid never presses into a soft top on a warm day.
Can you pour balm straight into a kraft tube?
Many makers do, and many others drop in a stick that has already set. Which you do changes what the inside of the tube needs. Mention your method in the quote form.
Our photos show a white inner surface. Coated or lined insides are options quoted on request for the product you describe. We will not call any tube sealed, lined or barrier-coated unless your written quote says so, and we suggest you test a sample batch with your own recipe before a full run.
What board are push-up tubes made from?
A push-up tube is a narrow spiral of kraft tube board. On a tube as slim as a lip balm, the board has to be firm enough not to squash when pressed between finger and thumb, so we choose it for each diameter.
Like all tubes, they arrive made up rather than flat. That means fewer tubes per carton than flat boxes, so leave a shelf free for the delivery. Store them somewhere cool and dry until you fill them, away from a sunny window or a radiator. Lids are already fitted and the tubes are packed upright in cartons, ready to fill.
How do you print on such a small tube?
A lip balm tube has very little room, so keep the design simple. A one-colour logo running up the length of the tube reads better than a long line of words squeezed around it.
Black ink on brown kraft is the most popular look. White ink gives a softer contrast, and full colour suits a range where each scent has its own shade. Plan where the product details will go: on the tube itself or on a small printed label. A sensible layout runs the logo up the front, puts the scent name on the lid, and keeps the back for small print. Our article on printing black, white and full colour on kraft shows how fine text holds up on brown.
How do you order push-up tubes?
- Measure a finished stick, or decide your fill height.
- Tell us whether you pour in or drop in a set stick.
- Choose plain kraft or one colour, two colours or full colour.
- Send your logo and any wording for the tube.
- Approve the free design proof, with unlimited edits.
- We make your tubes in 4–6 business days.
Push-up tubes are quoted in writing, starting from £0.25 per unit. Free tracked UK delivery follows, usually landing 2–3 business days after the tubes leave us.
Which mistakes do balm makers make?
- Sizing the tube to the label volume rather than the set stick
- A stick that is a fraction too narrow and drops out when the lid comes off
- Long product names wrapped around a tube too small to read them
- Ordering a full run before testing a pour with the real recipe
- Forgetting space for the product details on the tube or label
Push-up tube or standard kraft tube?
Both are rolled kraft with a lid. The difference is the base. A push-up tube has a sliding base for a product that is used straight from the tube. A standard tube has a fixed base and holds something the customer takes out.
If you sell a solid stick, choose push-up. For bath salts, tea or a candle, our kraft paper tubes with fixed bases are the right shape.
How do you sell push-up tubes as a set?
Balms sell well in threes: a lip balm, a hand balm and a solid perfume, for example. A slim kraft box with a card insert holds three or four tubes upright or side by side, and turns small items into a gift.
If you want that, ask for the tubes and the outer box on one quote. The designer can size the insert around your tubes and match the print on both. A window in the lid of the outer box lets shoppers see the three tubes without opening anything, which helps at a craft fair.
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Questions About Kraft Push-Up Tubes
Straight answers from the people who cut and print the boxes. Open any question to read the reply.
How does the base of a push-up tube move?
The base is a disc that fits inside the tube. Pressing it with a thumb slides it up and lifts the stick above the rim.
Will a lip balm fall out of a kraft push-up tube?
Not if the tube is sized to the stick. That is why we ask for a finished stick's diameter, so it grips the wall without being too tight to push.
Can I pour hot balm into the tube?
Many makers do. Tell us your method on the quote; coated insides are options on request, and a small test run with your recipe is always wise.
What is the smallest push-up tube you make?
A lip balm tube of about 20 mm across and 70 mm tall is a common start. Tubes are made to your stick, so smaller or larger is possible.
Can push-up tubes be used for solid deodorant?
Yes. A tube of about 45 mm across and 110 mm tall is a typical start for a deodorant stick. Measure your own stick before ordering.
Is the lid on a push-up tube secure in a handbag?
The lid slides over a white inner neck and stays on in normal use. If yours will travel loose in a bag, say so and a firmer fit is noted on your quote.
Can I have a white or coloured lid on a kraft push-up tube?
Yes. Because we print each lid on its own, a coloured cap on a brown body is a simple way to mark different scents.
Can you print ingredients on the tube?
We print whatever artwork you send, including small text. On the smallest tubes, a separate label often reads more clearly.
Do push-up tubes arrive ready to fill?
Yes. They come made up with the base in place and lids on, packed upright in cartons.
How much do kraft push-up tubes cost?
Prices begin from £0.25 per unit. Size, print and any coated inside are set out on your written quote.
Can I order push-up tubes in two sizes at once?
Yes. Each size has its own line on the quote and its own proof, and both are made together.
What happens if my push-up tubes are misprinted?
Report it with photos within 10 days. Misprinted tubes are reprinted or the cost is refunded.
Tell us what you ship
Send the product, a rough size and a quantity. We reply in writing within one business day with a price and a free design proof. Prefer to talk? Call +44 7578 382054 or message us on WhatsApp.