Copy an Existing Bottle, or Start From a Drawing
Two very different paths. Either we match your pack against 3,000+ existing moulds — no tooling, 1,000 pcs per colour — or you commission a new mould, which is a capital cost: from USD 850 for one simple blow-moulded bottle, and 10,000–21,500 for a four-part assembly in the small band (16,500–37,000 in the medium band). Custom tooling only pays back on repeat volume; below a few thousand pieces a year the stock route is almost always the right answer.
Five Stages, Fixed Durations
What a New Mould Actually Costs
| Item | Detail | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blow mould (new shape) | Single cavity, steel | from USD 850 | 15–20 days |
| Injection mould (cap) | Multi-cavity | from USD 3,700 | 25–30 days |
| Mould modification | Neck, weight or engraving | from USD 320 | 7–10 days |
| Existing mould | 3,000+ on the shelf | No charge | — |
These are per-mould figures, not project totals. A new pack usually needs more than one mould, plus trial samples and often a second cavity — budget the project, not the line item. Mould ownership and exclusivity are agreed in writing before the first payment.
Before You Commission a Mould
A mould is a capital cost that sits in front of the unit price. It only makes sense when the volume is there to absorb it — so we say this early rather than after a drawing review.
| Annual volume | What we recommend | Tooling, in our shop |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3,000 pcs | Stock mould, or a stock shape with decoration | No tooling; 1,000 pcs per colour |
| 3,000–10,000 pcs | One cavity on a new shape, if the design truly needs it | USD 850–9,500 per mould; 15–40 days |
| 10,000–30,000 pcs | Two cavities; consider a second colour | About 1.6× a single-cavity mould |
| Over 30,000 pcs | Multi-cavity, dedicated line time | About 2.6× and up; needs a volume commitment |
These are ranges from our own recent orders, not an industry standard — another factory may quote half or double, and both can be honest. A four-part assembly changes the arithmetic: USD 10,000–37,000 of tooling depending on part size is normal, and it does not shrink because the first order is small. If the launch is a test, start on a stock pack and move to the custom one when the volume is proven — that is the lower in unit cost path, and we will say so.
Not Sure Whether a Mould Exists?
Send a photo of the bottle you want copied. We check the shelf the same day.
Is the Design Yours?
Then the first question is who else sees the drawing. Our NDA is one page, and the tool stays yours.
How the Joint Is Engineered
Wall, seal groove, formula compatibility and the test plan — the four pages we send before a drawing review.
Custom Mould Development
DFM note, tool design, T1, modification — and who pays for the tool.
Who Invoices You
8PCK is the export desk; the contract and the invoice come from CXWN. Here is why.
Which Process Makes Your Pack?
Injection, ISBM, extrusion blow, the tool shop and decoration — what each can and cannot hold.
More Than One Piece?
Four parts, two seals and a metal finish change the tooling plan — start with the multi-part guide.