What is the minimum order per SKU?
The minimum is 500 units per SKU, meaning one product in one format. You can start with a single SKU.
Small batches
Small batch cosmetic manufacturing from 500 units
We offer small batch cosmetic manufacturing from 500 units per SKU: few enough to test the market without filling your warehouse, enough for an industrial product with quality checks, traceability and complete EU documents.
Small batch cosmetic manufacturing: 500 units, industrial standard
A small batch is not a handmade product cooked up in a pan. It is the same process as large-scale production, in a smaller quantity: same raw materials, same procedures according to GMP (ISO 22716), same batch testing in our laboratory and in external accredited labs.
- 500 units per SKU as the minimum order
- 300+ formulas ready to start from
- 4–6 weeks from order confirmation to delivery
- 40,000 units a day when you are ready to grow
An SKU (stock keeping unit) is one product in one format. If you launch a face cream and a cleanser, that is two SKUs; if you sell the same cream in two sizes, that is two SKUs as well.
Why minimum order quantities exist
Line set-up, batch testing, printed packaging and documents have costs that do not change with the number of units. Below a certain threshold they weigh too heavily on each unit, or something has to give. For us that threshold is 500 units per SKU: enough to keep the quality and paperwork of an industrial batch, few enough to test the market. What a minimum order quantity is and what it depends on is explained in our guide on minimum order quantity for cosmetics.
Low MOQ private label skincare: an honest comparison
Searching for “private label skin care, no minimum”, you will find offers of a few dozen units. They can work for a gift or a test among friends. To sell in pharmacies, salons or on Amazon, it pays to know what changes.
| A few dozen units | Small batch of 500 units | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | Usually catalogue only | Ready or custom formula, exclusive if you wish |
| Packaging | Often standard containers with a sticker label | Bottles, tubes and cartons chosen and printed with your brand |
| Price per unit | Higher | Lower, because fixed costs are spread over more units |
| Growth | Often means changing manufacturer | Same formula and same manufacturer, up to 40,000 units a day |
| Quality checks | To be checked case by case | Every batch tested and traced by code |
There is also a less visible aspect: the paperwork. Every cosmetic sold in the European Union must have a Product Information File (PIF), a safety assessment and a notification on the CPNP (Cosmetic Products Notification Portal). With us they are part of the process from the very first batch, and they remain valid as your quantities grow. Selling in Great Britain? The SCPN notification and a UK Responsible Person are available through our partners.
There is no single right choice for everyone. If you want a product to sell consistently, 500 units is where industrial quality and a controlled investment meet.
How to start small and grow
- Choose a few SKUs: one or two strong products are worth more than a line of ten
- Start from a ready formula: samples are available straight away and lead times are shorter
- Test the samples: you approve formula, packaging and artwork before confirming the order
- Produce your first batch: 500 units per SKU, delivered in 4–6 weeks
- Measure your sales: see which products work and on which channel
- Reorder and expand: increase quantities, add SKUs or move to an exclusive formula
The trial launch
A small batch is the safest way to run a trial launch. A pharmacy can test its own line at the counter, a spa can offer the products in treatment rooms and for retail, an online seller can check reviews and margins before investing more.
If you sell on Amazon in Europe or the UK, we can keep the goods in our warehouse and ship them to Amazon fulfilment centres when needed, by agreement: you do not tie up space or set up your own logistics. Details on our page for ecommerce and Amazon sellers.
Who small batch private label skin care is for
- New brands: that want to launch with a controlled investment
- Pharmacies, salons and spas: that want a private-label skincare line without overfilling their stockroom
- Online sellers: who need to test a product before scaling
- Established brands: that want to trial a new SKU
- Importers and distributors: testing an Italian-made line in their country before committing to larger volumes
Frequently asked questions
Can I order fewer than 500 units?
No, 500 units is our minimum order. Below this threshold the fixed costs of set-up, testing and printed packaging would weigh too heavily on each unit.
Is a small batch the same quality as a large run?
Yes. It follows the same procedures according to GMP (ISO 22716) and is tested by our laboratory and by external accredited labs, like every other batch.
How long does a small batch take?
Delivery takes 4–6 weeks from order confirmation, after the samples, packaging and artwork are approved.
Are the EU documents included for a small batch?
Yes. The Product Information File, safety assessment and CPNP notification are part of the process for every SKU, from the first batch of 500 units.
Can I increase quantities later?
Yes. You reorder the same formula with the same packaging and increase quantities whenever you like: our capacity reaches 40,000 units a day.
Start with your first batch
Tell us which products you want to test and where you will sell them: we will propose how to start with 500 units. We reply within one hour.
Keep reading
- Contract manufacturingCosmetic contract manufacturing in Italy: lab and plant for your formula, from 500 units per SKU to 40,000 a day. NDA and every batch tested.
- Private labelPrivate label skincare made in Italy: 300+ ready or exclusive formulas, packaging, artwork, samples and EU documents. From 500 units per product.
- Minimum order quantityWhat a minimum order quantity (MOQ) is in cosmetics, how it is counted and how it affects the cost per unit. A practical guide to starting small.
- E-commerce and AmazonPrivate label cosmetics for Amazon Europe, Amazon UK and your own shop: exclusive formula, NDA, storage and shipping to fulfilment centres. From 500 units.