Capsule FAQ
Straight answers to what customers ask us most. If your question is not here, contact us and we will answer it.
Are your gelatin capsules made from pork?
No. Our gelatin capsules are made from 100% bovine hide. Bovine means cattle, so these capsules contain no porcine (pig) material of any kind. They are Kosher and Halal certified, and certificates are available on request.
What is the difference between gelatin and vegetarian (HPMC) capsules?
Gelatin capsules are made from collagen, a protein taken from cattle hide. They are the most economical shell available, dissolve quickly once swallowed, and come in the widest colour range, including two-tone combinations that are not available in HPMC.
Vegetarian capsules are made from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, or HPMC, which is derived from plant cellulose. They contain no animal ingredients, so they suit products labelled vegetarian or vegan. They also hold less moisture than gelatin, which makes them the safer shell for hygroscopic or moisture-sensitive powders, and they stay more stable in warm or dry storage.
Both materials share the same sizes and dimensions, so you can switch between them without changing your fill weight or your filling equipment.
Which capsule size do I need?
Capsule volume is fixed, but how many milligrams it holds depends on how dense your powder is. The figures below assume a density of 1.0 g/ml.
| Size | Volume | Approx. fill at 1.0 g/ml | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 000 | 1.37 ml | 1,370 mg | Very large doses and light, fluffy powders. Noticeably large to swallow. |
| 00 | 0.90 ml | 900 mg | Large adult dose, low density powders, sports formulas. |
| 0 | 0.68 ml | 680 mg | The most common size for adult supplements. |
| 1 | 0.48 ml | 480 mg | Smaller adult dose, easier to swallow. |
| 2 | 0.36 ml | 360 mg | Children, pets, potent actives. |
| 3 | 0.27 ml | 270 mg | Micro dosing and very strong powders. |
| 4 | 0.20 ml | 200 mg | Very small doses, paediatric or pet use. |
| 5 | 0.13 ml | 130 mg | The smallest size we stock. Potent actives and micro dosing. |
Pick the smallest size whose fill weight is at or above your dose: smaller capsules are easier to swallow and use less shell per unit. Our capsule size chart gives fill weights at four different densities, plus dimensions and empty shell weights.
How do I work out my powder’s density?
Measure out exactly 10 ml of loosely packed powder and weigh it, then divide the weight in grams by 10. That gives you grams per millilitre. Most herbal powders land near 0.5 to 0.7 g/ml, and most vitamin and mineral blends sit closer to 0.8 to 1.2 g/ml. Use your finished blend rather than a single ingredient, because excipients and flow agents change the density.
Which sizes and colours do you stock?
- Clear gelatin: sizes 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
- White gelatin: sizes 000, 00 and 0
- Coloured gelatin (Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow, Purple, and two-tone Blue/White and Black/Red): sizes 00 and 0
- Gold gelatin and Black/White two-tone: size 00
- Clear vegetarian: sizes 00, 0, 1, 2 and 4
- White vegetarian: sizes 000, 00, 0 and 2
- Chlorophyll green vegetarian: sizes 00 and 0
Need a size or colour that is not listed? Ask us and we will quote it.
Are your capsules vegan, Kosher, Halal or Non-GMO?
Vegetarian (HPMC) capsules are vegan and vegetarian certified, Kosher and Halal certified, Non-GMO, and free from animal products, starch, gluten and preservatives. They are produced to cGMP standards.
Gelatin capsules are Kosher and Halal certified, Non-GMO sourced and produced to cGMP standards. Because they are made from bovine hide they are not suitable for vegan or vegetarian products.
Certificates are available on request. Contact us if you need the paperwork for a label claim or a customer enquiry.
How many capsules come in a pack?
Retail packs hold 500, 1,000 or 5,000 capsules, and most lines also come in 10,000. For production runs we supply bulk cartons, which hold 100,000 capsules in size 0 and 75,000 in size 00. See our B2B page for large scale supply.
How do I fill my capsules?
Take the capsule apart, fill the longer body with the amount you want, then press the two ends firmly together until the cap locks into place. Capsules can be filled by hand or with a filling machine, and the size and dimensions are the same in both gelatin and vegetarian shells, so the same equipment works for either.
What do capsules look like taken apart?
How much does shipping cost?
Shipping on retail packs is free on US orders over $100. Below that, and for international orders, the cost is calculated at checkout and shown before you pay. Bulk cartons are flat rated and are never eligible for free shipping, and they deliver to the 48 contiguous states. If you need a bulk carton sent to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, a US territory or outside the United States, contact us for a quote. Orders ship from our facility at 2525 West 4th Ave., Hialeah, FL 33010.
Can I return an order?
All sales are final. Capsules are used to make products intended for human consumption, and once an order has left our facility we cannot confirm how it was stored or handled, so returned capsules cannot be restocked or resold. If an order arrives damaged, is defective, is not what you ordered or is missing items, contact us within 7 days of receiving it with your order number and photos of the capsules and packaging, and we will issue store credit for the affected items. Please keep everything and do not send anything back unless we ask you to. The full wording is on our shipping and return policy page.
Do you print logos on capsules?
Yes. We print capsules with logos, batch codes and custom colour combinations at our Hialeah facility. Tell us your size, colour, material and quantity and we will quote it. See our B2B page or contact us.
