Interest in nature-based self-care continues to rise, making it an ideal time to get in on the essential oils market. With the popularity of online shopping expanding, it’s now possible to market to consumers across the globe, building a loyal base of repeat customers. Private label essential oil companies make it easy to get a business up and running quickly. These essential oil manufacturers specialize in producing white-label products you can brand with your own custom packaging. In this guide, we’ll point out key quality indicators to look for as you search for a private label essential oil company to partner with. We’ll also highlight five of the most popular essential oil manufacturers you may want to consider.
What to Look for in a Private Label Essential Oil Manufacturer
As the demand for essential oils has grown, so has the number of essential oil manufacturers. The most important part of starting your own essential oils company is selling a quality product. Whether you’re looking exclusively for essential oil companies in the US or you’re open to sourcing from overseas, these are the hallmarks of a quality manufacturer.
Manufacturing Certifications
Participation in manufacturing industry certifications is a quality indicator. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the most common and widely adopted standards-based certification. Operating an ISO-certified manufacturing facility shows that the essential oil manufacturer is committed to complying with an internationally recognized set of standards to ensure they produce quality products that are safe for consumers.
Another common certification is Good Manufacturing Practice, sometimes referred to as GMP or cGMP. This certification requires that manufacturers follow a standard set of production practices based on FDA regulations. GMP ensures that certified manufacturers produce safe, effective products that are free from contamination or production errors. cGMP certification goes even further, requiring that manufacturing equipment and related systems be kept up to date with current industry standards. Essential oil manufacturers in the US are much more likely to be cGMP-certified than overseas producers.
Specialized Certifications
If you’re considering targeting one or more niche markets, finding a private label essential oil company with products that hold specialized certifications is important. USDA-certified Organic is one of the most popular niche markets. Many essential oils are used on the skin or even ingested, so having organic products available can be a real plus for consumers concerned about the potential negative effects of pesticide residue.
Fair Trade-certified products are another desirable certification meant to ensure that those who produced the raw ingredients were paid a living wage for their labor. There are a whole host of additional certifications that may be valuable depending on your target audience. These include kosher, halal, all-natural, vegan, and cruelty-free.
Multiple Tiers of Service
Each essential oils business is unique. For some, a complete turn-key solution is best, where the manufacturer handles everything from production to labeling, and in some cases product packaging too. For those just starting out, product production may be all that’s needed. Partnering with an essential oil manufacturer that offers multiple tiers of service at the outset will give you the flexibility to add on additional services as your business grows.
Stock and Custom Capabilities
Private label essential oils come in two types: stock oils and custom oils. With a stock essential oil, the private label company produces products that they sell to multiple resellers. That means your lavender or lemon essential oil would be identical to other brands that use that manufacturer. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Using stock products is much cheaper than creating a custom blend.
Custom blends are manufactured to your exact specifications. The proportion of ingredients, blend of essential oils, or other customized parts of the production process are proprietary to your brand.
Flexible Minimum Order Requirements
When you’re starting out, finding an essential oil producer with a low minimum order requirement is important. After all, you don’t want hundreds (or thousands) of units sitting unsold as you build market share. Look for a private label manufacturer large enough to fulfill high-volume orders but doesn’t require them.
Reputation for Good Customer Support
Solid customer support is arguably the most important thing to look for in an essential oil manufacturer. There’s no replacement for working with friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable people who can give solid advice and make good recommendations. Google is a great place to begin vetting potential partners. If the manufacturer you’re considering has lots of customers satisfied enough to leave a positive review online chances are good your experience will be similar.
Best Private Label Essential Oil Manufacturers
Here are five of our top picks for essential oil manufacturers in the US. These companies feature a healthy blend of robust product offerings, high quality, and a large fan base of happy customers.
1. Vitality Works
Based in Albuquerque, NM, Vitality Works has been in business since 1982. Their commitment to quality involves a unique, hands-on approach. The botanicals and herbs used to produce their essential oils are ground on site. 100% of the raw materials they use to produce their essential oils are tested before being used to ensure they meet quality and safety guidelines. Once the manufacturing process is complete, the finished product is tested again to ensure each essential oil blend complies with their quality guidelines. With a $100 order minimum and free shipping, Vitality Works is a good fit for startups.
2. Bulk Apothecary
Straight from America’s heartland, Bulk Apothecary is an Ohio-based private label essential oil manufacturer specializing in pure therapeutic grade essential oils. The products are available in both high volume bulk containers and in prefilled containers ready for labeling and distribution. Their co-packing facility is GMP certified.
3. New Direction Aromatics
Our only recommendation based outside of the US, New Direction Aromatics, is a Canadian private label essential oil manufacturer. New Directions Aromatics is the largest wholesale supplier of certified organic, 100% pure, and certified Fair Trade essential oils. They also offer other niche market certified products. For those looking to offer essential oils with specialized certifications, this manufacturer should be at the top of your list.
4. Essential 3 Aromatherapy Solutions
Essential 3 Aromatherapy Solutions is headquartered in Medford, OR. With over ten years of experience serving private label clients, this essential oil manufacturer views its customers as partners. They have solid customer reviews, no minimum order requirements, multiple bottling, labeling, and shipping service add-ons, and custom blending capabilities.
5. Dreaming Earth Botanicals
Based in Asheville, NC, Dreaming Earth Botanicals produces dozens of different essential oil scents and blends. Their wide selection includes many hard-to-find oils like Ho wood, fir needle, and hyssop. They have quite a few USDA-certified organic oils too. They’ll white label any of their standard oils and have the capabilities to create custom blends too.
A Strong Private Label Partner is Crucial to Success
Finding a private label manufacturer to partner with is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when you launch your essential oils company. Investing the time to identify a reliable producer of high-quality products with excellent service will significantly contribute to your success and your customers’ happiness.
Our team serves essential oils brands of all sizes, helping them to create packaging labels that make them stand out on the shelf. We’re ready to answer your questions about labeling and help you choose the right type of label for your essential oils products.
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