Empty capsule customization is more than choosing a color. A reliable project connects capsule material, size, fill weight, printing, formulation, packaging, quality documentation and target-market requirements before mass production begins. KornnacCaps provides a structured customization service for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and qualified contract-manufacturing projects.
Quick answer: What can be customized?
A custom empty capsule project can typically include capsule color and opacity, logo or text printing, capsule size, gelatin or plant-based material selection, specialized formulation options, inner and outer packaging, labeling and shipment documentation. The final design should be approved against the customer's fill material, target fill weight, intended application, destination markets and applicable requirements.
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Planning a custom capsule project? Send your capsule material, size, fill weight, color, printing and target-market requirements to receive a focused customization review. |
1. Start with product requirements and target markets
The first step is to define what the capsule must do and where it will be sold. Colorants, excipients, labeling and documentation requirements can vary by market and by whether the finished product is positioned as a pharmaceutical, dietary supplement or another regulated product. FDA guidance states that color additives must be authorized for their intended use; the European Commission has also changed the food-additive status of titanium dioxide (E171). These rules should be reviewed for the specific product and market rather than treated as a universal shortcut.
Product application: pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, dietary supplement or another qualified use.
Target countries and regulatory positioning.
Fill material, bulk density, target fill weight and filling equipment.
Required capsule material: gelatin, HPMC, pullulan or another available option.
Color, opacity, printing content, packaging and labeling requirements.
Required quality documents, certificates, samples and approval records.
2. Choose the capsule material and functional direction
Material selection should follow the product's formulation, market positioning, moisture sensitivity, filling process and customer requirements. KornnacCaps publicly presents gelatin, vegetable and liquid-filled capsule categories, while its customization service can be organized around the material and performance needs of each project.
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Option |
Typical project considerations |
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Gelatin capsules |
Widely used for pharmaceutical and supplement applications; evaluate machinability, sealing, moisture conditions, source requirements and customer positioning. |
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HPMC capsules |
Plant-based option for vegetarian or vegan positioning and formulations that require a different shell-material profile. |
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Pullulan capsules |
Plant-derived option for premium nutritional products and projects where oxygen-barrier performance is a key consideration. |
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Specialized formulations |
Options may include titanium-dioxide-free opacity, SLS-free formulations or other qualified formulation adjustments, subject to feasibility and market review. |
For opaque capsules, the original draft describes zinc oxide or calcium carbonate as possible alternatives to titanium dioxide. The appropriate choice depends on the formulation, intended use, target-market rules and customer specification. A supplier should provide the exact composition and supporting documentation for the selected version.
3. Customize color and opacity with compliance in mind
KornnacCaps supports color matching using Pantone references or physical samples, with transparent, translucent and opaque effects. The color-development process should record the reference standard, visual tolerance, material system, intended market and final approval sample.
Pantone number or physical color sample.
Transparent, translucent or opaque appearance.
Colorant and excipient review for every intended market.
Visual tolerance and sample-approval standard.
Change-control procedure if the colorant, supplier or formulation changes.
A color that looks correct on screen may change after shell formation, printing, drying or storage. Approving a physical sample is therefore more reliable than approving a digital color value alone.
4. Confirm printing artwork and roller standards
The original draft describes roller-transfer printing. Customers provide the printing content, font, position and color, after which a dedicated printing roller is prepared. During sampling, buyers should review pattern clarity, ink adhesion, position, legibility and the appearance after normal handling.
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Approval point |
What to confirm |
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Artwork |
Logo, text, font, language, orientation and regulatory or market-specific content. |
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Position |
Distance from the capsule edge, alignment between cap and body, and repeatability around the shell. |
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Color |
Ink color, contrast, opacity and consistency with the approved sample. |
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Durability |
Adhesion and legibility after handling, filling and packaging conditions. |
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Mass-production standard |
Approved sample, roller reference, tolerance and change-control record. |
Because a custom roller becomes part of the mass-production standard after sample approval, the artwork and physical sample should be reviewed by marketing, quality and production stakeholders before sign-off.
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Ready to review capsule artwork? Provide your logo or text, preferred font, printing color, capsule size and target market. The artwork can then be reviewed together with the physical sampling requirements. |
5. Select capsule size based on fill performance
KornnacCaps offers the standard size range from 000 to 5. The best size should be selected using the fill material's bulk density, target fill weight, powder flow, filling equipment and swallowability requirements-not by capsule size alone.
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Decision factor |
Why it matters |
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Bulk density |
Determines how much material can fit into a given shell volume. |
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Target fill weight |
Links the formulation requirement to the required capsule volume. |
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Powder flow and compaction |
Affects dosing consistency, machine performance and fill-weight variation. |
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Filling equipment |
The selected size must be compatible with the customer's capsule-filling line. |
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User experience |
Capsule size affects swallowability, patient or consumer acceptance and product positioning. |
A practical sample plan should test the proposed capsule size with the actual or representative fill material before mass production. Where the final formulation is not yet available, clearly label the density and fill-weight assumptions used for preliminary selection.
6. Develop formulation-specific capsule options
Formulation customization should be handled as a technical and regulatory review, not as a cosmetic change. The project team should document the purpose of each additive, the finished shell composition, the intended use, the target market and the evidence required for release or customer approval.
Titanium-dioxide-free opacity options for projects with relevant market or customer requirements.
SLS-free formulations for customers who require capsules without sodium lauryl sulfate.
Bovine-source gelatin options, including HALAL-related documentation where applicable and verified.
Porcine-source gelatin options where suitable for the customer's market and product positioning.
Raw-material traceability and batch documentation for the selected formulation.
Certification names and regulatory registrations should always be matched to the exact product, manufacturing site, certificate scope and current validity period. A general company certificate does not automatically prove that every customized formulation meets every destination-market requirement.
7. Build packaging around moisture, light and logistics
Packaging protects the approved capsule standard during storage and transportation. The original draft describes inner PE bags with aluminum-foil sealing for moisture and light protection, outer corrugated cartons and destination-specific labels. The final packaging specification should also define pack size, label fields, lot traceability, storage conditions and transport expectations.
Inner packaging material and sealing method.
Moisture and light protection requirements.
Outer carton construction and stacking expectations.
Lot number, production date, expiry or retest information where applicable.
Destination-country labeling and shipping-document requirements.
Container loading, trade terms and delivery documentation.
8. Follow a controlled customization process
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Step |
Deliverable or decision |
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1. Requirement communication |
Product application, fill weight, capsule material, size, color, printing, formulation, packaging and target markets. |
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2. Regulatory and technical review |
Feasibility review of colorants, excipients, material source, documentation and destination-market requirements. |
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3. Sampling and confirmation |
Review color, appearance, dimensions, printing, formulation performance and packaging sample. |
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4. Standard lock |
Approve the physical sample, artwork, roller reference, formulation and packaging standard before mass production. |
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5. Contract and MOQ confirmation |
Confirm customization scope, minimum order quantity, tooling or roller costs, lead times and commercial terms. |
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6. Mass production and quality control |
Apply the agreed quality system, inspection plan, laboratory testing and batch records. |
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7. Inspection and shipment |
Review COA, applicable certificates, traceability documents, packing list and shipping terms before release. |
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Need a customization timeline and MOQ review? Send the required capsule size, material, print design and estimated volume. KornnacCaps can review which requirements are standard and which may require additional sampling or tooling. |
9. What buyers should confirm before approval
Does the supplier identify the exact capsule material, source and formulation version?
Are the colorant, opacifier, printing ink and other excipients documented for the intended market?
Has the physical color and printing sample been approved by the relevant stakeholders?
Was capsule size selected using actual fill-material density and target fill weight?
Are MOQ, tooling or roller requirements, sampling fees and lead time clearly stated?
Does the shipment include the agreed COA, relevant certificates and raw-material traceability documents?
Are certificate scope, issuing organization, product coverage and validity period verified?
Is there a change-control process for formulation, raw-material source, production site or artwork?
10. FAQ: Empty capsule customization services
What can be customized on an empty capsule?
Color, opacity, printing, size, material, selected formulation features, packaging and documentation can be customized, subject to technical feasibility and applicable market requirements.
What capsule sizes are available?
The supplied article states that KornnacCaps supports sizes from 000# to 5#. The final size should be selected using fill density, target fill weight, filling equipment and swallowability considerations.
Can KornnacCaps provide titanium-dioxide-free capsules?
The supplied article describes zinc oxide or calcium carbonate as possible opacity options. Confirm the exact formulation, documentation and target-market suitability for the project before approval.
Can capsule printing be customized?
Yes. Customers can provide printing content, font, position and color. A physical sample should be approved before the printing standard is locked for mass production.
What is the difference between standard and custom capsules?
Custom colors, printing rollers, special formulations and packaging usually require additional sampling, technical review and higher MOQ or tooling requirements than standard products.
What documents should buyers request?
Request the current specification, COA, applicable certificates, raw-material traceability, approved artwork and sample records, packaging specification and change-control information.
Does a certification automatically guarantee market access?
No. Certification and registration scope must be checked against the exact product, site, market and current regulatory requirements. The importer or marketing-authorization holder remains responsible for confirming market-specific compliance.
Conclusion: Choose a customization partner that can connect design and compliance
A successful empty capsule customization project connects appearance, filling performance, formulation, documentation and delivery. KornnacCaps supports color matching, printing, standard capsule sizes, gelatin and plant-based options, specialized formulations and packaging customization through a staged sampling and approval process. Buyers should define their target markets and technical requirements early, verify every certificate and formulation claim for the specific project, and lock the approved standard before mass production.
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Start your empty capsule customization project Contact KornnacCaps with your capsule material, size, fill weight, artwork, formulation needs, packaging requirements and target markets. The team can help you identify the information needed for a practical technical review. |
About KornnacCaps
KornnacCaps is the capsule brand of Hubei Kornnac Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a professional provider of empty capsules established in 2005. The supplied company information states that KornnacCaps operates under cGMP quality-management practices and holds or supports certifications and registrations including HALAL, Kosher, ISO 9001, EU registration and a US DMF filing. Confirm the current certificate scope, registration status and document validity for the specific product and market before publication or procurement.
KornnacCaps provides gelatin capsules, vegetable capsules, pullulan capsules, liquid-filled capsule solutions and customized capsule services for global customers. Visit https://www.kornnaccaps.com/ or contact service@kornnaccaps.com and WhatsApp +86 181 2043 9171 for product specifications, samples and customization discussions.
