Choosing the right perfume bottle starts with one number most brand owners overlook: the neck size. Get it wrong and your beautiful glass simply will not seal — pumps spin, sprayers leak, fills slow down, and your first production run becomes a costly lesson in millimetres.
This guide walks through the three neck sizes you will meet 95% of the time when sourcing perfume bottles in Asia — FEA 13mm, 15mm and 18mm — what they mean, which pump and sprayer types they accept, and how to specify them on a tech pack so nothing is lost in translation between your designer, your filler and your glass factory.
What "neck size" actually means
The neck size is the outer diameter of the bottle neck at the sealing surface, measured in millimetres. It is not the inner diameter, not the cap diameter, and not the bottle's overall opening.
Industry convention writes it as FEA + number (for example FEA 15) — FEA being the European standard that defines a continuous set of neck dimensions, thread profile, sealing flange and skirt height. Any compliant crimp pump, screw pump or atomiser sized for the same FEA number will mate with any compliant bottle of that size, regardless of brand. That is the whole point of the standard, and the reason it is worth respecting on day one of a project.
Two related dimensions sit alongside the FEA number:
- Finish height — distance from the sealing surface to the top of the bottle shoulder. Determines how deep a pump's dip tube can reach.
- Bore (inner diameter) — controls fill speed and dip-tube clearance.
A reputable glass factory will share a 2D drawing for every standard neck. Always ask for it before approving a mould.
The three sizes that cover 95% of perfume projects
FEA 15 — the global default
If you can only remember one, remember 15mm. It is the de-facto standard for fine-fragrance bottles between roughly 30ml and 100ml — eau de toilette, eau de parfum, niche launches, gift sets. Pump and sprayer compatibility is the broadest of any size, every major closure house (Aptar, Coster, Silgan, Yonwoo, etc.) offers full ranges in FEA 15, and your filler will not blink when they see it on the spec sheet.
Use FEA 15 when:
- Your fill is 30–100ml.
- You want maximum flexibility for crimp pumps, screw pumps, magnetic caps and metal collars.
- You may add a luxury overcap (Surlyn, Zamak, wood, metal) — overcap moulds for FEA 15 are everywhere.
FEA 13 — small format and travel
FEA 13 is the size for small and travel formats, typically 5–30ml rollerballs, mini sprays, sample sizes and refill cartridges. The smaller diameter keeps the closure visually proportional on a tiny bottle.
Use FEA 13 when:
- You are launching a discovery set, sample programme or travel SKU.
- Your fill is below 30ml and a 15mm collar would look oversized.
- You want a roll-on (most roller balls are designed around 13mm necks).
Trade-off: pump and sprayer selection is narrower than 15mm and dose volumes per stroke are smaller (typically 0.06–0.10ml vs 0.10–0.14ml for FEA 15).
FEA 18 — large format and unisex/men's
FEA 18 appears on larger, heavier bottles, usually 100ml and above, and on many men's and unisex lines where a chunkier silhouette suits the brand. The wider neck improves filling throughput on high-speed lines and supports heavier metal overcaps without leverage issues.
Use FEA 18 when:
- Your fill is 100ml+ and the bottle is visually substantial.
- You want a heavier Zamak or solid-metal overcap.
- Your filler is running high-volume lines and wants faster cycle times.
Crimp vs screw pumps — and why the neck dictates the choice
The neck doesn't just set the diameter; it also defines how the pump attaches.
Crimp pumps (the perfume standard)
A crimp pump has a smooth aluminium ferrule that is mechanically swaged onto the bottle neck by a crimping tool. Once crimped, it is permanent — the bottle is sealed for life. This is what virtually every prestige fragrance brand uses because:
- The seal is hermetic and alcohol-tight (critical for 70–90% ethanol fills).
- No visible threads — the metal collar reads as jewellery, not packaging.
- Tamper-evident by design.
Crimp pumps require a crimping head at the filler. Standard FEA 13/15/18 bottles all accept crimp pumps and the tooling is interchangeable between sizes with a head change.
Screw pumps
A screw pump threads onto the bottle. It is removable, which makes it the right choice for:
- Refillable bottles — luxury refill formats, body sprays, home fragrance refills.
- Roll-ons — the ball housing screws on so the bottle can be filled.
- Small lab runs — no crimping equipment needed.
Screw necks have a visible thread, so the closure design needs to hide or celebrate it. A "screw-thread" FEA 15 is a different drawing from a "crimp" FEA 15 — confirm with your factory which version you are ordering.
Quick-reference table
| Neck | Typical fill | Common closures | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| FEA 13 | 5–30ml | Crimp pump, screw roll-on, mini sprayer | Travel, samples, rollerballs |
| FEA 15 | 30–100ml | Crimp pump, screw pump, magnetic collar, overcap | EDT, EDP, mainline fragrance |
| FEA 18 | 100ml+ | Crimp pump, heavy screw cap, large metal overcap | Men's, unisex, large luxury |
How to specify neck size on your tech pack
Five lines on your tech pack will eliminate 90% of sampling errors:
- Bottle neck: FEA 15 crimp (or FEA 15 screw / FEA 13 / FEA 18)
- Bore: as per FEA standard (factory provides drawing)
- Pump: brand, model, dose volume (e.g. 0.14ml ± 0.015), dip tube length
- Spring material: stainless steel 316L for alcohol fragrance
- Compatibility test: 4-week ageing with final juice before mass production
Always request a filled, capped sample before approving mass production — drop test, leak test and three-month ageing on the actual fragrance. A bottle that seals perfectly with water can still weep when filled with 80% ethanol if the gasket is wrong.
Common mistakes we see
- Designing for a 13mm collar but specifying a 30ml bottle. It works, but the closure looks underscaled and the pump dose feels weak. Switch to FEA 15.
- Forgetting the overcap mould. Overcaps are sized per neck — an existing FEA 15 overcap will not fit an FEA 18 bottle. Budget separate tooling.
- Mixing crimp and screw on the same line. Your filler will charge for the changeover. Pick one across your range.
- Skipping the 2D drawing. "FEA 15" alone is not enough — the bore, finish height and skirt detail vary between factories. Always work from the drawing.
Need help matching a neck to your project?
We mould FEA 13, FEA 15 and FEA 18 bottles in-house and stock matching crimp pumps, screw pumps and over-caps for sampling. Send us a reference photo or sketch — our engineering team will return drawings, capacity options and compatible closure SKUs within three to five working days.