Empty Capsules (All Sizes)
Gelatin and vegetarian HPMC empty hard capsules in all standard sizes, 000 to 4 — clear, coloured, opaque and printed, supplied loose for your own filling line.
- SKU
- ZNP-PK-008
- Grade
- Pharmaceutical / food grade
- Country of origin
- China, Thailand and India (other countries available on request)
- Minimum order
- 1 carton (count varies by size)
- Lead time
- 3–7 business days from US stock
Product overview
Empty hard capsules are the one component most brands discover late, and a shell shortage stops a filling line as surely as a missing active. We hold empty capsule supply as dedicated stock rather than as a bought-in afterthought.
Bovine and porcine gelatin shells and HPMC vegetarian shells are available in all standard sizes — 000, 00, 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 — in clear, coloured, opaque and printed formats. Shells ship loose to your own facility, or can be scheduled straight into a Zenith contract manufacturing run so that shell and fill are released together against one batch record.
Every lot ships with a Certificate of Analysis covering identity, moisture, disintegration and microbial limits, with full lot traceability back to the shell manufacturer.
Related technical guide: How to choose empty capsules for nutraceutical and pharma filling
Contract manufacturing: RFQ checklist for US supplement brands — MOQs, timelines, docs and East Coast logistics before you award a fill.
Key facts at a glance
- Product
- Empty Capsules (All Sizes)
- Grade
- Pharmaceutical / food grade
- Origin
- China, Thailand and India (other countries available on request)
- Minimum order
- 1 carton (count varies by size)
- Lead time
- 3–7 business days from US stock
- Packaging
- Cartons with food-grade PE liner, palletised and shrink wrapped.
- Documentation
- Lot-specific COA, SDS, spec sheet, allergen and GMO statements
Technical specification
- Sizes
- 000, 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
- Shell materials
- Bovine gelatin, porcine gelatin, vegetarian HPMC
- Formats
- Clear, coloured, opaque, printed
- Moisture (gelatin)
- 13–16%
- Moisture (HPMC)
- 4–9%
- Disintegration
- ≤ 15 minutes
- Microbial limits
- Meets USP <2021>/<2022>
- Religious certification
- Kosher and Halal options
- Packaging
- Cartons with PE liner, desiccant on request
- MOQ
- 1 carton (count varies by size)
Values shown are typical. The Certificate of Analysis issued for your specific lot governs.
Applications
- Supplement capsule filling lines
- Contract manufacturing runs
- Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical production
- Clinical trial and R&D batches
- Vegetarian and vegan product lines
- Custom-coloured and printed branding
Packaging & supply
Cartons with food-grade PE liner, palletised and shrink wrapped.
- Minimum order quantity
- 1 carton (count varies by size)
- Lead time
- 3–7 business days from US stock
- Country of origin
- China, Thailand and India (other countries available on request)
- Shipping terms
- FOB and DDP terms available. Domestic LTL and parcel shipping from our Ronkonkoma, Long Island, New York stock, plus international air and sea freight.
Documentation supplied
- Lot-specific Certificate of Analysis
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS)
- Technical and specification sheet
- Allergen, GMO and gluten statements
- Kosher and Halal certificates where applicable
- Full lot traceability records
Questions about Empty Capsules (All Sizes)
Which capsule size should I choose?
Size is set by fill weight and the density of your blend. Size 00 holds roughly 570–1100 mg depending on density and is the most common supplement size; size 0 holds roughly 400–800 mg. Send us the target dose and bulk density and we will confirm the size before you commit to bottles and labels, since the capsule size drives both.
Gelatin or HPMC — which do I need?
Gelatin runs faster on most filling machines and costs less, but is animal-derived. HPMC is vegetarian, works for clean-label and religious positioning, and tolerates hygroscopic fills better because of its lower moisture content. If your market needs a vegan claim, HPMC is the only option.
Can the capsules be printed with our brand?
Yes. Shells can be supplied printed with a logo or text, in custom body and cap colours. Printed and custom-coloured shells carry a higher minimum order and longer lead time than stock clear shells, so raise it early in the project.
Can we make this to your specification?
Yes. Mesh size, assay strength, blend ratio, packaging format and label are all specifiable. We are your turnkey manufacturing partner — if you need this material milled differently, blended with another active, or delivered as a finished encapsulated product under your own brand, that is ordinary work for us rather than an exception.
Tell us what you are formulating
Send your specification, target assay and volume. You will get pricing, a current Certificate of Analysis and a sample within two business days.