Client Background
Mosteb received a request from a fragrance research company in Lyon, France to design a bespoke decorative diffuser bottle. The institute required 200 ml clear glass bottles which were visually neat but professional enough to be evaluated for fragrance formulation testing and for client purposes.
The specified bottle had to be cylindrical in shape with thin vertical etched lines, stoppered with natural wood and could be used with standard wood reed diffusers. Consistent surface treatment and dimensional stability were also required for the project as the bottles would be reused in testing environments. They selected Mosteb due to our level of customization at the factory level, technical efficiency of communication, and experience in supporting applications of professional fragrances as opposed to retail application.
Challenges
- Poor surface finishes that were used in the past: The institute had collaborated with other decorative diffuser bottle sellers before though surface treatments differed significantly across batches. Disproportionate etching influenced visual consistency in comparative testing sessions as well as diminishing confidence in handing over samples to outside partners.
- Functional Issues During Extended Testing: There were also cases of an unstable base, and non-uniform tolerances of necks in some of the diffuser bottles causing the stopper and reeds to sit inconsistently and have different evaporation rates during prolonged testing.
Cause Analysis
| Issue | Likely Cause | Corrective Action |
| Uneven etched appearance | Inconsistent processing parameters | Standardized etching process |
| Reed instability | Neck dimensional variation | Improved neck mold control |
| Bottle movement | Insufficient base stability | Adjusted base structure |
| Batch variation | Lack of pre-production approval | Added sample and QC approval |
Solution
- Fixed processing time and depth etching processes with standardization.
- Improved mold definitions to maintain the same neck, vertical.
- Add a little thickness to the base to enhance stability on the laboratory working surface.
- Gave pre-production samples and comprehensive QC information to be approved prior to bulk manufacturing.
Result
The final bottles had a more uniform etched look throughout the batch. The new neck size also helped to ensure that the stopper and reeds will remain in place during testing and the strengthened base for improved stability on laboratory work surfaces. After this project, the institute affirmed continuous relationship with Mosteb on future diffuser bottle customization programs.
