Gelatin or vegetarian capsules?
Two shells, one decision, and it reaches further into your product than most people expect.
What each one is
Gelatin shells are made from animal-derived collagen, usually bovine or porcine. Vegetarian shells are typically HPMC, or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, made from plant cellulose. Both are two-piece hard shells that are filled and locked the same way.
Who your product is for
This is usually the deciding factor. A gelatin shell rules your product out for vegetarian and vegan customers, and for several religious dietary requirements. If your brand positions itself as plant-based, the shell has to agree with the positioning. It is one of the first things a careful customer checks.
How they behave
Gelatin has a long history and is well understood in manufacturing. HPMC is less sensitive to low humidity, which matters for shells that can become brittle when dry. Both are widely used at scale; neither is the obviously superior choice, which is why the audience question usually decides it.
Where this lands with us
We fill both, in sizes 00, 0 and 1. If you are undecided, it is worth settling before the first run rather than switching later, since the shell interacts with the fill.
Tell us what you want made
Send the formula, the format and the run size you have in mind. We will come back with real numbers.
Request a quote