Industry Trends

Fillmore Container: What Actually Matters When You're Ordering Packaging Supplies

Fillmore Container: What Actually Matters When You're Ordering Packaging Supplies

Short answer: Fillmore Container is worth your time if you're sourcing glass jars, bottles, or containers for food, beverage, or cosmetic production—especially if you're not ordering massive quantities. They treat smaller orders seriously, which isn't universal in this industry. But if you're here looking for poster frames or washi tape, you're probably in the wrong place (more on that below).

I manage purchasing for a 45-person company that does small-batch food production. Roughly $18,000 annually across 6 packaging vendors. When I took over purchasing in 2020, I inherited a mess of vendor relationships where half our suppliers wouldn't return calls unless we were ordering 10,000+ units. Fillmore Container wasn't one of those.

Why Fillmore Container Works for Small Batch Producers

Here's something vendors won't tell you: the first interaction often reveals everything about how they'll treat you long-term. When I placed our first order with Fillmore—maybe $340 worth of 8oz mason jars—they processed it with the same attention I've seen other suppliers reserve for five-figure orders.

The Fillmore Container company specializes in:

• Glass jars and bottles (wide variety of sizes and styles)
• Lids, caps, and closures
• Container supplies for food, beverage, cosmetic, and craft industries

What most people don't realize is that "wide variety" isn't marketing speak here. We've sourced everything from 2oz hex jars for honey samples to 32oz wide-mouth containers for our pickle line—same vendor, consistent quality, no attitude about mixed orders.

They run discount codes fairly regularly (if you search "Fillmore Container coupon code" you'll usually find something active). In Q4 2024, we stacked a 10% code on a bulk order and saved enough to cover shipping. Not life-changing, but it adds up.

The "16 x 24 Poster Frame" Question (And Why You're Here)

I see search queries linking Fillmore Container to things like 16 x 24 poster frames. Let me save you some clicking: Fillmore Container is a packaging supplier, not a frames-and-office-supplies company. If you need poster frames, you want a different vendor entirely—try craft stores or office supply chains.

Same goes for washi tape. If you're searching "washi tape cheap" and landed here, Fillmore isn't your answer. They're containers-and-closures focused. Craft tape is a different category.

(Honestly, I made a similar mistake early on—assumed a "container company" might carry storage bins and organizational stuff. Nope. Glass jars. Bottles. Lids. That's the lane.)

What About the Liquids-in-Plastic-Bag Thing?

Another search query that somehow connects to Fillmore: "do you have to put all liquids in a plastic bag." This is TSA territory, not packaging supplier territory. The 3-1-1 rule (3.4oz containers, 1 quart-sized bag, 1 bag per passenger) applies to carry-on luggage for flights. According to TSA.gov, liquids over 3.4oz must go in checked baggage.

If you're asking because you're filling containers with liquids for sale—that's where Fillmore comes in. They supply the bottles; how you transport your finished product is a logistics question.

The Small Customer Experience (Where Fillmore Gets It Right)

When I was starting out in this role, the vendors who treated my $200 orders seriously are the ones I still use for $2,000+ orders. Fillmore earned that loyalty.

Most buyers focus on per-unit pricing and completely miss the service component. Here's what actually matters when you're running small batches:

Response time. When we had a question about lid compatibility for a new jar size, we got an actual answer within a day. Not a form response. An answer.

Order flexibility. We've placed orders ranging from $150 to $3,400. Same treatment. No "minimum order for customer service" nonsense.

Consistency. The 16oz jars we ordered in March 2023 match the ones we ordered in November 2024. This sounds basic until you've dealt with a supplier whose "same product" varies batch to batch (ugh, still bitter about that label alignment disaster with a different vendor).

Where to Watch Your Step

I'd be lying if I said everything's perfect. A few things I've learned:

Shipping costs can surprise you. Glass is heavy. We didn't have a formal shipping-cost-estimation process and got surprised on our second order—$87 more than expected. Now I verify shipping before confirming any order over $500. The third time we got surprised by shipping, I finally created a verification step. Should have done it after the first time.

Lead times vary. Standard items ship fast. Specialty items or larger quantities? Build in buffer time. We said "as soon as possible" once. They heard "standard processing." Result: delivery a week later than we'd planned around.

Not a one-stop shop. If you need custom printing on containers, labels, or packaging accessories beyond their core line, you'll need additional vendors. Fillmore does containers well—don't expect them to be your entire packaging solution.

Total Cost Thinking

Total cost of ownership includes:

• Base product price
• Shipping and handling (remember: glass = weight)
• Potential quality issues requiring reorders
• Your time dealing with vendor problems

The lowest quoted price often isn't the lowest total cost. We've paid 8-12% more per unit with Fillmore compared to some overseas alternatives and still come out ahead because nothing arrives broken and I'm not spending hours on damage claims.

When Fillmore Container Isn't the Right Fit

This probably won't work for you if:

You need plastic containers primarily. Fillmore's strength is glass. They carry some plastic, but it's not the focus.

You're looking for craft supplies, poster frames, or office materials. Different industry entirely.

You need highly custom shapes or proprietary molds. They're a distributor of standard and specialty containers, not a custom manufacturer.

You're ordering for personal/hobby use at very small quantities. They're B2B oriented. You can place small orders, but pricing is structured for business use.

The Bottom Line

For B2B customers in food, beverage, cosmetic, or craft production who need reliable glass containers without the attitude that comes from some larger distributors—Fillmore Container is worth evaluating. They won't be your cheapest option on every single item, and they won't solve every packaging need. But they'll treat your 50-jar order like it matters.

After 5 years of managing these vendor relationships, that's rarer than it should be.

Pricing and availability based on orders placed through January 2025; verify current rates directly with Fillmore Container.