Cosmetic contract manufacturing in Tunisia: the complete 2026 guide

Cosmetic contract manufacturing in Tunisia means entrusting the formulation, manufacturing and filling and packaging of your products to a Tunisian laboratory, under private label, custom private label or custom formulation. It is a serious option for brands in Tunisia, Europe, Africa and the Gulf. However, check that Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP, ISO 22716) is applied and, for the European Union, that Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 is respected.

This guide presents the sector’s figures, sourced and dated, and explains why they diverge. It compares the production models and details the steps of a project, then the regulations, costs and selection criteria. It is informative and does not replace the official texts. You can also read our articles on cosmetic contract manufacturing.

What is cosmetic contract manufacturing and who is it for?

Cosmetic contract manufacturing, or toll-free “made-to-order” production, means entrusting all or part of the manufacturing to a specialised laboratory, the contract manufacturer. The brand keeps the concept, the positioning and the marketing. The laboratory provides the formulation, the production, the quality system and often regulatory support. It is aimed at project owners, brands, parapharmacies and distributors.

The contract manufacturer is a laboratory that makes products on behalf of a brand, without selling them under its own name. Contract manufacturing is the contractual relationship by which the brand entrusts this production to the contract manufacturer, according to a defined specification. The brand thus remains in control of its identity, its prices and its distribution.

Depending on the level of support expected, there are two main formulas:

• Manufacturing only: the brand supplies its formula, sometimes its raw materials and its packaging. The laboratory manufactures and fills.
• The complete service (“full service”): the laboratory handles formulation, tests, purchasing, production, filling and packaging and the regulatory file. The brand receives finished products, ready to sell.

Manufacturing only suits brands that already have a proven formula and a technical team. The full service is better suited to project owners who start from an idea and want a single point of contact.

The profiles concerned are varied. Project owners launch a range without building a factory, and established brands widen their catalogue or absorb extra volume. Parapharmacies and distributors offer products under their own banner. This outlet carries weight in Tunisia: according to the Minister of Industry cited by Webmanagercenter (January 2026), the parapharmaceutical sector supported by the ministry counts 3,500 parapharmacies.

Why have your cosmetics made in Tunisia in 2026?

Tunisia has an established, export-oriented cosmetics industry. According to La Presse de Tunisie (March 2025), the sector comprises about 774 companies and nearly 7,600 jobs, including crafts. Its exports reached about 225 million dinars at the end of 2024. According to Chroniques (June 2025), its main markets are France, Germany and Spain.

What do the figures say about the Tunisian cosmetics sector?

Four public sources describe the sector, with different dates and scopes. The table below brings them together and gives, for each figure, its publisher and date.

The coverage rate is the ratio between the value of a sector’s exports and that of its imports. The integration rate is the share of a product’s value created locally, as opposed to imported inputs.

Why do the published figures diverge?

The gap in the number of companies is first a matter of scope. According to Chroniques (June 2025), the country has about 774 companies in the sector, of which 60 are structured companies. The same outlet estimates that a large majority of them, 75%, are informal or employ undeclared workers.

Jobs follow the same logic. La Presse de Tunisie associates nearly 7,600 jobs with the roughly 774 companies, crafts included. Webmanagercenter links the same total to 60 companies. Team France Export, for its part, gives about 20,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The date matters as much as the scope. The Team France Export sheet relies on APII data dated 2023, earlier than the other sources in the table. Its turnover, its share of GDP and its number of production units therefore describe the sector as it was in 2023 at the latest.

For exports, Webmanagercenter reports 270 million dinars, a figure announced in January 2026 with no reference period specified. Comparing it with the 2024 amount as an annual increase would therefore be risky. Before quoting a figure in a business plan, check its source, its date and its scope.

What natural assets are there for a cosmetic range?

According to Chroniques (June 2025), export markets are drawn to natural products such as essential oils and floral waters. The same outlet states that prickly pear seed oil ranks fifth among the country’s organic agricultural exports. These materials help build a range with a Mediterranean identity: ask your laboratory which formulas can include them, for example among the textures based on floral waters.

The sector also faces obstacles. Chroniques points to high tax pressure and increased competition from international brands.

Imagine, as a typical example, a young French brand that wants to launch a short range of facial care. It chooses Tunisia for three reasons: talking directly in French with the technical team, geographical proximity and an offer suited to its starting volumes. Its decision is then built on concrete elements: quality of samples, available documentation, delivered cost and reliability of the schedule.

Private label, custom private label or custom formulation: which model should you choose?

The choice of cosmetic contract manufacturing model depends on budget, timeline and the differentiation sought. Private label takes an existing formula and personalises it, custom private label adapts a base reserved for your brand and custom formulation creates a product from your brief. The stronger the differentiation, the longer the lead time and the higher the investment.

Private label is an existing formula from a laboratory’s catalogue, personalised (fragrance, colour, packaging) then sold under your name. Custom private label is a base formula adapted to your expectations and reserved for your brand. Custom formulation is a full creation from your brief: actives, texture, sensory feel and claims.

These lead times vary with the complexity of the project, and they differ from one laboratory to another. So ask each manufacturer you consult for a written schedule, including the validations that depend on you.

Private label suits a first launch well, because the formula is already developed. To gauge the breadth of a catalogue, Oppenheimer Lab offers more than 500 formulas as ready-to-launch private label formulas. Our advice: start with one or two well-positioned products, keep budget aside to market them, then widen the range based on customer feedback.

Custom private label offers a compromise when you want a reserved formula without funding a full development. Custom formulation is justified when your difference lies in the product itself. It requires a precise brief and your availability to validate successive samples.

Whatever the model, have the ownership of the final formula and the duration of any exclusivity set by contract. To explore this choice further, read our articles on private label and custom private label, which detail the advantages, the limits and the questions to ask before committing.

What are the steps of a project, from brief to delivery?

A cosmetic contract manufacturing project follows eight steps: brief, proposal and quote, formulation and samples, packaging choice, tests, regulatory file, manufacturing and filling and packaging, then delivery. The formula, the packaging and the safety file must move forward in parallel from the start. Otherwise, the schedule slips at the validation stage.

The PIF (Product Information File) is the file that gathers the information on a cosmetic, including its safety assessment. The CPNP notification is the declaration of a product on the European Cosmetic Products Notification Portal, before it is marketed in the European Union. Batch release is the quality decision that authorises the shipment of a batch after its compliance has been checked.

1. The brief: target, benefit sought, textures, intended retail price, quantities and countries of sale.
2. The proposal and the quote: formulas or development approach, costing and schedule.
3. Formulation and samples: development, then sensory validation, often over several rounds.
4. Packaging choice: containers, labels and cartons, selected early so they can be tested.
5. Tests: stability, compatibility between the formula and its container, microbiological controls.
6. The regulatory file: safety assessment, PIF, labelling and, for the European Union, CPNP notification.
7. Manufacturing and filling and packaging: manufacturing, filling, quality control and batch release.
8. Delivery: export documents if necessary, then shipping.

“Never order your bottles before you have validated their compatibility with the formula. A container must protect the product, dispense its texture properly and withstand transport.” (Oppenheimer Lab)

An airless bottle can be relevant for some formulas, but it is not automatically the best choice. We recommend testing the formula-container pair before placing the whole order.

What most often makes a project fail is the mismatch between ambition, budget and schedule, made worse by a brief that keeps changing. Before developing, we fix five elements: the target, the benefit sought, the retail price, the quantity and the overall budget, marketing included.

Take a typical example: a Tunisian entrepreneur launches her first skincare brand sold online, with a single 50 ml moisturising face cream based on an existing formula. For 1,000 units, a schedule of about 12 weeks is realistic if the packaging is available, validations are quick and the checks are satisfactory. A fully custom formulation would require a different schedule.

The schedule also depends on the seasons. Our clients’ requests concentrate on sun care products in summer, and on moisturising care and solutions for oily skin in winter. Our advice: anticipate these peaks by several months in your development and production schedule.

Finally, every validation of a sample, a label text or a mock-up depends on your reply. Appoint a single contact on the brand side and agree written validation dates with your laboratory. To structure these decisions upstream, read our guides to launching your cosmetic brand.

Is ISO 22716 certification mandatory and what should you ask for in Tunisia?

For the European Union, Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 requires manufacturing in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice. The ISO 22716 standard serves as the reference to demonstrate this compliance, but certification is not in itself an obligation. In Tunisia, the requirements depend on the product’s situation: check them with the DPM.

This section is informative and does not replace the official texts. For any decision, refer to the text of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and to the competent authorities of the country of sale.

GMP and ISO 22716 certification: what is the difference?

The ISO 22716 standard is the reference framework for Good Manufacturing Practice for cosmetic products. Two notions must nevertheless be distinguished. The application of GMP is the day-to-day implementation of these practices in the factory, from the receipt of materials to shipping. The ISO 22716 certification is the attestation issued by a third-party body after an audit of the site.

A certification is a useful proof, but the obligation first concerns manufacturing in accordance with GMP. Oppenheimer Lab manufactures according to cosmetic Good Manufacturing Practice (ISO 22716 / GMP). Whichever laboratory you consult, ask for the corresponding evidence and, if possible, a visit to the production site.

What steps should you plan for in Tunisia?

The DPM, under the Ministry of Health, is the body to consult to learn the requirements applicable to your product. Formalities may differ depending on the case. To prepare this exchange, proceed as follows:

• Specify your situation: imported product, made locally for the Tunisian market or intended for export.
• Ask for the procedure currently in force and the applicable reference documents.
• Gather the information on the formula, the manufacturing, the labelling and the safety of the product.
• Cross-check these documents against the PIF planned for the European Union, to avoid duplication.

The Tunisian framework could also change. According to La Presse de Tunisie (March 2025), a working session at the Ministry of Industry brought together the sector’s professional representatives.

“The discussions covered several priority areas, notably the need to adapt the sector’s regulatory framework to market requirements, in consultation with all stakeholders.” (La Presse de Tunisie).

According to the same daily, this change aims to improve the competitiveness of local companies and their openness to international markets. So follow the texts published before each new launch. To explore these topics further, browse our cosmetic regulation and quality files.

How can you sell cosmetics made in Tunisia in the European Union?

A cosmetic made in Tunisia can be sold in the European Union provided it complies with Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. You need a Responsible Person in the EU, a product information file with a safety assessment, a compliant composition and labelling, and a CPNP notification before placing on the market. This notification is neither an authorisation nor a certification.

“If my product is made in Tunisia, can I sell it directly in France?” This is a question we are often asked. Our answer: manufacturing in Tunisia does not exempt you from the requirements of the destination market.

The Responsible Person is the natural or legal person established in the European Union who is answerable for the compliance of a cosmetic product placed on the European market. The importer is the company established in the Union that places on the European market a product made outside the Union. For an imported product, the importer is by default the Responsible Person, unless they designate by written mandate another person established in the EU: the Tunisian manufacturer cannot hold this role, which must be identified from the start of the project.

Before shipping a first batch to Europe, check the following points:

• The Responsible Person: designated and established in the EU (Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009).
• The safety assessment: carried out before placing on the market (Article 10).
• The product information file: complete and kept up to date (Article 11).
• The CPNP notification: made before marketing (Article 13).
• Labelling: compliant with the requirements of the regulation (Article 19).
• Claims: substantiated and compliant with the common criteria of Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013 (Article 20).

Oppenheimer Lab prepares product information files (PIF) and CPNP notifications. The Responsible Person nevertheless remains an actor established in the EU: clarify with them, in writing, who supplies which documents and who validates the labelling texts. We recommend defining the countries of sale from the brief, so as to prepare the corresponding evidence and packaging.

This section is informative: for the detail of the obligations, refer to the official text of the European cosmetics regulation. For the Maghreb, African or Gulf markets, read our articles on cosmetic export.

How much does cosmetic contract manufacturing cost and what is the minimum order?

There is no single price for cosmetic contract manufacturing: the cost depends on the model chosen, the raw materials, the packaging, the volumes and the regulatory tests. The minimum order varies between laboratories: ask each one for its threshold per product and its flexibility on small batches. Only a quote based on a precise brief gives a reliable estimate.

The cost price is the sum of the expenses needed to produce and package one unit ready to sell. Five items mainly determine it:

• The contract manufacturing model: an existing formula requires less development than a custom creation.
• Raw materials: the nature and concentration of the actives weigh directly on the unit cost.
• Packaging: container, dispensing system, label and any carton.
• Volumes: the larger the batch, the more the fixed costs are spread over a large number of units.
• Tests and regulatory work: additional tests, safety assessment, PIF and notifications.

At Oppenheimer Lab, the price depends on the product, the actives and the packaging: free quote, reply within 48 hours. Small batches possible: from 200 units, or even 100 depending on the project, subject to assessment. The quote specifies what is included (container, label, filling and packaging) and any extra costs: specific development, additional tests, carton, transport, export formalities.

The minimum order quantity (MOQ) is the volume below which a laboratory does not launch a batch for a product. This threshold differs from one manufacturer to another: compare it, because it determines your starting stock and your cash flow.

To obtain a costing per product and per volume, you can request a quote based on your brief. Oppenheimer Lab replies to quote requests within 48 working hours.

How do you choose your cosmetic contract manufacturing laboratory?

Choosing a cosmetic contract manufacturing laboratory rests on verifiable criteria: application of GMP under ISO 22716 and a site visit, catalogue and R&D capacity, minimum quantities, filling and packaging, regulatory support, batch traceability and contractual confidentiality. Compare at least two detailed quotes, with a written schedule and a clearly defined ownership of the formula.

A confidentiality agreement is a contract that forbids the laboratory from disclosing or reusing the information you entrust to it. Sign it before sending your brief, then check the following points:

• Good Manufacturing Practice: ask your laboratory for evidence of its application of ISO 22716 and for the possibility of visiting the site.
• The catalogue and R&D: depth of the catalogue and capacity for developing a custom formula.
• Minimum quantities: threshold per product and flexibility on small batches.
• Filling and packaging: available containers, filling, labelling and cartoning.
• Regulatory support: preparation of the PIF, the CPNP notification and the documents required in Tunisia.
• Traceability: time needed to obtain a batch’s history in case of a question.
• The contract: ownership of the formula, exclusivity and confidentiality in writing.

Certification cannot be taken for granted in the sector. According to the Team France Export market sheet, whose sources date from 2023 (APII), the sector then counted 65 production units, of which 18 certified, with no detail on the certification standard. So always ask for the certificate currently in force and its exact scope.

What services does Oppenheimer Lab bring together in its laboratory in Tunisia?

Oppenheimer Lab is a cosmetic and dermocosmetic manufacturing laboratory based in Tunisia. It brings together formulation, manufacturing, filling and packaging, private label and custom private label. It manufactures according to ISO 22716 (GMP), offers more than 500 formulas, supports more than 50 brands and exports to more than 30 countries.

The production site covers 700 m². The services cover custom formulation, ready-to-launch formulas, custom private label, manufacturing and filling and packaging. They also include brand creation and food supplements. Small batches negotiable, from 100 to 200 units.

Traceability is the ability to reconstruct a batch’s journey, from the raw materials to shipping. At Oppenheimer Lab, the complete history of a batch is available within 24 hours. COSMOS, Ecocert, Vegan and Halal certifications are available on request, and 48-hour delivery within Tunisia is provided.

Whichever laboratory you consult, check these elements against your brief and ask for written answers on each point. Before any first contact, prepare a written brief specifying the target, the quantities and the countries of sale. You can then talk with the Oppenheimer Lab team on that basis.

Sources

• Fiche marché Cosmétiques – Tunisie (in French), Team France Export, undated
• Industrie des cosmétiques : Vers une évolution réglementaire pour un meilleur accès aux marchés (in French), La Presse de Tunisia, 6 March 2025
• La Tunisie mise sur ses cosmétiques pour conquérir l’Afrique (in French), Chroniques, June 2025
• Parapharmaceutique : 270 MD d’exportations pour les parfums et cosmétiques tunisiens (in French), WMC (Webmanagercenter), 23 January 2026