Türkiye-based personal care sourcing, from anywhere in the world
Across cosmetics, hair and skin care, detergents, hygiene and baby care we organise both sourcing and private label manufacturing from start to finish. We work with facilities compliant with good manufacturing practice (GMP) and check the target market's labelling rules before production. We look at Türkiye first; if the product is not available here, we source it from the world's other production centres we source it.
- Documents requiredGMP (ISO 22716), product information file, safety assessment report
- LabellingINCI list, batch number, expiry date, warnings — in the target market's language
- Private labelFormula, packaging, tooling and print approval as separate pre-production steps
- Sourcing geographyIstanbul, Kocaeli, İzmir; Europe and the Far East for packaging and speciality raw materials
What do we source in the personal care group?
Requests in this group usually take the form "I want this product under my own brand". The headings below are the areas we work in; you can also write to us about a product that is not listed.
Hair care
Shampoo, conditioner, hair masks, serums, hair colour, gel, wax, spray and styling products.
Skin care
Face and body creams, moisturisers, serums, cleansing gels, toners, masks, sun care.
Bath and shower products
Shower gel, liquid and bar soap, bubble bath, scrubs, hand cream, hammam products.
Oral care
Toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrushes, dental floss, interdental brushes, denture care products.
Colour cosmetics
Lipstick, foundation, mascara, eyeshadow, nail polish and accessories, with filling and packaging services.
Fragrance and deodorant
Perfume, cologne, EDT and EDP, roll-on and spray deodorant, body spray, room fragrance.
Men's grooming
Shaving foam and gel, aftershave, beard oil, razors and accessories.
Baby care
Baby shampoo, baby oil and cream, nappy rash cream, wet wipes, nappies.
Personal hygiene
Sanitary pads, panty liners, tampons, adult nappies, wet wipes, hand sanitiser.
Household cleaning and detergents
Powder and liquid laundry detergent, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid, surface cleaners, bleach.
Industrial and professional cleaning
Cleaning products for hotels, hospitals and institutional use, concentrated solutions, dosing systems.
Packaging and applicators
PET and HDPE bottles, pumps, spray heads, disc-top caps, tubes, jars, airless bottles and cartons.
Which documents are required in personal care?
In most countries cosmetics are subject to a registration and dossier regime. Making the product is not enough; a separate dossier process governs whether it can be sold in the target market. We establish which applies to your product at the request stage.
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GMP — good manufacturing practice The ISO 22716 standard for cosmetics. It certifies production, storage and hygiene conditions, and is the first condition we check when selecting a manufacturer.
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Product information file and safety report A product information file (PIF) and safety assessment report are mandatory for sales into Europe. Who holds the file and who acts as responsible person must be settled at the outset.
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INCI list and label compliance Ingredients are listed by INCI name in descending order of quantity; the batch number, expiry or period-after-opening, net content and warnings appear in the target market's language.
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Microbiological and stability testing Tests showing the product remains stable and microbiologically safe throughout its shelf life. This step cannot be skipped on new formulations.
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Halal and vegan certification Halal is frequently required in Gulf and Southeast Asian markets, and vegan plus cruelty-free declarations in Europe. On request we direct you to certified manufacturers.
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Origin, movement and import permits Certificate of origin, A.TR for the EU, EUR.1. Many countries also require prior registration or health ministry authorisation to import cosmetics; we check this before ordering.
Typical working terms
The table below shows customary practice in the personal care group; the terms applying to each order are set out in the written quotation.
| Packaging | Primary pack (bottle, tube, jar, airless) plus carton and shipper. Tamper-evident seals on liquids, dividers for glass packaging. Large jerrycans and IBCs are available in the detergent group. |
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| Loading unit | Carton and palletised loading. This group is light and bulky, so a container usually fills by volume rather than weight. Carton dimensions are optimised to pallet and container sizes. |
| Delivery terms | EXW, FOB, CFR, CIF and, on request, DAP / DDP. Because transport restrictions can apply to aerosols and alcohol-based products, the comparison is made early. |
| Samples | The formula sample, packaging sample and print proof are each approved separately. Series production does not start until the pre-production sample is approved in writing. |
| Lead time | It runs in stages: formula development, packaging supply, printing and filling. Lead times lengthen noticeably for custom-moulded packaging and new formulations; each stage is stated separately in the quotation. |
| Quality control | Formula check before filling, fill volume and seal integrity checks during filling, label and packaging checks before shipment. Inspection by an independent company on request. |
Where do we source personal care products from?
In this group the job is usually not "buying a product" but "having a product made" . The choice of geography is therefore driven by the factory's flexibility and by where the raw materials and packaging come from.
Contract manufacturing capacity
Türkiye has many facilities doing contract manufacturing of cosmetics and detergents under GMP conditions. Istanbul, Kocaeli and İzmir are the centres of that production.
What this means in practice is being able to launch your own brand at a relatively low quantity — you can work at volumes large multinational manufacturers would not accept.
One chain from formula to shelf
A product here is the sum of three things: formula, packaging and label. When all three come from separate suppliers, delay and mismatch are inevitable .
We run all three on one programme: formula approval, packaging supply, print proofing and the filling schedule are planned as a linked sequence.
Regulation and labelling
The most expensive mistake in cosmetics shows up on the label: the wrong INCI order, a missing warning, text not in the target market's language. Tens of thousands of printed packs go to waste.
We therefore check the label before it goes to print , against the target market's rules. We also establish before ordering whether the product needs registration in that country.
Sourcing from outside Türkiye
Europe and the Far East are strong in speciality actives, functional raw materials and technical packaging (airless bottles, custom pumps). For these items we use our global supplier network .
Even when raw materials come from another country, formula, packaging and label still run on one programme . The delay that comes from collecting the pieces from separate suppliers disappears.
Most common questions in personal care sourcing
Can we have cosmetics made under our own brand?
You can; private label is most of what we do in this group. The process has four steps: selecting or developing the formula, choosing the packaging, designing the label and artwork, and filling.
Working from an existing formula is both faster and cheaper; developing one from scratch is markedly different on lead time and cost. We show which route suits you based on the volume in your request.
What is your minimum order quantity?
We do not quote a fixed figure. In this group the minimum is usually set by the packaging, not the formula : a printed tube, moulded bottle or custom closure brings its own minimum.
Working with stock packaging lowers that floor noticeably. If you state your target quantity in the request, we show in the quotation which packaging option fits it.
Who checks the labelling rules?
We do — and before it goes to print. We check that the INCI list is in the correct order, that the batch number and period-of-use fields are present, and that warnings appear in the target market's language.
This is where the most expensive mistake occurs in this group: tens of thousands of printed packs can become unusable because of one missing warning.
Does the product need to be registered in the destination country?
In many countries it does. Europe requires a product information file and notification; Gulf states and many Asian countries require registration with the health authority.
We settle the registration process and who is responsible before ordering. Shipping an unregistered product that requires registration means the goods sit at customs — so we clear this up before production starts.
Is halal or vegan certified production possible?
It is. We do not issue the certificate; accredited certification bodies do. Where your request requires one, we restrict supplier selection to certified facilities.
Halal assessment in cosmetics looks not only at the ingredients but also at the production line and cleaning procedures. A vegan claim requires both the ingredients and a cruelty-free declaration. We verify both before shipment.
Do you also work with detergents and cleaning products?
We do. Powder and liquid laundry detergent, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid, surface cleaners and professional cleaning products are all in scope.
Some products in this group can fall under dangerous goods; classification, the safety data sheet and ADR/IMDG-compliant packaging are worked out before ordering. Because the freight advantage on concentrates can be substantial, we compare that option separately.
Do you supply the packaging as well?
We do. PET and HDPE bottles, tubes, jars, airless bottles, pumps, spray heads and closures are all in scope, and run on one programme together with filling.
Buying packaging from a separate supplier is possible but risky: a closure incompatible with the filling line stops the whole programme. We verify compatibility with a pre-production sample.
Will you source a personal care product that is not available in Türkiye?
We do. Clef Trade is based in Türkiye, but sourcing is not limited to Türkiye; if the product, the active raw material or the technical packaging is not available here, we obtain it from other countries through our global supplier network.
The process stays the same: supplier research, sampling, inspection, certification and shipping run from a single point. When the origin changes, the target market's registration and labelling requirements can change too; we notify you in writing at the request stage.
Tell us the product you need and leave the research to us.
For requests with the details below we respond Within 24 hours with a price range and an estimated lead time.
- Only three required fieldsProduct, company and e-mail. Leave the rest blank if you are not sure — we will ask.
- Quotes are freeWe charge nothing for price research.
- Your details stay privateYour request goes only to the sourcing team.