Specification

How to size a makeup brush roll before sampling

26 Oct 2026

Answer first: a brush roll is a derived size, not a chosen one. Its height comes from the longest brush plus seam allowance, its width from the brushes standing side by side plus the slot gaps, and its tie position from where the rolled bundle sits in the hand. Get those numbers before you ask for a sample and the first round usually passes.

The five measurements to send

• Brush count. A five-brush travel set and a twelve-brush artist set are different panels, not different sizes of one panel.
• Longest brush, tip to handle end. This sets panel height. Measure the longest one, not the average.
• Widest ferrule or handle diameter. This sets slot width, and the widest point is usually the ferrule, not the handle.
• Slot depth. Deep enough that brushes cannot slide out when the roll is open and tilted, shallow enough that the tips are not crushed when it is rolled.
• Rolled diameter and closing method. A fabric tie, an elastic loop and a snap each need a different overhang, and the overhang is what the closure attaches to.

Where the arithmetic goes wrong

Two allowances get forgotten. The panel needs top and bottom seam allowance on top of the longest brush: cut it to the brush length and every brush touches a seam. And slot width is finished width: a lining plus an edge binding each take a little out of it, so a slot specified exactly at the ferrule diameter comes back tight.

The lining matters more here than on a flat pouch. A roll is a stack of layers with a brush in each, so the lining has to stay thin enough to fold. Heavy lining plus heavy canvas makes a bundle that will not roll evenly.

Fabric changes the pattern

On cotton canvas, 12 oz the roll stays soft, the slots sit flat and the bundle folds comfortably. On PU leather, smooth matte, 0.7 mm the same pattern comes back crisper but needs interfacing behind the slots, or the slot edges curl after a week in a washbag. The tie is a separate decision: 25 mm cotton webbing sits flat against the fabric where a cord does not.

Where the logo belongs

On the outside of the flap, because that is the face that shows when the roll is closed. It is also the only large unbroken panel: a deboss or a foil mark there never crosses a slot, so the mark stays sharp through use.

Sampling and order size

Sampling runs about 7 working days per round, and two rounds is common on a new roll structure. Orders start at 3,000 pcs, or 1,000 pcs per colour or size on stocked materials. Send the brush list and we will size the panel.