DISPOSABLE TATTOO SUPPLIES

At minimum: gloves, ink caps, barrier film or protective covers on all equipment, a fresh bed cover, disposable tube or cartridge (depending on your setup), razors for skin prep, and a sharps bin for needle disposal. These are the non-negotiables for every single client.

Every client. No exceptions. All single-use items — ink caps, tubes, tips, gloves, barrier film, bed covers — get discarded after each session and replaced with fresh ones. Reusing disposables compromises hygiene and puts your client and your licence at risk.

Disposable tubes are a complete unit — tube, grip, and tip combined. You install the needle bar and you're ready to work. Disposable tips are the tip only, designed to pair with a separate reusable grip. Tubes are faster to set up; tips give you the option to use your preferred grip while still having a sterile tip for every client.

Yes. Our biodegradable ink caps are made from wheat straw plastic and perform the same as standard caps — stable flat base, consistent sizing, no tipping. The only difference is the material breaks down after disposal. Same function, less waste.

Four sizes: small (10mm) for detail work and single-needle fills, medium (13mm) for general use, large (15mm) for colour packing and larger fills, and x-large (18mm) for heavy colour work or mixing. Most artists keep a mix of sizes on hand.

Barrier film covers flat surfaces and wraps around equipment, but pen sleeves are designed specifically to fit tattoo pen machines. They're faster to apply, provide full coverage of the machine body, and are easier to change between clients than re-wrapping with film. Most artists use both — sleeves on the pen, film on everything else.

Used tattoo needles, used cartridges, any broken glass, razor blades, and anything sharp enough to puncture skin. Sharps bins must be sealed and disposed of through a licensed waste collection service. Never put sharps in general waste — it's a safety hazard and a legal issue.

Match the tube to your needle grouping. Liner tubes fit round liner needles (3RL, 5RL, etc.). Mag tubes fit magnum and curved mag needles. The tube bore needs to accommodate the needle spread without being too loose or too tight — a poor fit affects needle stability and ink flow.