Where to Buy Desiccant Packets, How Much They Cost and Which Size

Reviewed and updated by ICD - Week 40/2026

Silica gel desiccant packets are sold in sizes from 1 g to 1,000 g, with a common market price of about VND 19,000 to 49,000 per kg of beads depending on type and quantity; industrial desiccant packets for containers (CaCl2, clay) are priced per packet, by type and order volume, so a quote is needed. The final price depends on bead type, weight per packet, wrapping material, order quantity and shipping.

This article helps you compare the right things, and choose a suitable size before asking for a price.

Common desiccant packet sizes

Packets of 1 to 5 g are used for pharmaceuticals, small packaged food, cosmetics and small electronic components, and are usually silica gel.

Choose the size by where it will be used:

• 10 to 50 g packets: cake boxes, component boxes, handicrafts, cameras.
• 100 to 500 g packets: wardrobes, shoe cabinets, safes and car cabins, in silica gel or clay.

Containerized goods and export cartons use hanging calcium chloride bags of 500 g to 1 kg or clay strips; loose beads in 25 kg sacks are for transformer breathers, air dryers or repacking.

Each group has its own article, such as those on food, wardrobes, cars and industrial beads.

What the price depends on

The first factor is the bead type: silica gel, clay, calcium chloride and molecular sieve differ in price and absorption capacity; the capacity-by-humidity table is in types of desiccant. Look at the real absorption capacity and not the grams printed on the packet: for the same 100 g, a CaCl2 packet absorbs many times more than a clay packet at high humidity, so compare prices by grams of water absorbed and not by price per packet.

The wrapping material (paper, non-woven fabric, mesh bag) affects dustiness, durability and suitability for food contact. Certification and documentation, such as test reports or compliance statements for export goods or food, raise cost but reduce the risk of complaints.

Finally there is the order quantity, since ordering by carton or pallet usually gets a better price than ordering retail, and shipping, since packets are light but bulky, with CaCl2 packets priced by volume.

The common market price of silica gel is currently about VND 19,000 to 49,000 per kg of beads depending on type and quantity. For ICD industrial desiccant packets (Absortech), the table below gives reference prices.

ICD (Absortech) desiccant price list

Reference prices for October 2026, excluding VAT and shipping, for single orders; orders by carton or pallet receive a volume discount. Packets under 10 g are priced at a minimum per packet.

Comparing prices correctly: by the water absorbed

The price per kg of beads cannot be compared with the price per calcium chloride bag because absorption capacity differs many times over. A sensible comparison is the cost per kg of water absorbed at the humidity you actually meet, usually 80 to 90% RH in a sea container.

Silica gel at VND 19,000 to 49,000 per kg absorbs about 40% of its weight at 90% RH, which is 0.4 kg of water for each kg of beads, so each kg of water absorbed costs about VND 47,500 to 122,500. Clay absorbs about 25 to 31% at the same humidity, so it is more expensive if the price per kg is the same.

An AbsorGel Hanging-C 1.0 kg bag at VND 58,500 absorbs over 300% of its weight in practice, which is more than 3 kg of water per bag, so the cost per kg of water is only about VND 19,500 or less.

The silica gel and clay figures come from the capacity-by-humidity table in types of desiccant, and calcium chloride from Absortech technical documents.

At high humidity calcium chloride absorbs many times more, so the price per kg of water is lower even though the price per bag is higher; at low humidity (below 40% RH) that advantage disappears and silica gel or molecular sieve may suit better.

Desiccant cost for one container

For export goods, calculate the cost per container (or per pallet) and not per packet. The manufacturer’s dose table for the 1.0 kg hanging bag, detailed in how to use desiccant packets correctly, multiplied by the bag price gives the estimate below.

Prices exclude VAT and shipping, with a discount for large orders; the final number of bags must be adjusted for the type of goods, the packaging and the real voyage.

Compared with the value of the shipment, this cost is very small: a 40 ft container on a long route with humid cargo needs about VND 819,000 (14 bags), and for a hypothetical VND 500 million shipment that is only about 0.16%.

Meanwhile the consequence of mold, rust or moisture can be refusal of the goods or a discount on the entire lot, so the desiccant budget should be treated as a preventive item and not one to cut.

Where to buy desiccant packets

Small packets for homes, wardrobes and shoes can be bought at household stores or e-commerce platforms; choose ones with a clear indicator and avoid packets with unclear contents.

Packets for food and pharmaceuticals need a supplier with food documentation, and you should ask for a food-contact declaration. Packets for containers and export goods should be bought from a packaging and industrial desiccant supplier, with a dose table, SDS and test certificates.

Loose beads for industrial equipment are bought from chemical and industrial supply vendors, and a cobalt-free indicator type should be chosen.

ICD Vietnam supplies Absortech industrial desiccants (AbsorGel CaCl2 hanging bags, AbsorTerra clay) for export goods and warehouses, with offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and nationwide delivery. See the ICD desiccants range and get in touch for a quote by volume.

For customs procedure and HS codes see HS code for desiccant.

What to prepare before asking for a price

To get a fast, accurate quote, have the following information ready: what it will be used for (container, food, cabinet, equipment), the type of goods, the packaging and the voyage if exporting, the quantity and order frequency, document requirements such as an SDS, test certificate or food-contact declaration, and the delivery location and deadline.

Frequently asked questions

How much does desiccant for a 20ft container cost?

By the 1.0 kg hanging bag dose table: 5 to 11 bags for 20 ft, about VND 292,500 to 643,500 at VND 58,500 per bag, excluding VAT and shipping.

How much does desiccant for a 40ft container cost?

9 to 14 bags of 1.0 kg, about VND 526,500 to 819,000 at VND 58,500 per bag, excluding VAT and shipping.

How should desiccant prices be compared?

By the cost per kg of water absorbed at the real humidity (80 to 90% RH in a container), not by the price per bag or per kg of beads.

How much does a silica gel desiccant packet cost?

The common market price is about VND 19,000 to 49,000 per kg of beads depending on type and quantity; the price per packet depends on weight from 1 g to 1,000 g.

How much does a container desiccant packet cost?

Priced per packet and by type (CaCl2, clay), depending on quantity. Calculate the cost per container and ask for a quote.

What sizes do desiccant packets come in?

Commonly 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1,000 g depending on type; CaCl2 hanging bags for containers are usually 500 g to 1 kg.

Where can I buy desiccant packets in bulk?

From an industrial packaging and desiccant supplier, with test documents and an SDS; order by carton or pallet for a good price.

How do I compare desiccant prices correctly?

By real absorption capacity (grams of water absorbed at the working humidity), not by the grams printed on the packet.

Contact ICD Vietnam for desiccant advice

ICD Vietnam Industrial Production Co., Ltd.

North: 3rd Floor, Thang Long A1 Building, Bau Hamlet, Thien Loc Commune, Hanoi, 0983 797 186 / 090 345 9186 / 090 5859 186
South: 551/212 Le Van Khuong, Tan Thoi Hiep, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, 098 6784 186

Email: sales@icdvietnam.com.vn
Zalo: Chat on Zalo

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