Round Shader Tattoo Cartridges for Soft Shading & Smooth Gradients
R&G Bio manufactures round shader tattoo cartridges for distributors, studio chains and private-label brands worldwide — the standard configuration for shading, blending and color packing.
The RS line holds a loose round grouping with slightly wider spacing than our round liners, so ink deposits softer and more evenly. Ideal for black & grey, whip shading and smooth color transitions. Sizes 3RS–14RS in #08, #10 and #12.
Every cartridge is EO gas sterilized, batch-coded for full traceability, and produced in ISO Class 7 cleanrooms under an ISO 13485 quality system. Review our certifications and compliance documents and see how we manufacture before you place a bulk order.
We support full OEM/ODM programs — housing colors, private labeling and custom packaging built around your brand, with factory-direct MOQs and tiered wholesale pricing.
Model Reference
For example – 0803RS
08 – Needle Diameter (Gauge)
03 – Needle Count
RS – Needle Configuration
Needle Diameter (Gauge)
08 = #8 (Bugpin, approx. 0.25 mm)
10 = #10 (Standard, approx. 0.30 mm)
12 = #12 (Standard, approx. 0.35 mm)
Needle Count
01 / 03 / 05 / 07 / 09 / 11 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 17 / 18 / 23 / 27
Needle Type
RL = Round Liner
RS = Round Shader
M1 = Magnum (Double Stack)
RM = Round Magnum
CM = Curved Magnum
F = Flat Shader
RLT = Textured Round Liner
TRL = Turbo Round Liner
STL = Super Tight Liner
#08 SERIES · 0.25MM BUGPIN — THE SOFTEST, GENTLEST SHADING
|
MODEL |
GAUGE |
TAPER |
NEEDLE COUNT |
MEMBRANE |
STERILIZATION |
FIT |
TYPICAL USE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0803RS |
#08 · 0.25mm |
Short 0.40mm |
3 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Tiny soft shading, delicate stipple, detail blending |
|
0805RS |
#08 · 0.25mm |
Short 0.40mm |
5 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Small soft shading, portrait details, gentle gradients |
|
0807RS |
#08 · 0.25mm |
Short 0.40mm |
7 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Smooth shading on small-to-medium areas |
|
0809RS |
#08 · 0.25mm |
Short 0.40mm |
9 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Soft black & grey gradients, gentle blends |
|
0811RS |
#08 · 0.25mm |
Short 0.40mm |
11 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Medium-area soft shading, sensitive skin work |
|
0814RS |
#08 · 0.25mm |
Short 0.40mm |
14 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Wide soft shading, smooth bugpin coverage |
|
0818RS |
#08 · 0.25mm |
Short 0.40mm |
18 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
The widest bugpin shader — large soft blends |
#10 SERIES · 0.30MM STANDARD — THE EVERYDAY SHADER RANGE
|
MODEL |
GAUGE |
TAPER |
NEEDLE COUNT |
MEMBRANE |
STERILIZATION |
FIT |
TYPICAL USE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1003RS |
#10 · 0.30mm |
Long 5.5mm |
3 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Detail shading, small color blends, stipple |
|
1005RS |
#10 · 0.30mm |
Long 5.5mm |
5 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Small-area shading, soft color packing |
|
1007RS |
#10 · 0.30mm |
Long 5.5mm |
7 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Everyday shading, black & grey gradients |
|
1009RS |
#10 · 0.30mm |
Long 5.5mm |
9 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Smooth shading on medium areas, color blending |
|
1011RS |
#10 · 0.30mm |
Long 5.5mm |
11 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Larger-area shading, solid soft coverage |
|
1014RS |
#10 · 0.30mm |
Long 5.5mm |
14 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Wide shading coverage, backgrounds |
|
1018RS |
#10 · 0.30mm |
Long 5.5mm |
18 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Maximum round shader coverage |
#12 SERIES · 0.35MM STANDARD — FASTEST SHADER SATURATION
|
MODEL |
GAUGE |
TAPER |
NEEDLE COUNT |
MEMBRANE |
STERILIZATION |
FIT |
TYPICAL USE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1203RS |
#12 · 0.35mm |
Long 5.5mm |
3 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Detail shading with stronger deposit |
|
1205RS |
#12 · 0.35mm |
Long 5.5mm |
5 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Small color packing, bold soft shading |
|
1207RS |
#12 · 0.35mm |
Long 5.5mm |
7 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Everyday color blending, black & grey work |
|
1209RS |
#12 · 0.35mm |
Long 5.5mm |
9 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Solid medium-area shading and color fills |
|
1211RS |
#12 · 0.35mm |
Long 5.5mm |
11 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Fast coverage on larger areas |
|
1214RS |
#12 · 0.35mm |
Long 5.5mm |
14 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
Heavy coverage shading, backgrounds |
|
1218RS |
#12 · 0.35mm |
Long 5.5mm |
18 |
Yes, built-in |
EO Gas · ISO 11135 |
Universal cartridge grip |
The widest, fastest round shader fill |
Built Like a Medical Device, Priced for Wholesale
A shader lives or dies by even spacing — one needle out of place and every blend shows it. We control every step in our own factory, from needle grinding to sterile packing.
01 Evenly Spaced Loose Grouping
RS needles sit in a circle with a gap between each tip. We machine-solder every grouping, so the spacing stays even across the whole batch — that even spacing is what turns repeated passes into a smooth blend instead of a patchy mess.
02 Safety Membrane System
A medical-grade silicone membrane sits inside every cartridge. It keeps needle tension steady through long shading sessions and stops ink and body fluids from flowing back into the grip and machine.
03 Polished 304 Needle Tips
We use Japanese-imported 304 surgical steel with mirror-polished tips. Smooth, sharp points mean clean penetration and less friction in the skin. Each grouping is soldered by machine, so the recessed center is identical across every batch.
04 Medical-Grade Housing
The shell is medical-grade polymer with a clear tip, so artists see the ink load at the working point. Low-friction inner walls keep the plunger stable. The standard fitting works with most rotary machines and cartridge grips.
05 EO Gas Sterilization
Every cartridge is sealed in its own blister pack and sterilized with EO gas. Our sterilization process is validated under ISO 11135, with batch records kept for full traceability.
06 Two-Stage Quality Control
Every unit passes 100% visual inspection on the line. Then 30% of each batch is checked again under 100x microscopy for tip alignment, solder quality, and spacing consistency.
Why Spacing Decides the Blend
Shading is repetition: the same patch of skin, worked over and over until the gradient reads smooth. If one needle in the grouping sits closer to its neighbor, it deposits more ink on every pass — and the blend shows a streak no technique can hide. That is why our QC checks spacing consistency under 100x magnification on every batch. A good RS should be invisible in the artist’s hand: same deposit, same softness, same behavior, box after box.
Where Turbo Liners Work Best
One job: bold, saturated lines at higher speed. If the style is outline-driven and time matters, this is the needle.
Black & Grey Realism
Portraits and realism need gradients with no hard edges. 7RS to 11RS in #08 or #10 build tones slowly and softly — the safe way to shade skin.
Small Color Blends
Color transitions inside small designs are too tight for a magnum. A 5RS or 7RS blends tones exactly where the design needs them.
Stipple & Dotwork
The round footprint of a small RS places dot clusters evenly, building stipple gradients faster and more consistently than a single needle.
Contours & Tight Spots
Around ankles, fingers, ears, and collar bones, flat magnums cannot follow the curve. The small round footprint of an RS goes anywhere.
Small Number, Detail Shading. Big Number, Soft Coverage.
Needle count sets the coverage width. Gauge sets how fast the tone builds. Match both to the area.
3RS – 5RS
Detail shading, small blends, stipple
7RS – 9RS
Everyday shading, gradients
11RS – 14RS
Larger areas, solid soft coverage
18RS
Maximum round shader coverage
Round Shader (RS) vs Magnum (M1)
Both shade. Both blend. The difference is the footprint — a circle versus a flat row — and the size of work each one owns.
|
ROUND SHADER (RS) |
MAGNUM (M1) |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Grouping |
Loose circle of needles |
Two stacked flat rows of needles |
|
Footprint |
Round, small, follows any curve |
Rectangular, wide, covers fast |
|
Ink Deposit |
Soft and gradual |
Heavy and fast |
|
Coverage Speed |
Slower — built for control |
Faster — built for area |
|
Common Sizes |
3RS – 18RS |
5M1 – 27M1 |
|
Best For |
Detail shading, small blends, stipple, tight contours |
Color packing, large fills, backgrounds |
|
Classic Mistake |
Filling a big background with a 7RS — takes all day, uneven result |
Shading a small portrait detail with a 13M1 — blows out the detail |
Compare with the rest of the shading catalog: Magnum (M1) cartridges and Curved Magnum (CM) cartridges. For outlines, see Round Liner (RL) cartridges.
Our Certifications
R&G Bio is an integrated manufacturer with verified FDA registration, ISO 13485 / ISO 9001 certification and EU RoHS compliance — the documentation your market actually requires.
Wholesale & OEM Programs
Factory-direct supply with full batch traceability. Tell us your sizes and target volume — we reply within 12 hours with a full quotation.
MOQ from 1,000 pcs
Standard sizes start low; mixed sizes allowed in one order.
Tiered Factory Pricing
The more you take, the lower the unit cost. Full price ladder with every quotation.
Fast Lead Time
Standard sizes ship from running production; OEM timelines confirmed with your quote.
Private Label & OEM
Your brand, built on our production lines — in-house design and engineering support.
Qualified B2B buyers can request a free sample kit before committing to an order.
FAQs
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Find Expert insights
About R&G Bio
Built on Precision.
Trusted Globally.
Where Precision Meets Medical-Grade Standards
ISO 13485 certified facility with ISO Class 100,000 cleanrooms. 316L surgical steel, complete traceability.
End-to-End Manufacturing Control
From needle configuration to sterile packaging, every step is precision-controlled with automated assembly and batch tracking.
Meeting International Regulatory Standards
CE Mark, FDA Registered, KFDA Approved, ISO 13485, RoHS Compliant. Full documentation for global market entry.
Trusted Tattoo Needle Manufacturer Since 2009
15+ years serving 50+ countries with premium cartridge tattoo needles and flexible OEM/ODM solutions.
OEM / ODM SERVICES
Contact us for wholesale pricing and custom configurations
Get In Touch
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Tell us about your requirements and our team will respond within 24 hours with a detailed quote including pricing, lead times, and customization options.