Glossary

Shower Product Glossary

This glossary defines the terms importers, distributors, and private-label brands encounter when sourcing shower heads, hoses, and filter accessories from a Chinese factory. Definitions reflect how ZHONGHE, a shower head manufacturer in Cixi, Ningbo, actually builds, tests, and quotes products, so you can read spec sheets and quotations with confidence.

Product types

Handheld shower head (hand shower): A shower head designed to be held in the hand or docked in a wall bracket, fed by a flexible hose. Handheld models are the most common OEM shower product worldwide and typically combine multiple spray modes, an ergonomic handle, and, in filter versions, a replaceable cartridge inside the handle.
Fixed shower head (overhead shower): A shower head that mounts directly onto a wall or ceiling shower arm rather than a hose. Fixed heads are specified by face diameter, spray pattern, and thread standard, and are often paired with a handheld unit in combo sets for retail and hospitality programs.
Rain shower head: A large-face overhead shower head that delivers a wide, gentle, rainfall-style spray. Rain showers emphasize face size, even nozzle distribution, and slim profiles; bodies are commonly ABS with chrome plating or a stainless steel face plate to keep weight and cost manageable at scale.
Shower column: A wall-mounted vertical bar or panel that organizes a complete shower kit: typically a slide rail with adjustable holder, handheld shower, hose, and sometimes an overhead head and diverter. Columns let buyers merchandise a full bathroom solution under one SKU instead of separate components.
Shower hose: The flexible tube connecting a handheld shower head to the water outlet. Most hoses use G1/2 cone nuts at both ends with an inner tube of EPDM or PVC and a metal or smooth polymer exterior. Length, burst resistance, and nut plating are key specification points.
Shower holder (bracket): A wall-mounted fitting that docks a handheld shower head. Holders range from fixed hooks to adjustable-angle brackets and slide-rail carriers, mounting by screws or suction and adhesive. The cone angle and grip tension must match the handle design to hold the shower head securely.
Faucet aerator: A small threaded insert for faucet spouts that mixes air into the water stream or regulates flow, producing a softer, splash-free stream while reducing water use. Aerators are a common add-on line for shower and sanitary-ware importers consolidating shipments from one factory.
Vitamin C shower head: A filter hand shower whose transparent handle holds a vitamin C gel cartridge or a media blend containing vitamin C, which dissolves slowly as water passes. ZHONGHE builds it on the same cartridge chamber as its other filter models (catalog reference ZH2081-VC) and positions it as a water-conditioning consumable without cosmetic or health claims.
Ionic / negative-ion / tourmaline shower head: Retail names for a hand shower with a mineral bead cartridge in a transparent handle, usually with a micro-nozzle face plate. The beads are metasilicate mineral media and calcium sulfite balls; the factory supports water-conditioning and tested chlorine-reduction claims but does not test or claim ion output, far-infrared, or skin benefits.
High-pressure shower head: A shower head with a dense micro-nozzle or fine-mesh face plate that raises spray velocity at a given supply pressure, so a low-pressure home feels a stronger spray. It does not increase the building's water pressure and, because hole area is small, it is also a low-flow design.
Pet shower sprayer: A compact hand shower for washing animals, with a stop button under the thumb and often silicone bristles to work water into the coat; some versions mount on a faucet thread for sink or utility-tub use.
Faucet sprayer / tap extender: An accessory that screws onto a tap spout to add a swivel spray head with selectable modes (sprayer) or articulated joints that aim the outlet (extender), mounted through a coupling nut and adapters for the spout thread.

Structure & parts

Nozzle plate (spray face): The perforated face of a shower head fitted with flexible rubber nozzles that form the spray pattern. Nozzle tilt and plate fit are known leak-risk points, which is why ZHONGHE water-tests every finished unit with the spray face held vertical during leak checks.
Spray mode selector: The rotating face plate or dial that switches a shower head between spray patterns such as rain, massage, and mist. Because the selector moves against internal seals, it is one of the main leak-risk points checked during factory water testing before packing.
Stop button (pause valve): A button or switch on the shower handle that interrupts water flow at the head without closing the main valve, useful for lathering and water saving. Its internal seal is a recognized leak-risk point and is covered by ZHONGHE's 100% water test of finished units.
Filter cartridge (filter chamber): A replaceable housing inside a filter shower head that holds media such as ACF, calcium sulfite, or PP cotton. Cartridges are consumables: replacement intervals depend on local water quality and usage, so importers usually sell refills alongside the shower head itself.
O-ring: A ring-shaped elastomer seal used at joints such as the hose connection, handle, and cartridge chamber. O-rings are a leading cause of shower leaks; the O-rings ZHONGHE uses are 100% inspected by AI camera at the supplier before they reach assembly.
Cone nut: The conical swivel nut fitted to each end of a shower hose. It compresses a flat gasket against the mating face of the shower head or wall outlet, sealing the joint without thread tape. Standard shower hose cone nuts carry G1/2 threads.
G1/2 thread: The half-inch parallel (BSPP) pipe thread that is the de facto global standard for shower hoses, hand showers, and most shower outlets outside North American arm fittings. Specifying G1/2 gives broad compatibility across European, Asian, and many other markets' plumbing.
NPT thread: The tapered pipe thread standard used in the United States and Canada, most often met on half-inch shower arms. NPT seals on the taper with sealant or tape. Buyers serving North America should confirm which connections need NPT and which remain G1/2 hose fittings.
Micro-nozzle face plate: A spray face with many very small molded holes or a fine mesh, producing a dense fast spray. Common on transparent filter models; the construction behind the high-pressure feel and a natural basis for water-saving specifications.
Silicone bristles (massage pins): Soft silicone pins standing among the nozzles of a spray face so the head doubles as a scalp massager or grooming comb; used on hair, baby and pet models.
Ball-joint inlet: The swivel connection with a knurled collar nut on a fixed overhead shower head, which lets the spray angle be adjusted at the shower arm without tools.
Suction cup holder: A hand shower bracket with a vacuum base (sometimes with a locking lever) that mounts on smooth tile or glass without drilling; repositionable, and common in kids and pet kits where the head must sit low.
Double-lock (interlocked) hose: A shower hose made of interlocking metal strips wound so each turn locks into the next over an inner liner, giving the traditional chrome metal look and resistance to kinking and crushing.
PVC shower hose: A smooth flexible PVC or EPDM hose, usually dressed with a chrome spiral stripe or a braided sleeve, lighter and lower cost than a metal hose and easy to color; fitted with chrome-plated G1/2 nuts.

Materials & finishes

ABS: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, the workhorse thermoplastic for shower head bodies. ABS is impact-resistant, dimensionally stable in injection molding, and accepts chrome electroplating well, delivering a metal look at plastic weight and cost. ZHONGHE molds ABS bodies on its 15 injection molding machines.
PC (polycarbonate): A tough, glass-clear engineering plastic used for transparent shower head parts such as see-through handles that display mineral bead blends or flowing water. PC resists impact well, and transparent components are a popular way to make filter content visible at retail.
304 stainless steel: A widely used corrosion-resistant stainless grade. ZHONGHE fits 304 stainless face plates on selected models, combining a slim metal spray face with an ABS body, a common construction for rain showers that balances durability, appearance, and cost at volume.
Chrome electroplating: An electrochemical finish that deposits chromium over plated ABS or metal parts, giving the bright, mirror-like surface most shower buyers expect. Plating quality affects corrosion resistance, so ZHONGHE runs salt spray testing on selected parts and finishes to verify durability.
Spray painting: A finishing process that applies colored or textured coatings, such as matte black, white, gray, or custom tones, to shower head bodies. Painting broadens design options beyond chrome and supports brand-specific color programs in OEM projects; durability is checked on selected finishes.
Salt spray test: A corrosion test that exposes finished parts to a salt fog, simulating accelerated humid and corrosive service conditions. ZHONGHE applies salt spray testing to selected parts and finishes, particularly plated surfaces, as part of finish qualification rather than on every production unit.
Molded-in color (masterbatch): Color added to the ABS or PC pellets before injection molding, so the part leaves the mold finished in white, black or a matched Pantone with nothing to chip. The lowest-cost finish route and the way one mold yields a whole color range.

Filtration & water

ACF (activated carbon fiber): A high-surface-area carbon filter media in fiber form used to reduce free chlorine in shower water. In SGS testing to GB/T 5750.11-2023, ZHONGHE's ACF showed 99.5% free-chlorine removal at the start of flow; separate third-party tests showed over 96.8% initially and 90.6% after 5 tons. ACF is a consumable, and results vary with water quality.
Calcium sulfite ceramic balls: A filtration media effective in both hot and cold water, commonly used for chlorine reduction in shower cartridges. ZHONGHE's calcium sulfite balls have passed drinking-water-grade hygiene testing across 16 items and RoHS screening, making them suitable for mixed hot-water shower use.
Metasilicate mineral media: A mineral media that conditions passing water toward a mildly alkaline character, with a reference pH of 8.1 in testing. ZHONGHE's metasilicate media has been checked against REACH SVHC requirements. It is positioned strictly as water conditioning, with no cosmetic or medical claims.
PP cotton: A polypropylene depth-filtration media used as a sediment stage in shower filters, trapping rust particles, sand, and other suspended solids before water reaches finer media such as ACF. Like all filter media, it is a consumable whose service life depends on local water conditions.
Mineral beads: Blended ceramic and mineral spheres displayed inside transparent shower handles. Bead blends combine media such as calcium sulfite and metasilicate for water conditioning while giving the product a visible point of difference at retail. Blend composition can be specified in OEM projects.
Free chlorine: The active chlorine remaining in municipal tap water after disinfection, responsible for the typical chlorine odor. It is the standard target parameter in shower filter performance testing, including the GB/T 5750.11-2023 method used in SGS testing of ZHONGHE's ACF media.
Flow rate (GPM / LPM): The volume of water a shower head delivers per minute, stated in gallons per minute (GPM) in the US and liters per minute (LPM) elsewhere. Regulated maximums differ by market, so buyers should specify target flow; ZHONGHE flow-tests selected water-saving specs at 0.3MPa.
Water pressure (MPa / bar): The force driving water through a shower system, quoted in megapascals or bar (1 bar equals 0.1MPa). Pressure strongly affects flow and spray feel, which is why ZHONGHE states reference pressures: flow tests at 0.3MPa and leakage checks at 0.5MPa for selected processes.
Water-saving shower head: A shower head engineered to deliver a satisfying spray at reduced flow, typically through flow restrictors and optimized nozzle design. In ZHONGHE flow tests at 0.3MPa, selected water-saving specs showed roughly 50-70% lower flow than non-saving types, with actual savings varying by model and pressure.
Drinking-water-grade hygiene test (16-item immersion): A laboratory test in which a finished product is immersed in water for a defined period and the water is then analyzed against a panel of roughly sixteen items, including appearance, odor, pH, and metals such as lead, to check what migrates from wetted materials. Arranged per project through third-party laboratories.
Magnet filter: A cartridge accessory with a magnetic element in a clear housing, listed among ZHONGHE's replacement filters and positioned as a water-conditioning accessory without a chlorine or softening claim.

Manufacturing & trade

OEM (original equipment manufacturing): A cooperation model in which the factory produces shower products to the buyer's design, specification, and brand. OEM suits buyers with established designs or strict retailer requirements. ZHONGHE supports OEM from design files or physical samples, with molds, finishes, and packaging built around the customer's brand.
ODM (original design manufacturing): A cooperation model in which the buyer selects and brands products the factory has already designed and tooled. ODM shortens time to market because molds exist; ZHONGHE's catalog offers 115 models across 10 categories as starting points, with logo, color, finish, and packaging customization available.
MOQ (minimum order quantity): The smallest volume a factory will produce per order or SKU. ZHONGHE's MOQ starts from 2,000 units for many projects, and custom packaging becomes discussable from the same 2,000-unit level; exact thresholds depend on model, finish, and degree of customization.
RFQ (request for quotation): The inquiry a buyer sends to obtain pricing and terms. An effective shower head RFQ includes a target model or reference photo, quantity, destination market or thread standard, finish, filter requirements, and packaging expectations, giving the factory enough detail to quote accurately the first time.
Mold (tooling): The machined steel tool that shapes molten plastic into shower head parts inside an injection molding machine. New molds are the main upfront investment in a from-scratch project; at ZHONGHE, mold making takes roughly 60 days as a working guide, not a guarantee.
Injection molding: The core plastics process behind shower head production: molten resin such as ABS or PC is injected into a steel mold under pressure, cooled, and ejected as a finished part. ZHONGHE runs 15 injection molding machines and 4 production lines, producing over 3 million units per year.
100% water test: ZHONGHE's end-of-line check in which every finished shower unit is connected to water for roughly 10-15 seconds after assembly and before packing, with the spray face held vertical during leak checks. Units are then drained, air-blown, and dried before packaging so cartons stay dry.
Lead time: The elapsed time from confirmed order to goods ready. As working guides, not guarantees: appearance design about 15 days, internal structure about 15 days, mold making about 60 days, and mass production about 30 days. Existing catalog models skip the design and mold stages entirely.
RoHS: Restriction of Hazardous Substances, an EU directive limiting lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, and certain flame retardants in electrical and electronic products. It reaches shower products mainly through LED and electronic models. Compliance is normally evidenced by supplier declarations and third-party test reports arranged per project.
REACH / SVHC: The EU chemicals regulation and its candidate list of Substances of Very High Concern. Importers need to know whether an SVHC exceeds 0.1 percent by weight in an article, which triggers communication duties. For shower heads this usually means declarations and test reports covering plastics, plating, and rubber parts.
0.5 MPa leakage check: A pressure check in which an assembled shower head or hose is held at 0.5 MPa, roughly 5 bar or 73 psi, and examined for seepage at threads, seals, and joints. At ZHONGHE it is applied in selected processes alongside the 100% water test of every finished unit.
AQL (acceptable quality limit): The sampling basis used in pre-shipment inspection, most often following ISO 2859-1. Buyer and factory agree a sample size and the maximum number of critical, major, and minor defects that still allow a lot to pass, so acceptance is decided by an agreed rule rather than by opinion.
Molding appearance defects (flash, sink marks, weld lines): Surface faults originating in injection molding. Flash is thin excess plastic at the parting line, sink marks are shallow depressions over thick sections, and weld lines are visible seams where melt fronts meet. Electroplating amplifies all three, so they are judged against an agreed limit sample.
Private label: Manufacturing an existing or custom product under the buyer's brand: the buyer's logo, colors and packaging on the factory's molds, with refill SKUs labeled under the same brand and the program kept confidential.
Good-better-best range: A retail planogram of three price points, typically a white or chrome single-function head, a chrome multi-function head with a stop button, and a transparent filter head with a refill cartridge, built from existing molds so no tooling is needed.

Aromatherapy & wellness

Aromatherapy shower head (fragrance shower head): A hand shower that releases scent into the water stream from media held in a replaceable cartridge chamber. It uses the same architecture as a filter shower head, with fragrance media in place of, or alongside, filtration media. Positioned as an experiential feature, with no health or cosmetic claims.
Scented gel cartridge (vitamin-C gel cartridge): A colored gel block sized to a shower head's cartridge chamber, dissolving gradually into the passing water to add fragrance. The vitamin-C gel type is the most recognizable format in the category. Like all cartridges it is a consumable, and its working life varies with water temperature, flow, and usage.
Scent beads: Coated beads that release fragrance as shower water passes over them, handled much like the mineral bead blends used in filter cartridges. Bead retention, settling inside the chamber, and consistent scent across a full shower are the items to verify on samples before a format is fixed.
Cartridge chamber: The sealed housing in a hand shower's water path that holds filter or fragrance media and can be opened by the end user for replacement. Its geometry, cartridge interface, and O-ring layout decide sealing reliability, and they define the refill format every future cartridge order must match.
IFRA (International Fragrance Association): The industry body whose standards govern the safe use of fragrance materials. In shower head projects it appears as a sourcing requirement: media is specified from qualified suppliers using IFRA-conformant fragrance materials, with supplier documentation confirmed per target market. It is a supplier-side material standard, not a factory certification.
Refill SKU (replacement cartridge): The standalone stock item covering replacement filter or fragrance cartridges for a shower head already sold. Because the cartridge interface is fixed at design stage, refill compatibility spans model generations only if that interface stays stable. Listing refills separately from launch makes repeat revenue trackable.

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