A cartridge for a radiation heated aerosol-generating device. A wall of the cartridge defines a cavity. An aerosol-forming substrate is housed within the cavity. The outer surface of the wall of the cartridge comprises a high emissivity material. The invention further relates to an aerosol-generating device for use with the cartridge, and to an aerosol-generating device or a shisha device comprising the aerosol-generating device, to a system comprising both the aerosol-generating device and the cartridge, and to a method for forming an aerosol in an aerosol-generating device.