Abstract Three novel glycolipids were synthesized by amide bond formation among a d-gluconolactone, 12-aminododecanoic acids, and a glycine. Self-assembly of the glycolipids in water produced nanotubes, in which the glycolipids were tilted, packed in parallel, and formed monolayer membranes. The inner diameters of the nanotubes were smaller in glycolipids with a shorter distance between the glycine unit and the glucose headgroup. X-ray diffraction, infrared, and circular-dichroism spectroscopy revealed that the nanotubes with smaller inner diameter had weaker intermolecular hydrogen bonds between glycolipids and larger supramolecular chirality amplified by twist packing of the tilted glycolipids within the monolayer membranes. J-type aggregates of achiral dye molecules encapsulated into nanotubes with smaller inner diameter exhibited induced circular dichroism. These findings should be useful for the fine tuning of the inner diameter of supramolecular nanotubes.