Printed and Retail Boxes Made With Your Brand on Them

What styles are in the printed and retail box range?

This range covers boxes that customers see, hold and often keep. Most are folding cartons made from kraft or white paperboard. A few use thin E flute corrugated when the contents need extra support.

Some styles sit on a store shelf and sell the product at a glance. Others are built for gifting, subscriptions or a nice unboxing at the front door. Hexagon and pyramid boxes are there for brands that want a shape people remember.

If you already know you want your logo on a box but not which style, start with our custom printed boxes in any style. A rep can narrow the choice with you by phone.

How do the printed box styles compare?

Each row is its own product page with sizes, photos and an order form. Read the middle column first. It usually cuts sixteen choices down to two or three.

Which base and closure should I choose?

The bottom of the carton decides how much it can carry. Tuck end boxes suit light items. A full jar can push those flaps open.

Snap lock bottoms fold by hand and click together. Auto lock bottoms are glued flat, then spring into shape when you open them. That saves packing time and holds heavier items. Our auto lock boxes for jars and bottles show typical sizes.

For gift boxes, the lid matters more. A hinged lid stays attached. A two piece lid comes off completely.

How do I size a printed box?

Give us the inside length, width and height in inches. A retail carton should hug the product so it does not rattle. Leave about 1/8 in of room per side for paperboard, and a little more for E flute.

On a tuck end box, height runs from the top flap to the bottom flap, so it is often the longest side. A lip balm carton might be 1 × 1 × 3.5 in inside. See the tuck end boxes for light products for more examples.

For gift boxes, measure the product with tissue or an insert already in place. Too much depth lets the contents slide to one end when the box is carried.

What board and wall type works best?

Most printed cartons use kraft or white paperboard. White gives the brightest color. Kraft gives a natural, earthy look.

When the box must carry weight or travel loose in a shipper, E flute corrugated is worth a look. It is about 1/16 in (1.5 mm) thick and still prints well. B flute and C flute are thicker and better for shipping than for retail display.

Double wall BC flute is rarely needed for retail packaging. Save it for heavy goods that travel without an outer carton. Our guide to corrugated flute sizes explains the differences.

When should I add a window or pick a shaped box?

A die-cut window lets shoppers see the product without opening the box. It works for snacks, soap, toys and anything with a bright color. Keep about 1/2 in of board around the edge so the carton stays firm. Our window boxes for shelf display page shows common shapes.

Plan your barcode and ingredient panels first. Then place the window in the space that is left.

Shaped boxes get noticed. Hexagon boxes suit candles and honey jars. Pyramid boxes suit favors and candy. Six corner boxes open wide for cakes and folded shirts.

These shapes use more board and more cutting, so the unit price runs a little higher. They also pack fewer to a shipping carton.

What mistakes should I avoid with printed boxes?

The most common problem is artwork too close to a fold. Keep text at least 1/8 in inside each crease. Let background color run 1/8 in past the cut line.

Another is picking a style that cannot carry the product. A heavy candle in a tuck end carton will stress the bottom flaps. Choose an auto lock base instead.

The last is judging color on a phone. Screens glow. Board does not. Kraft also pulls colors darker and warmer, so check the proof with that in mind.

Are there paper-only and reusable options?

If you want less plastic, ask for a box with no film window and no lamination. Uncoated kraft with one color of ink is the simplest all-paper choice.

Boxes that customers keep also cut waste. A sturdy hinged or two piece box often ends up holding jewelry, cards or photos. Our reusable boxes for gifts and keepsakes are made for repeated opening.

What affects the cost, and can I order a small run?

Printed boxes start from $0.30 a box. Your exact figure comes in the quote email. Per box, you will pay more for very short runs, added finishes and shaped styles.

The most affordable printed box is usually a tuck end carton in kraft with one color on the outside. Each added color, finish or inside print adds a little. Higher quantities bring the unit cost down, because press setup costs the same for a small order as for a big one.

Minimums are low and quoted per job. Plenty of customers order a short run to test a product, a size or a seasonal design. That keeps cash out of the stockroom.

Keep your first order simple. One style, one size and one or two colors is the fastest path to a finished box. Add foil, windows or inside print once the design works. Small runs also pair well with our snap lock bottom boxes for hand packing.

Six corner and two piece boxes arrive flat but take longer to assemble than a tuck end. If you pack by hand in volume, count that time when you compare options.