Custom cardboard boxes is the everyday name for two different materials: corrugated board, which ships and stores things, and paperboard, which makes the folding cartons you see on a shelf. Buyers come here for printed boxes in either, cut to the size of the product instead of picked from a fixed list. There is no minimum order, so one sample box is as easy to request as a pallet, and if you bring a written quote for the same specs, we beat it. Start with cardboard boxes for the general format, cardboard gable boxes for carry-style packs, or cardboard soap boxes for bar soap. Send the inside dimensions and a quantity.
Corrugated board has a fluted layer sandwiched between two flat liners, which is why it resists crushing and carries weight. Paperboard is a solid sheet, thin and smooth, and it takes print beautifully. Most people searching for cardboard boxes mean one of these, and the answer to which is simple. If the box travels in a carrier network or holds something heavy, use corrugated. If it sits on a shelf or in a gift bag, use paperboard.
Flute size is the height of the wave inside corrugated board. E-flute is thin and prints cleanly, so it is common for retail boxes that also ship. B-flute is a middle ground for stacking strength with decent print. C-flute is the everyday shipping flute, thicker and stronger, but less crisp at the folds. Single wall handles most parcels. Double wall is for heavy or stacked loads. Board strength is often quoted as an edge crush test rating, and a 32 ECT single-wall board is a common general-purpose rating. Heavier goods call for something stronger, so tell us the weight.
Box dimensions are listed length by width by height, measured inside. Measure your product with any insert or padding around it, then add a little clearance so it slides in. Carriers charge by dimensional weight when a box is large and light, so a box that is two inches too big on every side can cost you on every shipment. Trim the size where the product allows.
A regular slotted container is the standard shipping carton. A mailer box folds from one piece and ships without tape. A tuck-end carton is a paperboard retail box. Die-cut shapes handle anything unusual. The right choice depends on whether the customer sees it on a shelf or only on the doorstep. Cardboard gable boxes are a carry-style pack with a built-in handle for gift sets and takeout. For flat board used as pads and dividers, see cardboard sheets.
One-color print on kraft is the plain, honest look, and it works for shipping boxes. Full-color work suits retail boxes where the print is the marketing. Regulated products such as tobacco and food need labeling that you supply and verify. Cigar and cigarette packaging, for example, is covered in cardboard cigar boxes, and the required wording is the buyer's responsibility.
If you specifically need a box that ships and also looks like retail packaging, mailer boxes do both. For heavier freight, start from shipping boxes. For counter and shelf units, see display boxes.
Send the inside dimensions, the weight of the product, whether the box ships or sits on a shelf, artwork, and a quantity. The quantity can be one. We return a dieline and a quote, and you can adjust before anything is printed.
No. There is no minimum order, so you can order a single box to test the fit or thousands for a shipment. Many buyers order one sample first to check the size against the real product.
Not exactly. Corrugated has a fluted center layer and is used for shipping. Paperboard is a thinner solid sheet used for folding cartons. Both get called cardboard, so tell us which you need.
E-flute for retail boxes that need clean print, B-flute for a balance of strength and print, and C-flute for general shipping. If the box is heavy or stacked, ask about double wall.
Measure the product and any padding, listing length, then width, then height, and give those as inside dimensions. Add a small clearance. Oversized boxes can raise shipping costs through dimensional weight.
Yes. One-color logos on kraft are the simple route, and full-color printing is available for retail boxes. Send your artwork and any required wording, and we place it on the dieline.
Yes. A die-cut dieline can follow most shapes. Send the product dimensions and a sketch, or describe the shape, and we build the dieline from there.
