Ready to order paper inserts? Get your free quote in minutes
Free design and dielines, free samples, no minimum order, and we beat any competitor’s written quote. Your logo in full color, fast turnaround.
A paper insert is the die-cut paperboard or corrugated piece inside a box that holds the product still: a tray with cut-outs that seats a bottle, a platform that raises a product to the lid, a divider that separates a set, or a cradle that keeps glass off the wall. We make them in 18 to 24 point paperboard, E and B flute corrugated, and wrapped board for rigid boxes, cut to your product and your box, with no minimum order. The number that matters is clearance: a sixteenth of an inch around a product that lifts out by hand, an eighth of an inch around one that drops in on a packing line, and half an inch of crushable board between glass and the outer wall when the box ships.
The insert is what makes a box feel made for the product. It is also the part that most often gets skipped, and the reason products arrive rattling, scratched or broken. Designing it first and the box around it is the order that works.
Five kinds of insert
| Insert | What it does | Material | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Die-cut tray | cut-outs seat each item in position | 18 to 24 pt SBS, or E flute | cosmetics sets, candles, jars, kits |
| Platform or riser | lifts a product so it sits at the lid line | 24 pt board or E flute, folded | rigid gift boxes, jewelry, tech |
| Divider or partition | separates items so they cannot touch | E or B flute, slotted | sets of jars, glassware, candles |
| Cradle or suspension | holds a fragile item away from every wall | B flute, two piece top and bottom | candles, bottles, ceramics that ship |
| Sleeve or wrap | a paperboard band that holds a stack or a fold | 12 to 16 pt card | apparel, cards, soap, bandanas |
Sizing to the product and the box
Measure the product at its widest point and its height. Add the clearance for how it is handled. Then measure the inside of the box and subtract an eighth of an inch each way so the insert drops in without forcing and does not rattle. For sets, lay the items out at the spacing you want, add three eighths of an inch of board between cavities, and that is the tray.
| Product | Cavity clearance | Insert to box clearance |
|---|---|---|
| lifted out by hand (cosmetics, jewelry) | 1/16 in | 1/8 in |
| packed on a line (jars, tubes) | 1/8 in | 1/8 in |
| glass that ships (candles, bottles) | 1/8 in in the cavity, 1/2 in board to the wall | 1/8 in |
| flat goods (cards, prints, apparel) | 1/8 in | 1/8 in |
Materials
Paperboard, 18 to 24 point, for trays and platforms in retail and gift boxes: it prints, it wraps, and it is light. E flute corrugated for trays that carry weight or hold glass in a mailer; B flute for cradles and dividers in shipping boxes. Wrapped board, paperboard or corrugated covered in the same paper as a rigid box, for luxury sets where the insert is seen. Foam is the alternative for heavy or high value items; paper inserts do most of the same job with a recyclable material.
Print and finish
Most inserts stay plain white, kraft or black. Printed inserts carry a pattern, a message under the product, or a color that matches the box; for rigid boxes the insert is wrapped in the same paper as the lid so it disappears into the box. Windows and finger notches are die-cut where a product needs lifting.
In short
What to send us: the product or its dimensions, the box it goes in or its inside dimensions, how many items, and whether the box ships. What you get back: an insert type, a material, a cavity layout with the right clearance, a dieline and a physical sample to seat the product in. What it costs you to start: nothing. Free structural design, free dieline, free samples, no minimum order.
Paper insert questions
What is a paper insert in packaging?
The die-cut paperboard or corrugated piece inside a box that holds the product in position: a tray with cut-outs, a platform that raises the product, a divider between items, or a cradle that keeps glass away from the walls. It is what makes a box feel made for the product and what stops it rattling.
How much clearance should an insert cavity have?
A sixteenth of an inch around a product lifted out by hand, an eighth around one packed on a line, and for glass that ships, an eighth in the cavity plus half an inch of crushable board between the product and the outer wall. The insert itself sits an eighth of an inch inside the box.
Paperboard or corrugated for an insert?
Paperboard, 18 to 24 point, for retail and gift trays that hold light items and print well. E flute for trays that carry weight or hold glass in a mailer. B flute for cradles and dividers in shipping boxes. Wrapped board when the insert is seen inside a rigid box.
Can inserts replace foam?
For most products, yes. Die-cut paperboard and corrugated inserts hold cosmetics, candles, jars, bottles and kits without foam and go in the paper recycling. Foam still earns its place for heavy, high value or very fragile items.
Is there a minimum order?
No. A few inserts for a prototype or a full run. Free structural design and dieline, free samples to seat your product, and a printed proof before the run.
No minimum order. One or a full run. Free design and dieline, and a printed proof before production. Free samples so you can seat your own product in a sample before you commit. Price match: send a written quote for the same size, board, print and quantity and we will beat it.
Related: bottle inserts, cardboard sheets, candle shipping boxes and luxury gift boxes.
More Custom Packaging Inserts
See the full Custom Packaging Inserts range, or explore related options with no minimum order and our best-price guarantee:
