Custom Clamshell Packaging
Sealed plastic clamshells are the most disliked packaging in retail, and they persist because they show the product and resist theft. Almost everything interesting in this category now is about getting those two benefits without the plastic.
Get a price for Clamshell Packaging
Send the size and quantity — we reply the same working day with a price, a dieline and a date. Artwork optional at this stage.
- 4styles in this range, each with its own page and price
- 100unit minimum on every style, printed or plain
- 4markets quoted in the delivery currency
- ±1mmcutting tolerance on folding board, checked on a sample
4 styles in this range
Styles we make in this range
Every one below is written up, priced and dielined. Tap a style to see how it is built.
01See the build →Blister Boxes
On a blister pack the plastic gets all the attention and the card does the work: it holds the product,…
02See the build →Burger Clamshell Boxes
Custom burger clamshell boxes
03See the build →Clamshell Boxes
A clamshell is a box whose lid never comes off.
04See the build →Clamshell Perfume Boxes
Custom clamshell perfume boxes
Side by side
Which clamshell packaging style fits
| Style | Board | Build | Minimum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blister Boxes | Chosen per job | Printed backing cards, face-seal and full-face blister cards, skin pack board | 100 cards | Open → |
| Burger Clamshell Boxes | Grease-resistant boxboard 18–24pt; E flute with liner; PFAS-free | One-piece hinged clamshell; tab-and-slot lock; vented; divider option | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Clamshell Boxes | Folding boxboard or E flute; food-grade and grease-resistant available | One-piece hinged clamshell; tuck tab, double tab or friction lip | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Clamshell Perfume Boxes | Wrapped grayboard 2–2.5 mm; reinforced spine | Hinged clamshell with magnetic or ribbon close; discovery clamshell | 100 boxes | Open → |
What a clamshell is actually buying
Only the first is a benefit to the customer. The other three are benefits to the retailer, which is why this format survives despite being widely hated.
| Visibility | The product is seen and its size understood before purchase |
|---|---|
| Theft resistance | A large sealed pack is hard to pocket; that is often the real reason |
| Tamper evidence | A sealed edge cannot be opened and reclosed unnoticed |
| Hanging display | A punched header sits on a hook strip |
The board alternatives, honestly assessed
A board clamshell handles light and mid-weight products well and is genuinely repulpable. What it cannot do is resist a determined hand, which is the trade a retailer has to accept.
- Window box. Shows the product, opens easily, offers no theft resistance.
- Blister on a printed card. Half the plastic; the card recycles if separated.
- Board clamshell with a window. All-paper, hinged, holds shape — and less rigid.
- Skin pack. Film drawn over the product onto card; less plastic than a full clamshell.
Hanging is a structural requirement
A hanging pack carries its entire weight on a punched hole in card. Unreinforced, that hole tears on a busy shop floor, and a pack on the floor is not being sold.
A euro slot — the keyhole shape — spreads the load better than a round hole, and above about 300gsm the hole should be reinforced regardless of shape. The board and hole detail is set out in our hanging retail pack notes.
Check the hook strip spacing in the shops you sell into. A slot in the wrong place means the pack hangs crooked or not at all.
Food service clamshells are a different product
Burger and takeaway clamshells share a name and nothing else. They are hinged board boxes that need venting, grease resistance and heat retention, and nothing about theft or display applies.
If that is what you are after, the construction and venting decisions are in our burger packaging notes rather than here.
Printing the card behind the product
On a blister or skin pack the card is the whole design surface, and most of it is hidden behind the product. What shows is a border a few centimeters wide, plus the header above the hang hole.
That header is the most valuable strip on the pack, because on a hook strip it is what a shopper reads first — and it is frequently used for nothing but a logo.
Across the range
What every clamshell packaging job runs on
Boards
- Natural kraft
- White SBS
- E and B flute
- Wrapped grayboard
- Food-grade board
- Recycled content
Chosen from what goes in the box and how far it travels. Our notes on recyclable and compostable stocks say which claims each board can carry.
Finishes
- Matte
- Gloss
- Soft-touch
- Foil
- Emboss
- Spot UV
- Kraft
- Textured
Each one is a decision about light on a shelf — the specialty finishes range shows them on real boxes.
Artwork
- Vector PDF or AI, fonts outlined
- 3 mm bleed, 4 mm safe area
- CMYK; a spot color where a match must hold
- Proof on the dieline before press
Files not set up that way are fine — see the guide to preparing print files.
Interactive · five steps · no sign-up
Build your Clamshell Packaging in 3D
Pick a shape, type a size, choose a board and a finish. The preview on the left redraws as you go, and the spec lands with us exactly as you set it.
Frequently asked questions
Got a question about clamshell packaging? The answers below cover what we get asked most. If yours is not here, send it with a brief, message us on WhatsApp, or call +1 503-461-4788 — we reply the same working day.
Can I get the visibility without the plastic?
A board clamshell with a window or a window box does it. What you give up is theft resistance, which is usually the retailer's requirement.
Why do my hanging packs end up on the floor?
The hang hole is tearing. Use a euro slot and reinforce it above 300gsm.
Are burger clamshells the same thing?
Only in name. Those are hinged food boxes with venting and grease resistance — a different build entirely.
Where should the branding go on a blister card?
The header above the hang hole. On a hook strip it is the first thing read and it is usually wasted on a logo alone.
What is the minimum order?
100 units, cards or clamshells.
Face-seal or full-face seal blister?
Face-seal bonds only at the flange and opens more easily. Full-face is stronger and harder to open — choose deliberately.
Can I get the visibility without the plastic?
A board clamshell with a window or a window box does it. What you give up is theft resistance, which is usually the retailer's requirement rather than yours.
Why do my hanging packs end up on the floor?
The hang hole is tearing. Use a euro slot and reinforce it above 300gsm.
Are burger clamshells the same thing?
Only in name. Those are hinged food boxes with venting and grease resistance — a different build entirely.
Where should the branding go on a blister card?
The header above the hang hole. On a hook strip it is the first thing read and it is usually wasted on a logo alone.
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