Custom PET Packaging
Pet packaging is sold to a person who will read the ingredients and given to an animal that will smell it through the box. Those two audiences want different things, and the pack that ignores the second one gets chewed open on the kitchen floor.
Get a price for Pet 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 →Aquarium Boxes
Custom aquarium boxes
02See the build →Cardboard Pet Carriers Boxes
Custom cardboard pet carriers
03See the build →Dog Bandana Boxes
A bandana is light, unbreakable, washable and flat.
04See the build →Dog Care Product Boxes
Pet care packaging has two audiences with nothing in common.
Side by side
Which pet packaging style fits
| Style | Board | Build | Minimum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquarium Boxes | BC double wall for tanks; E flute and 20–24pt boxboard for equipment; food-grade for food | Tank shipper with corner cradles; window cartons with inserts; long heater and light cartons; food cartons | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Cardboard Pet Carriers Boxes | B flute medium and large; E flute small; moisture-resistant base liner | Vented carrier with locking lid and die-cut handle; crash-lock or locked base | 100 carriers | Open → |
| Dog Bandana Boxes | 250–350gsm for sleeves and bands; 300–400gsm header cards | Belly bands, full sleeves, header cards, window cartons | 100 units | Open → |
| Dog Care Product Boxes | Food-grade where it touches treats; coated inner for oils and balms | Bottle and jar cartons, treat cartons, sleeves, tub wraps | 100 units | Open → |
Treats are food, and the rules follow
Pet food and treats carry compositional labeling, feeding guidance, an analytical declaration and a batch and best-before date in most markets. It is less onerous than human food but it is not nothing, and it takes a panel.
Direct contact needs food-grade board or a barrier inner, for the same reason it does in any other food category — and treats are usually fatty, which reaches uncoated board quickly.
Dogs can smell through a carton. If the treats need to survive on a shelf without being found, a sealed inner does more than any board.
Formats across a very mixed category
| Treat carton | Food-grade board with a sealed inner bag for shelf life |
|---|---|
| Toy window box | The toy sells itself; a window or open front is worth it |
| Bandana or accessory sleeve | A printed band; least material, shows the product |
| Cardboard pet carrier | Corrugated, handled, and load-rated for a live animal |
| Grooming and care | Cosmetic-style cartons; ingredient panel reserved |
Carriers are a load-bearing product
This is the one item in the range where a packaging failure has a welfare consequence rather than a commercial one, and it is specified accordingly.
- A cardboard carrier holds a live animal and is lifted by its handle, usually in a hurry.
- The handle and its patch are the failure point, exactly as on a paper carrier bag.
- Ventilation is mandatory and has to be positioned so it cannot be blocked when set down.
- The base needs to survive an animal moving inside it, not just the static weight.
The shelf is at knee height
Pet aisles put most stock low, and a shopper is looking down at the top face of a box rather than straight at its front. Brands that print the top panel as an afterthought lose the one surface that is actually being seen.
It is the same edge-first thinking that applies to any product displayed in a stack — set out in our shelf-facing retail carton notes.
Chew-resistance is not a real claim
No carton survives a determined dog, and it is not worth pretending otherwise. What the pack can do is contain the smell, close properly after opening, and not fall apart when a bag of treats is opened and reclosed daily for a month.
A resealable inner bag inside a printed carton does all three, and it is the construction most of this category has settled on for good reason.
Across the range
What every pet 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 Pet 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 pet 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.
Does pet food packaging need to be food-grade?
Where it touches the product, yes — or use a barrier inner. Treats are usually fatty and reach plain board quickly.
Will a carton keep treats fresh?
No. Board is not a moisture or aroma barrier. A sealed, resealable inner bag is what gives you shelf life.
Are cardboard pet carriers safe?
When specified properly — reinforced handle patch, real ventilation and a base rated for a moving animal.
Which face should carry the design?
The top as well as the front. Pet aisles stock low, and shoppers look down at these boxes.
What is the minimum order?
100 units, any format.
Can a dog smell treats through the carton?
Yes, easily. If the treats need to survive on a shelf unfound, a sealed inner does more than any board.
Does pet food packaging need to be food-grade?
Where it touches the product, yes — or use a barrier inner. Treats are usually fatty and reach plain board quickly.
Will a carton keep treats fresh?
No. Board is not a moisture or aroma barrier. A sealed, resealable inner bag is what gives you shelf life.
Are cardboard pet carriers safe?
When specified properly — reinforced handle patch, real ventilation and a base rated for a moving animal. It is the one item here where failure is a welfare issue.
Which face should carry the design?
The top as well as the front. Pet aisles stock low, and shoppers look down at these boxes.
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