Custom Retail Boxes
Retail packaging is designed under a desk lamp and judged under a fluorescent tube, from four feet away, next to eleven competitors. Almost every decision below follows from that one condition.
Get a price for Retail Boxes
Send the size and quantity — we reply the same working day with a price, a dieline and a date. Artwork optional at this stage.
- 8styles 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
8 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 →Assorted Retail Boxes
Custom assorted retail boxes
02See the build →Boutique Boxes
Custom boutique boxes for the purchase that leaves a store in a bag, from 100 units.
03See the build →Handle Boxes
Custom handle boxes for anything carried home rather than shipped, from 100 units.
04See the build →Hinged Lid Boxes
Custom hinged lid boxes where the lid is part of the box, from 100 units.
05See the build →Kraft Drawer Boxes
Custom kraft drawer boxes
06See the build →Product Boxes
Custom product boxes cut to your item and printed with your brand, from 100.
07See the build →Roll Boxes
Custom roll boxes sized to your roll
08See the build →Suitcase Boxes
Custom suitcase boxes with a handle that carries and a front that opens like a case, sized to your set,…
Side by side
Which retail boxes style fits
| Style | Board | Build | Minimum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assorted Retail Boxes | 14–24pt folding boxboard; rigid grayboard where a set includes a gift piece | Any mix of tuck, crash-lock, sleeve and rigid; planned as a set | 100 boxes per size | Open → |
| Boutique Boxes | 18–24 pt SBS or kraft; rigid chipboard for a premium store | Two-piece, lift-off lid, glue-free locking corners, ships flat | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Handle Boxes | 18–24 pt SBS or kraft; E-flute for bottle carriers | Tuck box, gable box, lidded box, cell carrier | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Hinged Lid Boxes | 16–20 pt SBS for cartons; 1200–1800 gsm chipboard for rigid | Folding carton (one blank) or wrapped rigid board with a reinforced hinge | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Kraft Drawer Boxes | 18–24 pt unbleached kraft; recycled-content kraft; chipboard for rigid trays | Paperboard tray and sleeve; rigid tray in paperboard sleeve; rigid both | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Product Boxes | 14–24pt folding boxboard, coated white or kraft | Straight and reverse tuck, crash-lock, seal end | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Roll Boxes | 18–24pt folding boxboard; E flute for long formats | Storage carton, dispenser with slot, spindle box | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Suitcase Boxes | 20–24pt boxboard, E flute, or wrapped grayboard | Drop-front clasp, lift-off lid, hinged magnetic, book-spine | 100 boxes | Open → |
Design the facing, not the box
Only one panel is ever seen. The rest carries information for the person who has already picked it up. That means the front should hold a name, a benefit and a variant — three things — and everything else belongs on the back.
The commonest retail failure we see is a beautiful wrap-around design where the crucial word falls on a side panel nobody looks at.
Stand the proof on a table and walk four paces away. If you cannot read the variant from there, the type is too small.
Finishes behave differently under shop light
The finish that photographs best for your website is often not the finish that performs on the shelf. If you need both, matte with a spot UV detail is the usual compromise — the wider comparison is in our guide to packaging finishes.
| Matte | Kills the reflection of overhead tubes. Safest on a bright shelf. |
|---|---|
| Gloss | Deep color in daylight, mirror-like under fluorescents. |
| Spot UV | Contrast rather than shine — works where all-over gloss does not. |
| Foil | Catches the eye and shows every fingerprint on a busy shelf. |
Shelf-ready means the retailer stops opening boxes
Grocery and pharmacy buyers increasingly require this. If you are pitching into either, ask the buyer for their shelf-ready spec before designing the outer, because theirs will win.
- A perforated outer that tears down into a display tray, with the facing already forward.
- Case counts that match a shelf width, not a pallet layer.
- Print on the outer, because the outer becomes the display.
- One-motion opening — staff will not follow a two-step instruction.
Hanging packs have their own failure
A euro-slot or a hang tab carries the whole weight of the pack on a few millimeters of board. Above about 300 g the hole tears, usually in the shop, usually after a customer has handled it.
A reinforced hang tab — a second layer of board bonded behind the hole — solves it for very little money. Specify it for anything heavier than a phone case.
Across the range
What every retail boxes 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 Retail Boxes 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 retail boxes? 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.
What is the minimum order?
100 boxes, any build.
Which finish reads best under shop lighting?
Matte and texture. Gloss glares under fluorescent strips and soft-touch shows every fingerprint.
What is a shelf-ready box?
One that opens along a perforation into its own display tray, so the retailer places it without unpacking each unit.
Where should the barcode go?
On a light, matte, unvarnished patch with its quiet zone protected — usually the base or a side panel.
Why does my hanging pack tear off the hook?
An unreinforced hole. A euro slot with a bonded patch behind it carries roughly twice the load.
How much does a window cost me?
Board strength where it is cut, and a second material if filmed. Keep 15 mm of board at every corner and it barely matters.
What finish works best on a shop shelf?
Matte, usually. Gloss mirrors the overhead lighting and washes out from a distance, which is exactly where you need the pack to read.
Do I need shelf-ready packaging?
If you are selling into grocery or pharmacy, almost certainly — ask the buyer for their spec. For independents it is optional and often not worth the outer.
Why do my hanging packs tear?
The hole carries all the weight. A reinforced hang tab — a bonded second layer behind the slot — fixes it and costs very little.
How many colors should a retail box use?
Fewer than you think. Two well-chosen colors with a strong finish outperform four-color clutter at four feet.
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