Custom Shipping Boxes
Printed shipping boxes from 100, built for the worst journey rather than the average one. Sized against carrier thresholds, so the box saves money on every order and not just once.
Designed for the worst journey it will ever take, not the average one
Get a price for Shipping 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.
- 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 →Art Print Shipping Boxes
A dented corner on a box is cosmetic.
02See the build →Ecommerce Product Boxes
In a shop the retail box sits on a shelf and a separate carton gets it there.
03See the build →Shipping Tags
Custom shipping tags on heavy card or tear-proof synthetic, with a reinforced eyelet and string or wire,…
04See the build →Vinyl Record Shipping Boxes
Custom vinyl record shipping boxes
Side by side
Which shipping boxes style fits
| Style | Board | Build | Minimum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art Print Shipping Boxes | Single wall E and B flute; double wall for large formats | Book wraps, flat rigid mailers, two-piece flat boxes | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Ecommerce Product Boxes | E flute for light contents, B flute as the working default | Litho-laminated corrugated outers, tuck top mailers, die-cut ecommerce boxes | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Shipping Tags | Card 300–500 gsm manila or white; PP or PE synthetic | Standard, pallet, return, numbered control; custom sizes | 100 tags | Open → |
| Vinyl Record Shipping Boxes | E flute for 1–3 LPs and singles; B flute for 5 LPs and box sets | Corner-pad mailer with stiffeners; self-locking lid; tear strip | 100 boxes | Open → |
The three ways a parcel is destroyed
Board grade answers compression. Void fill and clearance answer impact. Fit answers vibration. They are three separate problems, and a box that solves one is not a box that solves the others — which is why heavier board on its own does not stop breakages.
| Compression | Stacked in a cage or under a pallet — vertical crush |
|---|---|
| Impact | Dropped, usually on a corner, from around a meter |
| Vibration | Hours on a van floor; loosens everything and abrades surfaces |
Size the box to the product, then to the carrier
Carriers charge on volumetric weight, so an oversized box is billed as though it were full of something heavy. Cutting 20 mm from each dimension of a mid-sized parcel can move it into a cheaper band across your entire volume.
The arithmetic and the thresholds are in our guide to how carriers charge by volume, and it is the single fastest packaging saving most ecommerce businesses have available.
Check your carrier's parcel and large-parcel thresholds before fixing a size. A box 5 mm over a limit is charged at the next band up.
Flat products break differently
Art prints, records and framed items fail at the corners and along the edges, not in the middle, and they fail in a way that is invisible until the customer opens the parcel. A flat mailer needs stiffening across the diagonal and real protection on the corners, which is why the good ones are built as a book wrap with folded edge reinforcement rather than a flat envelope.
Records have a specific problem of their own: a card mailer that fits the sleeve exactly will transfer any corner impact straight into the sleeve corner. Clearance plus a stiffener outperforms a tight fit every time.
Printing on a box that will get dirty
Heavy ink coverage on a shipping box scuffs on the conveyor and shows every mark. A one-color print on natural kraft ages far better than a full-bleed dark box, and costs considerably less.
- Flexo direct onto kraft: one or two colors, cheapest at volume, slightly soft.
- Litho-laminated: full color and photographic, and the choice for retail-facing outers.
- Digital: no tooling, ideal below a few thousand, and the reason a 100-box run is possible.
- Printed tape on a plain box: a fraction of the cost, most of the effect.
Tags, labels and what has to survive rain
A shipping tag attached to an item rather than a box needs to be readable after a wet doorstep. Uncoated card is not; a laminated tag or a coated stock is. On anything going outside a parcel, assume it will get wet.
The same applies to the address label. A matte laminated label can be written on and still survives rain; a bare paper one does neither well.
Opening it, and sending it back
A tear strip turns an outer into a five-second unbox and eliminates knife damage to the contents. A double adhesive strip lets the same box be resealed for a return, which for apparel and footwear removes a second box entirely.
Both add cost per unit and both are usually cheaper than the alternative once returns are counted.
Across the range
What every shipping 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 Shipping 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 shipping 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, printed or plain.
Single wall or double wall?
Single wall under about 10 kg. Double wall for weight, stacking, or anything under other freight.
How do I stop things breaking in transit?
Clearance and void fill on all six sides, plus a fit that stops movement. A tighter box transmits impact into the product.
Will a smaller box actually save money?
Often more than the box costs. Carriers price on volume, so 20 mm off each dimension can move a whole line into a cheaper band.
Can I print full color?
Yes, litho-laminated or digital. Flexo direct on kraft is cheaper at volume and simpler in artwork.
Do you make book wraps?
Yes — one piece of board that folds around flat contents and adjusts to thickness, with reinforced folded edges.
Can the customer reseal it for returns?
With a second adhesive strip, which for apparel and footwear removes a second pack from every return.
Are printed shipping boxes worth it?
Printed tape on a plain box gets most of the effect for a fraction of the cost. Print the box where it doubles as retail packaging.
Why does my printed box arrive scuffed?
Heavy dark full-bleed print marks on a conveyor. A lighter ground or kraft with one color travels far better.
Do you supply a dieline?
With every quote, before you commit to anything.
Single wall or double wall?
Single wall for most parcels under about 10 kg. Double wall for weight, for stacking, and for anything that will sit under other freight.
Can I print full color on corrugated?
Yes, by litho lamination or digital. Direct flexo is limited to simpler artwork but is much cheaper at volume.
How much clearance should I leave around the product?
Enough for void fill on all six sides. A tight box transmits impact directly into the product.
Are these suitable as retail packaging too?
Litho-laminated outers are, and plenty of brands use one box for both. It costs more than a plain shipper and saves a second box.
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