A bandage box is not sized by a bandage. It is sized by a stack of individually wrapped strips, and the wrap adds more to the block than people expect. Build the stack first, then measure it, then work out how it gets dispensed.
The strip sizes behind the count
These are the formats the US first aid trade has standardised around, useful for working out what your mix looks like.
| Format | Typical size | Stacking behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| Standard strip | 3/4 x 3 in | Stacks flat and square, the easy case |
| Large strip | 1 x 3 in | Same depth, wider block |
| Spot or round | About 7/8 in across | Square wrap around a round pad, wastes width in a mixed pack |
| Knuckle and fingertip | Shaped, wider than long | Do not nest with strips, usually need their own compartment |
| Butterfly closure | Narrow, short | Small enough that a mixed pack needs a partition or they migrate |
Sizing from the stack
- Count out the pack you actually sell, in the exact mix. A 30 count assorted pack is a different block from a 30 count single size.
- Stack it in the orientation the filling line will use. Flat stacks and standing stacks give different cartons.
- Measure the block in three dimensions, with the wraps as they sit, not compressed.
- Add a small clearance so the block drops in rather than being pressed in. On a small carton, a tight fit is a line speed problem.
- Write it as internal length x width x depth, and get the internal confirmation in writing.
At this scale, board caliper is a meaningful share of the box. A carton quoted at an external figure can lose enough internal room that the last few strips will not go in, so this is one of the sizes where the internal versus external question is not pedantic.
How the box opens is half the design
First aid packs get opened one-handed, often by someone who is bleeding. That should drive the construction more than the graphics do.
- Tuck end with a thumb notch. Cheap, familiar, works.
- Tear strip or perforated dispensing window. Opens once and dispenses repeatedly, which suits a workplace or vehicle kit.
- Hinged lid or slide sleeve. Recloses properly and keeps the remaining strips clean, worth it on a premium or travel pack.
- Hang feature. If the pack is merchandised on a peg rather than a shelf, the hang hole belongs in the dieline from the start.
Print and copy on a small panel
A bandage carton carries a count, a size, usually a material claim and a use panel, on panels barely wider than a finger. Decide which single fact wins the front panel. Everything else moves to the side and back. Keep any regulatory or directions copy where a dieline fold will not run through it, which is one of the things the digital proof is for.
Ordering
Minimum order is 100 boxes, and pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. The die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints are included, so a carton cut to your exact stack costs no more to tool than a standard-looking size. We make in two plants, West Chicago in the US and Guangzhou in China. Turnaround is quoted per product in three lanes: rush (expedited production plus air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 for delivery. Rush adds about 7 to 25% depending on the job.
Order at custom bandage boxes. If you are specifying the shipper that carries cases of these into a distributor, the method on sizing a regular slotted box applies to the outer.
Send the stack measurement, the count and the dispensing behaviour you want through the quote form and we will come back with an internal dimension and a written price.
