The packaging problem for a new brand is not design, it is commitment. Every decision you make early gets multiplied across everything you order later, and some of those decisions are cheap to change while others are not. This page sorts them into those two piles.
Expensive to change later
- The box size. A different size is a different die and a different minimum. Size around the product you are shipping in twelve months, not the prototype in your hand.
- The construction. Moving from a folding carton to a rigid box changes cost, lead time and how you pack.
- How many SKUs share a box. Every extra size is another 100 unit minimum and another dieline to manage.
Cheap to change later
- Artwork on an existing dieline. A reprint is a much shorter conversation than a new box.
- Anything on a label or sticker. Batch codes, variants, seasonal messages and limited editions all belong here at the start.
- Finishes. Launch plain, add foil or soft touch when the product has proven itself and the volume justifies the tooling.
A first order that does not trap you
- Pick one box size that covers as many SKUs as possible, even if it is slightly generous for the smallest one.
- Print the brand, not the product. A box that says what is inside becomes obsolete the moment the range changes.
- Order 100 to 500 of that one design and put variant information on labels.
- Keep the dieline file. It is yours, and it is what makes every reorder fast.
The money side, honestly
Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on your written quote. At startup volumes you will sit above that floor, because press setup divides across fewer units. That is not a penalty, it is arithmetic, and the way to see it clearly is to ask for 100, 500 and 1,000 on the same quote. What is genuinely different is the tooling: the die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints are included rather than billed, which is exactly the charge that usually makes small first orders painful elsewhere.
There is no sample kit to buy. If you want to see or feel material before committing, raise it in the quote conversation and we will tell you what is possible for your job.
Planning your launch date backwards
| Stage | Who controls it |
|---|---|
| Settling size, board and construction | You, with us on the quote |
| Artwork on the dieline | You or your designer |
| Digital proof approval | You, and this is the usual delay |
| Production | Us, from about 7 business days |
| Delivery | Freight, 2 to 5 days after production on the faster lanes |
Rush is expedited production plus air freight and adds about 7 to 25% depending on the job. Standard moves by air, and cost saver moves by sea, which is the cheapest and the longest. Production runs at West Chicago in the US and Guangzhou in China.
For the mechanics of a 100 unit order, read low minimum custom boxes. To get a first quote, send the product dimensions and how many you plan to make through the quote form.
