Floral packaging has to do something unusual: protect a soft, wet, irregular and extremely perishable product while looking good enough to be part of the gift. This guide covers how to specify it. To order the format, go to floral boxes.
Two formats, two sizing methods
The long stem box. Sized by the longest stem plus clearance at the bloom end. Measure the stems at the length you actually cut to, not at the length they arrive from the grower, and measure the bloom head at its widest. The blooms need more room than the stems, so the box either runs a constant width sized to the heads, or tapers with the heads at one end.
The round or hat box. Sized by the arrangement's diameter and its height. Measure the diameter across the widest point of the finished arrangement, and the height from the base of the container to the top of the tallest bloom. Add clearance so the lid does not crush anything when it seats.
Either way, measure the finished, wrapped, tied arrangement. The cellophane or paper wrap and the tie are part of the object you are packing.
Dealing with water
| Approach | How it works | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproof liner inside the box | A separate barrier between wet foam or stems and the board | The most common approach for arrangements in floral foam |
| A separate container inside the box | The arrangement sits in its own vessel and the box only carries it | Best protection for the board, and the container can be part of the gift |
| Coated interior | A moisture resistant coating on the inside face of the board | Handles condensation and brief contact rather than standing water |
| Dry pack with a stem wrap | Stems wrapped at the cut end, the box stays dry | Suits long stem boxes and shipped bouquets |
Structure, handles and the lid
A floral box is usually carried by hand from a van to a doorstep, often by someone holding something else. A rigid enough board and a handle make the difference between a gift that arrives intact and one that gets put down heavily. Ribbon handles are common on hat boxes, and a die cut handle in the board itself works on long stem boxes. Whichever you choose, the board around the handle has to take the whole loaded weight, so weigh a finished arrangement and give us that number.
For the lid, a lift off lid gives the reveal that suits a gift. A hinged or flip lid is easier for a delivery driver to handle one handed. A window in the lid lets the recipient see the blooms before opening, at the cost of the surprise.
Print, finish and the surface
Floral boxes are photographed by recipients, so the finish earns its cost. Matte lamination and soft touch coatings suit the category and also resist water marking better than uncoated board. Foil stamping on a matte ground reads as premium. Kraft board suits a natural, garden style brand. Whatever the surface, remember that a floral box will meet damp hands, so raise moisture resistance for the exterior as well as the interior when you quote.
Ordering, minimum and turnaround
Minimum order is 100 boxes. Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on your written quote, with liner, handle, board and finishing reflected there. The die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints are included, so a box cut to your exact arrangement costs no more to tool than a near standard one.
Turnaround is quoted per product in three lanes: rush (expedited production plus air freight, premium about 7 to 25% depending on the job), standard by air, and cost saver by sea. The floor is from about 7 business days, plus 2 to 5 days for delivery, and specialty imported items can run up to about 12 weeks. Seasonal peaks in this category are sharp, so plan Valentine's and Mother's Day volumes against the cost saver lane rather than the rush one. We produce in West Chicago, US, and Guangzhou, China.
Send the finished arrangement's dimensions and its loaded weight, and tell us whether it ships wet, and we will spec the box and the liner at /quote/. Order at floral boxes, and if the arrangement travels by parcel rather than by hand, read how to package jewelry for shipping for the two layer approach, which applies here too.
