Headphones are an awkward sizing job because the product changes shape. Over ear pairs fold, swivel and adjust, and the position you photograph them in is rarely the position they ship in. Decide the shipping position first, then measure that.
Fix the position, then measure
- Set the headband to its shortest adjustment and fold or rotate the cups into the position the insert will hold.
- Measure the overall width across the widest point in that position, usually the outside of the cups or the ends of the headband.
- Measure the height from the top of the arc to the lowest point of the cups.
- Measure the depth through the thickest section, which is normally cup to cup, including any protruding hinge or control.
- Add clearance for the insert material. A foam or moulded pulp tray needs wall thickness on every side, and that wall is part of the internal dimension.
The three form factors size differently
| Form factor | What sets the internal size | Insert that usually suits |
|---|---|---|
| Over ear | Headband span and arc depth, in the folded position | Moulded pulp or foam tray with a cradle for the arc |
| On ear | Cup diameter and the folded stack depth | Die cut corrugated tray with a cup recess |
| In ear, wired | The coiled cable, which is often wider than the buds | Paperboard card with slots, or a tray with a cable well |
| True wireless | The charging case, which is the real product envelope | Shallow tray or a two piece rigid box sized to the case |
The in ear line is the one people miss. A pair of wired buds is tiny, and then a 1.2 m cable is coiled next to them and suddenly the box is three times the size. Coil the cable the way the packer will, measure that coil, and design the slot or well around it.
Retail fit and the accessory layer
If the box hangs or faces on a shelf, the external depth is the constraint most retailers enforce, so get the planogram depth before the dieline is drawn. If it hangs, the hang feature also changes the panel design, and the options are covered on what a hang hole on packaging is. If the box sits in a display, the front panel is doing the selling and the extra depth of a window or a try-me cutout has to be designed in rather than added later.
Accessories usually want a second layer: a lift out tray over the headphones or a compartment beside them holding the cable, the adapter, the pouch and the documentation. That layer is extra internal depth, not free space, and deciding it now avoids a second round of tooling later. Since the die is included on every order, a two layer structure is a design decision rather than a budget one.
Ordering, minimum and lead time
The minimum is 100 boxes, 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 printing are included. Production 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, and specialty rigid or imported work can run up to about 12 weeks. We make at two plants, West Chicago and Guangzhou.
Send the three measurements in the shipping position, a list of what else goes in the box, and the shelf depth you have to fit with your quote request. To order rather than specify, custom headphone boxes is the product page.
