Leggings are one of the easier garments to package, because they fold to a small, consistent stack and the size range barely changes the packed volume. That makes the interesting decisions structural and informational rather than dimensional. Order from leggings boxes when the spec is settled.
Find the one size that covers the range
- Take the largest size you sell in the heaviest fabric, usually a fleece lined or a thicker compression knit.
- Fold it exactly as your packing team will, and write the fold down with a photo.
- Bag it if it ships bagged, and add the hang tag and any size sticker.
- Press the packed unit gently flat and measure length, width and depth.
- Check the smallest size in the same box. If it rattles, a filler card fixes it more cheaply than a second dieline and a second SKU on the bench.
That last step is the one that saves money. A range that fits one box with a card in the small sizes is far simpler to pick and pack than a range with three box sizes.
Mailer, box or sleeve
- Die cut mailer. Folds around the stack, locks without tape, prints on the inside face, and posts without an outer carton. The usual ecommerce answer.
- Two piece box. Lift off lid, gifting and retail presence, needs a shipper if it goes through the post.
- Sleeve over a tray or a folded band. Least board, shows the fabric, works on a shelf rather than in transit.
- Tuck carton with a window. Lets the shopper see the colour and texture, and the aperture needs a margin so the panel stays rigid.
What the panel has to communicate
Apparel is bought on size and fit, so the size has to be legible at a glance and in a consistent position across the whole range. Colour swatch or window, inseam or length variant, fabric and care are the next tier. If the same box serves several colourways, keep everything fixed and change only the swatch and the name, so the artwork is one file with a swapped layer. Since the plates are included on every order, additional colourways are an artwork change rather than a tooling exercise.
Board and finish
Soft goods do not need a heavy board, so the board decision is about how the pack feels and whether it holds its shape in a stack. Fine flute corrugated keeps a mailer rigid without bulk, and folding carton board suits a printed retail carton. A matte laminate suits most activewear branding and resists finger marks better than gloss on a dark pack. For a bulkier garment in the same range, the sizing method changes, and how to size a robe box covers the compressible end of the scale.
Minimum, price 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. Two plants, West Chicago and Guangzhou.
Send the packed stack measurements for your largest size and say whether the pack ships alone or inside a carton on your quote request, then order from the leggings boxes page.
