A literature box carries printed material: brochures, sell sheets, catalogues, letterhead, manuals, or a sales kit that has to arrive flat and unbent. Unlike most packaging, you already know the exact dimensions of the contents, because paper comes in standard sizes. That makes this one of the easier boxes to specify correctly.
Start from the trim size
| Format | Flat trim size |
|---|---|
| US letter | 8.5 by 11 inches |
| US legal | 8.5 by 14 inches |
| A4 | 8.27 by 11.69 inches |
| Half fold from letter | 5.5 by 8.5 inches folded |
| Tri fold from letter | Roughly 3.67 by 8.5 inches folded |
| Number 10 envelope | 4.125 by 9.5 inches |
Pick the largest item in the pack and size the footprint to that. If the kit mixes a letter-size brochure with a smaller card, the letter sheet sets the box and the card gets a pocket or a divider so it does not slide around.
Working out the depth
Depth is the number people guess at. A 500 sheet ream of standard copy paper is about 2 inches thick, so as a working rule, roughly 250 sheets is about an inch. Heavier coated stock is thicker per sheet, and a folded brochure counts as multiple sheet thicknesses at the fold, so measure the actual stack if the pack is mixed.
- Stack the real contents in the order they will be packed.
- Press the stack lightly, the way it will sit in the box, and measure the height.
- Add a small allowance so the lid closes without compressing the top sheet.
- If the pack will be part-filled at times, decide whether you want a filler card to stop movement.
Clearance and edge damage
Paper edges are fragile and a box cut to the exact trim size will scuff them every time the pack is opened. Add clearance on the length and width so sheets drop in cleanly. Where a printed piece must stay pristine, a slightly deeper box with a top pad protects the face of the top sheet better than a tighter fit does.
Construction choices
- Two piece lift-off box. Standard for a presentation kit, easy to refill, easy to display.
- Telescoping box. The lid covers most of the base, better protection for a heavy stack of paper.
- Corrugated shipper. The right answer if the box is posted on its own, since paper is heavy in bulk.
- Insert or divider. Keeps mixed formats in place and stops smaller pieces sliding under the stack.
Weight is the constraint people underestimate. A full box of letter-size paper is much heavier than its size suggests, so if it ships, specify a board that carries the load and check the base construction rather than the print.
Ordering
The minimum is 100 boxes. Bulk pricing starts at about $0.48 per unit, confirmed on the written quote once size, board and print are set. The die and plates, design support, free US shipping and a digital proof before printing are included. Turnaround is stated per product across 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, with specialty imported items running up to about 12 weeks. Production is at West Chicago in the United States and Guangzhou in China.
For bound material rather than loose sheets, book box dimensions is the closer reference, and for the wider stationery range see custom stationery boxes. Send your measured stack height and largest sheet size to /quote/ and we will draw the box to the paper.
