A pillow box is a single piece of board scored so the two ends curve inward, giving the shape its name. It uses very little material, ships flat, and needs no glue or tape to close. It also has an interior shape that catches people out, which is where sizing has to start.
Reading the three numbers
Pillow boxes are quoted length x width x depth. Length is the long side, width the short side, and depth is the thickness measured at the fattest part of the curve, in the middle. That last number is the trap. The interior is not a rectangular box of that depth. It is deepest in the center and tapers to nearly nothing at the two curved ends, so a rigid item as thick as the stated depth will only fit through the middle band.
Common sizes and what they hold
| Size (L x W x D, inches) | Suits |
|---|---|
| About 4 x 2.75 x 1 | Gift cards, small jewelry, sachets, seed packets |
| About 5 x 3.5 x 1 | Bracelets, hair accessories, small cosmetics |
| About 6 x 4.25 x 1.25 | Ties, socks, soap bars, small apparel items |
| About 7 x 5 x 2 | Scarves, gift sets, bundled products |
| About 9 x 4 x 1.5 | Long items, apparel, retail gift packaging |
What a pillow box is good at, and what it is not
- Good: flat, soft or slightly compressible items. Textiles, cards, jewelry on a pad, flat cosmetics.
- Good: anywhere the packaging has to look considered and cost very little per unit.
- Poor: rigid items at the full stated depth, which will not clear the curved ends.
- Poor: anything fragile in a parcel network, since a pillow box gives almost no crush protection on its own.
If the contents need protection in transit, put the pillow box inside a mailer instead of asking it to be the shipper.
Board and add ons
Most pillow boxes run on paperboard around 14 to 18 point caliper. Lighter than that and the curve will not hold its spring after a few openings. Heavier than that and the score line fights back when it closes. Two additions are common and both are cut from the same die: a window across the front panel, which shows the product and takes some stiffness out of the curve, and a hang hole for retail peg display, which needs enough material above it not to tear. Ribbon slots and thumb notches are equally straightforward.
Ordering, minimum and turnaround
Minimum order is 100 boxes, and because the die is included, an unusual size costs no more in tooling than a stock one. Unit pricing starts at about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on the written quote. Pillow boxes are among the simpler structures to make, so they normally sit in the shorter part of the range: rush pairs expedited production with air freight at a premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job, standard runs by air from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 days for delivery, and cost saver runs by sea. Design support, free US shipping and a digital proof are included. The structural guide sits on our pillow box guide, and gift formats generally on custom gift boxes.
Send the flat dimensions of what you are packing to our quote form and we will confirm whether a pillow box holds it before you commit.
