A shampoo carton is easy to get slightly wrong and expensive to get wrong twice. The bottle is rarely a clean rectangle, the closure often decides the height, and the label adds thickness after the bottle spec was written. Four measurements settle it.
What to measure and why it decides the carton
| Measurement | How to take it | What it sets |
|---|---|---|
| Widest body dimension | Calipers across the fullest point of the bottle, labelled | Carton width |
| Second body axis | At 90 degrees to the first, on an oval or flattened bottle | Carton depth |
| Overall height with closure | Flat surface to the top of the cap, in shipping state | Carton height |
| Shoulder to cap diameter | Across the widest part of the closure | Whether the cap, not the body, is the limiting dimension |
The fourth row catches a common problem. On several bottle styles the closure is wider than the shoulder, so a carton built to the body will not take the bottle at all. Measure the cap separately and use the larger number.
Pumps, flip tops and the shipping state
A pump changes the sizing conversation entirely. If your filler ships pumps locked down, measure locked down. If pumps ship up, the carton has to clear the actuator, which can add a noticeable amount of height and makes the pack top heavy on a shelf. If the pump ships separately in a bag beside the bottle, that bag is part of the contents and needs its own space in the internal depth. Decide with your filler before the die is cut, because this is the change that forces a second die.
Labels, sleeves and the squeeze
Bottle specs are for the bare bottle. A pressure sensitive label adds a small amount of diameter, a shrink sleeve adds more, and a bottle that is filled and capped is slightly fuller than an empty one. Measure a real, filled, labelled bottle from your production line rather than a sample from the mould shop. If the carton is a tight retail fit, also decide whether the pack will be hand loaded or machine loaded, because a cartoning machine wants more clearance than a person does.
Board and construction
Most shampoo cartons run as a straight tuck or reverse tuck end carton in a paperboard caliper heavy enough to stand on a shelf without bowing under the weight of a full bottle. A heavier product, a litre bottle or a salon back bar size, usually needs either a heavier board or a corrugated carton. Bathroom humidity is a real consideration for anything that will sit in the shower room after opening, so an aqueous or laminate coating is worth specifying. Materials include standard white cardstock for full colour work, kraft for an unbleached look, and foil or metallic stock when the range is positioned as premium.
Ordering
The minimum is 100 boxes. Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote, and the die, plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof are included. Since the die is free, a carton built to your exact bottle costs no more to tool than one built to a near standard size. Turnaround is quoted per job 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.
Send the four measurements, or just mail us a filled bottle, and we will build the dieline around it. Start at the quote form. Related: bottle box dimensions and custom hair product boxes.
