This page is the buying guide. If you already know the size and the board you want, order on the custom shipping boxes product page. If you are still deciding, work through the three decisions below in order, because each one narrows the next: dimensions first, then flute, then print.
Decision one: dimensions
Custom boxes are specified by inside dimensions, written length x width x depth, where length is the longer side of the opening and depth is the height of the walls. Get this the wrong way round and you will receive a box that is technically correct and practically useless.
Measure your product at its widest point, then add clearance for whatever protects it. If you are using bubble cushioning or paper void fill, the clearance is not decorative, it is the entire protection strategy. If the product is snug in a printed inner, you need less. Remember that the board adds to the outside dimensions, so a thicker flute makes the parcel bigger even though the inside stayed the same. That matters because carriers bill on dimensional weight using their own divisor, so an oversized box can cost more to ship than the product is worth.
Decision two: flute grade
| Flute | Approximate thickness | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| F | About 1/32 inch | Small retail shippers where print quality matters most |
| E | About 1/16 inch | Mailers and light product boxes, good print surface |
| B | About 1/8 inch | General shipping, decent crush resistance, still prints well |
| C | About 5/32 inch | Larger shippers where stacking strength matters |
| BC double wall | Two layers combined | Heavy or high value loads, long transit, palletised stacking |
Thicker is not automatically better. A heavy double wall box for a two pound product wastes board, adds dimensional weight and costs more per unit. Match the flute to the load and the journey. What flute means in corrugated covers how the fluting actually carries load.
Decision three: print
Direct printing onto corrugated liner favours bold artwork, flat colour and clear type. Photographic detail and tight gradients belong on a litho laminated sheet, where a printed paper face is bonded to the board. Both are options here. If your box is the first thing a customer sees on a doorstep, that difference is worth the conversation, and if it is a transit outer inside another carton, one colour on kraft is usually the right answer.
Minimums, price and turnaround
The minimum order is 100 boxes per size and artwork. Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on a written quote. Included: the die, the printing plates, design support, US shipping, and a digital proof before anything prints. Production runs at two plants, West Chicago in the United States and Guangzhou in China. Turnaround is stated per product across three lanes, Rush (expedited production plus air freight, at a premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job), Standard (air) and Cost saver (sea), starting from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 days for delivery. Specialty imported items can run up to about 12 weeks.
Ready to price a specific size? Send the dimensions and quantity through the quote form, or go straight to the custom shipping boxes page to order. For size references by product type, see shipping box dimensions.
