Wallet boxes are one of the few packaging jobs with a genuine published anchor behind them. Wallets exist to carry payment cards, and the payment card is standardised: ISO/IEC 7810 defines the ID-1 format at 85.60 x 53.98 mm, about 3.37 x 2.13 in. Every card slot is cut to that, so closed wallet footprints sit a predictable distance above it. That gives you a sanity check, not a size chart.
Where each wallet format lands
| Format | What sets the closed footprint | What sets the depth |
|---|---|---|
| Bifold | Card width plus the spine fold, so the closed piece is wider than a card and roughly card height plus the note pocket | The card stack, doubled at the spine |
| Trifold | Card height on the long axis, three panels of thickness closed | Thickest of the common formats, measure it loaded |
| Cardholder or money clip | Barely more than the ID-1 card itself | Thin enough that a shallow two-piece box or a sleeve works |
| Long or travel wallet | Banknote length on the long axis, not card length | Zip pull and gusset, both of which sit proud |
These are descriptions of how the formats are built, not iBox Factory stock sizes. Measure your own piece and quote that number.
Measuring, and the mistake to avoid
Measure the wallet closed and loaded. Leather relaxes and a wallet photographed empty is thinner than the one a customer puts in the box. Take the thickness at the card stack, which is the thickest point, not at the spine edge. Then decide whether the wallet sits flat in the box or stands, because a standing presentation changes which dimension is the depth.
Rigid, folding carton, or drawer
Wallets are usually a gift purchase, so the construction carries some of the value. Three routes cover most of it.
- Two-piece rigid lid and base. The premium default. Wrapped greyboard walls are typically around 2 mm each, so allow roughly 4 mm of difference between internal and external on each dimension, and confirm which one your quote states.
- Folding carton with an insert. Lighter and cheaper to ship, printed edge to edge, with a card or foam platform to stop the wallet sliding.
- Drawer or sleeve and tray. A slower reveal, and the sleeve gives you a second printed surface for the brand story without touching the tray.
The insert is what stops it looking cheap
A wallet loose in a box slides, and a slide reads as a discount product. A card platform cut to the closed footprint, a foam bed, or a moulded pulp tray all hold the piece square. The insert also fixes the clearance question: once the insert is cut to the wallet, the box is sized to the insert, and the guesswork is over.
Ordering
Minimum order is 100 boxes, and pricing starts 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 anything prints are included, which is the reason a truly custom internal dimension is no more expensive to tool than a near-standard one. We make in West Chicago in the US and Guangzhou in China, and turnaround 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. Wrapped rigid constructions are the ones most likely to sit at the longer end, up to about 12 weeks on specialty imported work.
Order the product itself at wallet boxes. If you are choosing between a matte and a gloss wrap for the lid, the trade-offs are on the matte versus gloss lamination page.
Send the closed loaded measurements and a note on whether you want rigid or folding carton through the quote form, and we will come back with an internal dimension and a written price. There is no sample kit to buy; samples are arranged through the quote conversation.
