Is Cardboard One Material or Two?
Cardboard is really two materials, a single thick sheet called paperboard and a layered board called corrugated that has a wavy middle.
A cereal box is paperboard because it only has to stand on a shelf and look good. A moving box is corrugated because the fluted middle layer cushions the load and stops the walls from folding under weight.
Once you know which of the two your product needs the right box style follows almost on its own.
Which Cardboard Box Does Your Product Need?
Match the box to how the product travels since a shelf item and a parcel need very different strength from the same cardboard.
| If your product | Choose this box | Board |
|---|---|---|
| Sits on a retail shelf | Folding carton | SBS paperboard 300 to 400 GSM |
| Needs a natural, eco look | Kraft box | Brown kraft paperboard |
| Ships to a customer door | Mailer box | 1.6 mm E flute corrugated |
| Ships in mixed or heavy orders | Shipping box | B or C flute corrugated |
| Moves as bulk stock | Heavy duty corrugated box | Double wall corrugated |
Each box has its own page with sizes and options, so open custom folding cartons, kraft boxes, mailer boxes, shipping boxes or corrugated boxes for details. Whatever the board turns out to be, the print method is the next thing to settle.
Which Print Method Fits the Size of Your Order?
The number of boxes you order decides the best print method, because each method carries its cost in a different place.
| Order or design | Best method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,000 boxes or several designs | Digital print | No plates, so short runs stay affordable |
| 1,000 boxes or more of one design | Offset print | Sharpest detail and the lowest price per box |
| One or two colors on kraft | Flexo print | Simple logos at a low cost on corrugated |
| Full color on a mailer or shipper | Printed sheet laminated to corrugated | Photo quality on a strong box |
Digital printed cardboard boxes suit a first order or a test of a new design, and you can move to offset once the design is final.
What Changes the Price of Personalized Cardboard Boxes?
Four things move the price of personalized cardboard boxes, and you control every one of them when you plan the order.
- Board, because corrugated costs more than paperboard of the same size
- Size, because a larger box uses more sheet and more press time
- Colors and finishes, because foil and spot UV add a pass on the press
- Quantity, because the price per box falls at 500 and again at 1,000 units on one artwork
Paperboard boxes run from $0.50 to $3.50 each and corrugated boxes from $0.80 to $3.90, with no setup or tooling fee on any run. Production takes 8 to 10 business days after dieline approval and shipping is free across the United States.
How Do You Get Cardboard Box Artwork Right the First Time?
Lay your design on the flat dieline so you can see each fold and flap, and our free dieline generator builds that flat in your size.
Keep text 3 mm inside every fold and check bleed and color settings against our artwork guidelines. Our design team places your logo for free, and a proof comes back before anything reaches the press.
When the art is ready, send your sizes and quantity through our quote form for custom boxes and ask for a plain sample to test the fit.
The Customized Boxes