Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions our team answers every week, grouped so you can go straight to the part that applies to you. The figures cover our folding carton and corrugated work, and they are written the same way on every product page across the site. Printed plastic cups run on their own terms and have a section of their own at the end.
Ordering and Minimums
What is your minimum order?
The minimum is 100 boxes per size. It is counted per size rather than per order, because every size needs its own die, so a three size range counts as three separate minimums. A 100 unit order goes through the same dieline check and the same print checks as a 10,000 unit one.
How long does production take?
Production runs 8 to 10 business days, and the clock starts once you have approved the dieline and the artwork rather than when you first get in touch. Add 3 to 5 business days if you want a plain sample first, or 7 to 10 for a printed pre-production sample. Tell us your on shelf date and we will confirm whether it is workable before you commit to anything.
Do I pay a setup or tooling fee?
There is no setup or tooling charge at all, on the first order or on any reorder. The die and the printing plates are carried inside the unit price, so nothing is recovered up front and nothing is carried forward to your next run. A repeat run of the same box costs exactly what any other run at that quantity would cost.
When does the price per box come down?
Price breaks come in at 500 units and again at 1,000 units on the same artwork. If you are pricing a retail program rather than a one off, send us your expected annual quantity instead of only the first order, because the annual figure is what sets the tier.
Can I order several sizes on one job?
Several sizes on one order is normal, and each size simply needs to reach the 100 unit minimum on its own. Running them together usually saves you time rather than money, since each size is still a separate die and a separate press setup. Send all the sizes at once so we can quote them against each other.
How do reorders work?
Send us the previous order reference and we run the same dieline and the same artwork again, with no new tooling charge and no new setup. The lead time is the same 8 to 10 business days, since the job still has to go through the press. Tell us early if anything about the product has changed, because even a small change to the contents can affect the fit.
Artwork and Dielines
What file format should artwork be in?
Send a vector PDF or an AI file laid out on our dieline, with 3 mm bleed, fonts outlined and any Pantone colors named in the file. Vector artwork carries no resolution of its own, so it stays sharp at any size on the box. Where you have placed images inside that file, each one needs to be 300 dpi at the size it actually prints on the panel.
Where do I get a dieline?
Our dieline generator builds one for you in seconds and it is free, with no account needed and no watermark on what you download. Pick your box style, type in your own length, width and height, and export the result as AI, PDF or SVG. Build your artwork on top of that file and keep the dieline layer in it when you send the job back to us.
How much bleed do you need?
Extend any background color or image 3 mm past every cut line, because cutting carries a small tolerance and without that overlap you get a thin white sliver along one edge. Pull your logo and your text at least 3 mm inside the cut line as well. Anything closer risks being trimmed away or landing on a fold where the ink will crack.
What if I do not have artwork ready at all?
Our designers will build it for you from scratch and there is no charge for that, provided you are placing an order with us. The design team is in house rather than outsourced, so there is no cost for us to pass on to you. Send whatever you have, even a rough sketch, a photo of the product or just a description of the look you are after, and we will work from that.
Do you charge to fix or adjust a file I already have?
No. Small changes, resizing, and laying your artwork out correctly on our dieline are all part of the service and none of it appears on your invoice. Every file that comes in is checked before it goes anywhere near a press, and we tell you what needs changing rather than printing something we know will disappoint you. A flat view and a 3D mock-up are free of charge as well.
My artwork is in RGB. Is that a problem?
RGB only exists on a screen, so any RGB artwork has to be converted before it can print. Bright blues, greens and oranges tend to shift noticeably during that conversion, which is why it is better for you to handle it and see the result than to leave it to us. Set your document to CMYK before you begin and name any Pantone that has to match exactly.
Samples
Are samples free?
We send sample boxes free of charge so that you can feel the board in your hand before committing to a full run. Conditions apply and they are not the same for every enquiry, so our team confirms what applies to yours before anything is produced. Nothing is charged and nothing is produced until you have agreed to it.
What kinds of sample can I ask for?
There are three. A plain sample is an unprinted box that settles the structural questions and takes 3 to 5 business days. A random sample is a box from a recent production run that shows you our printing and finishing, and it ships from stock. A printed pre-production sample carries your own artwork on your own board and takes 7 to 10 business days.
What should I check when the sample arrives?
Put your own product inside it, because that is the only test that matters. Drop the product in, close the flaps and shake it gently to see whether it slides around, then open and close the box several times the way a customer or a packing line will. Check whether the board bows in the middle, and look at the finish under your own shop lighting rather than in a photograph.
Do I get to see the box before it prints?
A flat view and a 3D mock-up are produced free of charge before anything goes to print, and you approve both before the job moves. The flat view shows the cut lines, the creases and where your artwork sits on each panel. That approval is also the point where the 8 to 10 business day production clock starts.
Printing and Finishes
Do four colors cost more than one?
Four colors do cost more than one color on an offset run, because each additional color adds a plate and another pass through the press. The gap narrows considerably on shorter digital runs under 1,000 units, where there are no plates to make. Tell us your quantity and we will point you to the method that suits it.
Can you match my exact brand color?
Name the Pantone in your file rather than converting it yourself and we will match that ink on press. Pantone is the right choice whenever a shade has to look identical on every reprint, which matters more than most brands expect once a product sits on a shelf beside its previous run. CMYK is fine for everything that does not need that consistency.
What finishes can I have?
Matte and gloss lamination, soft touch, spot UV, embossing, debossing and foil stamping are all available, along with aqueous coating and varnish. Most boxes need one or two of these rather than all of them, and restraint usually looks better than stacking effects on top of each other. Each finish belongs on its own layer in the artwork file.
Can you print the inside of the box?
Printing runs on either face of the board, and the inner face is worth using because the customer sees it at the moment they open the box. Some brands keep the outside plain kraft for discretion and put the artwork and the message on the inside. It costs more than printing one face only, so it is worth deciding early.
Can I have a die-cut window?
A die-cut window with clear patching lets a shopper see the product without opening the carton, and it works particularly well on kraft and matte stocks. Keep the window modest on a tall or narrow box, because a large cut out removes the structure that stops the panel bowing. We mark the window on the flat view so you can see it before anything is cut.
Shipping and Delivery
Is shipping really free?
Shipping is free across the US, with no minimum required beyond the 100 unit order minimum itself. Export orders are quoted separately, because the freight and the paperwork vary by destination. Tell us where the pallet is going at quote stage rather than afterward.
How long does delivery take on top of production?
Production is the 8 to 10 business days, and transit sits on top of that. Tell us your on shelf date when you first get in touch and we will tell you honestly whether it is workable, rather than finding out at the end that it never was. If the date is tight, say so early, because there are usually options while the job is still on paper.
Can you deliver to more than one address?
Splitting a run across several addresses is something we quote per job, since it depends on the quantity, the destinations and how the pallets break down. Send us the addresses and the split you want at quote stage and we will price it properly. It is far easier to arrange before production than after the boxes are made.
Printed Plastic Cups
Why is the cup minimum higher than the box minimum?
Printed cups need a production setup of their own, with plates and a mandrel prepared around your specific artwork and cup configuration, and that setup costs the same whether the run is 500 cups or 50,000. The minimum is 5,000 cups per size and per design, with a lead time of 12 to 15 business days after artwork approval. If your quantity is genuinely smaller, ask us about screen printing instead.
What do printed cups cost?
Custom printed PET cups typically run from $0.10 to $0.30 per cup depending on the specification. Cup size moves the price more than the number of colors does, which surprises people who expect color count to dominate. Send your size, quantity and artwork and we will come back with a per-cup price and a proof before production.
How do I choose the lid?
The lid matches the rim diameter rather than the volume, so a 16 oz, a 20 oz and a 24 oz cup on the same 98 mm rim all take the same lid. Checking the rim before you settle on a size range is what stops you holding three lid lines where one would do. We supply rims at 78 mm, 92 mm and 98 mm.