Types of boxes: cartons, rigid, corrugated and mailers

The four types of packaging boxes at a glance

The board is what separates them. Flute types explains the wavy layer inside corrugated, and our materials overview lines up the four boards we use.

Folding cartons

A folding carton is made from a single sheet of paperboard. As a general reference, Wikipedia's carton entry notes that makers usually join them into a tube and ship them flat to the packer. That's why they're cheap to freight and fast to fill.

• Tuck end. The classic: a lid that tucks into the front. Soap, candles, tea. See custom folding cartons.
• Pillow box. A curved pinch top for light items. Custom pillow boxes.
• Gable box. A peaked top with a built-in handle. The gable box guide covers it.
• Sleeve. A band that slides over a tray or box. Custom box sleeves.

Rigid boxes

A rigid box is thick board wrapped in printed paper. It doesn't fold flat, so it costs more to freight, and it holds its shape for years. These are the boxes people keep. We make them heavy enough that people reuse them for something else.

Use them for the product that justifies the weight: jewelry, premium gifts, high-end cosmetics. See custom rigid boxes and custom gift boxes.

Corrugated and mailer boxes

Corrugated is two sheets with a fluted layer between, which is what lets a box survive a delivery truck. A mailer box is a corrugated box that's self-locking and prints nicely inside and out. Carriers set size limits: under the USPS Domestic Mail Manual, most parcels can't exceed 108 inches in length and girth combined.

Here's the trap. A mailer on a shelf looks like it's waiting to be shipped. A folding carton sent in the mail gets crushed in the truck. Pick for the job. See custom mailer boxes and custom shipping boxes.

How to pick in a minute

• Goes in the mail alone? Mailer or shipping box.
• Sits on a shelf? Folding carton.
• Is the gift itself? Rigid box.
• Heavy, glass or awkward? Corrugated with a thicker flute.

Not sure? Send the product's length x width x height, or a photo of it on a ruler, and say how it travels. Browse the full box range once you know the type.

When not to order custom boxes

If a stock box already fits and you don't need it printed, buy stock. It's cheaper and faster.

• You need fewer than 50. Stock plus a sticker costs less.
• You need them within days. Production takes 10–12 days from proof approval, plus shipping.
• You're still choosing the product. Pick the box once the size is final.