Mailer box
Mailer boxes
Self-locking corrugated boxes that ship without an outer carton and open like a lid.
Corrugated
Mailer box · Corrugated
Custom apparel boxes
Custom apparel boxes are shallow corrugated mailers sized to a folded garment and printed with your brand. They go in the mail without an outer carton, and we make them from 50 units per design.
- Over 30 years in print and packaging
- Free structural design
- From 50 units
- Plastic-free options
- Style
- Shallow mailer
- Board
- E-flute corrugated
- Best for
- Folded garments
- Minimum order
- 50 units
- Typical production window
- 10–12 days
- Paper-first materials
- 100% recyclable
- For structural design
- $0
Overview
What is an apparel box?
The size of the fold sets the size of the box. Fold a T-shirt one way and it fits a slim mailer. Fold it another and you're paying to ship air. Decide the fold before you measure.
An apparel box is a mailer box built shallow and wide, to hold clothing folded flat. It closes with a tuck lid, so there's no tape to cut, and the garment lies flat instead of being stuffed into a bag.
The opening is the brand moment for most clothing labels: tissue, a sticker seal, maybe a card. The box only needs to hold that neatly and survive the trip.
- Shallow base. Usually just deep enough for one or two folded garments.
- Tuck lid. Locks into the front. Print the inside for a message or a pattern.
- Tissue and sticker. The cheap part that does most of the work.
- Card slot (optional). A die-cut slot in an insert for a thank-you or care card.
Specifications
Custom apparel boxes: specifications
Every box is drawn to your product, so these are the options, not a fixed catalogue. Your specialist confirms the exact spec on the proof.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Style | Self-locking mailer, built shallow |
| Board | E-flute corrugated (roughly 1/16 inch per wall) |
| Liner | White or kraft, inside and out |
| Outside, inside, or both | |
| Inserts | Paperboard card slot or garment wrap band |
| Add-ons | Printed tissue, sticker seal, tear strip |
| Size | Drawn to your folded garment |
| Recyclability | 100% recyclable corrugated. Paper tissue recycles with it |
| Minimum order | 50 units per design |
| Structural design | $0. We draw the dieline around your product |
| Proof | Digital proof on your dieline, checked for bleed, folds and barcodes |
| Production | 10–12 days on most orders, from proof approval. Shipping time is on top |
| Default finish | Aqueous coating on every box. Water-based, and it recycles with the box |
| Point of contact | One packaging specialist, from first sketch to delivery |
Board and build
Which build for which garment?
The garment's weight and how it's folded decide the build.
| Garment | Suggested build | Why |
|---|---|---|
| T-shirts, tops | Shallow E-flute mailer | Light, folds flat, keeps dimensional weight low |
| Knitwear, hoodies | Deeper E-flute mailer | Bulky folds need height, not width |
| Shirts on a card | Mailer with a paperboard insert | Keeps the collar and fold crisp |
| Multi-item orders | B-flute mailer or shipping box | More weight, more knocks |
For bundles of three or more pieces, a printed custom shipping box usually costs less to ship than a deep mailer.
Compare
Apparel box or poly mailer?
A lot of clothing ships in plastic bags. Here's when a box is worth it.
| Apparel box | Poly mailer bag | |
|---|---|---|
| Garment arrives | Flat and folded | Creased, sometimes crushed |
| Unboxing | Lid, tissue, sticker | Tear the bag |
| Material | Paper-first, 100% recyclable | Plastic film |
| Shipping size | Larger | Smaller |
If your price point is low and the garment doesn't crease, a bag is cheaper to ship. If the opening is part of what people pay for, use a box.
Sizing
Measure the fold, not the garment
Fold the garment exactly as your packers will, add the tissue, then measure the folded stack: length, width and height. That's the inside of the box.
If you sell several sizes, measure the largest one folded. A box that fits XL will hold S with a little more tissue. A box that fits S won't hold XL.
Send those numbers, or a photo of the folded garment on a ruler, and we add clearance on the dieline. How to measure a box covers the order of the numbers.
Who orders custom apparel boxes
- Clothing labels selling online. One shallow mailer for most single-item orders.
- Streetwear drops. Printed insides that people film.
- Knitwear and loungewear. Deeper boxes for bulky folds.
- Accessories. Scarves, hats and socks in a smaller version of the same box.
Finishes
Let the tissue do the talking.
Clothing boxes rarely need special finishes. Aqueous coating goes on every box by default, and the tissue and sticker carry the brand.
Aqueous coating
Default on every box.
Debossing
A quiet logo on kraft. No ink needed.
Foil stamping
One foil mark on the lid, if you want one.
Quote
Get a quote for custom apparel boxes
One measurement and a quantity is enough to start. Your specialist replies with a structure, so you can see the box before you commit to anything.
How it works
Four steps, one person.
The specialist who picks up your first email stays with the project until the boxes arrive.
Step 01
Tell us what you're packing
Send the product dimensions, how it ships and how many you need. A photo on a ruler is enough to start.
Step 02
We draw the structure
Your packaging specialist builds the dieline around your product. Structural design is free.
Step 03
You approve the proof
Drop your artwork onto the dieline. We check bleed, folds and barcodes, and send a digital proof.
Step 04
We make and ship
Production takes 10–12 days on most orders. Boxes ship flat, packed in cartons, to your door.
FAQ
Custom apparel boxes: questions.
What is the minimum order for custom apparel boxes?
50 units per design. Enough to test one size before you commit to a bigger run.
What size box do I need for a T-shirt?
It depends on how you fold it. Fold it the way your packers will, add tissue, and measure the folded stack. That's the inside size we draw to.
Can apparel boxes ship without an outer box?
Yes. They're corrugated mailers, built to go through the mail on their own.
Do you make boxes for multiple sizes of the same garment?
One box can cover several sizes if you size it for the largest fold. Each different box design has its own 50-unit minimum.
How long do custom apparel boxes take?
10–12 days on most orders, counted from proof approval. Shipping time is on top.
Honest fit
When not to hire us.
Your garments ship in bulk to stores
Wholesale cartons going to a retailer's stockroom don't need a printed mailer. Plain shipping cartons cost less.
You need fewer than 50 boxes
Our minimum is 50 units. For 10 or 20, a stock box with a printed sticker will cost you less.
You need boxes next week
Production runs 10–12 days before shipping. If your launch is sooner, buy stock boxes now and switch to custom for the next run.
You want plain brown boxes
If nothing gets printed, a stock box supplier is cheaper and faster. We're worth it once the box carries your brand.
How do you fold it?
Send a photo of the folded garment on a ruler and how many you need. We'll come back with a box and a proof.
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