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Custom Boxes That Pack a Punch!

Custom mailer, shipping, folding and rigid boxes, cut to your exact size and printed with your brand. Set your dimensions, upload your artwork and see the price instantly in our 3D designer.

  • From 10 boxes
  • No plates or setup fees
  • 10 to 20 day production
  • Made in North America
4.8 116 Google reviews

Find the Right Fit

Custom Box Styles Compared

Every style suits a different product and purpose. The right box comes down to what you're packing, whether it needs to ship on its own, and the impression you want to make.

Open custom mailer box with a printed message inside the lid and blue crinkle paper, beside a closed matching mailer Most popular

Mailer Boxes

Starting at
$0.69/unit
Minimum order
10 boxesor one sample, $35 + shipping

The e-commerce box. A tuck-front lid with no tape or glue, printable inside and out, and sturdy enough to ship on its own.

  • Ships on its own
  • Prints inside and out
  • No tape or glue
4.8 (59 reviews) Shop Mailer Boxes

Use cases

  • E-commerce ordersShips on its own, straight to the doorstep.
  • Subscription boxesA box your customers look forward to every month.
  • Welcome kitsOnboarding for new hires and new clients.
  • PR and influencer kitsLaunch packages made to be shared.
Two custom printed shipping boxes, one closed and one open with its flaps up Best for bulky items

Shipping Boxes

Starting at
$1.08/unit
Minimum order
10 boxes

The workhorse for heavier and larger orders.

  • Carries about 60 lb
  • Ships on its own
4.7 (24 reviews) Shop Shipping Boxes
Three tall custom printed folding cartons, one with its tuck-end top open and a plant inside

Folding Boxes

Starting at
$1.28/unit
Minimum order
500 boxes

Sharp full-color cartons for the retail shelf.

  • Retail shelf
  • Ships flat, pre-glued
4.7 (17 reviews) Shop Folding Boxes
Custom rigid box with a tablet in its base and the printed lift-off lid beside it

Rigid Boxes

Starting at
$2.54/unit
Minimum order
500 boxes

Thick boxes with a lift-off lid, for gifts that feel premium.

  • Lift-off lid
  • Arrives assembled
4.9 (12 reviews) Shop Rigid Boxes
Custom printed mailer boxes in several colors and sizes laid out on a blue background

Which custom box is right for your product?

Start with one question: does the box travel on its own, or inside something else? Mailer boxes and shipping boxes are corrugated and built to go through a carrier network with your product inside. Folding cartons and rigid boxes are the package your customer keeps, and they ship inside an outer carton.

After that it comes down to weight and the impression you want to make. A mailer box carries about 40 lb and opens like a gift, which is why most e-commerce and subscription brands start there. A shipping box takes about 60 lb and suits bulkier products, wholesale orders and anything headed for a warehouse. A folding carton is the thin printed box you see on a retail shelf. A rigid box is thick and stays assembled, for products that should feel expensive before they are even opened. The table compares the four side by side, and each product page prices your exact size. Not sure of the size? The Box Size Optimizer works it out from the products you pack.

The four custom box styles compared: what each is for, how it is built and what it costs
Feature Mailer BoxShipping BoxFolding BoxRigid Box
StyleRoll end front tuck with dust flaps (REFT), FEFCO 0427Regular slotted container (RSC)Reverse tuck end cartonTwo-piece setup box, base and lid
Best forE-commerce orders, subscription boxes, welcome kitsHeavier or larger products, wholesale orders, transitRetail shelf: cosmetics, supplements, small goodsLuxury and gift products, electronics, keepsakes
Ships on its ownYes, carries about 40 lbYes, carries about 60 lbNo, it travels inside an outer boxNo, it travels inside an outer box
BoardE-flute, 32 ECT, 1/16 inB-flute, 32 ECT, 1/8 in16 to 18 pt SBS, coated print side50 pt chipboard, 80 lb litho wrap
PrintingFull color, outside and insideFull color, outsideFull color, outsideFull-color printed wrap
ClosureTuck-front lid, no tape or glueTop and bottom flaps, taped shutTuck ends, ships flat and pre-gluedLift-off lid, arrives assembled
Minimum order10 boxes, or one printed sample for $35 + shipping10 boxes500 boxes500 boxes
Starting at$0.69 per box See prices$1.08 per box See prices$1.28 per box See prices$2.54 per box See prices

Board specs from the Packaging Board Chart. Prices are the lowest unit price in each catalog at the largest quantity, with artwork covering up to a quarter of the box; the product pages quote your size, quantity and finish.

A stack of custom printed shipping boxes in bright brand colors

Why brands order custom boxes

A stock box fits roughly, costs more to ship because you pay for the air inside it, and says nothing about who sent it. A custom box is cut to your product's dimensions, so it uses less board and less void fill, and every face of it carries your brand, from the doorstep to the unboxing video.

Custom used to mean printing plates, cutting dies and a minimum in the thousands. Packwire prints digitally, straight onto the board, so a run of 10 boxes goes through the same process as a run of 2,000, and you can order a single printed sample before you commit.

  • Your exact size. Set length, width and depth to the quarter inch. The box fits the product, and you stop paying to ship air.

  • Full-color digital print. Photographs, gradients and fine type, printed directly on the board. Change the artwork between orders at no charge. Vector files or 300 dpi images, as set out in the artwork guidelines.

  • No plates, no tooling, no setup fees. The price is the box and nothing else, and small runs are priced the same way as large ones.

  • Low minimums and samples. Mailer and shipping boxes from 10 units, folding and rigid boxes from 500. A printed mailer sample is $35 plus $6.25 shipping.

  • Instant online pricing. Every product page quotes your size, quantity and finish live, with shipping and tax by ZIP code, before you sign in.

  • Made locally. Produced in North America in 10 to 20 calendar days after proof approval, and shipped from the plant to your door.

Custom rigid boxes with different printed finishes on an orange background

The boards behind the four boxes

Each style is made from the board that suits its job. Mailer boxes are single-wall E-flute corrugated, about 1/16 inch thick and rated 32 ECT: a fine flute that prints smoothly and carries about 40 lb. Shipping boxes step up to B-flute, twice as thick at the same rating, for loads up to about 60 lb. Folding cartons are 16 to 18 pt solid bleached paperboard with no flute, coated on the print side so color sits sharp on the surface. Rigid boxes are 50 pt chipboard, thicker on large sizes, wrapped in litho-printed 80 lb paper.

The cross-sections below are drawn to scale. For flute profiles, ECT and burst ratings and how grades compare across regions, see the Packaging Board Chart. To check how high a pallet of your boxes can stack, try the Box Stacking Strength Estimator.

  • E-flute corrugated

    Thickness
    1/16 in (0.0625 in)1.6 mm
    Strength
    32 ECT200# burst, 5.6 kN/m
    Feels like
    A premium shoe box
    Surfaces
    White Board, Kraft Board, SuperGloss
  • B-flute corrugated

    Thickness
    1/8 in (0.125 in)3.2 mm
    Strength
    32 ECT200# burst, 5.6 kN/m
    Feels like
    A sturdy parcel box
    Surfaces
    White Board, Kraft Board
  • SBS paperboard

    Thickness
    16 to 18 pt0.41 to 0.46 mm
    Grammage
    350 to 395 gsm129 to 146 lb cover
    Feels like
    A cosmetics carton
    Surfaces
    White Board
  • Chipboard, litho wrapped

    Thickness
    50 pt board1.27 mm, thicker on larger sizes
    Wrap
    80 lb litho paper118 gsm
    Feels like
    A phone box
    Surfaces
    White Board
Custom shipping boxes on a conveyor with printed boxes tumbling below it

How ordering works, whatever the box

Every style follows the same path. Pick a box on its product page, set the size, quantity and surface, and the price is on the screen. Open the 3D designer to upload your artwork or build it in the browser, turn the box to check every face, and check out. Our prepress team checks every file and emails a proof, and production starts the day you approve it.

  1. Step 1DesignSet the size, surface and quantity on the product page, then build the artwork in the 3D designer or upload your own. The price updates as you go.
  2. Step 2ProofYour account manager emails a 2D proof once our prepress team has checked resolution, bleed and color. Revisions are free until you approve.
  3. Step 3ProductionTen to twenty calendar days after approval for printing, cutting and assembly. Need it sooner? Ask. When the schedule allows, we expedite at no charge.
  4. Step 4DeliveryCorrugated and folding boxes ship flat, rigid boxes ship assembled. Parcel for small runs, a pallet for large ones, with about one to seven days in transit.

Real people check every order

Every order gets an account manager. Before anything prints, our prepress team checks your file for resolution, bleed and color, and your account manager emails you a proof of exactly what will print. Revisions are free until you approve, and nothing goes to press without your sign-off.

When a question comes up, you reach the same person who has been on your order from the start, by email or at 1-800-881-6093, so you never have to explain your project twice. First order or fiftieth, your boxes get the same attention.

Two custom rigid boxes printed with the word Factory, stacked on a yellow surface

Made locally, from recycled board

Every Packwire box is made in North America, close to the customers it ships to, by people you can reach on the phone. Local manufacturing is what keeps lead times at 10 to 20 days, keeps freight short, and keeps the color and fit consistent from one run to the next.

The corrugated board in mailer and shipping boxes carries at least 50 percent recycled fiber, and rigid boxes are built on chipboard, itself a recycled board. All four styles are paper and recycle with mixed paper. Corrugated inserts and partitions, made alongside the box, recycle with it.

Custom folding boxes with a bold illustrated print, stacked on a green background

Need something the four styles don't cover?

Most custom projects start with one of the four boxes and change one thing: a size outside the designer's range, a B-flute or double-wall board, a window, an insert cut to the product, a matching sleeve, or a run above 2,000 boxes. We also make corrugated inserts and partitions, printed tubes, counter and floor displays, and bags.

Projects like these are quoted rather than priced online. Request a quote with what you are packing, how many you need and when, and we will come back with a plan and a price.

Custom box questions

Our minimum order is 10 units for mailer boxes and corrugated shipping boxes. For rigid and folding boxes, it's 500 units.

Want to see and feel one first? Order a single printed mailer sample right from our 3D configurator. Just set the quantity to 1. It's $35 plus $6.25 shipping to the continental US, Alaska or Canada ($41.25 delivered).

Need fewer rigid or folding boxes than the minimum? Short runs are possible case by case. Setting up a run takes about the same machine time and hands-on work for 50 boxes as for 500. On a short run that cost is shared by far fewer boxes, so the price of each one climbs steeply. If a higher price per box still works for your project, tell us what you need. We'll tell you honestly what a short run would cost.

Your price depends on size, box style, material and quantity. For mailer and shipping boxes, ink coverage counts too. The more you order, the less you pay per box.

Our 3D configurator measures how much of the box your artwork covers and reprices live in four bands: 0–25%, 25–50%, 50–75% and 75%+. A small logo lands in the lowest band, artwork covering the whole box in the highest. Folding and rigid boxes ignore coverage.

A mailer printed inside only counts as one-sided. Artwork on both the outside and the inside makes it two-sided, priced as full outside coverage plus 60%. We can print inside other box styles on request. Contact us for a quote.

Production time is usually 10-20 calendar days, depending on quantity and box style. Rigid boxes take longer, about 30 days. Each one goes through more production steps, with an operator at every step.

Transit adds roughly one day to a week, depending on where you are and how big the order is. All in, plan on about 2-4 weeks door to door for mailer, shipping and folding boxes, and about 5-6 weeks for rigid boxes. Enter your ZIP code on any box page or at checkout to see an estimated delivery date. Planning a launch? Confirm exact dates with us first.

Production starts once you approve your online proof, so that's when the clock starts.

Need it sooner? Just ask. When our schedule allows, we often expedite at no extra charge, and rush options are there for tighter deadlines. Contact us with your timeline and we'll do our best to make it work.

Yes. We regularly produce runs well above 2,000 units.

Our 3D configurator stops at 2,000 units (3,000 for folding boxes). That's a limit of the online tool, and our team quotes anything above it.

Bigger runs usually get a better price per box. We may also print them with HD Flexo or Litho Lamination for even higher quality at scale. Contact us with your quantity, box style and size, and we'll send you a quote.

No. Products on our website have no setup fees. Setup fees only apply to specialized custom products or complex projects that aren't listed online. Contact us for the specifics on yours.

Packwire makes four box styles. Here's what each one is for, with its size range and minimum order:

  • Mailer Boxes are the most popular choice. Corrugated, ship-ready, and tuck closed without tape or glue. Great for e-commerce, subscription boxes, and direct-to-consumer shipping. Works as both primary packaging (the box your customer sees) and secondary packaging (the box it ships in). Any size from 2" x 2" x 2" up to 20" x 20" x 6", including fully custom dimensions. Minimum 10 units.
  • Shipping Boxes are your standard corrugated box with flaps. Sturdier than mailers and ideal for heavier or larger products. Typically used as secondary or tertiary packaging to protect the product inside during transit. 7 stock sizes from 6" x 6" x 6" to 17" x 14" x 12", custom sizes by quote. Minimum 10 units.
  • Folding Boxes are thin, lightweight cardstock boxes. Perfect for retail shelves, cosmetics, food, and smaller products. These are primary packaging, meant to be seen by the customer. Not designed for shipping on their own. 10 stock sizes from 2.25" x 2.25" x 3.25" to 7" x 5" x 3.5". Minimum 500 units.
  • Rigid Boxes are premium, non-collapsible boxes (think phone or jewelry packaging). They arrive pre-assembled and are built to impress. Primary packaging for luxury or high-end products. Not safe to ship on their own. 9 stock sizes from 3.5" x 3.5" x 1" to 9" x 9" x 2.5". Minimum 500 units.

All dimensions are interior measurements in inches, listed as Length x Width x Depth.

Still not sure? Reach out with your product details and we'll recommend the best fit. No cost, no obligation.

Each box style uses its own material: corrugated board, cardboard or paper. Here's what to expect:

  • Mailer boxes: E-Flute 32 ECT (200 lbs TEST) - 1/16" thickness.
    We also offer B-Flute mailers for any quantity if you need extra durability.
  • Rigid Boxes: 50pt chipboard + 80lbs litho paper (thicker board on larger sizes) - about 1/16" thickness total
  • Shipping Boxes: B-Flute 32 ECT (200 lbs TEST) - 1/8" thickness
  • Folding Boxes: 16-18pt SBS Board depending on size

For every flute, ECT grade and caliper in US and metric units, with real-world comparisons, see our Packaging Board Chart.

Need a different board thickness? Contact us and our team will be happy to help.

All box dimensions on our site are interior measurements listed as Length × Width × Depth. That's the usable space inside the box. The outside is slightly larger because of the board's thickness. To find your size, grab a ruler or measuring tape and measure your product at its longest, widest and tallest points.

How much room to add depends on the box style. Our boxes are cut accurately to the interior size you order, so on most styles you don't need to add any extra. On shipping boxes, add about 1/8" to allow for the glue flap.

Shipping the product in the box with void fill, tissue paper or inserts? Leave room for those too. For an odd-shaped item, measure its bounding box: the smallest rectangle that fits the whole product.

Not sure which size works best? Enter your product's dimensions in our Box Size Optimizer. It finds the smallest inside size that fits them, void fill included. Or contact us and we'll help you find the right fit.

Yes. A dedicated account manager personally reviews every order before anything goes to press.

Here's what to expect:

  1. You place your order
  2. We send you a 2D proof by email, within 24 business hours
  3. Your account manager checks the artwork for any issues like resolution, bleed, or color and lets you know if anything needs a tweak
  4. You give us the thumbs up

Nothing goes into production until you're completely happy with how everything looks.

Smaller orders usually ship by parcel carrier, like FedEx, FedEx Express or UPS. Your boxes are packed into one or more packages and travel through the carrier's network, just like any online order you'd get at your door.

Larger orders ship by LTL Freight (Less Than Truckload). Your boxes go on a pallet and ride on a shared freight truck with other shipments. The truck pulls up to your location and unloads the pallet with a liftgate or at a loading dock. LTL usually costs less for larger orders. One pallet replaces dozens of separate packages, each of which would be weighed, sorted and charged on its own.

You choose the shipping method that works best for you at checkout. We don't offer USPS at the moment. Whichever method you pick, you'll get tracking information when your order ships.

All our prices are in US dollars (USD), and we charge your order in USD. Box pages, the 3D configurator, the cart, checkout and our quotes all show a plain $ sign. Any $ amount with no other currency next to it is in US dollars.

Paying from Canada or another country? Your bank or card issuer converts the charge at its own exchange rate, and some add a foreign transaction fee. Orders shipping within Canada also pay Canadian sales tax, added at checkout. See Do you charge sales tax?

Three ways to get us:

  • Email: hello@packwire.com, answered the same day and often right away
  • Phone: 1-800-881-6093, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern
  • Live chat: during business hours, bottom right of any page

You can also send us the details through our contact form, including artwork files if you want a second pair of eyes on them before you order.

Every customer is assigned a dedicated account manager who knows your orders, so you're not re-explaining your project every time you write in.

All questions and answers

What customers say about Packwire

Packwire is rated 4.8 out of 5 on Google, across all four box styles. More reviews.

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Ready to create your custom boxes?

Pick a style above, set your size and see the price, then open the 3D designer to bring your artwork onto the box. No plates, no tooling and no minimum in the thousands. Your boxes are made in North America and at your door in a few weeks.