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Customized Cartons
Your Brand, On Every Carton

Custom Cartons, Printed & Built to Order

Turn plain packaging into a branded experience. We produce custom cartons — folding cartons, retail boxes, mailers and corrugated shipping cartons — printed with your logo, colors and artwork, in the exact size and style your product needs.

Get a Custom Quote → Compare Carton Styles
Low minimums & bulk runs
Full-color brand printing
Folding & corrugated options
Your brand, on every carton
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The complete guide

Everything you need to know about custom cartons

Custom cartons are made-to-order paperboard and corrugated boxes printed with your brand — your logo, colors, product name and artwork. They cover a wide family of packaging: folding cartons for retail shelves, tuck-end boxes for cosmetics and supplements, mailer boxes for ecommerce, corrugated cartons for shipping, food-grade cartons for takeout, and rigid setup boxes for premium gifting. Whatever you sell, the carton is often the first thing a customer touches, so a well-designed custom carton does double duty: it protects the product and sells the brand.

Because every carton is built to spec, the right choice depends on what you’re packing, how it ships, and the impression you want to make on the shelf or at the doorstep. This guide walks through the main carton styles and when to use each, the board and caliper options that drive strength and feel, the print and finish choices that make a box look premium, how the ordering process runs from die-line to delivery, and how bulk pricing works. If you already know roughly what you need, you can request a custom quote at any point and we’ll help you dial in the spec.

Why go custom

A custom carton works twice — protection and marketing

Blank stock boxes get the product from A to B, but they say nothing about your brand. A custom carton printed with your logo and colors protects the product just as well while turning every unboxing into a branded moment. Whether it’s a retail folding carton on a crowded shelf or a mailer box landing on a doorstep, custom packaging makes your product look considered, professional and unmistakably yours.

Shelf & brand impact

Full-color printing, finishes and structure make your product stand out on the shelf and turn the unboxing into part of the experience.

Built to protect

Right-sized cartons in the correct board and caliper protect the product in transit and on display, cutting damage and returns.

Made to spec

Pick the carton style, board, size, print and finish — we match your Pantone colors and produce runs from small batches to thousands.

How it works

From artwork to loading dock in four steps

1

Share your spec

Tell us the product, dimensions, carton style and quantity — send your logo and artwork (vector preferred).

2

We die-line & proof

We build the structural die-line, lay out your print, match Pantone colors and send a digital proof to review.

3

You approve

Confirm the proof, board, finish and final quantity. Nothing runs until you sign off — samples available on request.

4

We print & ship

Your cartons are printed, die-cut, glued, quality-checked and shipped flat or set up, nationwide.

Board & construction

Carton materials: caliper, flute and which to choose

Two things decide how a carton feels and performs: for folding cartons it’s the paperboard caliper (thickness, measured in points, where 1 pt = 0.001"), and for shipping cartons it’s the corrugated flute profile. Heavier board and thicker flute mean more rigidity and protection; lighter stock keeps folding cartons crisp and cost-effective. Here’s how the common options compare.

Folding carton board caliper

Lighter 14–18 pt board suits small retail and cosmetic cartons; 20–24 pt gives sturdier, more premium folding cartons.

Corrugated flute thickness

Fine F/E flutes print crisply for retail and mailer boxes; B and C flutes add cushioning and stacking strength for shipping.

Carton styleBest forTypical materialClosure
Straight / reverse tuck end RetailCosmetics, supplements, small retail goods14–20 pt paperboardTuck flaps
Seal-end (auto-lock)Food, pharma, faster fill lines18–24 pt paperboardGlued ends
Auto-bottom / crash-lock PopularHeavier retail products, quick assembly18–24 pt paperboardPop-open base
Mailer boxEcommerce, subscription, unboxingE-flute corrugatedRoll-end tuck
Corrugated shipping cartonBulk shipping, heavier or fragile itemsB / C-flute corrugatedGlued/taped flaps
Rigid setup boxPremium, gifting, electronicsWrapped greyboardLift-off / magnetic lid
Materials & durability

Built to protect the product and hold your brand sharp

Folding cartons are produced from paperboard — bright white SBS for vivid print, or natural kraft and CCNB for an earthy, recycled look — die-cut and glued to your die-line so they ship flat and set up cleanly. Corrugated cartons add a fluted middle layer between liners for cushioning and stacking strength, which is why they’re the right call for shipping and heavier products. The board, caliper and flute you choose should match the weight of the product and how it travels.

Print and finish do the rest of the work. Offset and digital printing hold fine detail and accurate brand color, while coatings and special effects — matte or gloss lamination, soft-touch, foil stamping, embossing and spot UV — control how the carton looks and feels in hand. You pick the combination that fits your product and budget; a value retail carton and a luxury gift box are specified very differently.

  • SBS & kraft paperboard — bright-white or natural, in multiple calipers
  • Corrugated E/B/C flute — cushioning and stacking strength for shipping
  • Recyclable stock — paperboard and corrugated are widely recyclable
  • Food-grade options — board suitable for food-contact packaging on request
  • Durable coatings — matte, gloss and soft-touch lamination for scuff resistance
  • Accurate brand color — Pantone (PMS) matching across the run
Customization options

Make the carton unmistakably yours

Full-color printing

Offset, digital and flexo printing reproduce your logo, artwork and Pantone brand colors in sharp, consistent detail.

Board & caliper

Choose SBS, kraft or corrugated in the caliper or flute that matches your product’s weight and feel.

Coatings & lamination

Matte, gloss or soft-touch finishes protect the surface and set the tactile impression of the box.

Special effects

Foil stamping, embossing, debossing and spot UV add premium highlights to logos and key details.

Structure & die-line

Custom sizes, tuck styles, auto-bottoms, windows and inserts engineered around your exact product.

Bulk quantities

Runs from small batches to thousands, with per-unit pricing that improves as your volume grows.

Board & finish guide

Carton stock and finishes, and what they signal

The board you print on and the finish you apply shape how customers read your product before they’ve even opened it. Common combinations and the impression they create:

White SBSBright, vivid print — retail & cosmetics
Natural KraftEarthy, recycled, sustainable feel
Matte laminationSoft, modern, low-glare surface
Gloss laminationHigh-shine, colors pop, protective
Soft-touchVelvety, premium tactile finish
Foil stampMetallic gold/silver brand accents
Emboss / debossRaised or recessed logo detail
Spot UVGlossy highlights on a matte base

Need an exact match? We print to your Pantone (PMS) brand colors and can combine finishes on a single carton.

Buyer’s guide

How to choose the right custom carton

The best carton comes down to what you’re packing and how it ships or sells. Use this quick guide to match your product to the right style, material and finish.

What you’re packagingRecommended styleMaterialFinish
Cosmetics & small retailStraight / reverse tuck end14–20 pt SBSMatte or soft-touch
Supplements & pharmaSeal-end (auto-lock)18–24 pt paperboardGloss or matte
Food & takeoutTuck or seal-end cartonFood-grade boardGrease-resistant coating
Ecommerce & subscriptionMailer boxE-flute corrugatedInterior + exterior print
Bulk / heavier shippingCorrugated shipping cartonB / C-flute corrugatedFlexo or digital print
Premium & giftingRigid setup boxWrapped greyboardFoil, emboss, soft-touch

Not sure which fits your product? Tell us what you’re packing and we’ll recommend a spec with your quote.

Where they shine

One carton family, many products

Folding CartonsRetail tuck-end and seal-end boxes for shelf-ready products.
Retail Product BoxesShelf-ready packaging that sells your product at a glance.
Custom Mailer BoxesEcommerce and subscription boxes built for the unboxing.
Corrugated ShippingSturdy corrugated cartons for bulk and heavier goods.
Food & Takeout CartonsFood-grade cartons branded for restaurants and CPG.
Rigid Gift BoxesPremium setup boxes for gifting, luxury and electronics.
Bulk pricing

How custom carton pricing works

Custom cartons are priced per unit, and the per-carton price drops as your quantity climbs. Your final quote depends on four things: carton style and size, board or flute, print and finishes, and total quantity. Larger runs, simpler artwork and standard finishes bring the unit cost down the most, while foil, embossing and rigid construction add to it.

Starter
100–499
Launches & small batches
Standard
500–999
Best value for most orders
Volume
1,000–4,999
Lower per-carton pricing
Enterprise
5,000+
Best per-unit rate
FAQ

Custom carton questions, answered

What is a folding carton?
A folding carton is a paperboard box that ships flat and folds up for use — the familiar style behind most retail, cosmetic, food and pharma packaging. It’s die-cut and creased from a single sheet of paperboard, then glued at the seams, and is printed with your brand before assembly.
What are custom packaging boxes?
Custom packaging boxes are cartons built to your exact size, style and artwork rather than pulled from a stock catalog. That includes folding cartons, mailer boxes, corrugated shippers, food cartons and rigid boxes — each printed with your logo, colors and messaging.
What’s the difference between a folding carton and a corrugated box?
Folding cartons are made from a single layer of paperboard and are ideal for lightweight retail products and crisp printing. Corrugated boxes have a fluted middle layer between liners for cushioning and stacking strength, which makes them the right choice for shipping and heavier or fragile items.
What is folding carton printing?
Folding carton printing applies your artwork to paperboard using offset, digital or flexo methods, usually before the sheet is die-cut and glued. It reproduces your logo and Pantone brand colors accurately, and can be combined with coatings and effects like foil, embossing and spot UV.
What board thickness (caliper) should I choose?
Caliper is measured in points, where 1 pt equals 0.001". Lighter 14–18 pt board suits small retail and cosmetic cartons, while 20–24 pt gives a sturdier, more premium folding carton. Heavier products and shipping generally move to corrugated instead. We’ll recommend a caliper based on your product’s weight.
How do I choose a folding carton manufacturer?
Look for a partner who can build the die-line around your product, match your brand colors, offer the finishes you need, and produce your quantity reliably — with clear proofs before production. Share your product details and target quantity and we’ll walk you through the spec.
What’s the minimum order for custom cartons?
Minimums depend on the carton style and print method. Digital printing supports smaller batches, while offset and corrugated runs are more economical at higher volumes. Tell us your target quantity in a quote request and we’ll confirm the minimum and per-unit pricing.
Can you match my exact brand colors?
Yes. We print to your specified Pantone (PMS) colors so your cartons match the rest of your brand materials, and we send a proof for approval before anything goes to production.
What finishes and special effects are available?
Common options include matte, gloss and soft-touch lamination, plus foil stamping, embossing, debossing and spot UV. Finishes can be combined on one carton — for example soft-touch lamination with a foil-stamped logo — to create a premium feel.
Are recyclable or food-grade cartons available?
Paperboard and corrugated are widely recyclable, and kraft stock uses recycled content for a more sustainable look. For food packaging we can specify food-grade board and coatings suitable for food contact — note your requirement in the quote so we spec it correctly.
What artwork format do you need?
Vector files (AI, EPS, PDF) give the cleanest print, and a print-ready file built to our die-line is ideal. If you only have a logo or draft, send what you have and we’ll help prepare the artwork and die-line before proofing.
What’s the typical turnaround time?
Turnaround depends on carton style, finishes, quantity and artwork readiness. After the proof and die-line are approved, orders move into production — share your launch or deadline date in your quote request and we’ll confirm timing.
Do you offer samples before a full order?
For most runs we can provide a digital proof and, on request, a physical or pre-production sample so you can check the structure, print and finish before we produce the full quantity. Ask about samples when you request your quote.
How do I get a quote?
Use the custom quote form with your carton style, size, quantity, colors and artwork, or call (929) 605-4397. You’ll get pricing and a production timeline back quickly.

Ready to put your brand on every carton?

Tell us your product, carton style, quantity and colors — we’ll send back exact pricing, a proof and a production timeline. Small batches and bulk orders welcome.