Reverse tuck end
Most board-efficient, lowest unit cost, standard for cosmetics.
Retail Merchandising
Custom Folding Cartons
$72.00 per pack of 100 boxes · $0.72 per box Tax added at invoicing
Free delivery to 23 markets
Total: $72.00 for 100 boxes
No payment is taken online. Add your boxes and submit the request — a packaging specialist confirms sizing, artwork and freight, then we get back to you with the final invoice and payment options once the details are confirmed.
- Free standard DHL delivery
- Free dieline, digital proof and artwork check
- 8–12 business days production, then 3–6 days transit
- 30-day replacement guarantee on print and manufacturing defects
Need a different size, quantity or finish? Build a custom spec or email sales@boxes-custom.com.
A folding carton is a printed paperboard box that arrives flat and glued along one seam, then pops into shape at pack-out. It is the highest-volume retail packaging format in the world because it prints beautifully, ships flat, and costs a fraction of rigid or corrugated alternatives.
- Sheet-optimised dielines. We nest the blank to your printer's sheet so you pay for board, not offcuts.
- Food and pharma grades. Migration-compliant boards and barrier options where regulation requires them.
- Glue-tab varnish knockouts. Standard on every job, so seams do not pop in transit.
- Ships flat, folds fast. Glued blanks stack densely and erect by hand or machine at pack-out.
What are custom folding cartons?
Folding carton economics come from nesting. The dieline is laid out so blanks interlock on the press sheet with minimal waste, and a small change in carton proportions can move several extra blanks onto each sheet. That is why a designer working with the printer's sheet size saves more money than any negotiation.
Board choice runs from bleached SBS for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, through coated recycled board (CRB) for dry goods, to kraft for natural positioning. Food-contact applications need a grade with the appropriate barrier and migration compliance — a virgin-fibre board or a functional barrier over recycled content.
Glued seams are the failure point to watch. On coated and varnished stock the glue tab must be left unvarnished or the seam pops open in transit. It is a trivial pre-press instruction that gets missed constantly.
Custom Folding Cartons at a glance
| Box category | Retail Merchandising |
|---|---|
| Minimum order | 100 boxes |
| Unit price from | $0.72 per box |
| Production time | 8–12 business days after artwork approval |
| Printing | Digital CMYK, flexographic spot colour, offset litho-lamination |
| Materials | SBS / folding boxboard 300–450 gsm, Coated recycled board (CRB), Kraft board, Metallised and pearlescent board |
| Finishing | Matte and gloss lamination, Anti-scuff varnish, Spot UV, Hot foil, Emboss and deboss, Window patching, Braille, Tamper-evident seals |
| Ships to | 24 countries by DHL — free to 23, Japan quoted separately |
Custom Folding Cartons: styles and constructions
The construction decides how the box closes, how much it protects and what it costs. These are the formats we produce most often for custom folding cartons.
Straight tuck end
Cleaner front face, preferred where shelf display matters.
Crash-lock auto-bottom
Pre-glued base snaps open — faster hand-packing for heavier contents.
Seal end carton
Fully glued top and bottom for tamper evidence in food and pharma.
Materials
- SBS / folding boxboard 300–450 gsm
- Bright white, best print, food and pharma grades available.
- Coated recycled board (CRB)
- Lower cost with a grey back; ideal for dry non-food goods.
- Kraft board
- Uncoated natural finish for eco-led brands.
- Metallised and pearlescent board
- Shelf impact for beauty and confectionery.
Printing & finishing options
- Matte and gloss lamination
- Anti-scuff varnish
- Spot UV
- Hot foil
- Emboss and deboss
- Window patching
- Braille
- Tamper-evident seals
Who orders custom folding cartons
- Cosmetics, skincare and fragrance brands
- Supplement, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical packers
- Dry food, confectionery and tea brands
- Any brand needing high-volume retail cartons
Popular custom folding cartons sizes
Every order is cut to your interior dimensions — these are the sizes customers request most often, and a useful starting point if you are not sure where to begin.
| Size (L × W × D) | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 1.5 x 1.5 x 3 in | Serums, vials, lip products |
| 2 x 2 x 4 in | Supplement bottles, small jars |
| 3 x 2 x 5 in | Skincare tubes and cartons |
| 4 x 3 x 6 in | Tea, confectionery and dry goods |
| 6 x 4 x 8 in | Multi-unit retail packs |
How to choose custom folding cartons
-
Design to the press sheet
Adjusting a carton by a few millimetres can add blanks per sheet and cut unit cost materially.
-
Check food-contact compliance
Recycled board needs a functional barrier for direct food contact. Ask before specifying CRB.
-
Specify tamper evidence early
Seal-end and locking-tab constructions change the dieline, not just the finishing.
-
Order a folded sample
A flat proof hides crease cracking and glue-seam issues that a folded sample reveals immediately.
Custom Folding Cartons pricing by market
We manufacture for brands in 24 markets. Prices below are for one pack of 100 boxes at the standard specification. Delivery is free everywhere except Japan, where air freight is quoted separately.
| Market | Currency | Per box | Pack of 100 | Excl. tax | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | USD | $0.72 | $72.00 | — | at invoicing |
| United Kingdom | GBP | £0.68 | £68.26 | £56.88 | included |
| Canada | CAD | CA$0.99 | CA$98.64 | — | at invoicing |
| Australia | AUD | A$1.20 | A$120.38 | A$109.44 | included |
| Ireland | EUR | €0.81 | €81.48 | €66.24 | included |
| New Zealand | NZD | NZ$1.37 | NZ$136.62 | NZ$118.80 | included |
| Singapore | SGD | S$1.05 | S$105.16 | S$96.48 | included |
| Market | Currency | Per box | Pack of 100 | Excl. tax | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | EUR | €0.79 | €78.83 | €66.24 | included |
| France | EUR | €0.79 | €79.49 | €66.24 | included |
| Netherlands | EUR | €0.80 | €80.15 | €66.24 | included |
| Belgium | EUR | €0.80 | €80.15 | €66.24 | included |
| Austria | EUR | €0.79 | €79.49 | €66.24 | included |
| Italy | EUR | €0.81 | €80.81 | €66.24 | included |
| Spain | EUR | €0.80 | €80.15 | €66.24 | included |
| Sweden | SEK | 9.45 kr | 945.00 kr | 756.00 kr | included |
| Denmark | DKK | 6.16 kr | 616.50 kr | 493.20 kr | included |
| Norway | NOK | 9.72 kr | 972.00 kr | 777.60 kr | included |
| Finland | EUR | €0.83 | €83.13 | €66.24 | included |
| Switzerland | CHF | CHF 0.68 | CHF 68.49 | CHF 63.36 | included |
| Market | Currency | Per box | Pack of 100 | Excl. tax | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JPY | ¥119 | ¥11,880 | ¥10,800 | included |
| South Korea | KRW | ₩1,069 | ₩106,920 | ₩97,200 | included |
| Hong Kong | HKD | HK$5.62 | HK$561.60 | — | n/a |
| United Arab Emirates | AED | AED 2.77 | AED 277.45 | AED 264.24 | included |
| Israel | ILS | ₪3.14 | ₪314.35 | ₪266.40 | included |
The headline price includes local VAT or GST where that market requires it. If you are VAT-registered you reclaim that, so the excl. tax column is your real cost. US and Canadian prices add sales tax at invoicing instead. Volume pricing improves at 250, 500, 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 units — see wholesale custom boxes for the volume tiers.
Further reading
Guides from our structural, prepress and production teams that are directly relevant to specifying custom folding cartons.
How to read a dieline and supply artwork that prints first time
Bleed, safe zones, glue-tab knockouts, grain direction and barcode quiet zones — the ten-point pre-flight list.
Read the guide →Digital vs flexographic vs offset: which printing method costs less
Where the crossover points sit between the three processes, and how to cut print cost without cutting quality.
Read the guide →Rigid vs folding carton vs corrugated: choosing a construction
A structural comparison of cost, strength, print quality, freight and lead time across the three board families.
Read the guide →FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a folding carton?
A folding carton is a paperboard box printed flat, die-cut, creased and glued along one seam, then shipped flat and erected at pack-out. It is the standard format for cosmetics, supplements, confectionery and most retail shelf packaging.
What is the difference between a folding carton and a corrugated box?
A folding carton is single-layer paperboard, typically 300–450 gsm, optimised for print and shelf appearance. A corrugated box has a fluted core for transit strength. Cartons sell the product; corrugated protects it.
Can folding cartons be used for food?
Yes, with the right board. Direct food contact needs virgin-fibre board or a functional barrier over recycled content, plus migration-compliant inks and coatings. Tell us the food type and we will specify a compliant grade.
Why do glued seams sometimes come apart?
Almost always because varnish or lamination was applied over the glue tab. We knock the coating out of the glue area as standard so adhesive bonds to raw board.
What is the minimum order for custom folding cartons?
100 cartons per size and artwork on digital production. Offset becomes more economical from around 2,500 units, with meaningful breaks at 5,000, 10,000 and 25,000.
How much board weight do I need?
300–350 gsm for small light SKUs, 400–450 gsm for larger panels or heavier contents. Very large flat panels below 350 gsm tend to bow on shelf.