12 Types of Custom Packaging Boxes and When to Use Each

What are the 12 main types of packaging boxes?

Browsing custom packaging boxes is easier once you know the main styles. Below are 12 common types, what each does best, and when to choose it. Every box is made to your exact size.

How do you choose a box type?

1. Does it ship by mail? Mailer or corrugated.
2. Does it sit on a shelf? Tuck end, auto-lock or window carton.
3. Is it a gift customers keep? Rigid, magnetic or drawer.
4. Is it for food? Pizza, burger or bakery boxes.
5. Is it for apparel? See custom clothing boxes.

For a product-by-product walkthrough, read how to choose the right custom box.

Which print methods and finishes apply?

All types can use offset, digital or screen printing, plus foil and spot UV, with matte, gloss or soft-touch surfaces, embossing, varnish or aqueous coating where the board suits it.

How do the main box types compare?

Use this table to narrow the list to two or three types, then compare those on cost, protection and look.

Which box type suits which industry?

• Cosmetics and skincare: tuck end and window cartons for retail, mailers for online orders. See how to design cosmetic packaging.
• Food and takeaway: pizza boxes, burger boxes and bakery cartons in food-safe board. Read our guide to food-safe packaging materials.
• Apparel: mailer boxes for ecommerce, rigid or magnetic boxes for premium pieces.
• Retail impulse products: counter and PDQ display boxes. Compare them in types of display boxes.
• Gifts and subscriptions: mailers with inserts, or rigid boxes when the box is kept.

What should you decide before you pick a type?

Work through these questions in order. Each answer removes some options.

1. How does the product reach the customer? If it ships alone, start with mailers or corrugated boxes. If it sits on a shelf, start with folding cartons.
2. How heavy and fragile is it? Heavy items suit auto-lock bottoms or corrugated board. Glass usually needs an insert.
3. Should the customer see the product? A window box or sleeve shows it without opening.
4. Will the box be kept? Keepsake and gift products justify a rigid box.
5. How much storage space do you have? Folding cartons and mailers ship and store flat; rigid boxes take far more room.

Which mistakes should you avoid when choosing a box type?

• Choosing a retail carton for shipping. Thin paperboard alone rarely survives a courier network.
• Picking rigid boxes for everything. They look premium, but they cost more to store and ship.
• Forgetting inserts. A loose product inside the right box type can still break.
• Ignoring assembly time. If your team packs by hand, a box that takes long to erect slows every order.
• Sizing from a stock list. Every box is made to your exact size, so measure the product rather than guessing.

How do you compare two box types before ordering?

If you are torn between two styles, ask for a quote on both with the same size, quantity and print. Comparing the two quotes side by side, together with a proof of each dieline, usually makes the choice clear. For the full ordering process, read how to order custom boxes.

How do finishes and inserts change each box type?

The same box type can look very different depending on finish and fit:

• Mailer boxes often get a printed inside lid and a matte or gloss outer finish.
• Tuck end and auto-lock cartons suit foil logos, spot UV and embossing for retail shelves.
• Window boxes work well with a matte surface so the product, not the board, catches the eye.
• Rigid and magnetic boxes are commonly wrapped in soft-touch paper with foil or embossing.
• Food boxes need food-safe board and coatings, with print kept on the outside.

Inserts turn any of these into a safer, better-presented pack. Paperboard inserts keep the box in one material; custom inserts can be sized around each item in a set.

Do box types ship flat or assembled?

Mailers, tuck end cartons, auto-lock cartons, sleeves, window boxes, display boxes, pizza boxes and burger boxes ship flat and are folded when you pack. Rigid, magnetic and drawer boxes usually arrive assembled. Plan storage space for assembled styles before you order.

How do I request a quote?

Request a quote — minimum 50 units, runs of 50–249 quoted individually, 7–14 business days. Start your quote.