Folding Carton Packaging

Custom folding carton boxes that launch products,

build brands, and look great on retail shelves.

Premium folding carton boxes — designed, printed, and built in the USA

You Know the Folding Carton Style You’re Looking For

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Explore Our Most Popular Box Styles

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Cream Perfume Company - Tuck End Box with Window_edited.png

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Popular Styles

Cartons that Hang

Carton Sleeves

Header Card Pkg.

Display Pkg.

Popular Folding Carton Styles

Reliable, customizable, and built for production.

These core folding carton styles are proven workhorses—versatile, efficient to produce, and ideal for high-speed runs.

They can be customized with options like inside partitions, specialized locks, or hang tabs—and always offer clean panels for sharp, high-impact graphics.

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Tuck End

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Auto Lock Bottom

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Snap Lock Bottom

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Roll End Tuck Front Box

So what does carton packaging cost?

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✔️Easy Way to Measure

✔️ Paper Thicknesses

✔️ Types of Print Finishes

Custom printed tuck end folding carton with die cut window for cream perfume packaging

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Window

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18pt total costs

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24pt total costs

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How Did We Come Up With These Costs?

Our Custom Product Box Costs Explained shows exactly what goes into your quote—and how to make the most of your product packaging budget.

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Paper Thickness

Print Finishes

Measure

Reading a Ruler

Paperboard Thickness Chart

What's a Good Paper Thickness for My Box?

16pt (0.016″ ≈ slightly thicker than a business card)
- Best for very small product boxes.
- Rule of thumb: footprint (floor of the box) of about 1″ × 1″ or smaller.

18pt (0.018″ ≈ just under credit-card thickness)
- Strong enough for most cosmetics, food, and shelf packaging.
- Cost-effective and versatile — the “everyday” choice for custom boxes.
- Rule of thumb: footprint of about 2.75″ × 2.75″ or smaller.

24pt (0.024″ ≈ credit-card thickness)
- Stiffer and more rigid, with a premium feel in hand.
- Ideal for larger, heavier, or higher-end products where strength and presentation matter.
- Rule of thumb: footprint of about 3″ × 3″ or larger.

Cardstock.... or Paperboard?

The paper behind your packaging matters

You may have seen box specs like “18pt cardstock” online — but not all 18pt paper is created equal.

• Cardstock: A thick paper used for crafts, postcards, and invitations. It’s cheaper and technically works for light packaging — but it lacks the stiffness and durability needed for most product boxes.

• Paperboard: A stiffer material engineered specifically for packaging. It folds cleanly, glues reliably, and holds its shape to protect your product — and your brand — on the shelf.

The key is knowing what you’re buying. In retail, your product box is what closes the sale — so it needs to perform and look its best. That’s why we use a quality paperboard — so your packaging doesn’t just hold together, it helps sell what’s inside.

If you came for a quote, you're all set.

But if you're curious about folding carton history, print options, and secondary packaging roles—keep scrolling.

Folding Carton Options

Carton Features That Make Packaging Easier

Folding cartons can do more than just hold your product. Add features that make them easier to open, seal, hang, or organize:

Locking tabs to keep tuck panels closed
Hang tabs for peg displays
Tear strips and peel-and-stick tape for sealing
Inserts and dividers for folding carton display boxes or to section the inside of the carton

See All Folding Carton Box Options →

Tuck Top Box Family

The Tuck Top Family of Folding Carton Boxes

Tuck Top Styles

Many people search for “tuck top boxes,” but the term actually describes a family of similar folding cartons styles. Informally, it usually refers to paperboard boxes with the same basic structure: a four-panel glued box with a tuck-in lid that closes on top.

The difference is how the bottom closes.

• Tuck End Box: Opposing tuck closing panels lock the top and bottom.

• Tuck Top Auto Lock Bottom : A glued bottom that snaps into place for extra strength.

• Tuck Top Snap Lock Bottom: Four interlocking bottom panels folded during assembly to create the base.

• Roll End Tuck Top (RETT): While also a tuck top box, this is a different folding carton style altogether. Because they’re unglued, RETTs are an economical choice for small product packaging. They’re also widely recognized as the style used for pizza boxes.

Why this matters

There’s one more thing about tuck style folding cartons: they share a wide range of packaging options, from inside partitions and hang tabs to different tuck locks and panel closures. So when you search for tuck top boxes, you’re not pointing to one specific style. You’re really searching for a folding carton with a top lid that tucks in — and the right choice depends on your product’s weight and packaging needs.

Tuck End Box

Tuck Top Auto Lock Bottom Box

Tuck Top Snap Lock Bottom Box

Gently Persuading

It's the Subtle Messages You Send...

Premium Finishes for Folding Cartons

These are the print finishes that add punch to your folding carton packaging—finishes designed to catch the eye and send subtle signals of quality that persuade shoppers.

From basic spot UV coatings and soft-touch finishes to upscale options like embossing and foil stamping, these custom printed carton finishes let you dial in the message that will resonate with the audience you're trying to reach.

And, for more dramatic effects, finishes can be layered—combining textures, gloss levels, and metallics to elevate both visual and tactile impact.

Available finishes include:
• Spot Gloss & Matte UV
• Soft-Touch Coating
• Foil Stamping
• Embossing & Debossing
• Specialty Laminates

Printed retail carton boxes with silver foil, soft touch finish, and spot UV gloss coating

What Are Folding Cartons?

The Box That Changed Retail Packaging.

What Are Folding Cartons?

Folding cartons are a type of paperboard box developed in the late 1800s to streamline retail packaging. They were the first packaging format designed to be printed, die-cut, and folded flat — a breakthrough that made mass production and branding possible.

Ready for the box die

Die is ready to go

Why They're Called Folding Cartons.

Originally used for retail products, folding cartons have since become the gold standard for consumer packaging. Because they fold flat, they take up less warehouse space, lower storage costs, speed up fulfillment, and keep shipping economical — all in one smart, lightweight box.

(“Folding” is obvious — but “carton” stuck as shorthand for lightweight paperboard boxes used in retail, not heavy-duty corrugated shipping boxes.)

Packaging That Helps You Sell.

Folding cartons are more than just boxes — they’re a communication tool.
In retail, your packaging often has to make the sale, and that’s where folding cartons shine. They give you the print quality and surface area to tell your story — vividly and instantly. And because they’re made from recyclable paperboard, they do it in a way that’s eco-friendly, too.

Did you know?

The caliper of your paperboard affects more than strength. Slight increases in thickness can make carton packaging feel more substantial—changing how customers perceive the value of your product.

Consumers often perceive products as more premium when the packaging uses muted colors and understated design—rather than loud, oversaturated graphics It follows the classic maxim: less is more.

Consumers are often willing to pay more for the same product—if the packaging looks and feels more expensive. That’s the power of perceived value—and like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder.

Premium finishes like foil, soft touch and embossing were first used on book covers. Luxury packaging borrowed them to blend rich texture, visual contrast, and dimensional detail—creating a multi-sensory experience that signals quality.

Packaging Shapes Perceptions

How Custom Folding Carton Design Sets Expectations Before a Word is Read.

Packaging That Shapes Perception
Premium packaging doesn’t shout—it signals. The structure, color, finish, and even the weight of your folding carton all shape how your product is perceived, long before a shopper reads a single word.

Well-executed folding carton designs quietly influence expectations. A soft-touch coating implies elegance and refinement. Spot-glossed graphics and images provide contrast by highlighting selected packaging elements.

And foiled and embossed images add flash and dimension. These aren’t just decorative—they’re packaging cues that together suggest quality and justify value.

In the hands of the right buyer, a custom product box becomes more than packaging. It becomes a sales tool— shaping how customers see your product, and what they believe it’s worth.

Cosmetic skin cream tubes with their retail shelf boxes

Want Ideas for Affordable, premium-looking packaging?

Our team specializes in custom boxes that look high-end without the high cost—just ask us for creative solutions.

Print Options

Folding Carton Print Options

We offer two ways to print custom printed cartons

Offset Printing or Digital Printing. Both deliver sharp graphics, vibrant colors, and a range of finishes.

The choice comes down to whether you need short run custom boxes or more conventional longer run printed cartons.

Both print technologies use four-color process (CMYK) printing, which offers a wide color range—but can sometimes look a bit flat compared to custom-mixed spot colors.

Offset has long been the gold standard in packaging, but digital printing continues to close the gap.

Here’s how each option stacks up:

Offset Printing:

Best for longer production runs or when richer color and brand accuracy matter:

Lower cost per unit at higher volumes. Once setup is complete, offset’s speed makes it the more economical choice for runs over 1,000 cartons.
Supports Pantone (PMS) spot color inks for richer, more vibrant prints—especially important when brand consistency is critical.
Compatible with premium finishes like foil, embossing, spot gloss, and soft touch.
Efficient and reliable for ongoing SKUs and national launches.

Digital Printing:

Best for short run folding cartons, frequent design changes, or multiple product versions:

Fast turnarounds for tight schedules, quick launches, and seasonal promotions.
Lower setup costs make it ideal for printing multiple versions or SKUs in a single run.
Efficient for prototyping and low-volume runs where offset isn’t cost-effective.
Premium finishes available, including foil, soft touch, and spot gloss, depending on the workflow.

Folding Cartons as Secondary Packaging

When it's all about presentation!

Sometimes, the right packaging isn’t about holding the product — it’s about transforming how it’s presented.

Custom printed carton boxes also work as secondary packaging—adding a premium, retail-ready look to meal trays, bowls, squeeze tubes, and bottles.

Printed sleeves and wraps make it easy to bundle products or create multi-packs for sale.

• Sleeves – Add branding, color, and product details without the cost of a full box.

• Multi-packs & Bundles – Group or pair products for value pricing and greater shelf impact.

• Tube & Bottle Cartons – Give everyday packaging a premium look with space for messaging.

Custom carton boxes used as secondary packaging create new ways to stand out, run seasonal promotions, or test market ideas — all without changing your primary packaging.

How it's Made

How Do We Make These Things!

Bobst die cutting machine used to cut printed folding carton boxes

Cookie Cutting by The Numbers

Meet the giant cookie cutter of the packaging world—the Bobst die-cutting machine! Just like the cookie cutter you use to press out perfect hearts or stars from dough, this machine stamps out box shapes (“blanks”) from big sheets of paperboard.

With each satisfying “ka-chunk” of the machine, out pops a sheet of flat box blanks with all the right cuts, folds, and flaps—ready to be folded and glued into finished boxes. That’s how we turn big, flat sheets of paperboard into the custom printed boxes you see on store shelves.

A Typical Production Day....

Edgar setting up the cutting die

Setting up the box cutting die on the Bobst die cut machine

Checking to make sure it works!

Checking a freshly cut auto-lock bottom retail display box for fit and function

The Blues Brothers - Ready to Rock...

Printed cannabis retail cartons ready for die cutting

Our Star Designer Pondering What's Next!

Packaging designer considering a new folding carton box

Folding & Gluing - Where the Rubber Meets the Road.

Watch a Tuck End Box being Folded & Glued

High-speed folder-gluer machines are the backbone of modern packaging—they fold and glue just about any style or size of folding carton box in a flash.

Once the machine is set up production moves fast—turning carton blanks—die-cut boxes before they’ve been glued—into finished boxes at high speed.

In the video above, you’re watching a small tuck end soap box take shape on the line. Tuck end boxes are the most popular style of product box we run, followed closely by snap lock and auto lock bottom boxes.

Inside Packaging: Box Inserts & Dividers

Great packaging isn’t just about the box - it’s about securing what’s inside, too. If components are rattling around, custom die cut box inserts and cell dividers to the rescue! Sometimes called cardboard or chipboard inserts, they are designed to keep everything secure, organized, and looking great.

Think of these as made-to-fit organizers for your products. Custom die-cut inserts, created from foam or paperboard, often include cutouts, slots, and folds to wrap around, separate, and hold items firmly in place. While inside packaging, partitions and inserts are often left unprinted, they can also be custom printed with instructions or to enhance product presentation.

Most box inserts are stand-alone sections added during product fulfillment, but some boxes are partitioned inside during manufacturing.
Need separate compartments inside? We can partition tuck end style packaging creating inside compartments for products during the manufacturing process. It’s a clean, easy way to partition the inside of the box.

Need help designing packaging inserts and partitions? Just let us know – we can help!
Have a box that needs to hold lots of items neatly? Cell dividers are a clever solution: paperboard or chipboard strips assembled into a flexible, crisscross grid that creates individual compartments. These are a staple of counter display boxes that keep products organized.

Cell divider for folding carton display box used to keep products neatly organized

Make Your Printed Packaging Work Smarter and Harder

Beyond just size and graphics, folding cartons can be customized with all kinds of functional features—like locking tabs for extra security, hang tabs for easy retail display, or custom tuck panels that simply make for a better box. It’s the details that make the difference!

Wondering how you can customize your folding carton packaging? Take a look at all the ways you can customize printed cartons to fit your needs.

See All Folding Carton Box Options →

Better for the Planet: The Sustainable Choice

Paperboard folding cartons aren’t just strong and versatile - they’re a smarter, more sustainable way to package your products, using environmentally friendly inks and renewable resources. Here’s why paperboard cartons are the better choice:

Grown for packaging

Most paperboard comes from tree farms—not old-growth forests. These “managed forests” are planted, harvested, and replanted just like any other crop.

A renewable cycle

The paper industry plants far more trees than it harvests, especially in North America and Europe.

Cleans the air

A happy by-product of these tree farms is that they remove carbon dioxide a major greenhouse gas from the atmosphere.

Light environmental footprint

Printed folding cartons come from renewable resources, are easily recycled, and are more sustainable than plastic.

Positive perception

Customers are drawn to paperboard packaging, which feels more responsible and avoids the negative associations many have with plastic packaging.

Frequently Asked Questions