Custom box styles, explained by what each one does best.
The structure decides how a box opens, how it protects the product, how fast it packs and what it costs. Compare the main styles below, or tell us the product and we’ll recommend one.
- Every style made to your dimensions
- Free dieline for any style
- Help choosing — before you pay anything
All box styles.
Each style page covers sizes, materials, closures, typical uses and what affects the price.
Mailer boxes
Self-locking e-commerce boxes in E- or B-flute corrugated.
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Shipping boxes
Regular slotted cartons rated by ECT for parcels and freight.
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Tuck end boxes
Straight, reverse and auto-bottom retail cartons.
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Display boxes
Counter-top and PDQ displays that ship flat.
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Sleeve boxes
A tray with a printed sleeve that slides over it.
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Two-piece boxes
Lift-off lid and base in rigid board or paperboard.
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Magnetic closure boxes
Book-style rigid boxes with hidden magnets.
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Drawer boxes
A slide-out tray inside a sleeve, matchbox-style.
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Gable boxes
Carry boxes with a built-in handle.
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Pillow boxes
Curved, lightweight boxes for small items and favors.
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Window boxes
Die-cut windows that show the product.
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Folding cartons
Every paperboard carton style, printed offset or digital.
View style →Hang tab boxes
Cartons with a header for peg hooks.
Bottle carriers
Divided carriers for 4- and 6-packs.
Paper tubes
Cylinder boxes in rigid paperboard.
Hexagon boxes
Six-sided boxes for gifts and candles.
Pyramid boxes
Tapered favor and gift boxes.
Cube boxes
Equal-sided boxes for gifts and kits.
Die-cut & custom shape boxes
Shapes engineered from scratch.
Dispenser boxes
Tear-open fronts for counter dispensing.
Book style boxes
Hinged-lid rigid boxes that open like a book.
How to choose a box style in three questions.
1. How does it reach the customer?
- By parcel carrier → a corrugated mailer box or shipping box. Paperboard cartons alone won’t survive the network.
- On a retail shelf → a tuck end box, window box or other folding carton.
- Handed over as a gift → two-piece, magnetic or drawer rigid boxes.
2. How heavy and fragile is it?
| Product weight | Typical structure and board |
|---|---|
| Under 1 lb, not fragile | Paperboard carton, 16–18pt SBS |
| 1–5 lb, or glass | E- or B-flute mailer with an insert |
| 5–20 lb | Single-wall shipping box, 32 ECT |
| 20–65 lb | Single-wall 32–44 ECT, or double-wall for stacking |
3. How should opening feel?
A tuck end is quick and practical. A magnetic flap is slow and premium. A drawer creates a reveal. A gable box is meant to be carried. Match the opening to the moment you want the customer to have.
Style comparison at a glance.
| Fastest to pack | Tuck end, auto-bottom cartons, mailer boxes |
|---|---|
| Lowest unit cost | Tuck end cartons, pillow boxes, shipping boxes (RSC) |
| Most protective | Corrugated mailers and shipping boxes with inserts |
| Most premium | Magnetic closure, two-piece rigid, drawer boxes |
| Best for retail display | Display boxes, window boxes, hang tab cartons |
| Ships flat | All folding cartons and corrugated styles; folding rigid boxes |
Choosing a style in three questions.
1. Does the box ship on its own? If yes, start with corrugated mailer boxes or shipping boxes. If it ships inside another carton or sits on a shelf, paperboard styles like tuck end boxes and sleeve boxes work.
2. How much is the product worth — and is the box part of it? Premium products justify rigid two-piece, magnetic or drawer boxes.
3. Does the customer need to see or carry it? Use window boxes to show the product, gable boxes for a built-in handle, and display boxes for countertops.
Style comparison by cost and protection.
| Style | Board | Protection | Relative cost | Ships flat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuck end / folding carton | Paperboard | Light | $ | Yes |
| Sleeve | Paperboard | Light | $ | Yes |
| Pillow | Paperboard | Light | $ | Yes |
| Gable | Paperboard | Light | $$ | Yes |
| Mailer | Corrugated | Medium–high | $$ | Yes |
| Shipping (RSC) | Corrugated | High | $–$$ | Yes |
| Display | Paperboard or corrugated | Light–medium | $$ | Yes |
| Two-piece rigid | Grayboard | High | $$$ | No (collapsible options) |
| Magnetic / drawer rigid | Grayboard | High | $$$$ | No (collapsible options) |
Not sure which structure suits your product?
Send the product dimensions, weight and how it ships. We’ll recommend a style and send a free dieline.