Die-cut paperboard
Folded and slotted board platforms and cavities. Light, printable, recyclable with the box.
Custom box inserts — packaging inserts made to the product
Custom box inserts that hold the product still.
Die-cut board, foam, moulded pulp and fabric-wrapped inserts cut to the product's footprint. An insert is what turns a box into packaging: it stops movement, presents the product and takes the void fill out of the pack.
- Materials
- Board · foam · pulp · fabric
- Cut to
- The product's footprint
- Minimum order
- 50 boxes
What an insert does
The insert is the difference between a box and packaging.
A box that fits the product loosely needs something to fill the gap — and crumpled paper is not a brand experience. A custom insert is cut to the product's exact footprint so it sits in one place, cannot move in transit and is presented to the customer the moment the lid lifts. It also does structural work: a board insert stiffens a carton, a foam cradle takes a drop, a pulp tray keeps glass apart.
Inserts are specified alongside the box, not after it. We design the cavity first and size the box around it, so the two fit as one pack.
- Die-cut boardPaperboard · E-flute
- FoamCut or moulded
- Moulded pulpFibre trays
Insert types
Five ways to hold a product.
Each type is cut to your product and designed together with the box.
Made to the product
We need the product's footprint — or the product
Send the dimensions of each item the insert holds and how they should be arranged. For irregular shapes a photo from above with a ruler in frame is enough for a first cavity drawing; for foam we may ask for a sample to cut to. Cavity depth is set so the product sits proud enough to lift out and low enough not to touch the lid.
- Measure
- Internal L × W × D of the product
- Tell us
- Quantity, print, finish, insert if needed
- Range
- Set at quote
Materials & finishing
The material follows the product.
Board for most retail products; corrugated where several items or a heavier one need cells and cradles; foam where a drop must be absorbed; pulp where sustainability messaging and protection both matter; fabric where the product is the jewel. Whatever the material, the cavity is cut to the product's footprint, not to a nominal size.
Materials & finishes- Paperboard16pt – 24ptDie-cut and folded platforms. Printable.
- E-flute≈1.5mmDividers, cells and cradles.
- FoamEVA · PE · PUCut to silhouette, in black, white or gray.
- Moulded pulpNatural · whiteFibre trays moulded to shape.
Insert finishes
- Printed board insert
- Colored board
- Fabric wrap (satin, velvet, linen)
- Foam in black, white or gray
- Tissue lining
Customization
Material, finish and function, cut to the footprint.
Any combination the structure will carry. Options are confirmed against your artwork at quote.
What inserts hold
Products that need to arrive exactly as they left.
Jewelry & watches
Fabric-wrapped platforms with slots and cushions.
Electronics
Foam or board cradles for the device, cable and accessories.
Cosmetics sets
Die-cut board cavities for bottles, tubes and compacts.
Candles & glass
Board or pulp trays that keep glass from touching board.
Food & confectionery
Cell dividers and trays on food-safe board.
Subscription kits
Board platforms that present several items at once.
Finished work
Inserts we have made.
Board, corrugated and foam cut to the product's footprint, designed with the box.
Full gallery
Foam insert in a white rigid box 
Fitted insert in a magnetic cube 
Corrugated partition in a mailer 
Six-cavity paperboard insert 
Die-cut board insert in a mailer 
Six-cell divider in a two-piece box
Industries we serve
Industries we serve
Different sectors fail in different ways — grease, humidity, compliance, drop height, shelf angle. We specify for yours.
All industries
How it works
From product to fitted insert.
You do not need a dieline, a spec sheet or print-ready artwork to start. You need to know roughly what you are packing.
Tell us what you're packing
Product dimensions, weight, quantity and what the box has to survive. A photo or sketch is enough to start.
Structure & dieline
We recommend a construction, issue the flat dieline and mark any insert cavity.
Board, print & finish
Stock, gauge, coating and finishing are chosen against the product and your budget.
Proof & production
You approve a proof before anything is cut. Quantities and lead time are stated in writing.
Delivery
Finished packaging is delivered free to your address in the United States, flat or assembled as the structure requires. Allow 3–5 working days for ground shipping after production.
Start a quote
Three answers is all it takes to open a job.
Structure, board and finishing come next — with our team, on the full quote form.
No account needed. Artwork and reference images can be attached on the next step.
Insert questions
Before you ask.
Anything not covered here, put it in the notes on your quote and we will answer it directly.
Ask on your quoteWhat is a packaging insert?
A component cut to the product's footprint that sits inside the box, holds the product in place, protects it and presents it. It replaces void fill.
Which insert material should I use?
Paperboard for most retail products, corrugated for heavier or multiple items, foam where the product must survive a drop, moulded pulp where sustainability and protection both matter, fabric-wrapped board for jewelry and luxury goods.
Can inserts be printed?
Yes. Board inserts print like the box — a color, a pattern or a message under the product.
Do you design the insert and the box together?
Always. The cavity is designed first and the box is sized around it, so the two fit as one pack.
Are inserts recyclable?
Board and pulp inserts recycle with the box. Foam does not; we recommend it only where the protection is needed.
What do you need to quote?
Product dimensions (L × W × D), quantity, the structure or style you have in mind, material or finish preferences if you have them, and what the box is holding. A product photo helps.
Can I get a sample before the full run?
Standalone samples are chargeable, because making one box or a handful takes the same setup and production steps as a full run. On a qualifying bulk order, once the order is placed we produce a pre-production sample for your approval at no extra sample charge, and the remaining quantity runs after you approve it.
How long does production take?
Standard production is 10–12 working days from proof approval and payment. Ground shipping adds 3–5 working days, and delivery is free on every order.
Do you work with agencies and resellers?
Yes. Agencies, designers, print brokers and resellers place packaging with us under their own client relationship; see Agency & Trade Partners for how a partner job runs.
Resources
Before you specify an insert
Custom box inserts explained: board, foam, pulp and fabric
An insert turns a box into packaging. What each insert material does, which products need which, and how inserts are designed with the box.
Read the guideHow to measure your product for custom packaging
Length, width, depth — and the clearance, weight and count that turn those numbers into a box that fits. What to measure and how to send it.
Read the guideRigid boxes vs folding cartons: which should your product be in?
The two constructions behind most custom product packaging solve different problems. Here is how to choose between them on weight, price point, delivery and feel.
Read the guide
Related packaging
Boxes inserts are specified for.
Placing this for a client?
Agencies, designers, print brokers and resellers run custom inserts through us under their own client relationship: estimating, dielines, sampling, production and delivery behind your studio.
Start here
Send us your dimensions. We’ll send back a box.
Get a Custom Quote
Or talk to a packaging specialist: (209) 444-0744