Straight tuck end
Both tuck flaps close from the same side. Clean front panel, good for display.
Custom folding cartons — paperboard boxes
Custom folding cartons for the retail shelf.
Die-cut paperboard boxes that ship flat and fold up on the line. Straight tuck, reverse tuck, auto-lock and crash-lock bottoms, cut to your product and printed edge to edge in full color — the workhorse of retail packaging.
- Board
- SBS · kraft · recycled
- Ships
- Flat, folds on the line
- Minimum order
- 50 boxes
What a folding carton is
One sheet of board, die-cut, scored and glued.
A folding carton is cut from a single sheet of paperboard, scored along the fold lines and glued at one seam. It is delivered flat and erected at the point of packing — by hand or on a machine — which is why it is the lowest-cost custom box at volume and the one most retail products are sold in.
The board is printed directly, so the whole surface is the canvas: full-color artwork, a window to show the product, a hang tab for a peg, or an embossed logo on a matte-laminated face. A carton is also a piece of engineering — scores that fold clean, a glue flap that holds, tucks that close with a click and open without tearing, and print registered to the scores so a panel edge lands where the dieline says it does. Cosmetics, supplements, food, software and small electronics all live in folding cartons.
- SBS board14pt – 24pt
- Kraft board18pt – 24pt
- PrintCMYK · Pantone
Folding carton styles
The closure decides how the carton packs and how it opens.
All constructions are die-cut from one sheet and delivered flat, ready to fold.
Style guides
Read the construction in detail.
Custom sizing
Sized to the product, with the closure in mind
Send the product's dimensions and weight. We choose the board gauge and closure to suit — a heavier jar needs an auto-lock or crash-lock base; a lightweight tube is fine with a reverse tuck — and return a dieline with the glue flap, tuck flaps, dust flaps, scores and any window marked.
Clearance is set for how the carton is filled: a little more if the product is dropped in by hand, tighter if it slides in on a line. If the carton will be packed on a machine, tell us the line and we build the dieline to the dimensions it needs.
- Measure
- Internal L × W × D of the product
- Tell us
- Quantity, print, finish, insert if needed
- Range
- Set at quote
Materials & finishing
Board that prints sharp and folds clean.
Folding cartons are printed on the board itself, so stock choice sets the print quality as much as the feel. SBS for color accuracy and clean scores, kraft for a natural look, recycled board where sustainability messaging matters; gauge steps up with the carton's size and the weight the base has to carry. Lamination goes on after print and is kept clear of the glue areas so the seam holds.
Materials & finishes
- SBS paperboard14pt – 24ptBright white, clay-coated. The default for sharp full-color print.
- Kraft board18pt – 24ptNatural brown, uncoated. Muted color, honest look.
- Recycled board16pt – 24ptGray-back recycled stock with a white top liner.
- Metallic boardLaminatedFoil-laminated board for an all-over metallic surface.
Finishing
- Matte lamination
- Gloss lamination
- Soft-touch lamination
- Foil stamping
- Embossing & debossing
- Spot UV
- Window patching
- Aqueous coating
Customization
Board, closure, print and finish for the shelf.
Any combination the structure will carry. Options are confirmed against your artwork at quote.
Windows & display
Show the product without opening the box.
A die-cut window with a clear film patch lets the product sell itself on shelf. Shape it to the product, or to the brand mark.
- Die-cut windows, any shape
- Clear film patching
- Hang tabs for peg display
- Display-ready shelf trays
Compare
Folding carton or rigid box?
| Folding carton | Rigid box | |
|---|---|---|
| Board | Paperboard, printed directly | Greyboard, paper-wrapped |
| Delivery | Flat, folds on the line | Assembled |
| Unit cost at volume | Lowest | Highest — hand assembly |
| Feel | Crisp, light, retail | Heavy, presentation |
| Best for | Shelf products, cosmetics, food, supplements | Jewelry, gifting, luxury, electronics |
Finished work
Folding cartons we have made.
Tuck-end, auto-lock, window and sleeve constructions on SBS and kraft board.
Full gallery
Auto-lock bottom, shown from below 
Straight tuck end, tuck open 
Reverse tuck end with interior print 
Gold foil over black 
Window carton, clear film patch 
Hanging-tab carton 
Tray and sleeve, matte lamination 
Gold foil dots on mint
Industries we serve
Who sells in folding cartons.
Different sectors fail in different ways — grease, humidity, compliance, drop height, shelf angle. We specify for yours.
All industries
How it works
From dimensions to a printed carton.
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.
Dieline: glue flap, tucks & scores
We choose a straight tuck, reverse tuck, auto-lock, crash-lock or seal-end closure for the product's weight and how it is packed, and issue a flat dieline with the glue flap, tuck flaps, scores and any window marked.
Board gauge, print & registration
SBS, kraft or recycled board in a gauge that suits the closure; full-color or Pantone print registered to the scores so panels, windows and folds land where the dieline says; lamination and finishing applied clear of the glue areas.
Proof, print & glue
You approve a proof before the sheet is printed. Cartons are printed, die-cut, scored and glued at the seam, then delivered flat to fold on your line. 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.
Folding carton 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 folding carton?
A box cut from one sheet of paperboard, scored and glued at a single seam, delivered flat and folded up at packing. It is the standard construction for retail product boxes.
Straight tuck or reverse tuck — which should I choose?
Reverse tuck is the most economical and the usual choice. Straight tuck keeps both tuck flaps on the same side for a cleaner front panel when the box is displayed face-out.
Which board gauge do I need?
Most cosmetic and retail cartons run 16pt to 18pt SBS. Heavier products, larger cartons and auto-lock bases move up to 20pt–24pt. We recommend against the product's weight.
Can folding cartons have a window?
Yes. Windows are die-cut to any shape and patched with clear film from the inside.
What is the minimum order for folding cartons?
The minimum order for custom folding cartons is 50 boxes. Unit cost falls quickly at higher quantities because cartons run on the sheet; your quote shows the steps.
What artwork files do you need?
Print-ready vector artwork — AI, PDF or EPS — with fonts outlined and images at 300 dpi, laid onto the dieline we supply. If you only have a logo, our design team prepares the print-ready files with you.
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 a carton
Rigid 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 guideMailer boxes vs folding cartons: shelf packaging and courier packaging are different jobs
A mailer is built to travel; a folding carton is built for the shelf. Many brands need both. Here is how they differ and how to combine them.
Read the guideHow to choose the right packaging material for a custom box
SBS, kraft, corrugated or greyboard? The board decides how a box prints, feels, protects and costs. A practical guide to matching material to product.
Read the guide
Related packaging
Often specified alongside folding cartons.
Placing this for a client?
Agencies, designers, print brokers and resellers run folding cartons 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