Folding cartons — reverse tuck end
Custom Reverse Tuck End Boxes
A reverse tuck end carton closes with tuck flaps at top and bottom that hinge from opposite panels: the top tucks from the back to the front, the bottom from the front to the back. It is the most economical tuck carton to make and the one most small retail products are sold in, from skincare to everyday goods.
- Family
- Folding cartons
- Best for
- Skincare, small goods, everyday retail
- Minimum order
- 50 boxes
- Sizing
- Made to your dimensions
Construction
How it is built, and how it opens.
How it is built
Cut from one sheet of paperboard: four wall panels, a glue flap, and at each end a tuck flap flanked by two dust flaps. Because the top tuck hinges from one panel and the bottom tuck from the opposite one, the blank is close to symmetrical, which lets blanks interlock on the press sheet with very little waste. The blank is scored, folded and glued at the side seam, then delivered flat to be squared and tucked at packing.
How it closes
One tuck is closed first, the carton is filled, and the other tuck is closed. The flaps hold by friction against the dust flaps, or with a slit lock where the tuck's shoulders drop into cuts at the score. On the finished carton one tuck edge shows on the front and the other on the back, so the front is not quite as clean as a straight tuck end; for most products this is never noticed.
Board and print
SBS paperboard from 14 pt to 24 pt is the standard stock, with kraft board from 18 pt to 24 pt where a natural, uncoated look is wanted and recycled board where sustainability messaging matters. The board is printed directly, in CMYK or Pantone, outside only or inside as well. Lamination is included; foil stamping, embossing, debossing, spot UV and windows are applied to the printed sheet before it is die-cut and glued.
Packing, shipping and cost
Reverse tuck end cartons ship flat and take the least space of any custom box. They are the lowest-cost printed structure at every quantity, because the blank uses the least board and the gluing is a single seam. The limit is weight: a tucked base is fine for tubes, sachets, small jars and light bottles, but a heavy jar or a full bottle is better carried on an auto-lock or snap-lock bottom.
What it suits
Where a reverse tuck end box earns its place.
Skincare and cosmetics
Tubes, droppers and small jars in a full-color carton with a matte lamination.
Small retail goods
Accessories, stationery and small hardware sold from a shelf or a peg with an added hang tab.
Soap and bath
Bars and small bottles in a kraft or SBS carton with a single-color or full-color print.
Sample and trial sizes
Short runs of small cartons where unit cost decides the structure.
Cartons inside a mailer
A retail carton that travels inside a printed mailer, so the shelf pack and the delivery are the same.
Finished work
Folding cartons we have made.
Tuck-end carton · Print inside and out 
Tuck-top carton · Full-color print 
Straight tuck end carton · Full-color print 
Auto-lock bottom carton · Full-color print
- Internal dimensions (L × W × D) and the product's weight. Every carton is cut to your dimensions.
- Board: SBS, kraft or recycled, and gauge if you have a preference.
- Tuck: friction or slit lock.
- Print: outside only or inside and out, CMYK or Pantone, barcode and compliance panels.
- Finishes: matte, gloss or soft-touch lamination, foil stamping, embossing, spot UV, hang tab or window.
Or consider
When another style does the job better.
Straight Tuck End
Choose it when the carton is displayed face-out and the front panel should show no tuck edge.
Read the guideAuto Lock Bottom
Choose it for jars, bottles and candles, where the base must carry weight and pack quickly.
Read the guideSnap Lock Bottom
Choose it for heavier products packed by hand, with a locking base and no base glue.
Read the guide
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.
Reverse Tuck End 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 reverse tuck end box?
A folding carton whose top and bottom tuck flaps hinge from opposite panels. It uses the least board of any tuck carton, ships flat and is the usual choice for small retail products.
Why is it the most economical carton?
The blank is nearly symmetrical, so blanks interlock on the press sheet with little waste, and there is only one glued seam. Less board and less gluing mean a lower unit cost.
How much weight can a reverse tuck carton hold?
Enough for tubes, sachets, small jars and light bottles. For a full glass jar or a heavy bottle we recommend an auto-lock or snap-lock bottom, which cannot be pushed open.
What is the minimum order for custom reverse tuck end boxes?
The minimum order for custom reverse tuck end boxes is 50 boxes, the same as every structure we make. Your quote shows the price at each quantity you ask for.
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.
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.
Same family
Other folding cartons styles.
Start here
Send us your dimensions. We’ll send back a box.
Or talk to a packaging specialist: (209) 444-0744