Boxboard Mailer Box
Boxboard, also called paperboard — the lightest stock we work with that still holds a box shape, and the best print surface in the range. A presentation container rather than a shipping container.
- Specified by caliper in points, roughly 14 pt to 28 pt
- No flute lines, so photographic images and fine type hold up
- Creases precisely for tuck and lock retail closures
- Takes every finish: lamination, soft-touch, spot UV, foil, emboss
- Needs a corrugated outer if it is going through the post
- 4–6 working daysClock starts at proof approval
- Artwork checked firstBleed, folds and colour build
- Nothing prints unapprovedYou sign the proof first
- Curbside recyclableUnless you choose a laminate
Get a quote for
boxboard mailer box.
Send the dimensions of the product rather than a box you already use — we add the clearance ourselves. Itemised pricing comes back the same working day.
- Priced at several quantities, so you can see where the curve flattens
- Print-ready dieline and a 3D render, at no charge
- We flag it if a smaller dimension would cost you less
| Box style | Self-locking mailer box (Roll End Tuck Front — RETF) |
|---|---|
| Material options | Kraft corrugated, white corrugated, E-flute, B-flute, rigid stock (premium) |
| Flute types | E-flute (1.5mm), B-flute (3mm), custom flute on request |
| Stock thickness | 16pt – 28pt (depending on material selection) |
| Printing options | Offset printing, digital printing, flexographic printing |
| Color options | CMYK (4-color process), Pantone (PMS), inside & outside printing available |
| Finishing options | Matte lamination, gloss lamination, soft-touch lamination, AQ coating |
| Add-ons | Spot UV, foil stamping (gold/silver), embossing, debossing, custom inserts |
| Sizes | Custom sizes available (length × width × depth) |
| Minimum order qty | Low MOQ available — start at 50 units |
| Turnaround time | 4–6 business days (rush available) |
| Shipping | Flat-packed, free shipping available across the USA |
| Eco-friendly | Recyclable & biodegradable options available |
Boxboard, also called paperboard — the lightest stock we work with that still holds a box shape, and the best print surface in the range. A presentation container rather than a shipping container.
- Specified by caliper in points, roughly 14 pt to 28 pt
- No flute lines, so photographic images and fine type hold up
- Creases precisely for tuck and lock retail closures
- Takes every finish: lamination, soft-touch, spot UV, foil, emboss
- Needs a corrugated outer if it is going through the post
Boxboard — also sold as paperboard or folding carton board — is the light, smooth, unfluted stock behind almost every carton on a supermarket shelf. It is the thinnest material we work with that still holds a box shape, and it exists for one reason: it prints better than anything else in the range.
Measured in caliper, not flutes
Because there is no wave inside it, boxboard is specified by thickness in points — thousandths of an inch. Typical packaging weights run from about 14 pt for a light carton up to 28 pt for something that needs to feel substantial in the hand. There is no flute letter, and comparing a point figure to a flute grade is comparing two different properties.
What it is genuinely good at
The surface is continuous and smooth, with no flute lines to telegraph through heavy ink coverage. That makes boxboard the best print surface we offer: photographic images hold detail, gradients stay smooth, and fine type stays crisp at sizes that would fill in on corrugated.
It also creases and folds precisely, which matters for the tuck and lock closures that retail cartons rely on. And it is light — on a high-volume, low-weight product, the difference between boxboard and corrugated shows up on the freight invoice.
Its limits, stated plainly
Boxboard offers minimal impact protection. There is no air gap to absorb a shock and not much material to spread a load. A boxboard carton is a presentation container, not a shipping container.
For products sold in a shop, or shipped inside a larger outer box, that is perfectly appropriate and the norm across the industry. For a product posted on its own to a customer, it is not enough, and we would specify a corrugated mailer instead.
Frequently asked questions
Can a boxboard carton be posted on its own?
Only for flat, light, robust items, and even then it will arrive marked. Anything with shape or value should travel in corrugated.
Is it available with a white surface?
Yes — a bleached surface is standard, which is part of why colour reproduction on boxboard is so accurate. Kraft-brown boxboard is also available.
Which finishes can it take?
All of them: matte and gloss lamination, soft-touch, spot UV, foil stamping and embossing. The smooth surface takes decorative finishes better than fluted board does.
Match the material to the journey
Tell us whether the box ships alone or sits on a shelf, and we will specify accordingly — with a free dieline and a 3D mockup either way.
How we build boxboard mailer box.
Measured from the product
We size the box around what goes inside and add the clearance it needs. That removes void fill you would otherwise buy and dimensional weight you would otherwise pay on every order.
Colour that behaves
Process CMYK or a Pantone spot match, outside and in. We tell you how a colour will sit on kraft before the run, not after it.
Board matched to the load
E-flute, B-flute or double wall depending on weight and fragility. We will talk you down a grade as readily as up one.
Assembles in one motion
One-piece construction with a front-tab lock. No tape, no gun, and seconds rather than minutes at the packing bench.
Recyclable as standard
Kraft and corrugated go in the curbside bin with water- and soy-based inks. Plastic lamination changes that, and we say so when you ask for it.
Fifty is a real run
Enough to prove a design before committing to thousands. Pricing steps down at 250, 500 and 1,000 as setup cost spreads.
Customization options
Board, print method and finish are three separate decisions, and each one moves the price. We will tell you which are worth paying for on your product and which are not.
Stock & flute
Printing
Finishes
Add-ons
Brands that ship with this box
What customers tell us
"The print quality is unreal and the fit around our product is perfect. Our unboxing posts doubled."
"Low minimum let us test, and the design team caught issues before print. Reordered at 5,000."
"Boxes arrived early, flat-packed and flawless. Free shipping made the math easy. Highly recommend."
