Custom Mailer Boxes

Custom Mailer Box - Price Calculator

Do you know what size box you are looking for? Simply enter the dimensions and volume below to generate an instant estimate. (If you don't know the dimensions you want, please contact us to discuss your needs).

What To Do Next...

• Happy with the estimate? Contact us quoting the dimensions, volume + any other details and we can get your postal box project started!
• Need something a bit different? Same deal...fill in our contact form or email us (info@cardworks.co.uk) to discuss.
• Did you know we can also add bespoke inserts to your mailer box? Please just tell us what you need!

What Happens After You Contact Us?

We will confirm the mailer box spec with you and, once agreed, give you a formal quote detailing your requirements.

Once you accept the quote we will email you the template so that you can start designing the artwork (if you are buying printed mailer boxes).

When we have received the artwork (if relevant) we will send back digital proofs. And once these have been approved we will book your job into production.

Depending on quantities and capacity in the factory, we can typically turn around plain mailer boxes within 10 working days. Printed mailer boxes take a bit longer, so please allow 10-15 days. (If we can produce them quicker then we will!).

Custom Mailer Boxes No Minimum

When it comes to bespoke postal boxes, it's often hard to find manufacturers who have no minimum order quantity (MOQ).

Here are Cardworks we take the view that short run work is interesting, variable and offers great customer service. For that reason we are happy to produce bespoke postal boxes even at low volumes.

Be aware, however, that the lower the volume, the higher the price per box will be.

For this reason, our customers tend to only buy short run mailer boxes when they need to make a really positive impression. They work especially well for high-margin luxury packing boxes, influencer boxes or welcome boxes for HR departments.

Custom Size Postal Boxes

You can find plenty of standard size postal boxes for sale and they don't cost very much. And for a lot of businesses, a standard size mailer is all they really want.

But there are times when a custom size is worth splashing out on.

The two most common reasons people ask us for custom size mailer boxes are: 1) presentation (they want to make a really good impression) and/or 2) proper fit (they don't want their product rattling around inside a box).

The sort of occasions they are used for are: welcome packs from HR, PR boxes, corporate gifts, point-of-sale packs and so on.

And adding an insert can really super-charge things...

Custom Mailer Boxes with Inserts

Sometimes you just want a plain or printed postal box; simple, no frills. Other times you might want an insert. That can be because you are regularly shipping the same items.

For example, we produce "point of sale packs" that manufacturers can send out to new independent accounts that they win. Making sure that each of the items is displayed attractively inside the mailer box creates a very professional impression.

It also prevents any of the items (especially the heavier items) from moving around in transit and either damaging the box, damaging any of the other bits and pieces or getting damaged itself.

Custom Printed Mailer Boxes

Not relevant if you are looking for a plain brown postal box. But if you are looking to impress then custom printing is the way to go.

You can print onto both the inside and the outside of a mailer. 

The external graphics can be used to make the box look neat and highly professional. Or you can get really creative and use the box as a medium to communicate brand messages or build excitement for the unboxing.

Inside a box you can get even more creative, adding special instructions or messages.

Custom Mailer Boxes with Logo

Sometimes customers just want a custom mailer box with their logo on it. In this case it is often most economical to print the logo direct to the cardboard.

This doesn't give the most luxurious finish. But for shipping lower margin products when it's less important to provide a wow factor, it is a perfectly acceptable solution.

What Style Mailer Box?

FEFCO Codes are internationally recognised, standard layouts for a whole array of boxes and trays. The most common design for a mailer box is the 0427 layout. Which is best described as a box with "ears" that tuck in to close the box.

Another popular layout is the 0426 style which is more like a pizza box. Instead of the lip folding over the front of the box (as with 0427), the front lip tucks inside the front of the box and there are no "ear flaps".

All the postal boxes we make are 0427 style by default. However, we can manufacture any of the FEFCO styles on request.

How to Seal a Custom Mailer Box?

One of the most popular ways to close mailer boxes is with a small piece of tape or a sticker. With the 0427 style mailer, the ears do a good job keeping the box closed but a sticker does help seal it and prevent tampering.

We are also able to attach small velcro buttons to the boxes. It's not as tamper-proof but it hides the closing mechanism away which looks very neat. And it makes for a very satisfying, tactile, unboxing experience.

A higher spec option than the velcro buttons is a magnetic closure. These are a bit more expensive but they also create a much higher end experience. It's something you might consider if sending high-margin luxury samples to distributors or social media influencers.

At the other end of the spectrum, and going purely functional, you can have a "tear strip". We manufacture the closing edge to have a perforation and place some double-sided, self-adhesive tape on the lip. To seal, you simply remove the tape covering and close the box. To open it, you rip off the lip. 

What Materials Do You Use for Your Mailer Boxes?

By default, we use E-Flute corrugate for the box itself. This usually has exactly the right feel and strength to it. If we produce really large mailer boxes, or the box needs to be extra strong, we might suggest making it out of B-Flute. And for very small boxes, we find that N-Flute is excellent.

For the printing aspect, it is possible to print direct to the corrugate. Our preference, however, is to print onto 180gsm paper then laminate the printed paper and glue it onto the corrugate.

The overall result of this is a visually impactful mailer box with bright colours and no cracking where the box folds.