Sustainable Packaging

Kraft Packaging

Bespoke kraft Packaging manufactured to order, with material and finish chosen around how the product ships.

Minimum order
100 units
Production
3–5 business days
Construction
folding carton
Delivery
US, UK, Canada, Australia

No obligation

Quote it on your stock

Name, email, phone and what you are packing. Attach artwork if you have it. We reply with a specification and a written price, usually within one business day.

The more detail you give, the more accurate the quote.

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    The environmental claim you can defend

    Recycled content, kerbside recyclability and certified compostability are three different claims requiring three different kinds of evidence. Brands get into trouble by treating them as one.

    Tell us which claim you intend to print on the pack and we will specify a material that supports it, or say plainly that it does not exist at your price point.

    What kraft packaging have to cope with

    Kraft Packaging hold anything where the unbleached board itself is the intended look rather than a cost decision. That is the starting point for the specification, because kraft subtracts from every colour laid on it. Either design for that — one or two colours, high contrast — or specify a white underprint, which costs an extra pass.

    In service they are used for brands using an unbleached look deliberately, across food, cosmetics, e-commerce and gifting.

    Where kraft packaging are actually used

    Kraft Packaging are specified for brands using an unbleached look deliberately, across food, cosmetics, e-commerce and gifting. Kraft subtracts from every colour laid on it. Either design for that — one or two colours, high contrast — or specify a white underprint, which costs an extra pass.

    • Brands using an unbleached look deliberately, across food, cosmetics, e-commerce and gifting
    • Shelf display in specialty retail
    • Subscription and gift sets
    • E-commerce inner packaging

    The substrate for kraft packaging

    Recycled kraft board, with a white-lined variant available where colour fidelity matters more than the exposed brown look.

    The options we would consider for this format are below; kraft subtracts from every colour laid on it. Either design for that — one or two colours, high contrast — or specify a white underprint, which costs an extra pass.

    • 12pt SBS paperboard
    • 14pt SBS paperboard
    • 16pt SBS paperboard
    • 18pt kraft board
    • recycled CCNB board

    Comparing the substrate options

    The honest trade-offs between the stocks we would consider for this format.

    MaterialCost vs conventionalRecovery route
    Recycled CCNB0–5% higherKerbside, widely accepted
    Virgin SBSBaselineKerbside, best print surface
    Kraft boardBaselineKerbside, natural finish
    Certified compostable20–40% higherIndustrial facilities only

    Printing kraft packaging

    Fine detail and pale tints disappear on kraft. Solid marks and heavy line weights are what hold up.

    Offset lithography, Digital press, Flexography are all available for this format. Run length usually decides which is cheapest: digital removes the plate cost on short quantities, offset and flexo overtake it at volume.

    Sizing kraft packaging

    No fixed range — kraft is a material choice applied across formats, so dimensions follow whichever format you are specifying.

    Send the contents rather than a box size. Artwork is approved on a white screen and a white proof, then printed on brown board where every colour shifts.

    What we need from you

    Send the product dimensions, the quantity and your deadline. What comes back is a board grade, a structure, a print method, a lead time and a written price — not a number on its own.

    You approve the quote, we send the dieline, prepress proofs it, and production follows. The proof stage is where changes are still free.

    Testing the fit first

    We can produce a plain unprinted sample so you can check the fit and structure of kraft packaging before committing.

    Sample costs are normally credited against the production order.

    Reference

    Kraft Packaging at a specification level

    ProductKraft Packaging
    CategorySustainable Packaging
    ConstructionDie-cut, creased and seam-glued
    Board thickness12pt – 18pt depending on product weight
    Ships asFlat-packed, glued one seam
    Materials12pt SBS paperboard, 14pt SBS paperboard, 16pt SBS paperboard, 18pt kraft board
    PrintingOffset lithography, Digital press, Flexography
    FinishesGloss lamination, Matte lamination, Soft-touch lamination, Spot UV, Foil stamping
    Minimum orderMinimum order is 100 units on any format, and unit cost falls sharply as the quantity rises.
    Lead time3 to 5 business days after artwork approval
    ShippingAcross the US, UK, Canada and Australia

    Specification builder

    Specify Kraft Packaging in under a minute

    Set what you know, leave the rest. Everything here travels with your request, so nothing gets retyped.

    • 100-unit minimum
    • 3–5 day production
    • Free dieline
    • No obligation
    Approximation only — proportions, colour family and finish character. Not a colour proof, and the panel shown is a placeholder, not your artwork.
    Packaging type
    Box style
    Quantity
    Colour
    Material
    Printing
    Finish

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    Up to 5 files, 10 MB each.

      Prices start from $0.30 per piece for large-volume orders. Final pricing depends on size, material, printing, finishes, and quantity.

      Materials

      What the material choice buys you

      The dimensions that matter

      No fixed range — kraft is a material choice applied across formats, so dimensions follow whichever format you are specifying.

      The failure we design out

      Printed colours come out muddy and dark, because they are sitting on a brown substrate rather than on white, and nobody saw a sample first.

      Where it is used

      Specified for brands using an unbleached look deliberately, across food, cosmetics, e-commerce and gifting.

      What decides the job

      Kraft subtracts from every colour laid on it. Either design for that — one or two colours, high contrast — or specify a white underprint, which costs an extra pass.

      This format sits in our sustainable packaging range, alongside 5 other made-to-order formats.

      Answers

      Ordering kraft packaging: the usual questions

      Specification, minimums and lead times for kraft packaging.

      Why do my colours look wrong on kraft?

      The brown substrate shows through the ink and pulls every colour down. A white underprint restores them at the cost of an extra press pass, or the design can be built for kraft with one or two high-contrast colours. Always approve a printed sample on the real board.

      Is recycled board weaker than virgin board?

      Slightly, at the same caliper — recycled fibres are shorter, so the board is a little less stiff and takes on moisture a little faster. Stepping up one caliper generally restores the performance while keeping the recycled claim intact.

      Can you certify the recycled content?

      We can state the recycled content of the board and supply the mill documentation behind it. We do not issue certifications ourselves, and we would rather give you the underlying evidence than a claim you cannot substantiate.

      Do kraft packaging arrive flat or assembled?

      Flat and glued along one seam, so they pop open on your packing line. That keeps freight cost down considerably compared with a pre-assembled structure.

      What do kraft packaging cost?

      Prices start from $0.30 per piece for large-volume orders. For this format the biggest levers are quantity, print route, board grade and how many finishing passes are involved. We quote each element separately so you can see where the money is going. Finishing passes are the lever buyers most often underestimate: each one is a separate run through the line.

      Can I see a sample first?

      Yes. We can send a plain unprinted sample so you can check the fit and structure, or a printed prototype for colour and finish. Sample costs are normally credited against the production order. A plain sample answers fit and structure; a printed one answers colour. On kraft packaging it is usually fit that is worth checking first.

      Can you match packaging we already use?

      Send the current specification or a physical sample and we will quote to match it rather than proposing an alternative you would then have to re-approve internally. A physical sample tells us more than a specification sheet — board caliper and coating are usually described loosely and measured exactly.

      Where do you deliver?

      All 50 US states, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, on the same timeline everywhere: 3 to 5 business days of production after artwork approval, then 5 to 7 business days in transit. Every run is made to order and shipped directly to your address rather than pulled from stock, so you receive current production rather than whatever has been sitting in a warehouse. Freight is costed separately by weight, volume and destination. Tell us at quoting if the delivery point cannot take a pallet, and we will break the consignment into cartons instead.

      Can I order kraft packaging in a custom size?

      Every run is cut to your dimensions — there are no stock sizes here. Send the product measurements rather than a box size and we will build the folding carton around them, then send a dieline template you can design onto.

      What happens after I approve the quote?

      We issue a dieline template sized to your product, prepress checks your artwork against it, and a proof comes back for sign-off. Nothing runs until you approve that proof, and folding cartons then take 3 to 5 business days.

      Can you hold the specification for repeat orders?

      Yes. Once a first run is approved we hold the board, structure, dimensions, print method and finishes against your account, so a reorder references the same specification exactly rather than being re-derived. It also means a reorder can be priced against a larger quantity without re-opening the specification.

      Do you offer recycled or recyclable options?

      Recycled grades are available across most of the substrates we run for folding cartons. Recycled content, kerbside recyclability and certified compostability are three different claims though, so tell us which one you intend to print.

      Next step

      Start on Kraft Packaging

      Send the dimensions and quantity you need. We reply with a full specification and a written price, usually within one business day.