Resource hub
Packaging specification guides
Reference material for the decisions that happen before artwork — substrate, structure, print route, finish and file setup. Written for buyers who want to understand the reasoning, not just the recommendation.
Packaging Material Guide
Board grades, corrugated flutes, rigid greyboard, laminated films and moulded pulp compared on strength, print quality, cost and recyclability.
guideBox Style Guide
Folding cartons, mailers, rigid boxes, display units and trays compared on construction, assembly, shipping and where each style stops working.
guidePrinting Methods Guide
Digital, offset, flexography, rotogravure and screen printing compared on setup cost, efficient run length, colour accuracy and substrate range.
guidePackaging Finishes Guide
Laminations, coatings, spot UV, foil, embossing and windows compared on what each achieves, what it costs per pass and where it disappoints.
howtoCustom Packaging Size Guide
How to measure a product for packaging, what clearance to allow, how dimensions are quoted by format, and why small size changes affect price.
howtoDieline and Artwork Guide
How to work on a packaging dieline, set bleed and safety margins, handle colour and fonts, and export a print-ready file that passes prepress first time.
guidePackaging Insert Guide
Board, foam and moulded pulp inserts compared, with cavity tolerances, multi-piece layout guidance and when an insert is not needed at all.
guideSustainable Packaging Guide
Recycled content, recyclability and compostability compared honestly, including cost premiums, performance trade-offs and defensible on-pack wording.
checklistRetail Packaging Checklist
A pre-production checklist covering structure, compliance, artwork, retail requirements and logistics before a packaging run is committed.
glossaryCustom Packaging Glossary
Plain definitions of the packaging terms that appear on quotes and specifications, from bleed and caliper to litho-lamination and dimensional weight.
guidePackaging File Requirements
Accepted file formats, colour and resolution requirements, export presets and the pre-flight checks that stop artwork bouncing at prepress.
guidePackaging Cost Factors
What actually drives packaging price — sheet area, plate setup, colour count, finishing passes, tooling and freight — and where savings are safe to take.
guidePackaging Sampling Guide
Structural samples, printed prototypes and production proofs compared — what each one tests, what it costs, and which you actually need.
guideWholesale Order Guide
Running a bulk packaging order — forecasting quantity, finding price breaks, staging delivery, storing stock and keeping repeat runs consistent.
checklistPackaging Design Checklist
A design-stage checklist covering structure, hierarchy, regulated panels, shelf legibility, print constraints and pre-flight before artwork is released.
Answers
About these guides
What are these resource guides for?
They answer the specification questions that come up repeatedly before an order — which material, which box style, which print method, what file to send. They are reference documents rather than marketing pages.
Do I need to read these before requesting a quote?
No. If you send us the product dimensions, weight, quantity and deadline, we will recommend a specification. The guides are for buyers who want to understand the reasoning behind that recommendation.
Which guide should I start with?
If you are choosing a format, start with the box style guide. If the format is settled and you are choosing a substrate, start with the material guide. If you are preparing files, start with the dieline and artwork guide.
Are the size guides based on stock sizes?
No. Everything we produce is cut to order, so the sizes quoted are practical ranges for each format rather than a stock list. Your dieline is built around your product.
Do these guides cover food-contact requirements?
They cover the practical barrier and material considerations. Regulatory compliance for direct food contact depends on your product and jurisdiction, so confirm the specific grade with us before ordering.
How current is this information?
Each guide carries a published and updated date. We revise them when materials, print capabilities or requirements change rather than on a fixed schedule.
Can I get a printable version?
The guides print cleanly from the browser — navigation, forms and the chat button are removed automatically in print stylesheets. Contact us if you need a formatted specification document for internal approval.
Do you offer design help as well as guidance?
Yes. Our design team can build packaging artwork from a logo and a brand direction, or adapt existing artwork onto a new dieline.
What if my requirement is not covered here?
Send us the details in a quote request. Unusual structures and non-standard materials are common enough that no set of guides covers everything.
How do I get a specification recommendation for my product?
Send the product dimensions, its weight, the quantity you need and how it ships. We reply with a board grade, structure, print method, lead time and written price, usually within one business day.
Next step
Tell us what you are packing
Send the product dimensions and the quantity you need. We come back with a specification, a lead time and a written price.