Custom Apparel Packaging

Shirt Boxes

Shirt Boxes built to your specification — your dimensions, your board, your print.

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

No obligation

Get a price

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.

Drop files here or browse

PDF, AI, EPS, SVG, PNG, JPG, WEBP or ZIP. Up to 5 files, 10 MB each.

    We use your details to answer this request only. See our privacy policy for how data is handled.

    What shirt boxes have to cope with

    Shirt Boxes hold a folded shirt where the collar has to keep its shape. That is the starting point for the specification, because a collar support or a slightly deeper box preserves the shape that makes a folded shirt look new.

    In service they are used for formalwear retail and gifting where the shirt is presented rather than simply shipped.

    Where shirt boxes are actually used

    Shirt Boxes are specified for formalwear retail and gifting where the shirt is presented rather than simply shipped. A collar support or a slightly deeper box preserves the shape that makes a folded shirt look new.

    • Formalwear retail and gifting where the shirt is presented rather than simply shipped
    • Shelf display in specialty retail
    • Subscription and gift sets
    • E-commerce inner packaging

    The substrate for shirt boxes

    16pt board with enough depth to clear the collar, or a collar insert on a shallower box.

    The options we would consider for this format are below; a collar support or a slightly deeper box preserves the shape that makes a folded shirt look new.

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

    Printing shirt boxes

    A window over the collar and chest is where shirt boxes earn it — that is the part customers assess.

    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.

    Finishing shirt boxes

    A window over the collar and chest is where shirt boxes earn it — that is the part customers assess.

    Every finish listed here is its own pass through the line, so each one is priced on its own rather than folded into a single figure.

    • Gloss lamination
    • Matte lamination
    • Soft-touch lamination
    • Spot UV
    • Foil stamping
    • Embossing
    • Debossing
    • Aqueous coating

    Sizing shirt boxes

    Sized to a standard shirt fold, commonly around 13 × 9 × 2 in.

    Send the contents rather than a box size. The box is sized to the folded body and the collar, which sits proud of it, is not accounted for.

    What moves the price

    Four things drive a quote more than anything else: the quantity, the print route, the board grade and the number of finishing passes. Dimensions matter too, but usually through how efficiently the shape nests on the press sheet.

    Prices start from $0.30 per piece for large-volume orders. If a cheaper route exists we say so at quoting rather than after the invoice.

    Getting them to you, and onward

    Cartons ship flat in bulk cases, which keeps freight cost low even on large runs.

    Delivery windows are confirmed in writing when your order moves into production, and we flag any risk to the date before you approve rather than after.

    What we need from your files

    Supply artwork on the dieline we send you, with 3 mm bleed past every trim edge and all text held 4 mm inside the fold lines.

    Supply a print-ready PDF or vector file with fonts outlined and images at 300 dpi. Our prepress team checks every file before a proof is issued. The check that catches most files is type sitting too close to a crease, which is easier to move at layout than at proof.

    From enquiry to delivery

    Tell us what goes inside, how many you need and when. Those three answers are enough for us to specify and price the job properly.

    A dieline template follows, sized to your product. Prepress checks your artwork against it and issues a proof; nothing runs until you sign that off.

    Checking it before you commit

    Ask for an unprinted sample if the question is fit, or a printed prototype if the question is colour. They answer different things.

    Sample costs are normally credited against the production order.

    Reference

    Shirt Boxes at a specification level

    ProductShirt Boxes
    CategoryCustom Apparel 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 Shirt Boxes 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

    Drop files or browse

    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.

      In practice

      Why buyers specify this format

      Sized to the contents

      Sized to a standard shirt fold, commonly around 13 × 9 × 2 in.

      What tends to go wrong

      The collar crushes flat because nothing supports it, and a flattened collar is the first thing a customer notices.

      What it is specified for

      Specified for formalwear retail and gifting where the shirt is presented rather than simply shipped.

      The detail that decides it

      A collar support or a slightly deeper box preserves the shape that makes a folded shirt look new.

      This format sits in our custom apparel packaging range, alongside 12 other made-to-order formats.

      Answers

      Ordering shirt boxes: the usual questions

      Specification, minimums and lead times for shirt boxes.

      Why do collars arrive flattened?

      The box is sized to the folded body, and the collar sits proud of that. Either add depth or use a collar support — a flattened collar is the first thing a customer sees.

      Could soft goods ship in something flatter?

      Very often. Apparel moves in cartons out of habit rather than need, and a flat mailer removes both volume and weight. For non-fragile soft goods the protection is usually sufficient and the freight saving is immediate.

      Do shirt boxes 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 is the minimum order for shirt boxes?

      A flat 100 units on any format. Most folding cartons in this range are quoted from 100 units upward because unit cost falls sharply above that, but the minimum exists so you can validate a structure first.

      How long do shirt boxes take to produce?

      3 to 5 business days after artwork approval, plus freight. Folding carton runs with applied finishes can take longer because each finish is a separate pass, and we confirm a firm date in writing with the quote.

      What do shirt boxes 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 shirt boxes 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 shirt boxes 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.

      Next step

      Start on Shirt Boxes

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