The majority of packaging issues only arise at the very end. You see a box on the screen and decide it looks good, but when you actually open it when 10,000 boxes have been delivered, you discover it is too tight, too loose, or the wrong colour! The answer is not a better quote. It's knowing the steps in between your initial idea and a complete production run and knowing where they can go wrong. A good custom printed box manufacturer guides you through the steps, one at a time. This guide details each step, what to approve at each step and where buyers waste time and money along the way.

What does a custom boxes manufacturer do?

A custom boxes manufacturer begins with a product and converts it to fit the product, print properly, and is capable of mass production. This includes structural design, die line creation, sampling, printing, die cutting, finishing and delivery. All these are part of a custom box factory that can solve a problem at the sighting level. If the stages are spread over multiple vendors, then each one of the fixes will have to pass back and forth between the vendors and then it is where delays accumulate.

Benefits for businesses

A developmental process from prototype to production can track for fit and color issues if it is used at a time when it is cheap to correct.

• For one manufacturer, all the way through, that's the same box you get once you approve a sample.

• With bulk custom packaging production, the set up cost is distributed across the entire production run, resulting in a lower unit cost.

• Board that can be recycled, and right-sized structures reduce material waste and shipping weight.

• The consistency of a process allows for predictable reorders, which will be the same as the first reorder.

The five stages of the idea to mass production.

The first stage is the short and the dieline. You provide the product dimensions and the weight and then the manufacturer creates a flat template. Look at measurements here, as all subsequent stages are dependent on them. Stage two is the prototype, which is a sample to test fit, closure, and strength with your actual product. This is the lowest cost location to locate a problem. The print proof is stage three, where you sign off on color, layout and finish. Read it on the board, not a computer screen. Stage four is the pilot or first run and is usually a small production which verifies everything is running at production speed. 

Industries that go through this process.

Before the launch of cosmetics and skin care products, they require precision in color and fit. Food and bakery buyers test grease and structure prior to volume printing. Candle and soap producers verify scent behaviour and fit of the insert in the prototype. E-commerce and subscription companies test shipping first when they're deciding on custom boxes for business orders, while retail and distribution companies require uniformity of specifications for repeat shipments.

The key to selecting the right custom packaging supplier.

Request the details of custom packaging suppliers at each stage of the process, who approves it and how long each stage takes, and document the responses. Don't approve print until you have a physical prototype. The most common error is to approve artwork without testing fit. The second is to consider the initial batch as the trial and thereby risk the entire order. Inquire if the supplier makes in-house or if they are a broker or they order it from other suppliers, and ask to see how they check the quality throughout a run.

FAQs

Q: Should I have a prototype in order for me to make an order? 

A: Yes, for anything new. The least expensive method of detecting a fit or structure issue is to get a prototype that is your exact product.

Q: May I run a test and then run in bulk? 

A: Yes. Most regular styles don't have a minimum, so you can begin with a smaller size and enlarge as the design takes shape.

Looking to move your packaging from the prototyping stage to production

Get a free quote and a free design mockup complete with wholesale pricing and stage-by-stage timelines in writing.

Call: 713-978-0088 or send us an email: sales@customboxesmanufacturer.com to place an order.