Custom CD Boxes & CD Packaging
Physical music has become a collector's item rather than a delivery format. Almost nobody buys a CD to play it in a car anymore, they buy it at a gig, from a Bandcamp page or as part of a limited pressing. That changes the brief completely. A CD box now has to be worth owning rather than just holding a disc. We produce a lot of CD packaging at ZEE Packaging and the collector angle drives most of it.
It Is A Keepsake Now
A CD box competes with streaming rather than with cassettes.
- Buyers want something physical to hold and display
- Artwork gets examined properly rather than glanced at
- Limited editions and numbered runs sell out fast
- Signed inserts and extras add real value to a release
- The packaging is often the reason the sale happens at all
- Spine print matters, since these sit on shelves
Most CD packaging we get asked to improve treats the box as a container rather than as part of the release.
Different releases suit different builds.
- Digipak style with a folding panel and a disc tray
- Card wallet, the cheapest CD packaging for a gig merch table
- Jewel case insert printing, where the case is standard
- Rigid box set for a deluxe or anniversary release
- Gatefold sleeve for a double disc
- Mini LP replica, which collectors particularly like
Sizes We Print Regular
Every CD box is built to your release, though these run often:
- 5" x 5.5" for a standard single disc wallet
- 5.5" x 5" x 0.25" for a digipak format
- 5.75" x 5" x 0.5" for a double disc
- 6" x 6" x 1.5" for a deluxe rigid box set
- 5" x 5" for a mini LP replica sleeve
- 6" x 6" x 2" for a box with vinyl and CD together
Board And Print
- SBS C1S for vivid artwork reproduction
- 18pt to 24pt on wallets and digipak formats
- Rigid greyboard 36pt for box sets
- Kraft board for a lo fi or independent aesthetic
- Matte lamination, which suits most artwork better than gloss
- Spot UV and foil on limited edition runs
Colour accuracy matters here more than most people expect. Artists have usually spent months on the artwork, so we proof properly rather than assuming.
Small Pressings Are Normal
Independent releases rarely need thousands.
- 100 unit minimum, which suits a debut EP or a tour run
- Numbered editions, printed digitally with variable data
- Reorder the same design when a run sells out
- Different artwork on the same dieline for a series
- Bundle formats with a lyric booklet or a poster insert
- We hold your dieline so a repress skips setup entirely
Greener Options For A Release
- Recycled board with no lamination
- FSC certified stock, certificate available on request
- Soy based ink through the whole run
- Paperboard tray instead of a plastic disc holder
- Compostable sleeve rather than a poly wrap
- No jewel case at all, which most independent artists prefer now
How A Release Runs With Us
- Free 3D mockup and flat proof before anything prints
- Free dieline drawn by our own designer
- Physical sample on request, since artwork colour matters here
- Urgent turnaround at 5 to 8 business days
- Free shipping worldwide with nothing hidden
- One contact from artwork through to delivery
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you supply the disc holder?
We build paperboard trays and sleeves. Plastic trays we can arrange separately, though most artists now prefer an all card build.
Can you do numbered editions?
Yes, printed digitally with variable numbering. It works well for limited runs and collectors genuinely value it.
Will the artwork colour match my files?
We proof on the actual stock so you can check before we run. Screen to press always shifts slightly, particularly on uncoated board.
How much is a CD box?
Rough estimate is $0.30 to $0.85 per unit for a card wallet, $0.70 to $1.80 for a digipak style format and $2.60 to $6.00 for a rigid box set at moderate quantity. Finishing moves it. Shipping is included in our price. This is estimate only, so ask our team for a exact quote
Matte or gloss lamination?
Matte suits most artwork and handles fingerprints far better. Gloss works for bold graphic covers where you want the colour to pop.
Can you print the spine?
Yes, and it is worth doing. Collectors shelve these, so the spine is what gets seen most of the time.
Do you replicate the discs too?
No, we print packaging only. You handle replication and we build the CD packaging around whatever format you receive.
