Custom Headphone Boxes & Headphone Packaging
Headphones are heavy, awkwardly shaped and often expensive, which makes them one of the harder things to box properly. A cup that presses against a wall for three weeks in a warehouse comes out with a dent in the padding. We have seen it happen, and it is why we take structure seriously on every headphone box we run at ZEE Packaging.
Shape Is The Real Problem
Over ear cans, on ear pairs and folding models all sit differently, so the headphone box has to be built around how yours actually collapses.
- Folding flat smallest carton, cups fold inward, cheapest headphone box to ship
- Swivel flat cups rotate but the band stays rigid, needs a wider shallow box
- Fixed band no fold at all, deepest box and the most expensive to freight
- With carry case size the headphone box to the case, never to the headphones
Send us the unit in its packed position and we build the dieline from that.
Sizes We Print Regular
Every headphone box is made to your product, though these turn up a lot:
- 8" x 7" x 3" for folding on ear
- 9" x 8" x 3.5" for standard over ear
- 10" x 9" x 4" for large cup studio model
- 9" x 9" x 4" for a headphone box holding a hard case
- 11" x 9" x 4.5" for a full kit with cable, jack and pouch
Structures Worth Considering
- Rigid lid and base, the flagship headphone box, slow lift and real weight
- Two piece tray and sleeve, common in mid range headphone packaging
- Tuck end folding carton for budget and volume lines
- Book style magnetic for premium wireless
- Corrugated mailer for direct to customer orders
- Window carton when the cup design is your selling point
Board And Insert
Weight is the deciding factor here. A pair of over ear can weigh 300 grams and that load has to go somewhere.
- Rigid greyboard 36pt or 48pt with printed wrap
- Corrugated E flute for shipping, B flute for heavier units
- SBS C1S for printed retail headphone box
- Kraft board for eco range
- Cardstock 20pt minimum, we would not go thinner with this weight
For inserts we run die cut paperboard, foam beds and molded pulp. Foam holds heavy cups better, pulp recycles cleaner. We advise based on the grams.
Finishing
- Soft touch lamination, the most requested in headphone packaging
- Matte film with spot UV on the logo
- Foil stamping, silver and gunmetal suit audio
- Blind deboss on soft touch, subtle and it looks expensive
- Printed inner lid, this gets filmed in every unboxing video
- Window patch with clear PET
What Goes On The Panel
- Driver size in mm and impedance
- Battery life and charging input for wireless
- Bluetooth version and codec support
- CE, FCC, UKCA, RoHS and WEEE marks
- Model, SKU and barcode with quiet zone
Our prepress team checks all of it against the dieline so nothing gets trimmed at press.
Greener Options
- Recycled kraft headphone box with no film
- Molded pulp cradle instead of foam
- FSC certified board, certificate on request
- Soy based ink
- Right sized headphone packaging so you ship less air
How We Work
- 100 unit minimum on any headphone box design
- Free 3D mockup and flat proof
- Free dieline from our own designer
- 5 to 8 business day urgent turnaround
- Free shipping worldwide
Frequently Asked Questions
Should we size to the headphone or the case?
The case, always. Measure it shut and add the hinge clearance, then we build the headphone packaging around that.
How do we stop the ear pads getting crushed?
Clearance around the cups and an insert that carries the load through the band. Padding should never touch a wall panel.
How much does an empty headphone box cost?
Rough estimate is $0.80 to $1.90 per unit for folding carton, $1.40 to $3.20 for corrugated mailer and $3.00 to $8.00 for rigid at moderate quantity. Foam inserts, foil and windows add to that. Shipping is included in our price. This is estimate only, so ask our team for a exact quote.
Foam or molded pulp inside?
Foam for heavy studio pairs, pulp for lighter ones and for brands wanting no plastic. Both work, it comes down to weight and your eco position.
Will a rigid box survive shipping alone?
Not really. Rigid is a retail format. For direct to door we put a corrugated shipper around it.
Can you print the underside of the lid?
Yes and we recommend it every time. That surface is the first thing someone sees and it gets photographed a lot.
Does matte or gloss hold up better?
Matte. Gloss shows finger marks instantly, especially on black, and headphone boxes tend to be handled in store.
