Custom Medicine Boxes & Medicine Packaging
Pharma is the one category where the carton is a regulated component, not just a wrapper. Get the layout wrong and it is not a design problem, it is a compliance problem. We print a good amount of medicine packaging at ZEE Packaging and the conversation always start with what has to go on the panel before we talk about anything else.
The Panel Rules Come First
Every medicine box carry mandatory information and the space fill up faster than client expect.
- Product name and strength, front panel, large
- Active ingredient and dosage form
- Batch number and expiry, leave a blank coated area for inline coding
- NDC or equivalent product code
- Storage condition and warning statement
- Manufacturer name and address
- Barcode with proper quiet zone
We lay all of it on the dieline before press so nothing sit too close to the trim or the fold.
Braille And Accessibility
A lot of market now require braille on the medicine box, and it change the structure.
- Braille is embossed after print, usually product name and strength
- Board need enough caliper to hold the dot, 300 GSM and up
- Keep the braille area clear of varnish and heavy ink
- Position it away from crease line or the dot flatten
- Reverse tuck end the everyday medicine box, cheapest and quickest
- Straight tuck end cleaner face panel for retail medicine packaging
- Seal end carton glued, better tamper resistance
- Auto lock bottom for heavier bottle and syrup
- Carton with leaflet well holds the patient information leaflet flat
- Blister sleeve slides over a blister card
Sizes We Run Regular
Every medicine box is built to your product, though these come up constantly:
- 1.5" x 1" x 3" for a small vial or ampoule
- 2" x 2" x 4" for a syrup bottle medicine box
- 3" x 2" x 4.5" for blister pack of tablet
- 4" x 2.5" x 5" for a larger bottle
- 5" x 3" x 6" for a multi blister medicine packaging pack
- 2.5" x 1.5" x 2.5" for eye drop and topical
Send the bottle or blister dimension including cap height and we build the dieline around it.
Board And Tamper Evidence
- SBS C1S, the standard for printed medicine packaging
- Folding boxboard 300 to 400 GSM for most carton
- Kraft only where the regulator allow it
- Glue flap tamper seal, the most common approach
- Tear strip or perforated tuck for visible evidence
- Serialisation panel left clear for coding
Thin board fail here. A 12pt carton wont hold braille and it wont take a tamper seal cleanly either.
Print And Finish
Medicine packaging is legibility led, not decoration led.
- Offset for volume, digital for small run and trial batch
- CMYK plus spot Pantone for brand color
- Matte or gloss lamination, matte read more clinical
- Spot UV sparingly, usually on logo only
- Keep body copy 6pt minimum, 7pt is safer
- High contrast between text and background
Greener Options
- Recycled board where permitted on the medicine box
- FSC certified stock, certificate on request
- Soy based ink
- No lamination version for full recycling
- Right sized medicine packaging so you ship less air
How We Work
- 100 unit minimum on any medicine 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
Do you add the braille or do we?
We emboss it in production. Send us the exact wording, because we print what you supply and we dont write or approve regulatory copy.
How do you leave space for batch and expiry coding?
We leave an uncoated or lightly coated panel so the inline printer mark it cleanly. Varnish in that spot make the code smudge.
Can you fit a patient leaflet inside?
Yes. We size the carton with leaflet allowance so it sit flat and the flap still close without bulging.
Which tamper option do you recommend?
Glue flap for most run, tear strip where you want it obvious. Both work, it depend on your line equipment.
Is kraft acceptable for pharma?
Sometimes, but it depend entirely on your market regulator. Most client stay on SBS for the print contrast.
How small can the text go?
6pt is our floor. Below that legibility drop and it become a compliance risk rather than a design choice.
What does a medicine box cost?
Rough estimate is $0.20 to $0.70 per unit for standard folding carton at moderate quantity. Braille, tamper seal and leaflet well add to that. Shipping is included in our price. This is estimate only, so ask our team for a exact quote.
