Custom Paper Boxes & Paper Packaging
Paper packaging has quietly taken back territory that plastic held for decades. Brands are switching because customers expect it, retailers ask for it and in a lot of cases it simply performs well enough that there is no reason not to. We print a lot of paper packaging at ZEE Packaging and this is what is worth knowing when you are specifying a paper box.
What Paper Does Well
A paper box has genuine advantages that go beyond the environmental story.
- Ships flat, which cuts freight costs dramatically against rigid plastic
- Takes print better than almost any other substrate
- Recycles in ordinary household streams, no special facility needed
- Cheap tooling, a dieline costs a fraction of an injection mould
- Easy to change, so a seasonal run does not mean new tooling
- Structural ranges from a thin sleeve to a rigid presentation paper box
And Where It Needs Help
Being straight about this saves trouble later.
- Moisture is the weakness, board absorbs where plastic repels
- An aqueous or grease resistant coating covers most applications
- Damp or chilled products need the right treatment specced upfront
- Uncoated stock marks more easily than laminated
- Paper will not seal airtight, so an inner wrap handles freshness
- Very heavy loads need corrugated rather than folding board
Grades We Work With
- SBS C1S and C2S bright white, the best surface for full colour paper packaging
- Kraft board unbleached, natural, very requested right now
- CCNB recycled content with a grey back
- Chipboard and greyboard rigid box cores and inserts
- Corrugated E, B and C flute for shipping paper packaging
- Moulded pulp inserts and trays, replaces foam
Sizes We Print Regularly
Every paper box is built to your product, though these run often:
- 2" x 2" x 4" for a cosmetic tube
- 4" x 4" x 6" for a candle or jar
- 6" x 4" x 2" for a small retail paper box
- 8" x 6" x 3" for a mid size carton
- 10" x 8" x 4" for an ecommerce mailer
- 12" x 9" x 5" for a bulk shipper
Send us the product and the filled weight. Weight decides the caliper more than dimensions do.
Print And Finish
- Offset litho for volume, digital for short runs
- CMYK plus spot Pantone, up to six colours
- Matte, gloss and soft touch lamination
- Aqueous coating where full recyclability matters
- Spot UV, foil stamping, emboss and deboss
- Window patching with PET or compostable film
Our prepress team checks every file against the dieline so nothing gets trimmed at the edge.
Better Material Choices
- FSC certified board, certificate on request
- Recycled content grades where they suit the product
- Soy based inks through the run
- Aqueous coating instead of plastic lamination
- Moulded pulp inserts rather than foam
- Right sized paper packaging so you ship less air
Why Brands Work With Us
- 100 unit minimum, so you can trial before committing
- Free 3D mockup and flat proof every order
- Free dieline drawn by our own designer
- Urgent turnaround at 5 to 8 business days
- Free shipping worldwide, nothing hidden
- Bulk capability right up to half a million units
Frequently Asked Questions
Can paper replace our plastic pack?
Often yes, with the right coating and an inner wrap where freshness matters. Send us the product and we will tell you honestly.
How much is a paper box?
Rough estimate is $0.15 to $0.55 per unit for a folding carton, $0.70 to $1.80 for a corrugated mailer and $2.20 to $5.50 for rigid at moderate quantities. Volume and finishing move it. Shipping is included in our price. This is an estimate only, so ask our team for an exact quote.
Will it survive a damp environment?
With an aqueous or grease resistant treatment, largely yes. Bare uncoated board will not, so we spec accordingly.
Which grade prints best?
SBS C1S by a distance. Kraft looks lovely but colours sit duller on it.
Is laminated paper still recyclable?
Plastic film complicates it. Aqueous coating keeps the carton in a normal paper stream.
Folding or corrugated?
Folding for retail presentation, corrugated once real weight or transit is involved. Many clients use both together.
Can you do inserts too?
We do, paperboard or moulded pulp cut to your product so nothing moves around.
