Custom Recycled Boxes & Recycled Packaging
Recycled board has stopped being a compromise. Ten years ago a recycled box meant accepting worse print and a rougher surface, now the good grades run almost as well as virgin stock on press. We print a lot of recycled packaging at ZEE Packaging and the honest position is that it suits most products very well and a small number not at all.
Recycled Content Is Not All Or Nothing
Clients often assume it is binary, and it really is not.
- Post consumer waste is board recovered after a customer used it
- Post industrial is offcut and trim recovered from manufacturing
- Most grades sit somewhere between thirty and one hundred percent recycled
- A higher percentage usually means more visible speckle
- Recycled fibre is shorter, so very high content loses a little stiffness
- Tell us your target percentage and we advise what is achievable
- Retail folding cartons across almost every category
- Ecommerce mailers, where recycled corrugated is standard anyway
- Rigid box cores, greyboard is recycled by nature
- Kraft style recycled packaging for craft and wholefood brands
- Shipping and outer cartons
- Inserts, dividers and trays
Less suited to fine detail print, colour critical work and direct food contact without a certified liner.
Sizes We Print Regular
Every recycled box is built to your product, though these run often:
- 3" x 3" x 4" for a candle or jar
- 6" x 4" x 2" for a small retail recycled box
- 8" x 6" x 3" for a mid size carton
- 10" x 8" x 4" for an ecommerce mailer
- 4" x 4" x 6" for a bottle sleeve
- 12" x 9" x 5" for a bulk recycled packaging shipper
Send the filled weight along with dimensions, because shorter fibre means we sometimes step up a caliper.
Print Expectation
Being straight here saves disappointment later.
- Recycled stock absorbs ink slightly more, so colours sit a touch softer
- Speckles show through on light and pastel areas
- Bright white is not achievable, the base tone is warm or grey
- Black, earth tones and bold graphics sit beautifully
- Deboss and emboss work very well on recycled surfaces
- We proof on the actual stock, never on a white substitute
Certification And Claim
- FSC Recycled certification available, certificate on request
- Post consumer content percentage can be stated where evidenced
- Widely recyclable again after use if you skip lamination
- Aqueous coating keeps it in the household paper stream
- Do not print a claim you cannot evidence, buyers check now
Why Brands Work With Us
- 100 unit minimum, so a small brand can start properly
- 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
- One contact from artwork right through to delivery
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a recycled box cost?
Rough estimate is $0.16 to $0.55 per unit for a folding carton, $0.70 to $1.80 for a corrugated mailer and $2.20 to $5.40 for rigid at moderate quantity. Content percentage and finishing move it. Shipping is included in our price. This is estimate only, so ask our team for a exact quote.
Is recycled board cheaper?
Sometimes, sometimes not. High post consumer grades occasionally cost more than virgin because supply is tighter, so we quote both.
Is it weaker than virgin board?
Slightly at very high content, because the fibre is shorter. We usually offset that with a small caliper step up.
Will the print look worse?
Softer rather than worse. Speckles show on pale areas, so we proof on the real stock before you sign off.
Can we get one hundred percent recycled?
In several grades yes. In coated white grades the maximum is lower, so tell us which matters more, content or print.
Is it food safe?
Only in a certified grade with a liner. Standard recycled board is not for direct food contact.
Can we state the percentage on pack?
Where we can evidence it, yes. We supply the documentation so your claim holds up.
