Custom Shipping Boxes

At EcoEnclose, we manufacture our custom shipping boxes using premium corrugated materials that align with our “Easy Sustainability Wins” promise.

Our standard offering is 100% post-consumer recycled content board (or the highest recycled content available), which is fully curbside recyclable. We hold FSC® Chain of Custody certification, and our boxes are made with FSC® certified recycled corrugate.You can choose from single-wall or double-wall board depending on the required strength.

For printing & finishing, we use HydroSoy and Algae-based inks, and avoid plastic lamination unless requested, ensuring the box remains recyclable. All EcoEnclose boxes are made in the USA, which reduces overseas shipping and associated carbon footprint.

We ship our boxes flat. Because of this, oversized cardboard boxes are costly to ship.

Lead time is the estimated time to process your order for shipment, not including transit time. For branded orders, lead time begins after artwork proof and, if applicable, ink swatch approval.

What does this mean?

When you place a branded order, our Design Team reviews the artwork files attached to your order and creates an artwork proof. We’ll then send you the proof to review and approve. At this time, we’ll highlight any adjustments made, emphasize potential print risks, and request additional files or information.

Once the proof suits your design vision and aligns with our printing capabilities, we'll request your written approval. After we receive your written approval, your lead time begins.

Find your lead time here.

Due to the capabilities of our machinery, there are some restrictions on the sizes of corrugated boxes we can cut and the sizes we can custom print. You will see an error message if you input box dimensions that we cannot cut or print. To learn more about our parameters and what we offer, contact us.

For EcoEnclose’s custom shipping boxes, our minimum order quantity for custom sizing and custom-branding starts at just 1 unit for non-branded boxes, or 100 units for branded boxes. Because we manufacture in the U.S., we’re able to serve smaller runs than many overseas manufacturers, which supports faster turnaround and lower risk for smaller brands.

Pricing depends on the box size, board strength (single vs double wall), custom print coverage, quantity, and shipping destination. Once you input your specifications in our online quote tool or request a custom quote, we’ll provide a transparent unit price. We explicitly break out how each specification changes cost so you understand the drivers.

Yes, with EcoEnclose, you can fully brand your custom shipping boxes.

Our online quote interface allows you to upload your artwork in formats such as AI, PDF, or high-resolution raster files per our guidelines. You can choose full-color exterior print, two-sided printing (inside & out), and flexographic printing. We provide dielines and proofs for your review; once you approve the proof, we proceed to production. The cost impact of print is clearly visible in the quote, so you can decide how much branding vs. cost trade-off you want.

Even the most sustainable (water and soy-based) inks are made with carbon-based pigments. We are proud to offer Algae Ink™ for black box prints.

Made by Living Ink Technologies, Algae Ink is the world’s most sustainable ink. It is a water-based ink with pigment made with algae cells rather than carbon. This exciting advancement in ink is a carbon-negative technology since Algae Ink captures more carbon than is used to produce it.

If you want to use Algae Ink for your custom-printed shipping boxes, select “Algae Ink” as your color option.

Unconvinced? Explore Algae Ink to learn more.

Yes, EcoEnclose offers physical or digital samples for your custom shipping boxes. Upon request, we’ll supply a sample box (for a nominal fee) so you can test material, size, print, and build quality. Once you approve the sample or proof, full production begins. If you receive boxes that do not meet the mutually-agreed specifications (material grade, print quality, size tolerance) we have a Quality Guarantee policy: we will evaluate the issue and offer re-work or replacement as needed. Your satisfaction and brand integrity are a priority.

With EcoEnclose, once your custom shipping box project has been completed, we retain your approved dieline, artwork files, and order history in our system for reorders. When you’re ready to reorder, simply reference the previous job number or upload updated specs (if you’ve changed size/print) and we’ll pull up your saved design. Because set-up is already done, reorder turnaround is often faster, and pricing might improve due to repeat volume. This makes scaling your custom shipping boxes simple and worry-free – part of our “Worry-Free Projects” ethos.

Our tiered pricing structure for printing plates is based on the style and size of your box and the number of printed panels. Prices start at $95 for a single panel print, average about $200 for a mid-coverage print, and can be $300-800 for a full-coverage print. Each printed color and printed side will require a plate. Plates are a one-time cost for a particular design, meaning you can use your plates repeatedly to reprint new boxes with no additional plate fees.

Learn more about our plate pricing and print coverage.

If you are shipping something heavy or bulky, or if you typically ship a combination of different items at a time, shipping boxes are likely the best packaging supplies you can use for your business. We offer eight box styles and also recommend custom-printed shipping boxes to companies that really want to deliver an exceptional, unique delivery experience.

However, custom mailers are less expensive, use less material, and allow for a lower cost of shipping to your customers.

Learn more about choosing between a mailer and a shipping box here.