Custom Printed Mailer Boxes: Boost Brand Impact With Every Order

In short, custom mailer packaging are mailers made of cardboard that are printed with artwork either inside or on the outside of the box. How sharp and how accurate the result is will depend upon the print method. Digital printing is ideal for small production volumes and for new prints, where changes are frequent. Offset printing is ideal for large quantities and specific brand colours. Flexo printing is ideal for basic 1- or 2-color jobs, when volume is required. Provide press-ready artwork with a 1/4” bleed; provide a proof before production.

Most brands invest weeks in their logo and a few minutes in the box to put it on. The first package comes with a muddy orange in place of the brand colour, a logo over a fold, or a white board at the edge. The mailer box is going to fail if it’s not print-ready, and nearly every defect can be avoided before the first box rolls off the press. Empress Packaging produces printed mailer boxes and other custom printed boxes throughout the USA, and this page describes the printing side so that the first time you use your artwork, you will see the boxes look exactly as you saw them on screen.

Why print matters in the appearance of a mailer box.

A plain mailer is a protective envelope. A printed one also brings your brand to a lot of people who come into contact with it, your customers, their families, and neighbors taking a look at it on the porch. The mailer boxes is the first physical experience that your customer will have with your product, and the print is the first impression of your product quality.

There is also a cost of printing. The price and lead time will vary depending on the additional colors, full coverage panels, and special finishes. If you’re familiar with the cost of each option, you’ll maximize your spending on the panels viewed and minimize on the panels that aren’t.

Printing methods compared

Method

Setup

Best for

Color accuracy

Fine detail

Digital

No plates, minimal setup

Small runs, seasonal designs, several artwork versions

Close match to Pantone, can look slightly muted

Good, though large solid areas can show tone shifts

Offset

Plates for each color

Larger runs, brand color critical

Exact Pantone matching

Sharpest text, logos, and photos

Flexo

Lower setup than offset on big runs

High volume, one or two color designs

Adequate for simple designs

Weaker on fine detail and many colors

Each supplier determines their own crossover points between methods. A mailer guide indicates that offset is best, starting around 2,500 units, and other suppliers indicate offset below that level. The best thing to do is to get both price quotations for your real quantity, and don’t rely on a rule of thumb. Empress Packaging is quoting the method that will work best for your run and your artwork.

The printed mailer boxes offer several benefits:

Cardboard Mailer Boxes, help to recoup their cost by being recognized repeatedly. If your business has the same color and logo on every delivery, customers begin to remember your brand, and that is important if you are selling something that they reorder.

They’re also great at paying you back in shipping, too. This printed mailer is an alternative to the regular outer mailer box, branded tape, and frequently the additional insert card, which you would need to purchase each time with the order. And a box cut to the product eliminates void fill and dimensional weight.

One of the most budget-friendly upgrades is to print on the lid. The message and pattern on the inside come in at a much lower price, and it alters the feel of the unboxing. A lot of brands print the exterior in one or two colors, and add the extra to the interior.

Sustainability: kraft and recycled corrugated do not require special disposal or recycling streams for ink. A plain finish and water-based inks make the box recyclable, which can’t be said about plastic laminates and foil.

Printed mailer boxes are utilized in a variety of locations.

Soft-touch or matte finishes are used by beauty and skin care brands for premium positioning. Brands in the apparel and accessory space feature strong outer branding and tear strips for hassle-free returns. Subscription firms use the inside as a paintbrush and change the print monthly. Kraft is used for one- or two-colour prints by the candle, food gift, and home goods brands for a natural look. Electronic accessory retailers combine a clean outer with a die-cut inner.

Creating artwork for printing. Print-ready artwork.

The majority of proof problems are drawn from the file, rather than the press. Follow these rules and your proof will be clean.

Create the file in the CMYK colour space, not RGB. RGB colors bleed in an erratic fashion when striking the press, and a bright blue screen may come out looking dull purple. Use vector files for logos, if possible, and set the resolution to 300 or more DPI.

Leave 1/4″ of bleed outside of each panel. If it’s not used, a white line will appear along the edge after cutting. Important logos and text should be at least ¼” from the fold/trim line because small text at the fold can not be seen when the box is closed.

Convert fonts to outlines and embed all linked images before you export to avoid swapping or missing images. When a particular brand colour is important, confirm the Pantone or CMYK values with a physical colour swatch, as a screen will present a different colour than ink.

Remember the board. The ink is not the same on uncoated kraft as it is on white board, and so the same piece of art is slightly less vibrant when printed on kraft, and will also be printed differently on each. When working with colours, if colour accuracy is important, try on the paper you are going to use.

Customization options

Cardboard mailer boxes are manufactured in kraft, white, and printed corrugate stock, and the flute will play a role in strength and better printing. Thinner flutes will be more prone to printing, and thicker flutes provide better cushioning. Details of sizes, inserts, and flip-top mailer packaging are available on our custom mailer boxes page. Print options include number of colors, outer print, inner print or both, matte or gloss coatings, soft-touch lamination, and foil accents.

If you’re creating a piece of artwork that contains fine type or a photo, let us know early. That’s the key to determining if digital printing is sufficient or if offset printing is necessary and more cost-effective.

How a printed order runs?

Step

What happens

1. Send your product details

Dimensions, weight, and quantity

2. Choose stock and print

Kraft or white, colors, inside and outside, finish

3. Receive the dieline

Template sized to your box

4. Send artwork

Press ready file with bleed, in CMYK

5. Approve a proof

Check color, placement, and folds

6. Production

Boxes are printed to the approved proof

Frequently asked questions

Q: What are custom mailer boxes? 

A: They are cardboard mailer boxes that are printed on the front, back, or both with your artwork. They arrive flat, folded, and come tucked.

Q: Which type of printing should I use, digital or offset? 

A: Use digital for small runs, fast design changes, and multiple versions of artwork. Use offset for getting precise colors, fine text, or a large run. We will quote online if requested.

Q: May I print inside of the box? 

A: Yes. One of the most economical methods to enhance the unboxing experience and even send a message, pattern, or return instructions is to use inside print.

Q: What is the file format I am sending? 

A: Press-ready CMYK PDF or native Illustrator or EPS files with fonts outlined, images embedded, and a ¼” bleed.

Q: Will my brand color be the same? 

A: Offset can exactly match Pantone colors. Digital approaches may be slightly dull. Colors will also look slightly muted when printed on kraft stock, so request samples on the stock you want to use.

Q: May I see a sample first before ordering? 

A: Yes. Proofs are available prior to production.

Get your free quote.

Call (888) 900-7629 or email your enquiry to query@empresspackaging.com  to get a free quote on custom printed mailer boxes from empresspackaging.com.