Materials we work with
PET as standard, PVC where a softer fold or a different feel is needed, and a set of board grades for paper boxes. The right choice is decided by what the pack has to survive.
Plastic sheet
Both materials are supplied in 0.35–1.15 mm. The thickness matters more than most buyers expect: it decides how the box feels in the hand, how much support a heavy product gets, and whether the lid keeps its shape after repeated opening.
| PET standard | Clear, stiff and the better default for retail display. Takes print and hot stamping well, and holds a crisp fold where the box needs one. Used for plastic boxes, cylinder boxes and blister film. |
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| PVC alternative | Softer and slightly warmer in the hand than PET, and easier to fold where the pack has a shaped edge. Chosen where the product needs a gentler contact surface or where a matte, rubberised feel is wanted. |
| RPET on request | Recycled PET, available where a market requires recycled content or where the brand wants it. Confirm at enquiry stage, because the available grades and the documentation differ by region. |
Paper and board
| Kraft board | Natural brown surface, strong and inexpensive. Used for eco-positioned boxes and shippers where the material is meant to be seen. |
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| SBS / ivory board | Bright white, smooth, takes colour and foil accurately. The usual choice for folding cartons where print quality carries the brand. |
| Grey board | Dense recycled board, wrapped in printed paper or fabric. The core of rigid gift boxes, where the board is never seen. |
| Corrugated | Fluted board for shippers and for boxes that must protect rather than display. Available in several flute profiles. |
FSC-certified stock can be quoted on request. Because the certification chain has to be documented, tell us at enquiry stage rather than after the order is placed.
Choosing thickness
Thickness is not a specification to copy from a catalogue — it is a decision about the pack. A 0.35 mm sheet folds crisply and suits small cosmetic boxes; a 1.15 mm sheet holds its shape under a heavy product and takes a deeper draw. In between, the choice usually follows three questions:
- How heavy is the product? A heavier product concentrates load on the base and the insert, not on the walls.
- Will the box be opened repeatedly? Repeated opening stresses the hinge line or the lid fit more than any other part.
- Does it travel as a single parcel? A pack shipped individually takes more handling than one that travels inside a master carton.
Send the product weight and the packing method with the enquiry and the thickness follows from those, rather than being guessed from the box size alone.
Food contact and compliance
Food-contact grades are available on request, for both plastic and paper. The declaration required differs between markets — the EU and the US do not ask for the same documentation, and printing inks for food-adjacent packs are held to a different standard than general packaging inks.
Tell us the destination market and whether the pack touches the product directly. That is the difference between quoting the right grade first time and having to re-specify after the artwork is done.
Not sure which material fits?
Send the product, its weight and where it will be sold. We will recommend a material and a thickness, and explain why.