Start with the dieline, not a blank canvas
A dieline is the flat outline of your box with every panel, fold and cut marked. Your artwork sits on top of it, so it must exist before design starts.
We draw the dieline from your inside dimensions and chosen style. It arrives as a vector file with cut lines, fold lines and bleed shown in different colors.
Designing on a dieline feels strange at first, because some panels sit upside down when flat. Once folded, they face the right way.
If you want to test a logo on a box before opening design software, our online mailer box preview shows it on a 3D mockup.
Print the dieline at full size on office paper, cut it out and fold it. A paper model shows which way each panel faces in seconds.
Which panels people actually see
A tuck front mailer has six outside panels and six inside, but they do not get equal attention. Spend your design time where eyes land.
The lid top is seen first, often on a doorstep with a shipping label on it. The inside lid is seen second, at the moment of opening.
The front panel and side walls matter when the box sits on a shelf or in a photo. The bottom is seen least, so keep it simple.
Many brands put the logo outside and the real message inside. Double sided mailer boxes printed inside and out make that reveal possible.
Plan for the shipping label on the lid top. A 4 by 6 inch label can cover half of a small lid, so keep the logo clear of its usual spot.
Side panels on a stacked shelf show only their narrow edge. A short brand name there helps customers find your box among others.
Bleed, safe zone and the numbers that matter
Print and cutting both move by a tiny amount on every sheet. Bleed and safe zones absorb that movement so nothing looks wrong.
Extend background color 1/8 inch past every cut line. That is the bleed, and it stops thin white slivers showing at the edges.
Keep text and logos at least 1/8 inch inside every cut and fold line. That is the safe zone, and it stops important details being trimmed or bent.
Folds need the same care as cuts. A thin border running along a fold rarely lines up perfectly, so avoid frames that hug the panel edges.
| Setting | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Bleed | 1/8 inch past cut lines | No white edges after cutting |
| Safe zone | 1/8 inch inside cuts and folds | Text never trimmed or creased |
| Image resolution | 300 dpi at full size | Photos stay sharp |
| Smallest text | 6 pt, 8 pt on kraft | Readable on board |
| Thinnest line | 0.25 pt, 0.5 pt reversed | Lines do not break or fill in |
| Color mode | CMYK, plus Pantone codes | Matches how the press prints |
| File type | AI, PDF or SVG | Vector art scales cleanly |
Preparing print-ready files
Vector files are best for logos and text. They stay crisp at any size, so a logo looks the same on a 4 inch box as on a 16 inch box.
Photos and textures need 300 dpi at the size they print. A 1,000 pixel image only covers about 3.3 inches at that resolution.
Outline fonts or send them with the file. A missing font gets swapped for another one, which can change line breaks.
Not ready with print files? Send what you have. Our team sets up artwork for free and returns it on a proof.
Name layers clearly and remove hidden or unused artwork. Stray objects outside the dieline can confuse the setup and slow down your proof.
Getting brand colors right
Design in CMYK, not RGB. Bright screen colors such as electric blue and neon green cannot be printed in CMYK and will look duller on board.
Add Pantone codes for any color that must match across products. Pantone inks are mixed to a formula and repeat closely between runs.
The board matters too. On kraft liner every color darkens, so a light design may need white ink underneath to keep its brightness.
For a box built entirely around your identity, branded mailer boxes with your colors and fonts carry the same palette across every panel.
Check contrast between text and background. Gray text on a kraft liner, for example, can almost disappear once printed.
Designing a mailer box in nine steps
This order keeps rework to a minimum. Each step depends on the one before it.
Pattern-heavy designs follow the same steps, with extra care at the folds. Our design mailer boxes with wraparound art show how patterns line up across panel edges.
- Confirm the inside size and box style.
- Get the dieline from us as a vector file.
- Mark which panels are the lid top, inside lid and front.
- Place the logo on the lid top inside the safe zone.
- Add the inside message or graphic to the inside lid.
- Extend backgrounds 1/8 inch into the bleed.
- Set colors as CMYK and note any Pantone codes.
- Check text size, line weight and image resolution.
- Send the file and review the free digital proof.
Ideas for the inside of the box
Inside print is the part of the box people photograph. It is also the cheapest place to add a personal touch, since one color can be enough.
Keep inside text short. A customer reads it in the few seconds it takes to lift the product out.
Leave the inside floor plain if a product or insert covers it. Ink there is never seen and only adds setup work.
- A one-line thank-you or welcome note under the lid.
- Care or setup steps printed on the inside lid.
- A repeat pattern in your brand color across all inside panels.
- A social handle or hashtag for sharing the unboxing.
- A QR code linking to reorder or product videos, at least 0.8 inch wide.
Finishes in the design file
Finishes like spot UV and foil need their own layer in the file. Draw them as solid black shapes on a separate layer named for the finish.
Keep foil and spot UV details simple. Lines thinner than 0.5 mm can fill in or lose their edge on board.
Lamination covers the whole box, so it needs no separate layer. Just state gloss, matte or soft-touch on your quote request.
For a closer look at each option, read our mailer box printing and finishes guide before you plan the layers.
Line up foil and spot UV with the printed artwork underneath. Allow a small overlap of about 0.25 mm so tiny shifts do not leave gaps.
Checking the proof before you approve
The proof shows your artwork placed on the final dieline. Check it on a large screen at 100 percent zoom, not on a phone.
Read every word twice, including small print and phone numbers. Spelling errors are the most common reason for a reprint request.
Check that nothing important crosses a fold or sits in the bleed. Logos near a fold can wrap around a corner when the box is built.
Revisions are free and unlimited until you approve. Questions about proofs are also covered in our mailer box questions and answers.
Print the proof at 100 percent scale if you can and fold it. Holding the paper model next to your product catches size problems a screen can hide.
How long design to delivery takes
Allow a few days for design and proof rounds, depending on how many changes you make. Simple logo boxes often approve on the first proof.
Printing and die-cutting take 4–6 business days from your sign-off. The finished boxes then ship free to the US, UK, Canada and Australia in 2–3 business days.
In total, most first orders land within two to three weeks of the first file. When your artwork is ready, send your design for a free proof.
Leave extra time before a launch or a holiday. A spare week covers a late artwork change without moving your shipping date.