shipping box

shipping box is the everyday name for the corrugated cardboard box that protects products on their journey from a business to a customer, a retailer or another site. Choosing the right shipping box means matching board strength, internal size and postage band to the goods inside, and Custom Postal Boxes, a project of Vertex Packaging in Wolverhampton, makes shipping box orders custom printed in house for UK businesses. Low minimum order quantities, free design support and free UK delivery apply across the range.

What a shipping box has to do

A shipping box works in three ways at once. It resists crushing when parcels are stacked in vans and cages, it absorbs knocks at the corners and edges where drops usually land, and it keeps the contents together and clean from packing bench to doorstep. Corrugated cardboard does all three because its fluted middle layer acts like a series of small arches between two flat papers, giving strength at a low weight. That low weight matters, because every gram of packaging counts towards the weight the carrier charges for.

Our cardboard shipping boxes and corrugated shipping boxes pages set out the main options by construction.

Single wall, double wall and heavy duty choices

A single wall box has one fluted layer and suits light to medium goods such as clothing, books, toys and boxed products. A double wall box has two fluted layers and a stronger feel, suiting heavier items, fragile goods and loads that will be stacked. Heavy duty specifications go further for dense or valuable contents. Matching the grade to the goods avoids both failures from under specifying and waste from over specifying.

How flute and board grade affect strength

The flute is the wave inside the board. Larger flutes cushion well and resist vertical crushing, while smaller flutes give a smoother surface and good puncture resistance for lighter goods. Board is also graded by the weight and quality of its papers. If you are unsure, tell us what you are packing and how it travels, and the quote will be built on a grade that fits the job.

Shipping box sizes and carrier bands

Measure the contents, not the old box. Add the protective wrap or filler the product needs, then choose internal dimensions a little larger on each side. For Royal Mail, a small parcel can be up to 450mm by 350mm by 160mm and 2kg, and a medium parcel up to 610mm by 460mm by 460mm and 20kg, so a slightly smaller box can keep an order in a cheaper band. The Royal Mail size and weight guidance lists the current limits for each format.

Packing a shipping box properly

Place the heaviest item at the bottom, fill gaps so nothing can move, and keep fragile items away from the walls and corners with cushioning on all sides. Tape should close the centre seam and the edges of the flaps, and the label should sit flat on the largest face. A simple test helps: close the box, shake it gently and listen. Movement inside means more filler is needed before it leaves.

Custom print and ordering a shipping box

Print turns a transit box into a brand asset. Logos, handling guidance, a web address and an inside lid message all travel with the parcel at no extra media cost, and our custom shipping boxes and double wall shipping boxes pages show where print and strength come together. Pricing depends on size, material and quantity, so each order is quoted individually. Share your product dimensions and quantities through our contact page for a shipping box quote and the free design support team will help you finalise the specification.

FAQs about shipping box

What size shipping box do I need?

Measure your product with its protective wrap, add a little room for cushioning on each side, and choose internal dimensions just above that total. Check the packed size against carrier bands so you do not pay for a larger band than you need.

What is the difference between single wall and double wall shipping box options?

A single wall box has one fluted layer and suits light to medium goods. A double wall box has two fluted layers, giving more crush resistance and stacking strength for heavier or fragile items.

How should I pack fragile items in a shipping box?

Wrap the item, keep it away from the walls and corners with cushioning on all sides, fill any gaps so nothing can move, and tape the centre seam and flap edges before labelling the largest face flat.

Can a shipping box be printed with my branding?

Yes. Shipping boxes can be custom printed with your logo, colours, web address and messages inside and outside. Free design support helps you set the artwork up for the box size you choose.