Custom printed packaging has moved from a luxury to an expectation. Whether you're an eCommerce brand trying to stand out in a crowded market or a manufacturer looking to present your products professionally, the unboxing moment matters. But for many businesses, the process of actually getting custom printed packaging feels uncertain — what are the minimums, how long does it take, what do you need to provide?
This guide answers those questions plainly, so you know what to expect before you pick up the phone or fill in a quote form.
Why Custom Printed Packaging?
Plain brown boxes do the job, but they do nothing for your brand. Custom printed packaging turns every delivery into a marketing moment — your logo, your colours, your message arriving on a customer's doorstep. For businesses selling online, it's one of the few physical touchpoints you have with your customer, and it's worth using well.
Beyond brand impression, printed packaging can also carry practical information: handling instructions, return addresses, website URLs, or sustainability messaging. Done well, it works harder than any insert you could put inside the box.
What Are the Minimum Order Quantities?
This is the question most businesses search for and rarely get a straight answer on. For custom printed boxes and cartons, minimum order quantities (MOQs) typically start at around 500–1,000 units depending on the print method, box style, and size. Litho-laminated printed boxes tend to have higher MOQs than flexo-printed corrugated — but they also produce a sharper, more premium result.
At Datec we'll discuss your volumes honestly at the outset. If your order quantities don't stack up for a full custom print run, there are intermediate options — printed tape, branded tissue, or a custom sticker on plain packaging — that can achieve a similar effect at lower volumes and cost.
What Lead Times Should You Expect?
From artwork approval to delivery, allow four to six weeks for a first production run of custom printed packaging. This accounts for artwork sign-off, plate or die production, print, manufacture, and shipping to you.
Repeat orders from existing artwork are significantly faster. Once your tooling and artwork are set up, reorder lead times are typically two to three weeks. This is another reason consignment stock arrangements work well with printed packaging — we hold your stock so you're never waiting on a production run when you're about to run out.
What Do You Need to Provide?
Your printer or supplier will need artwork files — ideally in vector format (AI, EPS, or PDF) with all fonts outlined and colours specified in Pantone or CMYK. If you only have a logo in PNG or JPEG format, a designer will need to recreate it properly before print, which adds time and potentially cost.
You'll also need to confirm your box dimensions and any specific finish requirements — uncoated, gloss, or matt laminate for litho print, for example. If you're not sure which style of box suits your product, that's exactly the kind of thing we'll help you work through at the quoting stage.
Inside Print vs Outside Print — Does It Matter?
It does, and it's worth thinking about before you brief your supplier. Outside print is what your customer sees on arrival. Inside print is what they see when they open the box — and for premium brands, this is an increasingly popular way to create a memorable unboxing moment without the cost of additional inserts or tissue.
Not all box styles and print methods support inside print equally well, so it's worth raising this early if it's part of what you're trying to achieve. For eCommerce packaging solutions where the unboxing experience is a priority, inside print can make a real difference.
How to Get a Quote
The best way to get an accurate quote is to come to us with your box size, rough annual volume, number of print colours, and any finish preferences. You don't need artwork at the quoting stage — we just need enough to give you a realistic price and MOQ before you commit.
You can see examples of what's possible on our printed postal boxes page, or go straight to our quote form and we'll come back to you the same day.
Ready to get a quote for custom printed packaging? Fill in our quote form and we'll come back to you the same day.
Custom Printed Packaging: What You Need to Know Before You Order