Packaging & Printing FAQs: Custom Boxes | Thepackhive

Thepackhive manufactures custom packaging boxes, corrugated and display boxes, stickers, labels, business cards, brochures, banners and retail marketing materials. Every item is built to your specification — size, material, print method and finish — rather than pulled from a stock template. Browse the full range in our packaging boxes library or see our stickers and labels.

Yes. Nothing we produce is off-the-shelf. You choose the dimensions, board weight, material, print colors and finishing options, and we manufacture to that exact specification. Custom production means a better fit, stronger protection during transit and a far more professional presentation than generic stock boxes — usually at a lower unit cost than buyers expect once volume increases.

Yes. Upload print-ready artwork, or send a rough concept and our design team will build a production-ready dieline and layout for you. Assistance covers file cleanup, bleed and trim setup, color correction and structural layout. If you need a full identity rather than a single file, see our packaging design and branding service. Final artwork is always approved by you before anything goes to press.

We accept AI, PDF, PSD, EPS, SVG, PNG and high-resolution JPG, with PDF preferred for press files. Supply artwork in CMYK at 300 DPI with 3–5 mm bleed and outlined fonts. If a file is not press-ready, prepress flags it and sends it back for correction rather than printing a surprise you have to live with.

Select your product, enter the size, material, quantity and finish, upload your artwork and complete checkout online. Prefer to talk it through first? Send a custom quote request with your specifications and a packaging specialist will confirm pricing, dieline options and lead time before you commit to anything.

Always. A digital PDF proof showing the dieline, bleed, colors and artwork placement is emailed to you before production begins, and nothing goes to press until you approve it in writing. Proofs are normally returned within one business day of artwork submission, which is why submitting press-ready files keeps your timeline intact.

No. Approving a proof releases the job straight to production and material cut, so changes are no longer possible without restarting and re-invoicing the run. That is exactly why every proof states the size, quantity, stock, finish and ship date. Read it carefully, share it with your team, and approve only when everyone agrees.

You can check out as a guest, but creating an account keeps artwork, proofs, invoices and order history in one place. Reordering an identical run becomes a single click rather than an email thread, and saved addresses speed up checkout for repeat buyers and agencies ordering on behalf of clients.

Standard stocks include 14–18 pt SBS cardstock, E- and B-flute corrugated board, kraft paper, rigid chipboard, vinyl and recycled specialty papers. The right choice depends on product weight, retail environment and print technique — heavy or fragile goods need corrugated board, while luxury products usually suit rigid construction. Tell us what you are packing and we will recommend the stock rather than guess.

Yes. FSC-certified kraft, 100% recycled board, soy- and water-based inks and plastic-free window and seal options are available across most product lines, including our essentials products. Recyclable packaging also performs better with retail buyers and end customers, so it is a commercial decision as much as an environmental one.

Not exactly. Monitors are backlit RGB and printing is subtractive CMYK on absorbent stock, so minor variation is normal and within accepted industry tolerance. For color-critical brands we print to a target Delta-E and can match a physical Pantone reference supplied with your order — state Pantone matching at quote stage, not after proofing.

Digital printing handles short runs and fast turnaround, offset litho handles long runs where per-unit cost matters, and UV coating, foil stamping, embossing, spot UV and matte or gloss lamination handle the finishing. Below roughly 500 units digital almost always wins on cost; above that, offset usually pays for the plate setup within the run.

Standard production typically runs 15-18 business days after proof approval for most custom boxes, plus transit time. Structural engineering, foil stamping or embossing can add a few days. Your exact estimated timeline is calculated at checkout from the product, quantity and finish you select, and rush scheduling is available when the date simply cannot move.

Yes. Expedited production and air freight are available on most products and can roughly halve the total delivery window. Rush capacity is limited by press schedule, so mention your deadline in the quote request before uploading artwork rather than asking after proofing. We will confirm feasibility in writing before you pay.

Digital printing allows low minimums — often 25 to 100 units depending on the product — while offset runs typically start at 500 to 1,000 units to justify plate setup. There is no single house minimum: your exact MOQ appears on each product page and is confirmed on your quote.

We ship nationwide across the United States from our Richmond, Texas facility, and international freight is available on request. Shipping cost is calculated from destination, carton dimensions and weight, and shown before you pay. Local pickup can be arranged for buyers in the Greater Houston area.

Standard orders travel by ground courier in protective cartons, with corner guards added on rigid boxes. Larger or heavier runs ship palletised by LTL freight. Every shipment sends a tracking number by email the moment it leaves the facility, and split shipments are available when you need part of a run early.

Yes, to most countries. International orders ship DAP with freight quoted up front. Import duties, VAT and brokerage are the recipient's responsibility unless we agree otherwise in writing. Send your destination, product and quantity with a quote request and we will confirm landed cost before you order anything.

Because every product is manufactured to your specification, we cannot accept returns for change of mind. We do replace or refund any order that arrives defective, damaged in transit or printed outside the approved proof — contact us within 5 business days of delivery with photos and your order number and we will action it immediately.

Send photos of the damage, the outer carton and your order number within 5 business days of the delivery date. Claims are reviewed the same day and reprints are prioritised so you are not left waiting. Keep the damaged goods and packaging until the claim is closed, because carriers usually require them as evidence.

Pricing depends on size, material, quantity, print colors and finish, and it falls steeply as volume rises — a short digital run costs start $0.01 per unit more than a $10,000-unit offset run of the same box. Enter your specs for an instant online price, or request a quote for a firm figure including shipping.

Email support@thepackhive.com and we reply within one business day. Live chat is available on the site during business hours for quick questions about proofs, files or lead times. For a detailed project discussion, request a quote and a packaging specialist will call you back.

Three business days from delivery. Email support@thepackhive.com with your order number and photos within that window and your claim is reviewed immediately; claims sent later may not qualify.

No. Every order is manufactured to your approved artwork and specification, so custom products cannot be returned or exchanged for a change of mind. Cancel before you approve the proof if you are unsure.

Thepackhive pays it. Return shipping is free on every approved defect, damage or off-proof claim — you are never out of pocket for our mistake.

Approved refunds are issued to your original payment method within 7 business days of approval. Your bank may take additional time to post the credit.

No. Orders can be cancelled free of charge at any point before proof approval. After approval, production scheduling begins and the order can no longer be cancelled or refunded.