Custom Insert Boxes
Two boxes with the same outer dimensions can perform completely differently, and the difference is almost always the insert. It is what stops a product arriving damaged, and it is what makes an unboxing look deliberate rather than improvised.
Bulk pricing
From $0.38 per unit
At a 50 unit minimum. Final price depends on size, material, and finishing.
Key Takeaway
An insert holds the product in a fixed position so it neither moves in transit nor looks loose when the box opens. The main materials are die cut paperboard, fluted corrugated, foam and moulded pulp, and the choice follows product weight, fragility and how the box is packed. An insert is quoted with the box, because the two are designed together. Half Price Packaging orders start at 50 units, with 100 or more required for specialty rigid formats. Production runs from about 7 business days, plus 2 to 5 business days for delivery. Call (866) 225-2112.
Half Price Packaging designs inserts in die cut paperboard, corrugated, foam and moulded pulp, quoted together with the box they sit in. Orders start at 50 units, with 100 or more required for specialty rigid formats. Call (866) 225-2112 with the product dimensions and weight.
Choose the material from the product
Die cut paperboard inserts are light, economical and good for flat or light items. Fluted corrugated inserts add strength and suit heavier products or multi item kits.
Foam is the choice for fragile, high value or irregular items, since it absorbs shock. Moulded pulp gives a shaped seat with a recycled material story and suits volume production of a consistent shape.
Fit, tolerance and how tight is too tight
An insert should hold the product without forcing it. Too loose and the product moves, too tight and the packer fights it on every unit or the product is scratched going in.
Send the product, or exact dimensions with a photograph. Tolerances are set from real measurements, and a nominal size from a spec sheet often differs from the item that arrives on your bench.
Multi item kits and assembly order
For a kit, the insert also decides the order in which the customer discovers things. Position the hero item where the eye lands first and put literature or accessories in a second layer.
Assembly speed matters as much as presentation. An insert that a packer loads in one motion beats a cleverer one that needs three, particularly at volume.
Shipping performance and what actually breaks
Damage usually comes from a product hitting the box wall, not from crushing. An insert that keeps the product away from every wall solves most of it, which is why suspension and seated designs work so well.
If the box ships alone rather than inside an outer carton, say so. The insert then has to handle drop and vibration, not just presentation.
Quantities, tooling and quoting
Orders start at 50 units, with 100 or more required for specialty rigid formats. Each insert design needs its own cutting die, which is a first run step that reorders of the same design do not repeat.
For a quote, send the product dimensions and weight, the number of items in the kit, the box construction, whether it ships alone and the quantity. Call (866) 225-2112 to start.
Frequently asked questions
Which insert material should I choose?
Die cut paperboard is light and economical for flat or light items. Corrugated adds strength for heavier products and kits. Foam absorbs shock for fragile or high value items. Moulded pulp gives a shaped seat with a recycled material story.
How tight should an insert fit?
It should hold the product without forcing it. Too loose and the product moves in transit, too tight and the packer fights it on every unit or the product is scratched going in. Tolerances are set from real measurements.
Can an insert hold a multi item kit?
Yes, and it also decides the order in which the customer discovers things. Position the hero item where the eye lands first and put literature or accessories in a second layer. Assembly speed matters as much as presentation.
Do inserts actually prevent shipping damage?
Most damage comes from the product hitting the box wall rather than from crushing. An insert that keeps the product away from every wall solves most of it, which is why seated and suspension designs perform so well.
Is there a tooling cost for an insert?
Each insert design needs its own cutting die, which is a first run step. Reorders of the same design do not repeat it, so a second run costs less to produce than the first one did.
What is the minimum order for custom insert boxes?
Orders start at 50 units, with 100 or more required for specialty rigid formats. The insert is quoted with the box rather than separately, because the two are designed together against the same product measurements.
Why buyers order from Half Price Packaging
- Orders start at 50 units, with 100 or more for specialty rigid formats
- Free design assistance and a digital proof approved by you before production
- Free shipping across the US
- Size guides and spec tables published from real production data
- Production runs from about 7 business days, depending on the product, quantity, and finishing, plus 2 to 5 business days for delivery
- Talk to a packaging specialist at (866) 225-2112
Related products
Further reading
Try Before You Commit - To Us
We’re sure you’ll love what we offer. Request your samples today, and if you place an order within 30 days of receiving them, we’ll credit the cost of your samples-making them absolutely free!
