How to Design Custom Boxes: From Dieline to Print-Ready

Start with the dieline

A dieline is the flat template showing where your box cuts, folds and glues. We provide a free dieline for your exact size and style once you request a quote. Build your artwork inside the dieline so every panel, fold and glue tab is accounted for. Never design a box without one — guessing leads to artwork that lands on a fold or gets trimmed off.

Bleed and safe zones

Bleed is artwork that extends beyond the cut line so a slight cutting shift never leaves a white edge. Safe zone is the area inside the cut line where critical content like text and logos must stay to avoid being trimmed.

• Add 3mm (1/8 in) bleed beyond every cut edge
• Keep critical content 3mm inside the cut line (safe zone)
• Keep content away from fold lines and glue tabs
• Mark cut lines, fold lines and bleed separately

Colour: CMYK and Pantone

Print uses CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black), not RGB. Convert any RGB artwork to CMYK before sending, or colours will shift on press. For exact brand colour matching, specify Pantone (PMS) spot colours — we print and proof these for sign-off. We print-check your file free and flag anything that will not reproduce.

File format and fonts

Supply artwork as a vector PDF or AI file at 100% scale, with all fonts outlined (converted to shapes) so missing fonts do not break the file. Embed or include any linked images at 300dpi. We accept print-ready files or can build artwork from your brand assets at no charge.

The print-ready checklist

• Artwork built inside our dieline at 100% scale
• 3mm bleed beyond every cut edge
• Critical content inside the safe zone
• CMYK or named Pantone colours (not RGB)
• All fonts outlined
• Images at 300dpi
• Barcodes verified and placed