Brown boxes appear similar until they are printed. This very piece of work that appears crisp on a white board might appear opaque on kraft, since most of the inks are transparent, and the brown is seen through. The task of selecting kraft packaging boxes begins with the print you desire and the product within it, followed by the grade of kraft that maintains it. Empress Packaging produces bespoke kraft boxes for products and ecommerce packaging in the USA.

Natural, white-top and bleached kraft

The common brown is known as natural kraft. It darkens the majority of the colors that are printed on it, so it is best printed in one or two dark inks, and black reads particularly well. Opaque white ink printed underneath restores brighter colors, at the cost of an extra print pass. The finer detail is harder to print on uncoated kraft, thus use larger types and do not use hairline rules. White-top kraft is a strong brown fiber that is covered with a white layer to provide a clean printing surface without the loss of strength of the underlying board. Luxury packaging boxes  is white throughout and print like any white board, hence, it is more suitable for photography at the expense of the natural appearance.

Product boxes made of paperboard, corrugated to ship.

E-commerce packaging is lightweight and can be folded into shelf and gift set product boxes. The corrugated kraft is fluted between the liners, and this provides it with the crush strength to construct shipping packages, mailers, and cartons. Another typical arrangement is to fit a paperboard box on the product and a corrugated mailer on that, printed to look like a single set.

Where does kraft fit?

Soap, tea, clothing, and accessories are natural kraft as the material aligns with an earthy brand story. On bright colors, products tend to show better on white-top, where the ink does not fade.

Repurposed material, and what can be repurposed.

Brown kraft liner is available in virgin fiber, recycled fiber, or a mix, so request the figure of the recycled content before you claim you know. Recyclable packaging remains recyclable only when the finish can accommodate it. A product boxes can be kept out of the curbside bin by plastic film lamination and metallized wraps, whereas water-based inks and aqueous coats usually leave a box recyclable.

• Making kraft high-end.

A debossed black ink, one foil accent, or printed sleeve can take kraft a step closer to the appearance of a luxury packaging box without transitioning to rigid board, and the box retains the weight and freight price of paperboard or corrugated.

• Print and closure options

Recyclable packaging is cut to the size of the product. Another color may be printed in one run to a complete wrap and a variety of closures can be tuck tops on product boxes down to tear strips on mailers. Request them to take a sample of the specific kraft grade you want to order, since all grades print differently.

FAQs

Q: Is kraft shippable?

A: Yes. The standard corrugated shipping box facing is known as kraft liner. The flute and wall count are a source of strength and, thus, specify those when dealing with heavy products.

Q: Is it possible to check color prior to a complete run?

A: Yes. As physical evidence, request a physical proof on the actual kraft stock, since a screen or white-paper proof will not indicate the way ink rests on brown fiber.

Q: Which artwork files do I require to send?

A: Request the supplier to give a dieline template and create a vector artwork on it. Turn text into outlines and define colors of ink, as the kraft base alters their appearance.

Q: How is the most economical printing done on kraft?

A: A dark ink on natural kraft. Each additional color, coating, or finish will be an extra production step.

Get a free quote on custom kraft boxes.

Email a sample of your work, product size, and quantity to receive an estimate of kraft boxes. Get a free quote at empresspackaging.com, email query@empresspackaging.com  or call (888) 900-7629.