How to Choose the Right Paper Stock for Custom Boxes
Paper choice drives 30–45% of unit cost and almost all of the perceived quality. Here's how we brief clients across our six packaging categories.
Art paper (coated woodfree)
The workhorse for full-colour CMYK printing. 128 / 157 / 200 gsm. Best for vibrant lifestyle photography on cosmetics and food boxes.
Kraft (virgin & recycled)
Natural fibre tones, excellent tear strength. Recycled kraft is a strong sustainability story; virgin kraft prints cleaner. See Two Sides for kraft sustainability data.
Specialty & fancy paper
Wyndstone, Curious Metallics, Gmund, Fedrigoni and Asian equivalents. Add USD 0.15–0.60 / sheet but transform the unboxing.
Lamination layers
- Matte / gloss BOPP — durable, scratch-resistant
- Soft-touch — velvety, premium hand-feel
- Anti-scratch — protects dark colours from marks
- Holographic — disco effect on fragrance boxes
When in doubt — request a swatch
We courier a free swatch book on request via our contact page. For colour-critical projects, always request a wet proof.
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