Folding Small Mailing Boxes for Little Orders
A folding small mailing box is a one-piece corrugated box that folds up from a flat blank, with rolled side walls and a tuck-in lid. It suits rings, soap bars, candle tins, pins and cards that would rattle in a bigger box or crush in an envelope.
From £0.25 a box exact price on a written quote, within one working day
- Free design proof before anything is printed
- Production takes 4 to 6 working days after proof approval
- Free tracked UK mainland delivery in 2 to 3 working days
- Misprints or damage reported within 10 days with photos are reprinted or refunded
- Low minimums, quoted per job
Specification
What folding small mailing boxes from us are made of and how they are measured. Anything not listed here, ask in the quote.
| Style | One-piece roll-end box with doubled side walls and a tuck-in front flap |
|---|---|
| Board | Brown kraft or white-lined, E-flute 1.5 mm or B-flute 3 mm |
| Size range | 100 x 80 x 30 mm to 300 x 220 x 120 mm, inside |
| Typical start | 160 x 110 x 50 mm inside, changed to suit your item |
| Plain, one colour, two colours or full colour; outside, inside or both | |
| Finish | Matt or gloss varnish, white underprint on kraft |
| Inserts | Single-aperture board inserts and paper void fill, quoted with the box |
| Supplied | Flat die-cut blanks, creased and strapped in bundles |
| Price | From £0.25 a box; exact price depends on size, board, print and quantity |
How to measure for a folding small mailing box
Measure the item in whatever it travels in, such as a gift box, a pouch or a backing card. Take the length, the width and the depth, then add 3 to 5 mm to each.
Send the three figures as length x width x depth, inside. If you want the box to post as a Large Letter, say so and we will keep the outside depth under 25 mm.
Which board for which job
E-flute at 1.5 mm folds into tight little corners and keeps small print sharp, so it is the default for this box. B-flute at 3 mm is worth it only for dense contents such as a stack of metal tins, because the thicker board takes up inside space.
Design Your Folding Small Mailing Mailer Box
Drop your logo on a real photo of our folding small mailing boxes, set the size and quantity, and send it. A designer sets up the real dieline and sends a free proof.
Your logo is placed on a real photo of our box. A designer redraws it to scale on the dieline and sends a free proof before anything is printed.
What are folding small mailing boxes?
A folding small mailing box is a corrugated box scaled down for little things: a ring, a bar of soap, a travel candle, a set of greeting cards. It arrives as a flat die-cut blank and folds into a firm box with no tape, glue or staples.
Each side wall rolls over on itself, so the ends are two layers of board once the box is built. A flap on the front of the lid slots down inside the front wall and keeps it closed. It is the smallest member of our family of mailer box styles.
How do you fold a small mailing box?
The first one takes a minute. By the tenth you will do it without looking, and most packers settle at a few seconds a box.
- Lay the blank printed side down with the base panel nearest to you.
- Lift the front and back walls along their creases so they stand square.
- Raise each side wall, then roll its inner panel over and down inside the box.
- Press the small tabs at the foot of each rolled wall into the slots in the base.
- Pack the item, bring the lid over and push the front flap down inside the front wall.
If a rolled side springs back up, its tabs are not seated. Press the base corner with one finger and they drop into the slots.
What do people post in small folding boxes?
Small, light goods that feel special and need to arrive looking tidy. The box gives them a proper parcel without the empty space of a standard mailer.
- Jewellery makers sending a ring, a pair of earrings or a pendant on a card.
- Soap and balm sellers posting one bar or a pair of tins.
- Candle makers sending a travel tin or a pack of wax melts.
- Pin and badge sellers posting a few enamel pins on backing cards.
- Tea and coffee shops sending a sample pouch with a handwritten note.
- Phone accessory shops posting a cable, a grip or a slim case.
What size small mailing box do I need?
Measure the item packed as it will travel, not bare. Then add 3 to 5 mm on each side so the rolled walls fold down without catching it. Our usual starting point is 160 x 110 x 50 mm inside, which we then change to fit your goods.
| What goes in | Inside size to start from | Band to check |
|---|---|---|
| Two pairs of earrings on cards | 120 x 90 x 20 mm | Large Letter |
| Ten enamel pins on cards | 160 x 110 x 20 mm | Large Letter |
| A ring in its gift box | 100 x 80 x 50 mm | Small Parcel |
| One wrapped bar of soap | 110 x 80 x 40 mm | Small Parcel |
| Two travel candle tins | 180 x 100 x 60 mm | Small Parcel |
| A phone case and a cable | 200 x 120 x 40 mm | Small Parcel |
Every size above sits well inside the Small Parcel limit of 450 x 350 x 160 mm. Check the current band limits before you order. Our guide to mailer box sizes and Royal Mail bands lists each outside limit in one place.
Can a small folding box post as a Large Letter?
Yes, if it is shallow. The Large Letter band is 353 x 250 x 25 mm, and the 25 mm is measured on the outside, lid and base included.
In E-flute the lid and base add about 3 mm between them, so an inside depth of 20 mm or a touch less is the safe line. That suits earrings, pins, cards and flat accessories. Anything deeper becomes a Small Parcel, which still works well for most small orders.
Board for a box this small
E-flute at 1.5 mm is our usual choice here. Its fine flute bends into tight corners without cracking and holds small type and thin lines cleanly.
B-flute at 3 mm gives thicker walls, but on a box of 100 or 150 mm it eats into the space inside and makes the rolled sides bulky. Pick it only for dense contents. Both come in brown kraft or white-lined board, and the comparison of E-flute and B-flute sets out the trade-offs.
Printing small mailing boxes
Small panels suit simple artwork. A single logo on the lid in one colour, or a repeat pattern over the whole outside, both read well at this scale.
Plain, one colour, two colours and full colour are all available, outside, inside or both. On kraft, a white underprint stops pale inks sinking into the brown, and a matt or gloss varnish protects the outer face. A short thank-you line inside the lid is a nice surprise, and our guide to printing inside the mailer box lid shows how to set it up.
Do small mailing boxes need void fill?
When the box is sized to the item, often not. A ring box with 3 mm of clearance on each side barely moves.
When one size has to cover several products, a twist of paper void fill stops the smaller ones rattling. For a lip balm tube or a small jar that must stay upright, a die-cut board insert with one aperture holds it in the centre. Inserts and void fill are quoted with the box.
How the flat blanks arrive and store
Boxes come flat, creased and strapped, with free tracked UK mainland delivery in 2 to 3 working days. A small blank is barely bigger than a sheet of A4, so a few hundred sit on the shelf above a packing bench.
Keep the bundles strapped and off a damp floor until you need them. Fold a batch at the start of each packing session rather than days ahead, so the creases stay crisp.
Mistakes to avoid with small mailing boxes
- Measuring the bare item when it travels in a pouch or a gift box.
- Adding 10 mm of clearance around a tiny item, so it slides from end to end.
- Choosing B-flute for a 100 mm box and losing inside space to board.
- Setting tiny text on a lid only a few centimetres wide.
- Asking for a 26 mm inside depth when 20 mm would have kept the box in Large Letter.
- Placing artwork on the front tuck flap, which is hidden once the box is shut.
How do I order folding small mailing boxes?
Tell us the inside size, the board, the quantity and how you want it printed. We reply with a written quote within one working day, priced from £0.25 a box. Your free proof comes next, and the press waits for your approval.
Production takes 4 to 6 working days after proof approval. If any box arrives misprinted or damaged, report it within 10 days with photos for a reprint or refund. Ask for a written quote on small boxes, or send your three measurements on WhatsApp to +44 7578 382054.
Related mailer boxes
Other closures and finishes that start from the same idea.
Tuck Top Mailer BoxesRoll-over front, tuck-in lid, prints inside and outFrom £0.25 a box
Ear Lock Mailer BoxesTape-free close for unboxing on cameraFrom £0.25 a box
Brown Kraft Mailer BoxesPlain kraft, one or two colour print if you want itFrom £0.25 a box
Insert Fitted Mailer BoxesDie-cut board insert holds each item in placeFrom £0.25 a boxFolding Small Mailing Boxes questions
How small can a folding small mailing box be made?
The floor is roughly 100 x 80 x 30 mm on the inside. Below that the rolled side walls get too narrow to fold and lock properly.
Do folding small mailing boxes need tape to stay shut?
No. The rolled sides lock into slots in the base and the front flap tucks inside the front wall. A sticker across the front is optional.
Will a folding small mailing box fit the Large Letter band?
It can if the outside stays within 353 x 250 x 25 mm, which in E-flute means an inside depth of about 20 mm. Check the current band limits before you order.
Can a small folding mailer hold a ring in its gift box?
Yes. Measure the gift box, add 3 mm a side, and the ring box sits snug with no fill needed.
Are the side walls of a small folding mailing box doubled?
Yes. Each side wall rolls over on itself and locks into the base, so the ends are two layers of board once folded.
Can I print a logo on just the lid of a small mailing box?
Yes. One colour on the lid only is the simplest print job, and a small logo reads clearly on kraft or white board. You can lay it out on the Design Your Mailer Box page.
Which board suits a small mailing box for candle tins?
E-flute handles one or two tins well. For a stack of tins, B-flute gives thicker walls, though it takes a little of the inside space.
Can a folding small mailing box have an insert for one item?
Yes. A die-cut board insert with a single aperture keeps a jar, tube or bottle in the middle of the box, and it is quoted with the box.
Do small folding mailing boxes arrive ready made?
No, they come flat and creased in strapped bundles. Folding by hand takes a few seconds once you know the order of the flaps.
Can I handwrite the address on a small kraft mailing box?
Yes. Tell us which panel you write on and we keep it free of print, so the address stays easy to read.
Can one small mailing box size cover several products?
Often it can. Size it for the largest item and add paper void fill for the smaller ones, so you keep one box on the shelf instead of four.
Can the inside of a small folding mailer be printed in full colour?
Yes. White-lined board gives the brightest inside print, and on kraft we lay down a white underprint first.
Your question is not here? Ask on WhatsApp or call +44 7578 382054.
Tell us what you post
Send the product, a rough inside size and a quantity. We reply in writing within one working day with a price and a free design proof. Prefer to talk? Call +44 7578 382054 or message us on WhatsApp.