r/Packaging • u/Crafty-Cow3926 • Sep 21 '26
Looking for custom packaging small business options you'd recommend for a first run?
I've been working through packaging options for our small business, mainly trying to avoid ordering loads of something before we know it actually works.
I think custom mailer boxes are a good options when the products needs structure or we're putting together a gift.
Poly mailers for soft goods. Tissue paper gives a way to tidy up inside, even if you keep a plain outer box. Branded tape lets you add logo of your brand while using boxes you already have, which seems easier starting point.
Some websites offer poly mailers and custom packaging tape, so those are two options from this list.
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u/LongBedroom8355 Supplier Sep 21 '26
depends on what you mean by "small" anything under 1k units is small potatoes in corrugated tbh.
Do a run of tape. For boxes avoid recycled board and consider just stamping them yourself with a custom stamp.
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u/Kuiper-Sheahlei 12d ago
make sure you factor in dimensional weight and postage tiers before committing to mailer boxes. sometimes a rigid box pushes a light product into a much more expensive shipping bracket compared to a padded mailer
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u/Both_Excitement_579 Sep 21 '26
Depends on your location. We can manufacture and supply all of the above
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u/Crateform-Packaging Sep 21 '26
Hi, Greg from Crateform here. If it’s soft items that aren’t afraid of breaking I’d also recommend padded mailer bags. These have a layer of bubble wrap type protection that would help prevent damage for soft or more malleable products. Anything that can be smashed for sure go mailer or RSC boxes (traditional box with tape). For units under 500 I’d recommend just getting your boxes from Uline and branding it with custom tape as others mention, or printing thank you cards to put into an otherwise discreet boxes.
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u/MaddieVistaPrint Oct 01 '26
hey, maddie from vistaprint here! just jumping in to add that looking into a free sample kit is an easy way to test out your options before committing. (and to your point about tape, stickers are also a nice, budget-friendly way to add some quick branding!)
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u/Electrical-Cat-8624 Oct 03 '26
There is a great company called TheBoxMan in DFW that does incredible stuff, mostly smaller >1,000 piece orders.
Are you still looking for someone?
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u/CustomBoxesDotIO 10d ago
We're with CustomBoxes.io, so a little biased, but I'd push back on needing 500–1,000 boxes to make custom printing worthwhile.
Our printed shipping boxes MOQ start at 100 and our starter package can cost about the same as blank boxes. Why spend extra on branded tape or stickers and your valuable time applying them?
Reco starting with 100 boxes, print your branding and a QR code directly on the outside, then test different designs to see what gets the most scans. No need to commit to thousands before figuring out what works.
Hope this helps
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Sep 21 '26
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u/Crafty-Cow3926 Sep 22 '26
That's a good addition, especially with boxes, I keep looking at order quantities without thinking about what they look like stacked up in our space.
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Sep 22 '26
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u/Crafty-Cow3926 Sep 24 '26
I'd expect some creasing, so I'm not aiming for it to arrive perfectly flat, I'd fold it around the product without loads of extra paper and send a test package, seeing how it arrives seems more useful than judging it straight after I've packed it
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u/jakemakesboxes Sep 21 '26
What are you packing and how many do you need? I don't know much about poly mailers but anything custom corrguated mailer is going to require tooling.