Custom 1-2-3 Bottom Boxes

Comparing It with Other Bottom Styles

It helps to see where the 1-2-3 base sits among the common carton bottoms. A straight or reverse tuck end has a single flap at the bottom and suits light products. A crash-lock or auto-bottom base is pre-glued so it springs into shape when the carton is opened, which is fastest to pack but costs more to produce. A seal end base is glued shut by the packer and suits machine filling.

The 1-2-3 base is the practical middle ground. It costs less than a crash-lock, holds weight far better than a tuck end and needs no glue at the packing bench. For brands packing by hand in batches of a few hundred, it is often the most sensible choice.

If you expect to move to machine packing later, mention it now, because a crash-lock base may suit a production line better.

Sizing and Board for Weight

Size the carton from your product as it will be packed, including any insert, wrap or leaflet. Add a millimetre or two on width and depth and a few millimetres on height so the product slides in and the top flap tucks cleanly. For glass, a closer fit or an insert stops the product moving.

Most 1-2-3 bottom boxes are made from 350 to 400 gsm folding boxboard. Heavier products such as large jars or metal items benefit from the stiffer grades, and for very heavy contents an E-flute corrugated version holds its shape better. If your product weighs more than about a kilogram, tell us and we will check the board choice.

Remember that the base carries the weight, so the flap design is adjusted to the board thickness. That is why we always produce the dieline for your exact size and board rather than scaling a stock template. The board weights for heavier products are explained in our board guide if you want to compare grades before asking for a quote.

Print and Finish Options

Every panel of a 1-2-3 bottom box can be printed, including the inside if you want a reveal when the lid opens. The base flaps are partly hidden once folded, so keep important information off them; barcodes and legal text belong on the side or back panels.

Matt and gloss laminates protect print and give either a soft or a vivid look. Foil logos, spot gloss and embossing all work on this style. Windows can be cut into the front panel to show the product, but avoid placing them too low, as they can weaken the base area.

For product ranges, keep the structure and layout the same and change colour, product name and photography. That way, one set of instructions covers packing for the whole range. Folding boxboard takes full colour print on every panel, so a plain base can sit under a richly printed body.

When a Mixed Range Shares One Box

Many small brands sell several products of similar size, such as three sauces in identical bottles or a set of candles in the same jar. A single 1-2-3 bottom box size can then cover the whole range, with different artwork for each product. That keeps packing simple because every carton folds the same way, and it lets you order a larger combined quantity, which helps keep the cost per carton down.

Where products are close in size but not identical, a fitted insert can take up the difference. A taller bottle and a shorter jar can share one carton if the shorter item sits on a raised card platform. It is a neat way to avoid ordering several nearly identical box sizes, each in small quantities.

For gift sets, a wider 1-2-3 bottom carton with a divided insert holds two or three products side by side. The locking base gives the set the strength to be carried by one end without the bottom opening. Where jars differ in height, card inserts sized to each jar let one carton serve the whole range.

Test the Flap Sequence Before You Order Thousands

The one thing worth doing before a 1-2-3 bottom order is to fold a plain sample with your real product inside. Weigh the filled carton, close the base in its three-step order and drop it onto a bench from waist height. If the base holds, the board grade is right; if a flap pops, we move you up a weight or switch to a crash-lock bottom carton instead. Send the weight with your dimensions and we will build that advice into the custom quote you receive within one working day.

On artwork, leave the four base flaps plain or in a flat colour, because two of them are hidden once locked. Put barcodes and legal text on the side panels. The free proof shows the flaps numbered in folding order, which doubles as a packing guide for your staff. Production runs 4 to 7 working days after you approve it, cartons arrive flat by tracked courier, and a misprinted or crushed batch reported within 10 days is reprinted or refunded.