Custom Catalogue Boxes

Sizing Custom Catalogue Boxes

Start with the trimmed size of the catalogue and its thickness. A4 and A5 are the most common formats, but square catalogues and landscape lookbooks are popular too, and the guide to measuring for a custom box shows where to add clearance. Add a few millimetres on length and width so the catalogue slides in without scraping the cover, and make the depth just enough for the catalogue plus any letter or price list that goes with it.

If you send several items together, such as a catalogue, a price list, a sample card and a business card, lay them out and measure the stack. An insert or a pocket inside the lid can hold the smaller pieces in place so they are not loose when the box is opened.

For swatch books, measure at the thickest point, often around the binding or the sample pages. Tell us the weight too, as heavy swatch books may need a stronger board.

Board and Strength for Posting

E-flute corrugated is the usual choice for posted catalogue boxes. It is thin enough to keep the box slim, but strong enough to protect corners from being crushed in sorting machines and courier vans, which is why the same board goes into our corrugated literature mailers. For heavier swatch books, B-flute gives more cushioning.

Folding boxboard is fine for boxes that are handed over in person, such as at a showroom or trade show, where the box is not going through the post. Rigid greyboard boxes are for keepsake presentations, where the box will be kept on a shelf and the weight of the board adds to the impression.

If you post in large numbers, check the finished weight and size against your postal service's size bands. A slim box that fits a cheaper band can save a lot over a mailing campaign.

Think about the return journey, too. Buyers sometimes post swatch books back once they have chosen a fabric or finish, so a box that opens without being destroyed, with a tear strip or a tuck lid rather than tape, makes it more likely your samples come back in good condition.

Designing the Box Around Your Brand

The box should feel like the cover of the catalogue. Many brands use the same colours and imagery on both, so the box and the catalogue read as one piece; see the print and finish options compared for how laminates change the look. Others go for contrast: a plain kraft or black box with a foil logo that opens to reveal a bright, image-led catalogue inside.

Inside print is a useful space. A message from the founder, a contact name for orders or a QR code to the online version of the catalogue sits on the inside of the lid, where it is seen as soon as the box opens. For ranges that change through the year, keep the outside general and change the insert card or sticker for each new edition, so one batch of boxes covers several releases.

A simple trick for trade shows is to print the stand number and show dates on a sticker rather than the box, then use the same boxes for post-show follow-ups with the sticker removed.

Who Uses Catalogue Boxes

Fashion brands send lookbooks to buyers and press. Furniture and interior suppliers send catalogues and material samples to designers, sometimes in a deeper portfolio box with a swatch insert. Architects and design studios send project books to prospective clients. Printers and paper merchants send sample books to show off their stock.

Wholesale food and drink brands send catalogues to retailers, sometimes with a few product samples in a deeper box. Schools and universities post prospectuses in printed boxes to make a strong first impression on families.

Agencies running direct mail campaigns also use them. A small printed box arriving on a decision-maker's desk is far more likely to be opened than a letter, and a catalogue inside with a short covering note gives them a reason to call. For these campaigns, the box design often carries a single bold line rather than the full brand story, because its job is simply to get opened.

Weigh the Catalogue With Its Extras Before Fixing the Depth

A catalogue box is sized by thickness more than by page size, and the thickness is rarely the catalogue alone. Stack everything that goes in one box, the catalogue, a price list, a letter, a swatch card or two, and measure that stack with a ruler, then weigh it, because a heavy swatch book pushes the box from E-flute to B-flute board. Decide if the box is posted on its own or handed over, since a posted box should be checked against the courier's size bands.

Send the catalogue size and thickness, the list of extras, how the box will be sent and the quantity, and a custom quote arrives by email within one working day, with minimums set for your job so a small studio can send work in a printed box. A free design proof lays the dieline and artwork out flat. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and free tracked delivery reaches UK mainland addresses in 2 to 3 working days, worth writing into a mailing plan. If the catalogue itself still needs printing, our catalogue printing service can be quoted in the same email so colours and timings match.