Custom Punched Card Inserts

Sizing Holes for Custom Punched Card Inserts

Measure the diameter of each item at the point where the insert will grip it, usually the body just below the shoulder or the neck. For a firm fit, the hole is cut slightly smaller than the diameter and the card flexes as the item is pushed in. For easy removal, the hole is cut slightly larger. We can add small slits around each hole so it grips firmly without tearing.

Spacing between holes keeps items apart and gives the card enough strength. As a rule, the gap between holes should be at least a few millimetres. If items have caps wider than their bodies, the spacing must allow for the caps.

Send us samples or technical drawings of each item, and we will design the hole pattern and the insert height.

Allow for label thickness. A vial measured bare is slightly narrower than the same vial with a label wrapped around it, and that small difference can turn a snug fit into a tight one. Measure items exactly as they will be packed. Our guide to measuring small items for an insert explains where to take the diameter.

Board Choices

Most punched inserts are made from folding boxboard of 350 to 450 gsm, which is stiff enough to hold items upright and cuts cleanly. Heavier items or larger holes may need E-flute corrugated, which is stronger but cuts with a slightly rougher edge. White board suits laboratory and cosmetic kits, while kraft board suits natural brands and craft products.

If the insert will be handled often, a lamination on the top surface keeps it clean. For laboratory use, a smooth white surface is easy to write on and looks clean in a clinical setting.

Grain direction matters for strength. We cut inserts so the stiffer direction of the board runs across the longest span, which stops the card sagging between holes when loaded with heavier items. The board and card types guide explains grain direction and stiffness.

Printing on the Insert

Printing directly on the insert is one of its biggest advantages. Numbers, names or colour codes next to each hole tell users which item goes where, which is important for test kits, sample sets and regimes that should be used in order. A short instruction line or a logo on the insert gives a finished look when the box is opened.

For laboratory kits, labels such as sample numbers or reagent names can be printed beside each hole, helping staff check that a kit is complete. For cosmetic sets, a step number beside each bottle guides the customer through a routine.

Colour coding works well when kits are used under time pressure. A coloured ring printed around each hole, matching a coloured cap, lets users find the right item at a glance without reading small text. Upload the hole labels through the free proof request and we will set them beside each cavity.

Who Uses Punched Inserts

Laboratories and diagnostic companies use them in sample collection kits and reagent boxes. Cosmetic and skincare brands use them for serum sets, sample kits and travel sets. Supplement makers use them for vials and ampoules. Fragrance brands use them for discovery sets of small vials, and craft brands use them for paint pots, inks and essential oils.

They are also used outside packaging, in storage boxes and drawers that hold tubes and vials in a fixed order.

Some customers order inserts on their own to fit boxes they already have. Others order both together so the insert, box and print are designed as one. Either works, as long as we know the inside dimensions of the box. Retail sets that mix holes with platforms are shown on our retail packaging inserts page.

Measure Each Vial With Its Label On

A punched hole is cut to a tenth of a millimetre, so measure every item exactly as it will be packed, label wrapped round it, cap fitted, at the point where the card grips, usually just under the shoulder. A bare vial is narrower than a labelled one. Say how many holes, whether items are short or tall, as tall bottles want a double layer, and give the inside size of the box the insert drops into.

Tell us what should print beside each hole, numbers for a routine or names for a reagent set. Send samples or drawings, the hole count, the box size and quantity, and a custom quote comes back by email within one working day, with minimums quoted per job. The free proof shows the hole layout at actual size. Production takes 4–7 working days after approval and the flat inserts arrive by free tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses in 2–3 working days. Faulty or damaged inserts reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded. Kits that need walls between items rather than holes use card box partitions instead.