Custom Toy Shipping Boxes

Choosing Board Strength

Most toy mailers are made from E flute corrugated board, which is thin enough for sharp print and crisp folds but strong enough for typical toys under a few kilograms. For heavier items such as wooden play sets or ride-on parts, B flute or double wall board adds stacking strength and puncture resistance.

The right grade depends on weight, fragility and how far parcels travel. We will suggest a board on your custom quote once we know your typical order. If you ship a wide range, it can make sense to have a light mailer for soft toys and a heavier one for boxed sets and wooden toys.

A white outer liner shows bright, playful colours accurately. Kraft looks natural and pairs well with a single bold ink colour for a more grown-up toy brand.

Puzzles and board games deserve special care because their retail boxes dent so easily. A mailer sized only a few millimetres larger than the game box, with corrugated walls on every side, keeps those corners square.

Sizing to Cut Void Fill and Postage

Measure your most common products in their retail packaging and group them into a few size bands. Many toy shops find three or four mailer sizes cover most orders. A box that fits closely means less paper fill, less movement in transit and a smaller parcel, which can keep postage in a lower size band.

Remember to allow for anything else that goes in the box: a printed card, a sticker sheet, a catalogue or tissue. If you sell sets that combine several items, consider a mailer with a simple corrugated insert that holds each piece in its own section.

For very small items such as figures, trading cards or keyrings, a slim mailer that fits through a letterbox saves families a trip to the depot and keeps your delivery costs down. Board games need a flatter, wider outer, which is why the games shipping boxes sized to board games are made separately.

Print Ideas That Delight Children

The outside of the box should be clear and cheerful: your logo, brand colours and perhaps a simple illustration or character. Some shops avoid naming the toy on the outside so the gift stays a surprise until opened, which parents appreciate when parcels arrive before a birthday.

The inside is where you can have fun. Print a colouring panel, a maze or a spot-the-difference game inside the lid. Add a message such as play time starts here, or a character waving hello. Children often keep boxes like this and turn them into dens, garages or dolls' houses, and your brand stays in the playroom.

Leave a small clear area on the outside for the shipping label so it does not cover your logo. A matt or gloss varnish helps the print resist scuffs in the post.

Packing Tips for Toy Retailers

Place heavier items at the bottom and soft items on top, and fill any gaps so nothing can slide. For toys with loose parts, bag the parts first. If you sell boxed toys from manufacturers, protect the retail box corners, because a crushed corner can make a gift feel second-hand.

Keep a small stock of every mailer size at the bench so packers are never tempted to use a box that is too large. Training staff on which size suits which product is usually quicker than measuring each order.

If you include extras such as stickers, a thank-you card or a small sweet, put them on top so they are the first thing a child sees when the lid opens. That small moment is often what gets a parcel photographed and shared with family and friends.

Check your packing against a real drop. Pack a typical order, drop it from waist height onto a hard floor a few times and open it. If anything has moved or marked, add fill or step up to a stronger board before the busy season.

Proof, Production and Delivery

Send your product sizes or a list of best sellers, the mailer style you prefer and your artwork for outside and inside. You will receive a custom quote by email within one working day and a free design proof showing every panel. From an approved toy shipping boxes proof, production runs 4–7 working days, with free tracked UK mainland delivery taking a further 2–3 working days. Minimums are low and quoted per job. Anything misprinted or damaged and reported within 10 days is reprinted or refunded. Prices start from £0.25 per box.