Fashion and apparel packaging
Custom clothing packaging and apparel boxes for fashion brands
Printed mailer boxes, rigid gift boxes and apparel cartons for UK clothing, menswear and accessories brands. Shirt boxes, tie boxes, belt boxes and knitwear boxes are sized to the folded garment, so it arrives flat and uncreased, and printed inside and out for the unboxing. Whether you sell online, in store or both, orders start from 50 boxes.
Overview
Sized to the folded garment
Clothing is soft and compressible, so it is tempting to squeeze it into whatever box is to hand. The result is a creased shirt, a crushed collar or a jumper that has to be steamed before it can be worn. We start from the folded dimensions of the garment with its tissue and any card inserts, and size the box so it holds the fold without pressing on it.
Most fashion brands sell through two channels at once. Online orders need a box that survives a courier and can be sent back if the size is wrong. In-store and gift purchases need a box that looks good carried out of the shop or placed under a tree. Often one well-specified mailer box does both jobs; sometimes a rigid gift box for premium lines sits alongside it.
Accessories are a different brief. Ties, belts, scarves, socks and small leather goods are compact and often sold as gifts, so they suit small rigid boxes, drawer boxes or window cartons with an insert that keeps the product in its intended shape.
Challenges
What goes wrong with apparel packaging, and how we specify against it
Creased and crushed garments
A box that is too shallow presses on the fold; one that is too deep lets the garment slide and bunch. We size the internal depth to the folded garment with tissue, and add a card collar or backing board for shirts and structured pieces.
Oversized boxes and wasted postage
Posting a thin garment in a deep box costs more to send and needs void fill to stop movement. Right-sizing the mailer to your most common fold keeps the parcel compact and presents the garment neatly.
Returns in a damaged box
Fashion has a high return rate, and customers often tear the box open. If you want boxes to be reused for returns, tell us at the brief so the construction and closure can be chosen with a second journey in mind.
Print rubbing onto garments
Heavily printed interiors can scuff where fabric rubs against them, particularly on dark ink. Lamination on printed interiors, or a tissue layer between garment and board, keeps both the print and the fabric clean.
Too many box sizes to manage
A different box for every product becomes expensive and hard to store. We look at your size range and folding method and suggest the fewest box sizes that fit it, often two or three mailers plus accessory boxes.
Recommended packaging
Recommended packaging for fashion and accessories
Product
Custom printed mailer boxes
The default for online clothing orders: E flute board, printed inside and out, strong enough for a courier and good enough to open.
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Roll-end tuck front mailer boxes
The classic mailer construction, with double-thickness side walls and a front tuck that closes without tape.
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Lid and base boxes
Rigid or corrugated two-piece boxes for shirts, knitwear and premium gifting, where the lid lifts to reveal the folded garment.
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Magnetic closure boxes
Rigid presentation for premium lines, gift sets and accessories such as ties and leather goods.
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Drawer boxes
A sliding tray for ties, belts, socks and scarves, with a reveal that suits gifting.
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Window boxes
Printed cartons with a die-cut window for accessories sold in store, where the colour or pattern sells the product.
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Custom box inserts
Card collars for shirts, belt formers, tie cards and platforms that hold accessories in shape.
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Materials
Board and materials for apparel packaging
The board depends on whether the box ships and how premium the line is. Figures are typical and vary by grade and mill; the exact board is confirmed on your quotation.
| Specification | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| E flute corrugated board | About 1.5 mm | The standard mailer board for clothing: thin enough for crisp print, strong enough for courier handling. |
| B flute corrugated board | About 3 mm | For heavier orders such as outerwear, footwear or multiple garments in one box. |
| Folding boxboard (FBB) and SBS | 300–450 GSM | For accessory cartons, sleeves, tie and sock boxes sold in store. |
| Greyboard (chipboard) with printed wrap | 1.5–2 mm | Rigid board for premium shirt boxes, gift sets and accessories. |
| Kraft board and kraft-faced corrugated | — | A natural look for casual, workwear and minimal brands; prints best in one or two colours. |
Finishes
Finishes that suit the sector
Printed interiors
A pattern, message or logo inside the lid, seen the moment the box is opened.
Matt and soft-touch lamination
Protects the print from scuffing and gives premium lines a considered feel.
Foil blocking (hot foil stamping)
A foil logo on rigid gift boxes and accessory packaging.
Embossing and debossing
A pressed logo on a rigid lid or a kraft mailer, adding detail without ink.
Spot UV
A gloss logo or pattern on a matt background for contemporary fashion brands.
Shirt boxes
Shirt boxes are shallow and flat, sized to a folded shirt with its collar support and tissue. A lid and base box, in rigid board for premium tailoring or corrugated for online orders, keeps the fold crisp. A card collar or backing board inside stops the shirt shifting, and a window lid is an option for shirts sold in store.
Tie boxes
Tie boxes are long and slim, or square for a rolled or folded tie. A rigid drawer or magnetic closure box with a card insert holds the tie in shape, and a window carton suits ties sold on display. Tie and pocket square sets use a divided insert so each item has its own place.
Belt boxes
Belts are either coiled into a square box or laid flat in a long one. A coiled belt suits a rigid lid and base or drawer box with a round card former that holds the coil and shows the buckle. Flat belt boxes are narrow cartons or rigid boxes sized to the belt length, with a slot for the buckle.
Apparel boxes for knitwear and folded garments
Knitwear, loungewear and folded garments suit a deeper mailer or lid and base box sized to your standard fold. Tissue wrapping and a branded sticker inside the box complete the presentation, and a single box size can often cover a whole category if the folding method is consistent.
Accessories: scarves, socks and small leather goods
Scarves, socks, gloves, wallets and card holders are small, often bought as gifts, and sold alongside other lines. Small rigid boxes, drawer boxes and window cartons suit them, with inserts that keep socks folded or a wallet centred. Coordinated sizes across accessories let a gift set be built from the range.
Fashion and apparel questions
Questions buyers ask
Anything not covered here, put it in the notes on your quote and we will answer it directly.
Ask on your quoteWhat box is best for sending clothes to customers?
A printed E flute mailer box sized to your folded garment. It is strong enough for courier handling, closes without tape, and can be printed inside and out for the unboxing.
How do I stop shirts creasing in the box?
Size the box depth to the folded shirt with its tissue and collar support, and use a card backing board or collar insert so the shirt cannot shift. We work from your folded dimensions rather than the garment's size label.
Can one box size cover several garments?
Usually. If your folding method is consistent, two or three mailer sizes often cover a whole range. Send us the folded dimensions of your main products and we will suggest the fewest sizes that fit.
Can customers reuse the box for returns?
It depends on the construction and closure. Tell us at the brief that returns matter and we will specify a box that can survive a second journey.
Can you print inside the box?
Yes. Interior printing on the lid and walls is common in fashion packaging. It adds a print pass, so we include it in the quotation when you ask for it.
What is the minimum order for apparel boxes?
Orders start from 50 boxes. If you need several sizes, tell us the quantity of each and we will confirm the options on your quotation.
How long does an apparel packaging order take?
It depends on the construction, board, print and finishes. Tell us your required delivery date, especially for a collection launch, and our team will confirm whether the timing is achievable.
Ready to specify your packaging?
Our team replies during business hours, 10:00–18:00 UK time.