Three printing techniques compared
Which fits your run, image quality and budget?
Which printing technique fits best depends mainly on your run size, the image quality you want and your budget. Here are the three main routes:
| Technique | Best for | Image quality | Run size | Setup cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flexo (direct on board) | Transport & e-commerce | 1–3 spot colours, crisp line art | Medium–large | Low–medium (print plates) |
| Offset (litho-lamination) | Retail & premium | Photorealistic, full-colour | Large | High |
| Digital | Proofs & small runs | Full-colour, variable | Small, no minimum | Very low |
Flexo — the standard for corrugated
Printed directly onto the board with print plates. Ideal for logos, spot colours and crisp line art in medium to large runs. Once the plate exists, flexo is cost-efficient per box — but it's not the route for fine photographic images.
Offset — photorealistic for retail and premium
A separate sheet is printed in full colour and then laminated onto the corrugated board (litho-lamination). The result is photorealistic and shelf-ready, perfect for retail and premium packaging. Setup costs are higher, so offset pays off mainly at larger runs.
Digital — no minimum run
Printed digitally, without print plates. Full-colour, ideal for proofs, small runs and variable artwork. Because there's no minimum run, this is the way to test a design before ordering a large series.
More than the box: printed tape
Be recognisable at a fraction of the cost
You don't have to print the whole box to be recognisable. Printed tape with your logo or house style over a plain brown box is often a fraction of the cost of a fully printed box — and still creates a brand experience the moment your customer opens the parcel. For heavy or smooth boxes the tape choice matters; work out the right tape with the tape calculator.
How to supply artwork
Practical file specifications
Good print starts with a good file. What to watch for:
- Supply logos and line art as a vector file (preferably PDF, AI or EPS), so everything stays sharp at any size.
- Give colours in Pantone (PMS) for spot colours, or CMYK for full colour — and state which of the two.
- Allow for flute direction and "wash-boarding": fine screens come out better on E-flute than on coarser C-flute.
- Supply at actual size, with the bleed and cutting lines as agreed.
From design to printed box
Four steps, one point of contact
Your request & design. You send your logo or design, or we decide together what goes on the box.
Technique & run. I advise the printing technique that fits your run and budget, with an honest price/run trade-off.
Proof. You get a proof (digital or physical), so colour and position are right before the run goes ahead.
Production & delivery. Once approved, the printed run goes into production — allow 2 to 4 weeks, counted from proof approval. We record specifications for a smooth repeat order.
Frequently asked questions about printed boxes
Short, concrete answers to the most common questions
The price depends on the printing technique, the number of colours and the run size. Digital printing has low setup costs and is economical for small runs; flexo and offset involve setup costs (print plates or a print sheet) but become cheaper per unit at larger runs. Printed tape is often the cheapest way to be recognisable. Describe your run for a concrete price indication.
With digital printing there is effectively no minimum run, ideal for testing a design. For flexo and offset the minimum run is higher because of the setup costs of print plates or the print sheet. We choose the technique that fits your quantity together.
Flexo prints directly onto the corrugated board with print plates: ideal for logos, spot colours and crisp line art, cost-efficient at medium to large runs. Offset prints a separate sheet that is laminated onto the board (litho-lamination): photorealistic and full-colour, with higher setup costs. Flexo is the route for transport boxes, offset for premium and retail.
Yes, via offset (litho-lamination) or digital printing you can print photorealistic full colour. Flexo is less suitable for fine photographic images. Note: fine screens come out better on E-flute than on coarser C-flute, because the flute structure shows through the print differently.
Yes. Printed tape with your logo over a plain brown box gives a brand experience at a fraction of the cost of a fully printed box. Work out the right tape choice with the tape calculator, or describe your situation.
Request a proof or a quote
Send your logo or design — I'll advise the printing technique that fits your run and send a proof where needed.
Get in touch