Where Can Small Businesses Order 100 Custom Boxes?
Quick answer: small businesses in the UK can order 100 custom boxes from digital packaging suppliers that make boxes to your size, from online box builders with set styles, or by branding plain stock boxes. Traditional litho printers and overseas factories usually need far more than 100 to make the numbers work. Print method is a big part of why: digital print needs no printing plates, which helps make a short run of 100 practical.
Search for “custom boxes, low minimum” and every result says the same thing. This guide explains which kinds of supplier genuinely suit 100 boxes, what each route really gives you at that quantity, and what to ask before you pay.
Why some suppliers can do 100 and others cannot
Print method is one of the biggest reasons short runs are practical for some suppliers and expensive for others. Litho (offset) printing needs a plate for each colour and a fixed press set-up, which is one reason some litho-led suppliers prefer higher minimums. Digital printing works from the file without plates. Cutting, board buying, finishing, gluing and each supplier’s own workflow play a part too, so the minimum you are offered reflects the whole process, not the press alone.
Why starting at 100 can make sense for a small brand, and how the price per box changes with quantity, is covered in our explainer on custom packaging cost and MOQs. This guide sticks to where and how to get the boxes made.
Five places a small business can get 100 custom boxes
| Route | Works at 100? | What you get | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online box builder | Yes, often fewer | Standard styles in set or configurable sizes, full-colour digital print, instant online price | Limited sizes and finishes; small-order fees on some sites |
| Digital packaging supplier, made to size | Yes | Your own dimensions, choice of board, print and finish, design help | Quote rather than instant price; check what the minimum is counted against |
| Local litho or trade printer | Rarely economic | Excellent print quality and colour control at volume | Plate and set-up costs make 100 expensive per box |
| Overseas factory | Rarely | Very low unit prices at high volume | Minimums often in the thousands, freight, import VAT and duty, long lead times |
| Plain stock box plus branding | Yes, any quantity | Stock mailer or carton with a printed sticker, stamp, sleeve or tape | Less distinctive; fixed stock sizes |
Online box builders
These sites let you pick a box style, enter or choose a size, upload artwork and see a price straight away. They suit standard mailer and shipping boxes where one of their styles fits your product. Read the small print on small orders. One UK online box printer, for example, states “100-unit minimum order” but adds a one-off £49.95 set-up fee to orders under £100 before VAT. That is not a problem, but it is part of the real price of a small run.
Digital packaging suppliers that make to size
This is the route for a box sized to your product, a specific board, or a finish such as foil or a window, at 100 units. You send a brief, receive a quote and approve a design before production. It is slower to start than an instant price, but the box is built around the product rather than the product squeezed into a stock size. If you are posting orders, custom mailer boxes are the usual first choice. For retail shelves, custom product boxes are the equivalent.
Local litho and trade printers
A local printer is worth talking to once volumes grow, especially for a large repeat run where colour consistency across thousands of boxes matters. At 100 units, the plate and set-up costs usually make it the most expensive route per box, if the printer takes the job at all.
Overseas factories
Factory prices per box can be very low, but at a quantity to match. One export manufacturer’s published buyer guide, for instance, lists minimums of typically 1,000 per colour, a 30% deposit and prices quoted at the port of export. Then come freight and import charges. VAT is charged on goods sent from outside the UK, and for consignments over £135, customs duty may also apply, depending on the goods and where they come from. For 100 boxes, the maths rarely works.
Stock boxes with branding
If your product fits a standard stock box, branding it with a printed sticker, a rubber stamp, a sleeve or branded tape gets you a branded parcel at any quantity. It is the lowest-commitment route and a sensible way to test a product. Our comparison of custom vs stock packaging explains when stock is the right call, and stickers and labels are the simplest way to brand one.
For more low-cost ideas, see our guide to a better unboxing experience on a small-business budget.
“No minimum” and “100 units” do not always mean what they say
Two traps catch small businesses more than any other.
“No minimum” can still carry a small-order cost. A supplier that accepts 20 boxes has to cover its set-up somehow. It may be a set-up fee, a delivery charge on small orders, or simply a much higher price per box at low quantities. None of that is wrong, but compare the total for your quantity, not the headline.
“100” may not mean 100 of your order. A minimum can be counted per design, per size or per print colour. If you want three designs, a minimum of 100 per design is 300 boxes, not 100. At All Custom Packaging, orders start from 100 units. The minimum counts per design, so two designs means 100 of each.
Seven questions to ask any low-minimum supplier
- Is the minimum per order, per design, per size or per colour?
- Are there set-up, plate or small-order fees? Get them in writing with the quote.
- How is it printed, and why is that method suitable for a run of 100?
- Can the box be made to my product’s size, or only to set sizes?
- What do I approve before production? A digital mock-up, a sample, or nothing.
- What is the production time, and is delivery separate? Two figures, not one.
- Will a reorder of 100 cost the same? Some fees are waived on repeat artwork; some are not.
A supplier that answers all seven clearly in writing is usually a safe choice, whatever its headline minimum.
Where All Custom Packaging fits
We are a made-to-size supplier. The printing method is chosen for each job: offset, digital and screen printing, selected to suit the specification and quantity. If a brand colour matters, send the Pantone reference or CMYK values. Pantone references and CMYK values can be used to manage colour consistency, subject to normal variation caused by the chosen board, ink, coating and production method. We suit a small business that wants a box built around its product at 100 units rather than a stock size, with help on the design. We do not take orders below 100 units, and if a plain stock carton with a sticker does the job, that route may cost less. It is worth saying so.
- Orders start from 100 units.
- There are no setup fees.
- Design support is free.
- A digital 3D mock-up is free.
- Standard production takes 6 to 8 business days after approval.
- UK delivery is free.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order just 100 custom printed boxes?
Yes. Online box builders, made-to-size packaging suppliers and stock-plus-branding all work at that quantity. Digital printing can make short runs such as 100 units more practical because it does not require printing plates.
Which kind of supplier should I contact for 100 boxes?
If a standard box style fits your product, an online box builder is the quickest route. If you need your own size, board or finish, a made-to-size packaging supplier. If you only need branding on a plain box, a stock box with a printed sticker or sleeve. Local litho printers and overseas factories suit larger runs better.
Is it cheaper to order custom boxes from overseas?
At high volume the price per box can be lower, but overseas factories often set minimums in the thousands, and freight, import VAT and any customs duty come on top. For 100 boxes, a UK digital supplier is often the better value overall.
Does “100-unit minimum order” mean there are no extra fees?
Not always. Some suppliers with no minimum add a set-up or small-order fee below a certain order value, or charge a higher price per box at very low quantities. Compare the total price for your quantity.
If the minimum is 100, can I split it across different designs?
It depends on the supplier, so ask. At All Custom Packaging, the minimum applies per design, so each design needs its own 100 units.
What is the cheapest way to get branded boxes in small quantities?
Plain stock boxes branded with a printed sticker, stamp or sleeve. It usually costs less than a fully printed custom box at small quantities and works at any quantity, though the box itself is a standard size.
Ready to price 100 boxes built around your product? Send us the product size, the box style and your artwork or logo, and we will quote the exact specification. Design support is free, and you will see a digital 3D mock-up before anything is produced.