
Varnish
A transparent finishing layer available in gloss, satin, or matte effects. It enhances the printed surface and adds an extra layer of visual appeal and light protection.
A lidded corrugated box for filed paper, sized to the file that goes in it and built to be carried once, stacked, and opened again years later. Orders start from 100 units.
Four things happen to an archive box that do not happen to most lidded cartons. It is filled with paper, which weighs more for its size than nearly anything else an office keeps. It is carried once, full. It goes into a stack and stays there. And one day somebody has to find it and open it without taking the stack apart. Every choice on this page follows from those four, so they come before any of the options.
Records go into an archive box on their edge, spines up, the way they sit in a drawer. That is why the box’s dimensions are not really open. The file’s height becomes the box’s depth, the file’s width front to back becomes the box’s width, and the number of files you want in a row becomes the length. Change any of them and the files either lean, which crushes the lower corners over time, or stand proud of the rim, which stops the lid seating.
So the first question is which file, not which paper size. A4 lever-arch files, A4 box files, foolscap suspension files and loose paper in manilla folders each want a different interior on what looks like the same A4 job. Foolscap is the one that catches people out. A foolscap file is made for a sheet longer than A4, so it is bigger than its A4 equivalent, and an A4 interior will not take it whichever way it stands. Tell us the file, or send one, and the three internal dimensions are taken from it with the clearance the lid needs. Where you keep a mix, the box is sized to the tallest file and the others share it.
The lid is where an archive box stops being a storage box. In a stack, the weight of every box above bears on the rim of the box below. A lid that runs the full depth of the body puts a second wall around the whole outside of that box, exactly where the load goes. As general practice, a full-depth lid is also what keeps a filled box square while it is being carried, because the lid is holding the four corners together, not the board alone. A shallow lid, a few centimetres deep, covers the contents and keeps the dust out, and asks the body to carry the stack by itself.
The other construction is a one-piece box with the lid hinged on, made up from a single blank and closed with tucks. It is quicker to assemble and there is no lid to lose, and it is the right box where boxes are packed in a hurry and stacked low. Its lid covers the top and nothing else, and the hinge side is a single thickness of board, so it gives up what the full-depth lid gives. Both constructions are offered; which one you want is a question of how high the stack goes and how long it stands, and that is what to tell us.
A filled archive box is lifted by its ends, so the hand holes go in the ends. Where they go on the ends depends on the lid decision above. With a full-depth lid, the hole is cut through both the lid and the body in the same place, and the fingers pass through two layers. That is not only stronger under the hand, it means the lid cannot lift off while the box is being carried, because the hand is holding both. With a shallow lid, the hole sits in the body below the lid line, clear of the lid entirely, and the lid stays on by fit alone.
A hand hole is a hole in the wall where the load is greatest, which is why a stock page calls it “reinforced” and leaves it there. What actually reinforces it is the second layer of a full-depth lid or a heavier wall, and both are specification choices rather than a tick-box. A box that will never be carried further than a shelf can do without holes altogether, and a plain end takes print better.
Print on an archive box is usually sold as a logo. On a stacked box, the print is a form. The end that faces out of the rack is the only face anybody sees for the life of the box. So that end carries what a person needs to find the right one and to know when it can go: department, contents, date range, a review or destroy date, and a box number. Print the same panel on both ends, because boxes get turned round. Leave the write-on area unlaminated; as general practice a pen takes to plain board and skids on a coated surface. The identity print, if you want it, goes on the long sides where it is seen while the box is being carried and filled.
Single-wall and double-wall corrugated are both offered, and the choice between them is about the stack, not a number. A double wall suits a stack that is high, heavy and permanent. A single wall suits boxes that are handled often, stacked low, or kept for a fixed period and then destroyed. Weight and stacking guidance is worked out from your own files and the construction you have chosen, on the quotation, rather than quoted as a figure that has to hold for every box in the range. Boxes are supplied flat and made up when they are filled; the lid, where it is separate, ships flat beside them.
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. Most archive boxes need no more than one or two colours, and a dark ink on plain brown or white board reads from across a room, which is the whole point.
Orders start from 100 units. Design support is free. A digital 3D mock-up is free. There are no setup fees. Standard production takes 6 to 8 business days after approval. UK delivery is free.
Flat A4 documents, prints or stationery that are kept in a lidded box but never filed on edge belong with A4 Cardboard Boxes With Lids, where the only thing to settle is how deep. If the records are going out by courier, the van is the harder test, so look first at Double Wall Cardboard Boxes. Corrugated Boxes explains the wall grades on their own, and every other carton in the range is listed under Cardboard Boxes.
| Box Style | All Custom Packaging |
| Dimension | All Custom Sizes & Shapes |
| Quantities | 100-unit minimum order |
| Paper Stock | Kraft, corrugated, rigid board, cardstock |
| Printing | CMYK, Pantone, digital and offset |
| Finishing | Gloss, matte, spot UV, embossing, foiling |
| Shipping | Free delivery options |
Choose from premium coating, board, printing and finishing options for your insert boxes.

A transparent finishing layer available in gloss, satin, or matte effects. It enhances the printed surface and adds an extra layer of visual appeal and light protection.

A UV-cured coating applied to specific areas of the design to create gloss or matte contrast and draw attention to important details.

A smooth, velvety coating that creates a soft tactile feel and gives packaging a refined luxury look. It improves the unboxing experience and supports a high-end product presentation.

A soft, smooth lamination with a refined satin-like finish. It gives packaging a premium feel while keeping the surface elegant, subtle, and easy to handle.

A high-gloss UV coating applied only to selected design areas to create sharp contrast, highlight logos, and add a premium visual effect without coating the whole surface.

A clear, fast-drying water-based coating that adds a smooth protective layer while maintaining a clean and professional surface finish. It is a practical choice for everyday printed packaging.

A durable protective film that helps reduce visible scratches, scuffs, fingerprints, and daily handling marks. It keeps packaging looking clean, polished, and premium for longer.

A bleached kraft paperboard made from a mix of virgin and recycled pulp, offering a clean white surface for crisp and polished packaging designs.

A natural kraft paperboard without coating, made from virgin and recycled pulp. It provides a raw, organic appearance with sturdy packaging strength.

A premium bleached paperboard coated on both sides, designed for excellent print quality, die-cutting, and professional packaging results.

A high-quality bleached paperboard coated on one side. It provides a clean printable face with a premium packaging feel.

A smooth printable paper stock that supports high-resolution graphics, clean text, and rich color output for refined packaging presentation.

A natural kraft paperboard made from strong virgin and recycled pulp. It provides an organic, earthy look for sustainable and simple packaging.

A specialty paperboard with a laminated metallic surface available in gold, silver, and other premium finishes for luxury visual impact.

A specialty paperboard with a laminated holographic surface that creates a reflective, rainbow-like appearance for eye-catching product packaging.

A recycled duplex paperboard with a white printable surface. It is ideal for economical packaging that still requires clean graphics and brand presentation.

A kraft board with a smooth clay-coated white face for quality printing and a natural kraft reverse side for a strong, authentic appearance.

A kraft paperboard with a clay-coated printable top surface and a natural unbleached kraft back. It balances clean branding with a rustic natural look.

A duplex paperboard made with recycled pulp and a coated white printable surface. It delivers smooth print results for affordable carton packaging.

A black-dyed kraft board with a natural paper texture and excellent strength. It creates a bold, premium look for luxury and specialty packaging.

A packaging technique where a die-cut opening is covered with a transparent film, allowing the product inside to remain visible while staying protected.

An embossing technique where the raised design is precisely aligned with printed artwork to improve detail, texture, and overall presentation.

A finishing process in which heat and pressure transfer metallic foil to the surface, creating a premium, shiny, and luxurious effect.

A premium finishing method that combines embossing with foil stamping to create a raised design with metallic color and strong visual impact.

A decorative process that transfers foil onto selected areas of the surface using UV-curable adhesive, creating a bright metallic effect with sharp detail.

A technique that raises a design from the surface without ink or foil, giving packaging a clean, elegant, and textured appearance.

A finishing technique that presses a design into the material to create a recessed impression without using ink or foil. It adds subtle depth and a refined tactile effect.

A fast-curing printing process that uses ultraviolet light to dry ink instantly, delivering sharp detail, vibrant colors, and a premium finish.

A durable printing method that uses a mesh screen and stencil to apply ink to surfaces. It is ideal for bold colors and high-impact packaging designs.

A traditional high-quality printing process that transfers designs from plates to a rubber blanket before printing, making it ideal for large-volume production.

A modern printing method that does not require printing plates, making it cost-effective and efficient for short runs, sample production, and small-batch quantities.

Built with three corrugated layers between four linerboard sheets, providing heavy-duty strength for large or industrial packaging needs.

A standard corrugated structure with one fluted medium and two linerboards, providing dependable strength for everyday packaging.

A corrugated sheet with one flute layer between two liners, offering lightweight strength for protective packaging.

An ultra-thin flute grade designed for lightweight packaging, small retail boxes, and high-quality printed presentation.

A slim flute grade with a flatter surface, ideal for detailed printing, display packaging, and premium retail boxes.

Made with two layers of corrugated medium between linerboard sheets, offering added strength and durability for heavier products.

A versatile corrugated flute that offers balanced compression strength, cushioning, and printability for many packaging applications.

A thinner flute grade with a smooth surface, making it suitable for high-quality printing, precise die-cutting, and neat retail packaging.

A thick corrugated flute profile that provides excellent cushioning, compression strength, and stacking support for protective packaging.

A coated linerboard with an off-white surface, suitable for high-quality printing and a refined packaging appearance.

An unbleached kraft linerboard made from recycled paper pulp, offering a natural look with strong durability for eco-conscious packaging.

A coated semi-gloss linerboard with a smooth white surface, ideal for sharp printing, premium presentation, and retail-ready packaging.

A fully bleached corrugated board with a bright white surface, designed to produce clean, vibrant, and high-quality printed packaging.

A UV-cured ink that dries instantly under ultraviolet light and creates crisp, high-quality print results on a wide range of packaging materials.

A plant-based ink made with soybean oil, offering rich color output and a more sustainable printing option for carton packaging.

A standardized color-matching system used to achieve consistent, accurate brand colors across packaging, labels, and printed materials.

A full-color printing process using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks to create vibrant images, gradients, and detailed packaging artwork.
Real feedback from customers who trust us with their custom packaging.
Clear answers about ordering, artwork, production, materials and delivery.
Orders start from 100 units. Standard production takes 6 to 8 business days after approval.
Two sizes if the two kinds are kept apart, which they usually are. A foolscap file is bigger than an A4 one, so a box sized to A4 files will not close over it, and an A4 file in a box sized for foolscap has room to lean and crease. If one box has to take both, it is sized to the foolscap file and the A4 files travel with a little spare room.
It can. Most contractors rack boxes to a footprint of their own and charge by the box, so a box that does not fit their shelf is either refused or costs more. Send us their box specification alongside your file, and the box is sized to satisfy both. Where the two conflict, the rack wins, because a box that will not go on the shelf is not stored.
Orders start from 100 units. The boxes arrive flat and take up very little room until they are made up, so one order is stock for two or three years of filing at that rate. It is also the same box every year, and a stack of identical boxes is easier to manage than a mix of whatever was bought last.
An unlaminated paperboard construction may be easier to process through suitable paper-recycling streams than a heavily laminated alternative. An archive box is normally plain corrugated with plain print, which is the simplest case, and a full-depth lid is the same board as the body. Final recyclability depends on the full material and finishing specification and the facilities available locally.