Die cut kraft boxes are essential to modern packaging for major vendors and retailers, and even for small business owners who operate out of home offices. These boxes are used to package and ship products from coast to coast and across the globe. But what is a die cut box? In basic terms, it is any box that was created using a die that stamps out boxes from a section of printed or plain sheet stock. And what makes one box a “kraft” box as opposed to others? Essentially, kraft paperboard is a type of cardboard made from chemical pulp during the kraft process, which is then used to create these unique and versatile retail packages. There is much more to this medium than meets the eye, though, as the following post will explain.
A Foundation of Structure
Corrugated cardboard or fiberboard is the foundation of many retail packaging successes. Basically, any type of corrugated board is created using arches (also known as flutes) that are placed between two liner-boards using a strong adhesive glue in just the right position to maintain adequate pressure and avoid bending. With this foundation in place, it’s possible to perform a world of packaging wonders, including the creation of a die cut box utilizing a combination of kraft paperboard and other materials.
Custom Cutting for Unique Designs
The die cut process can be used to create a variety of unique designs using kraft paperboard. These include angular cuts, circular cuts, embossing, perforations, scores, slots, and more. As such, it’s possible to create a self-locking die cut box, which uses tabs and slots to keep the box closed without requiring any tape, banding, glue, or staples to secure the edges (though some edges may come pre-glued to ease assembly). These die cut boxes are also often used for shipping (particularly for the interior packaging pieces) and in-store displays.
Excellent Die Cut Kraft Examples
Many of the best examples of die cut boxes include products we use on a regular basis, even if we don’t often think about how their packaging got its shape. A specialty die cut box may include features such as a large, circular hole, which may extend from the front to around one of the sides, where a plastic sheet can be inserted to maintain a layer of protection while showing consumers what’s inside the box. When you add custom, four-color printing to the kraft paperboard on surrounding sides, you can create a truly memorable un-packaging experience for consumers.
The best thing about die cut kraft boxes is the seemingly limitless potential of what you can design and create for your products. With a choice of flexographic printing (ideal for 1-3 colors), digital printing (full-color direct printing) and lithography (photo-quality prints laminated directly onto the box), you can get the exact box you need for your promotions. Combined with custom die cutting to produce angular cuts, circular cuts, embossing, perforations, scores, slots, and more, this is one of the most unique and versatile packaging mediums around.
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