Compact Boxes.

Because the lid mirror is the second fragile item, and it sets the bar for the whole carton. A cracked powder pan is a disappointing unit. A shattered mirror inside a closed case is a returned one, so drop protection is specified well above what the powder alone would need.

We drop-test filled compacts from one metre onto a hard surface and choose the insert to pass that test, which usually means EVA foam where a mirror is involved.

A compact that springs open in transit lets the pan strike the inside of the case, so the carton grips it across the hinge axis. Held that way the case can't flex open, and the pan stays seated in its well.

The other two dimensions get a small clearance so the compact slides in on the filling line without jamming. Snug on one axis and easy on the others is the sizing rule for this format.

18pt SBS is sufficient for most compacts, because the shallow, wide geometry does the structural work. A low carton with a large footprint resists crushing far better than a tall narrow one on the same board.

Prestige and refillable compacts step up to rigid 2mm greyboard, which suits a case designed to be kept and refilled. Metallised board is the other common choice, since the wide lid panel shows off a reflective surface.

Soft-touch across the lid, hot foil on the logo and an emboss or deboss, because the flat, wide lid is the best canvas for all three in the cosmetics range. Compacts are pocket-carried, so the surface gets felt more than most cartons.

Spot UV can run as a pattern over matte rather than a single spot, since there is panel area to read it. Plain matte lamination is the practical pick where cartons get handled at testers, as it hides fingerprints.

Around 3.2 x 3.2 x 0.9 inches inside for a full-size compact, and about 2.8 x 2.8 x 0.8 inches for a slim or travel case. Those are internal dimensions with the hinge-axis grip already allowed for.

Refill pan cartons are much smaller, so the panel has to be planned carefully to fit the required marks at a readable size. Send the case and we'll measure it.

500 is the minimum, with tiered pricing above 1,000. A shallow carton like this cuts efficiently on the sheet, so the minimum run is affordable even for a single shade.

If you're launching a refillable system, order the outer case carton and the refill pan cartons together so both share one setup and arrive on the same schedule.

7 to 10 business days for a standard run, and 5 to 7 business days on the rush schedule. A pre-production sample takes 5 to 7 business days, and we'd suggest filling it with a real compact and dropping it before you sign off.

The sample charge is credited against the production order. Foil and emboss dies add nothing to the timing once the artwork is final.

Yes, if you choose a moulded pulp insert rather than EVA foam. Pulp is a fibre cavity with real cushioning, and it keeps the carton and insert in one paper stream.

EVA foam gives the most reliable drop protection where a mirror is involved, but it has to be separated from the board before recycling. For a refillable system built to be kept, the trade-off often goes the other way, since the rigid case isn't thrown away.