Ear Lock Mailer Boxes.

Small ears on the lid's side flaps fold down and push into slots cut in the box walls. The lid is then held along both sides as well as the front, so a squeeze or a knock from any direction won't pop it open.

The lock replaces tape entirely. The customer opens the box by easing the ears back out of their slots.

Heavier or more valuable items shipping without an outer carton, such as electronics, homeware and glass, are where the ear lock earns its place. A front tuck alone holds the lid at one edge, and a heavy item shifting inside can push it open.

The side locks close off that path. For light apparel, a standard tuck mailer usually does the job.

Seating the ears adds a few seconds per box compared with closing a plain tuck. On a small operation that hardly registers, but a line packing thousands a day should time a batch of samples first.

Fit matters here too. We cut the slot geometry so the lock clicks home without packers forcing it, because tight slots get crushed and loose ones let go under load.

Flexo straight onto kraft or white board works for simple logos, and litho-laminated board is used where the exterior needs photographic print. Matte or gloss lamination can go over litho work. Interior print is available on the inside faces, which gives the customer something to see once the ears release.

We keep artwork clear of the slots, so no lettering gets cut through by the die.

E-flute is the standard build for this style, and we move to B-flute when the packed weight rises. The thicker flute adds crush strength and gives the ears and slots more board to grip. A double-wall option is available for the heaviest loads.

The fluting has recycled content as standard, and an unlaminated box can go into the curbside cardboard stream.

Two common builds are 8 × 6 × 2 in and 11 × 8 × 3 in, measured inside. We size the die close to the product because carriers charge on dimensional weight, and a snug fit also stops heavier items from moving about and loading the lock.

If you're shipping something fragile, allow room for a die-cut insert inside when you send us the product measurements.

We produce ear lock mailers from 500 units upward. The slot die is only marginally more complex than a plain mailer die, and the minimum is the same as the rest of the mailer range.

For brands moving from tape-sealed cartons, a first run at that level is usually enough to settle packing times and lock fit before scaling up.

Production is 7 to 10 business days in the normal queue and 5 to 7 when rushed. Please order a sample first on this style, since it takes only 5 to 7 business days and is how you check the lock fit with your own packers.

We apply the sample fee to the production order, and cartons ship flat to anywhere in the USA.