Gaming Controller Boxes.

The moulded pulp cradle supports the body and grips and is cut clear of the sticks and triggers, so nothing rests on them. Impact on a thumbstick is the highest and most delicate point on the controller. The insert rule is simple: support the body, clear the top.

Flat board inserts can't hold a compound curve and we don't quote them for this shape.

Because a controller has no flat face to rest on, and pulp follows the asymmetric curve properly. Die-cut board only touches the shape at a few points and the dense controller shifts under transit forces. A formed cradle gives broad contoured contact and holds the weight firmly.

Cable, dongle and documentation sit in an accessory compartment below the cradle.

Folding boxboard for retail, where the cradle does the protecting, and E-flute corrugated for a shipper-rated online version. The retail carton takes a clear window film so the colourway is visible without giving access to the controller. The DTC version adds impact resistance for the parcel network.

Lid-and-base formats are used for pro and limited editions.

Full CMYK photography with gloss lamination is standard on a busy gaming fixture. Matte lamination and foil detail step up for pro and limited-edition controllers. Variant coding, with the colour and edition made obvious on the front, stops a range looking like one product at a distance.

A window panel showing the real colourway is recommended, since that's the purchase decision.

Common sizes are 7 by 6 by 3 inches and 8 by 6.5 by 3.5 inches. The cradle is formed from a scan or a sample of the controller, and the carton is sized to the cradle plus the accessory compartment beneath. Height depends on how much sits under the controller.

Send a controller and we'll measure the grips and stick height from it.

Orders start at 500 pieces, with the pulp cradle included. Moulded pulp needs a tool, so the price per unit improves a lot at 1,000 and above. Retail and shipper versions are quoted separately because the outer board differs.

One cradle tool can serve several colourways with only the print changing.

Standard lead time is 7 to 10 business days from artwork approval. A rush run is 5 to 7 business days. Sampling takes 5 to 7 business days, and it's essential here so the cradle fit can be checked on the real controller before tooling is finalised.

The sample fee is credited when the bulk order goes ahead.

Usually, yes, because controllers are a high-theft category. Tamper-evident seals, hang tabs sized for security pegs and a lid-and-base construction that doesn't open easily on the shelf are all available. The window shows the product without allowing access to it.

The pulp cradle and board outer are both recyclable, and the window film peels away first.