Halloween Boxes.

Yes, shaped dies are what this season runs on, and coffins, pumpkins and bats are the ones we cut most. A coffin is a six-sided box with angled walls, so it needs a custom die and more careful gluing than a square tuck carton.

Pumpkins and bats are usually a die-cut front panel on a simpler box, which keeps the cost closer to a standard carton.

Contrast does the work, so we pair black or deep purple with a bright orange, lime or metallic accent. Black ink on black board with a small logo disappears under store lighting and in the half-dark of a party.

A spot UV gloss over a matte black base makes the artwork catch the light as people walk past, and foil gives the brand name a crisp edge.

Yes, glow inks are one of the specialty options on this box, and they need booking early. Specialty ink capacity is limited in autumn, so we'd lock it in when you place the summer order.

Glow ink performs best on a small area printed over a light base, such as eyes, a moon or the logo. A dark board underneath weakens the effect noticeably.

Matte black with gold foil is the look most adult ranges settle on. Soft-touch lamination gives the black a velvety surface, and a deboss on the logo adds depth without another colour.

For family treat boxes the black and orange classic is still the fastest read. We print it in CMYK with a PMS orange so the colour stays bright across the whole run.

Treat and party boxes usually run from 4 × 4 × 4 in up to 9 × 6 × 4 in. The small cube works for classroom hand-outs, and the bigger size takes a boo basket of mixed treats.

Shaped boxes such as coffins are measured at their widest point. Tell us the longest and widest dimensions of what goes inside and we'll fit the shape around it.

You can order from 500 boxes. Hand-out formats usually run well above that because classroom and trick-or-treat use goes through boxes quickly, and we produce up to 100,000 per order.

A shaped die is a one-time tool. Keeping the same coffin or pumpkin structure for several years spreads that cost over every season you use it.

Once the proof is approved, a standard run is finished in 7 to 10 business days. Rush production brings that down to 5 to 7, and a pre-production sample is ready in 5 to 7 business days, with the fee counted against the full order.

October selling means the boxes should be in hand by early autumn. A summer sample leaves room to adjust the shape before bulk.

Wrapped candy can sit in a standard SBS box, and for loose or chocolate pieces we switch to a food-contact board or add a liner. Oily and sticky sweets mark plain board over a few weeks on a shelf, and a coated interior prevents that staining.

The liner keeps the outside print clean as well, since grease never reaches the ink layer.