Self-Lock Pillow Box.

A tab on one curved end flap catches in a slot on the other, so the end is held shut by the cut instead of by friction. A standard pillow box end only stays closed because the flaps press against each other, and it can shake open in a bag.

There is still no glue or tape. The tabs are cut on the same die as the box, and closing them takes a second longer than a plain end.

They can, which is why we build this box on 20 to 24pt board and skip the lighter end of the pillow range. The lock puts stress on a small area around the slot, and thin stock tears out there after a few openings.

The die also has more cuts and tighter tolerances than a plain pillow, so we sample the tab fit before production to make sure the lock engages cleanly.

Slightly, because the tab interrupts the curved score at the end. From the front the box reads as an ordinary pillow, and the lock only shows when you look at the ends closely.

For most brands the trade is easy to accept. You get a box that holds shut through mailers, subscriptions and repeated shelf handling, for almost nothing extra in material and only a small addition to the die.

Yes, the tab lifts out of its slot and goes back in, so the box can be opened and re-closed several times. That matters for gifts, where the recipient often looks inside and closes the box again, and for retail samples that get checked at the counter.

On the sample we open and close the box repeatedly to confirm the slot still holds after real handling.

Everything on our pillow finishing list is available here, from CMYK print and hot foil to embossing, spot UV and a matte, gloss or soft-touch laminate. Natural kraft is available for a plain look, and coloured stocks suit gift palettes.

We keep heavy foil and embossing away from the tab and slot, so the lock is cut through clean board and closes the same way on every box in the run.

Our two regular sizes are 4 × 3 × 1 inches and 7 × 5 × 1.5 inches, both with locking ends. Custom sizes follow the usual pillow rule: flat or near-flat contents with space left in the bulge.

A lock doesn't add any volume. If the item is too thick, the ends strain against the tabs, so we'd go up a size before relying on the lock to hold an overfilled box.

Orders start at 500 boxes. Because the lock needs no glue, every box in the order still ships flat and is formed by hand when you pack.

Laying the lock into your dieline is part of our free design help, so you don't need your own structural designer to adapt the tab to a custom size.

Bulk production finishes in 7 to 10 business days from artwork approval, and rush jobs take 5 to 7. The extra tab cuts don't lengthen the schedule.

Since the lock is the reason you're buying this box, a sample is worth the 5 to 7 business days it takes. Fill it, carry it in a bag and open it a few times. We credit that sample fee to your bulk order when it goes ahead.