Packaging on a drinkware programme is not a finishing detail: the pack decides the carton dimensions, the carton dimensions decide how many units fit in a container, and that decides the landed cost per piece. Choosing the pack early is choosing the freight early.
The four routes
| Pack | Use | Effect on the programme |
|---|---|---|
| White or plain box | Bulk, own-label, repacking at destination | Smallest carton, most per container |
| Printed colour box | Retail shelf | Its own minimum and its own lead time |
| PDQ display | Retail, pallet or counter display | Bigger carton, fewer per container |
| Mailer / e-commerce pack | Direct-to-consumer and subscription | Designed for transit and returns, not for shelf |
Pack-out, in published numbers
The family charts show 25 pcs per carton across the 12–40oz references, 12 pcs on the 50–87oz range and 9 pcs on the 128oz reference, with a 32oz family example of a 9.5 x 9.5 x 25.7 cm inner and a 50 x 50 x 27 cm master. Treat these as sourcing references rather than a per-model specification: a printed colour box, a PDQ or a bundled lid changes the inner carton, and the inner carton is what the master carton is built around.
What to decide in the right order
- Where the item will be sold — shelf, counter, or a doorstep.
- The pack that suits that, and whether it needs printing.
- The carton that results from the pack, with the quantity per carton.
- The container plan, once the carton is fixed.
Doing it in the other order is how a plan ends up with a container that is full to the doors and a pallet of PDQs left on the floor.
Questions buyers ask
Can packaging be ordered separately?
Often yes, and it is sometimes cheaper to have the pack printed closer to the destination. It also separates two lead times, which is a planning risk rather than a saving if the two do not line up.
Does retail packaging change the minimum?
Yes. A printed box carries its own minimum from the packaging supplier, independent of the bottle minimum.
Can the pack carry compliance marks?
Only the ones the product actually holds for that market. A mark printed on a box is a claim, and it is checked.
Packing is quoted with the product rather than assumed — see the QC checklist for how the packed container is checked.
