Guide / Ordering & production / Chapter 6.9
Packaging specifications for consistent supply.
When you order thousands of units across many products, "the usual box" isn't specific enough. A packaging specification records exactly what each item is, so every order, every reorder and every packer gets a consistent result.
The short answer
A packaging specification is a short document for each packaging item that records its dimensions (internal and external), board or material, print method, colours and artwork version, finishes, quantity per pack and how it's used. It makes quotes comparable, reorders consistent within agreed tolerances and packing the same at every site. Write one for every item you reorder regularly, and keep an approved reference sample alongside it.
Why specifications matter at scale
At any volume, the fit and any required text on the pack matter. At high volumes, small differences also multiply. A box that's 5 mm taller, a board that's slightly lighter or a logo in a slightly different colour can mean more filler, more damage, more postage or an inconsistent brand, multiplied across thousands of orders.
A specification removes the guesswork. Your team, your warehouse and your supplier all work from the same document, so what you approve is what you get, within the tolerances you've agreed.
What to include in a packaging specification
Use one specification per packaging item.
| Section | What to record | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Item | Name, your item code, supplier product code, the product it's for | Mailer box M2, PackQueen code, for the 3-candle gift set |
| Dimensions | Internal and external L × W × H in mm | Internal 220 × 160 × 90 mm |
| Material | Board or material, by flute or grade | E flute, kraft brown |
| Style | Box style and closure | Die-cut mailer, tuck front |
| Method, colours, coverage, artwork file and version | Digital, 1 colour logo on lid, artwork v3 | |
| Finishes | Lamination, foil, inserts, windows | None |
| Packing | Units per bundle or carton, how they're supplied | Supplied flat |
| Use | What goes in it, filler, sealing | 3 candles, paper filler, logo sticker |
| Tolerances | Agreed allowances for size and colour | Size and colour checked against the approved sample |
| Revision | Version number and what changed | Revision 2: lid logo enlarged |
| Approval | Who approved it, date, reference sample | Approved 12 March, reference sample kept |
How to write one
Start from what you already use
Pick your highest-volume item first. Measure it, record the board and print from the product page or your last quote, and note how your team packs it.
Measure the same way every time
Record internal dimensions in millimetres as length × width × height, and add the external size for freight and pallets. Our measuring chapter explains the method.
Describe board by flute
We describe corrugated board by flute: E, B, C and BC. Record the flute alongside the product code, because flute alone doesn't make two boards identical. Our flute chapter explains each one.
Lock the artwork version
Name artwork files with a version number and record which version is approved. Old files are a common cause of mismatched reorders.
Keep an approved sample
A physical sample next to the document settles questions faster than any description.
What it means for you
The same question, answered for where your business is today.
Choose your stage at the top of the page to open the advice for you.
Start-up · under 100 units
You don't need formal specifications yet. A simple note of each box you use, its size and where you buy it is enough.
Save the product links for the boxes you use, so reordering is quick.
Growing · 100 to 2,499 units
Start writing specifications for your custom printed items. They make quotes easier to compare and reorders easier to get right.
Try this: one page per item, with a photo, is enough.
Enterprise · 2,500 units and more
Keep a specification for every packaging item, owned by one person and reviewed when products, carriers or artwork change. Send it with every quote request.
Include the external size and units per carton, so warehouse and freight planning use the same numbers.
Common mistakes
- 1Describing items loosely. "Medium mailer, brown" can mean many boxes. Record exact sizes, board and print.
- 2Only recording internal size. Freight, pallets and cubic weight depend on the external size. Record both.
- 3Losing track of artwork versions. Record which artwork version is approved, and send that file every time.
- 4Never updating it. When products, carriers or branding change, update the specification, give it a new revision number and keep the old one for reference.
Specification questions
What is a packaging specification?
Do small businesses need packaging specifications?
How should board be described?
Should I record internal or external dimensions?
Can you help write a specification?
Keep reading
Custom packaging to specify
Planning a large or ongoing run?
Send us your specifications, quantities and timing. Our Melbourne team will come back with options, usually within 1 business day.