Short answer: most subscription boxes ship in a corrugated mailer with an interior between 20 × 15 × 8 cm (7.9 × 5.9 × 3.1 in) and 25 × 20 × 10 cm (9.8 × 7.9 × 3.9 in). On our mailer pages, 22 × 16 × 8 cm (8.7 × 6.3 × 3.1 in) is the size listed for subscription and PR kits.
Size the box from the largest month's contents, add 10–15 mm of working room, and stop: carriers bill dimensional weight, so every extra centimetre is paid for on every parcel, every month.
What size are most subscription boxes?
Most subscription programmes ship in a corrugated mailer that is the gift box and the shipper in one. These are the mailer interiors buyers most often start from on our tear-strip mailer; every size is made to your contents, so treat them as starting points, not stock sizes.
| Mailer size | Interior (mm) | Interior (in) | Typical contents | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 150 × 150 × 50 mm | 5.9 × 5.9 × 2.0 in | Cosmetic minis, jewellery sets, cards and small accessories | Tear-strip mailer |
| Medium | 200 × 150 × 80 mm | 7.9 × 5.9 × 3.1 in | Skincare sets, a single candle jar, small gift kits | Tear-strip mailer |
| Subscription / PR kit | 220 × 160 × 80 mm | 8.7 × 6.3 × 3.1 in | Monthly subscription and PR kits | Subscription formats |
| Large | 250 × 200 × 100 mm | 9.8 × 7.9 × 3.9 in | Folded apparel and multi-item kits | Tear-strip mailer |
| Extra large | 300 × 200 × 120 mm | 11.8 × 7.9 × 4.7 in | Larger bundles, or a boxed set that needs an outer shipper | Tear-strip mailer |
Recycled kraft mailers are listed in a slightly flatter set of templates: 15 × 11 × 4 cm (5.9 × 4.3 × 1.6 in), 20 × 15 × 6 cm (7.9 × 5.9 × 2.4 in), 25 × 18 × 8 cm (9.8 × 7.1 × 3.1 in) and 32 × 22 × 10 cm (12.6 × 8.7 × 3.9 in). See the recycled kraft mailer.
What size box do I need for a beauty subscription box?
A beauty box of minis fits a 15 × 15 × 5 cm mailer; a full-size skincare set needs about 20 × 15 × 8 cm. When the box carries 4–6 products in fitted wells, or moves up to a rigid box for a premium tier, size it from the set:
| Beauty box | Interior (mm) | Interior (in) | What it holds | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minis mailer | 150 × 150 × 50 mm | 5.9 × 5.9 × 2.0 in | Cosmetic minis and samples | Mailer |
| Skincare set mailer | 200 × 150 × 80 mm | 7.9 × 5.9 × 3.1 in | A skincare set or a single jar | Mailer |
| Rigid skincare / cosmetics set | 200 × 150 × 80 mm | 7.9 × 5.9 × 3.1 in | Set in foam cavities, premium or first-box tier | Cosmetic packaging |
| Compact PR kit | 250 × 180 × 90 mm | 9.8 × 7.1 × 3.5 in | Launch kit with tray and crinkle | PR box |
| Full PR kit | 330 × 250 × 110 mm | 13.0 × 9.8 × 4.3 in | Full launch range with tray | PR box |
A 100 ml perfume box is a vertical shape, about 110 × 90 × 160 mm interior on our size chart; if a boxed fragrance goes into the subscription box, check the height clears it standing up, or lay it flat in a well.
What size box fits a clothing or fashion subscription?
Size from the folded garment: a tee starts at about 280–300 × 220 × 60 mm and a hoodie at about 350 × 250–260 × 100 mm. Our apparel box page lists 280 × 220 × 60 mm and 350 × 260 × 100 mm; the master chart in the gift box size guide uses 300 × 220 × 60 mm and 350 × 250 × 100 mm. Fold the garment the way you will pack it, measure it, then add the working room below.
| Fashion box | Interior (mm) | Interior (in) | What it holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-shirt | 280–300 × 220 × 60 mm | 11.0–11.8 × 8.7 × 2.4 in | One folded tee with tissue |
| Hoodie / knitwear | 350 × 250–260 × 100 mm | 13.8 × 9.8–10.2 × 3.9 in | One folded hoodie or knit |
| Apparel mailer | 250 × 200 × 100 mm | 9.8 × 7.9 × 3.9 in | Folded apparel and multi-item kits |
Hoodie and knitwear boxes are large and light, so a collapsible magnetic box that ships flat is worth comparing on freight for a premium tier.
How much room should I leave inside a subscription box?
Measure the contents envelope of your largest month and add 10–15 mm of working room. If any dimension has more than 15 mm of slack, you are buying air at dimensional-weight rates. For a rigid box with a fitted cavity the margin is tighter: our size guide's worked example uses 3 mm per side, so a 90 × 60 × 30 mm product needs at least a 96 × 66 × 36 mm cavity.
Give the factory the interior size. Corrugated board adds its own thickness: the outside of a mailer is about two board thicknesses larger than the inside on each axis, so check the exterior for postage and carton packing.
Which board: E-flute, B-flute or rigid?
| Board | Thickness | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| E-flute corrugated | about 1.5 mm (1.5–1.8 mm) | Default for cosmetics, snacks and lifestyle goods; sharpest print, trimmest parcel |
| B-flute corrugated | about 3 mm (3.0–3.5 mm) | Glass jars, candles or contents over about 2 kg; pair with a divider or insert |
| Rigid greyboard, up to 150 mm | 1200 gsm, ~2.0 mm | Small premium boxes |
| Rigid greyboard, 150–250 mm | 1500 gsm, ~2.5 mm | Mid-size first-box or holiday editions |
| Rigid greyboard, over 250 mm or >1 kg | 1800 gsm, ~3.0 mm | Large PR kits and apparel boxes |
Corrugated subscription mailers are commonly 32 ECT board. Rigid greyboard is chosen by the longest box dimension; the gsm-to-thickness values are nominal, so record measured thickness on the approved sample. Full detail in the gift box materials guide.
How does box size change shipping cost?
Carriers bill the larger of actual weight and dimensional weight, so a box one size too big costs you on every parcel. FedEx, for example, multiplies length × width × height in inches and divides by 139 for U.S. shipments. Two boxes for the same 1.5 lb contents:
- 12 × 9 × 4 in: 432 cu in ÷ 139 = 3.1, billed as 4 lb.
- 10 × 8 × 3 in: 240 cu in ÷ 139 = 1.7, billed as 2 lb.
Two billable pounds per parcel, every month, usually outweighs anything saved on print. The subscription packaging cost guide runs the full monthly math.
Mailer or rigid box for each subscription tier?
A common ladder by the box's retail price: kraft mailer under $25, printed mailer for $30–60, and a rigid box for $75+ or first-box and holiday editions. Corrugated mailers start at 300 pcs per size with a sample in 2–3 days; rigid boxes and PR kits start at 100 pcs with a sample in 3–5 days. Formats and minimums for each are on the subscription box packaging page.
Send your contents, we size the mailer
Send the largest month's product sizes (or a sample), the tier and monthly volume. We suggest a mailer size, board and insert, and quote it.
Size my subscription box on WhatsAppWhat to send for a quote
- Contents: length × width × height of each item in your largest month, or a sample.
- Format: corrugated mailer, kraft mailer, rigid box or PR kit.
- Insert: wells per product, a divider, or crinkle only.
- Print: outside only, or inside and outside.
- Monthly volume, destination and first ship date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources for the numbers on this page
- Gift Box Size Guide: shipping and mailer box sizes, corrugated board thickness, FedEx dimensional weight example
- Corrugated Mailer with Tear Strip: standard sizes, flute thickness, MOQ and sample time
- Recycled Kraft Mailer: standard e-commerce sizes
- Influencer PR Box: compact and full-kit sizes, MOQ
- Apparel Box: tee and hoodie sizes
- Subscription Box Packaging Cost Guide: working room, flute choice, DIM-weight examples, tiers
- Subscription Box Packaging: format MOQs and insert wells
- FedEx: how dimensional weight is calculated (divisor 139 for U.S. shipments)
Sizes are starting points for specification review, not stock sizes; inch values are converted at 25.4 mm per inch and rounded to 0.1 in. Final dimensions are confirmed on the dieline and a loaded sample.
LuxoPack is a custom box factory in Shenzhen. More sizing data: Gift Box Size Guide (17 product categories), Jewelry Box Sizes, Cosmetic & Skincare Box Sizes, Candle Box Sizes, Wine & Bottle Box Sizes, PR Box Sizes. Related: Subscription Box Packaging, Subscription Box Cost Guide, Dimensional Weight Guide.