Packaging Inserts

Custom packaging inserts are fitted trays, partitions, pads and platforms that hold your product in position inside its box. We produce them in corrugated, cardstock, molded pulp and foam, die-cut to your product and quoted separately from the carton so you can see exactly what they cost. Orders start at 200 units.

Inserts are usually bought to stop damage, but that’s only half of what they do. A well-designed insert frequently lets you drop to a smaller box and a lighter board, which cuts both your packaging cost and your freight bill. On parcel-shipped products, the insert can pay for itself twice.

Retention or Cushioning? They’re Not the Same Job

Almost every insert problem we’re asked to fix comes from confusing these two.

Retention holds the product still so it doesn’t move, rub, rotate or slide. It’s what you need when the risk is scuffing, abrasion, misalignment behind a window, or product shifting into the walls. Partitions, fitted trays and die-cut platforms all do retention.

Cushioning absorbs shock so impact energy doesn’t reach the product. It’s what you need when the risk is a drop, a fall off a conveyor, or rough handling in a carrier network. Foam, molded pulp and suspension inserts do cushioning.

Many products need retention only, and they get sold cushioning they don’t need. Some genuinely fragile products get given a snug cardboard tray, which holds them perfectly still right up until the parcel is dropped, at which point the shock passes straight through.

The question to ask: if this box falls three feet onto concrete, what breaks? If nothing breaks but the product would arrive scratched or rattling, you need retention. If something breaks, you need cushioning, and probably a fitted insert that holds the product away from every wall.

The Insert Often Pays for the Box

The counter-intuitive part. A product floating loose in a box needs a bigger box, more void fill and a stronger board, because it can build momentum before hitting a wall. Hold it still and you can often go smaller and lighter.

That matters twice over on parcel shipping, because carriers bill on the greater of actual or dimensional weight, and dimensional weight is pure volume. Dropping a box size cuts freight cost on every order for the life of the SKU. There’s a full explanation and a size-by-size table on our mailer boxes page.

So when we quote an insert, ask us to quote the box without it too. Sometimes the honest answer is that you don’t need one. Often the insert costs less than the difference between the two boxes it lets you choose between.

Materials

If sustainability is part of your positioning, the honest hierarchy is corrugated and pulp first, foam last. But a broken product that has to be remade and reshipped carries a far bigger footprint than a foam insert, so specify for what the product actually needs rather than for the claim.

Insert Types

• Slotted partitions: interlocking grids, the standard for bottles, jars and candle vessels
• Die-cut platforms: a single piece with cut-outs the product drops into
• Fitted trays: a formed tray holding several components in a kit layout
• Corner pads and edge protectors: protecting vulnerable edges without a full insert
• Layer pads: separating stacked layers in a multi-pack
• Angled feed inserts: sloped floors that keep product feeding forward in a dispenser box
• Presentation inserts: holding product in register behind a window so it can’t rotate out of view
• Kit and gift-set inserts: multiple products held in a designed layout for unboxing

What We Need to Design One

Insert design is the one area where paper specifications fail most often. Send us:

• Product dimensions at every point, not just the widest, since tapered and irregular shapes need the full profile
• Product weight
• The box it’s going into, or its internal dimensions
• How it ships: parcel alone, inside an outer carton, or palletised
• Your current damage rate, if you have one, since that tells us whether we’re solving retention or cushioning
• Sample units if possible. For anything irregular, a physical sample is worth more than any drawing.

What Our Customers Say

“Really impressed with the quality of my packaging. The Grand Packaging delivered results that truly exceeded my expectations. Working with Daniel was super smooth. The design support was amazing, customer service was excellent, and overall the experience was very positive.” Debbie Muller, Designer

“Working with Daniel on our first custom packaging order was a great experience. He made everything easy to understand and guided us through each step. Communication was quick, pricing was fair, and the quality of our boxes exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend!” Casey, CTO

Pricing and Minimum Order Quantity

The minimum order for custom packaging inserts is 200 units. Molded pulp and complex foam tooling are quoted case by case, since tooling costs make them better suited to volume.

Ask for inserts quoted separately from the carton. Bundled pricing hides which part of the job is costing you money, and separated pricing lets you weigh the insert against your actual damage and replacement rate, which is normally the deciding number.

First-time customers currently receive 20% off their first order.

How Your Order Is Produced

1. Send your product and box details. Full product profile, weight, box internal dimensions, shipping method and current damage rate if known.
2. Receive your quote and dieline. Insert designed for retention or cushioning as appropriate, quoted separately from the carton.
3. Approve the design. For complex inserts we’ll talk you through the layout before tooling.
4. Request a physical sample (optional). Order within 30 days and the cost is credited back. On inserts this is close to essential, because fit is the entire product.
5. Production. Die-cutting, forming and assembly.
6. Quality check and dispatch. Shipped flat or nested.

Standard production runs 8 to 12 days after approval, plus transit. Molded pulp and foam tooling take longer on a first order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum order for custom packaging inserts?

The minimum is 200 units for corrugated and cardstock inserts. Molded pulp and complex foam tooling are quoted individually, since the tooling investment makes them more suitable at higher volumes.

How long does production take?

Standard production is 8 to 12 days after approval, plus transit. Molded pulp and foam tooling add lead time on a first order but not on reorders.

Do I actually need an insert?

Ask what happens if the box falls three feet onto concrete. If the product would arrive scratched, rattling or out of position, you need retention. If it would break, you need cushioning. If neither, you may not need an insert at all, and we’ll tell you so. It’s also worth quoting the box both ways, since holding the product still sometimes lets you use a smaller, cheaper box.

What’s the difference between retention and cushioning?

Retention holds the product still so it can’t move, rub or rotate, which is what partitions and fitted trays do. Cushioning absorbs shock so impact energy doesn’t reach the product, which is what foam, molded pulp and suspension inserts do. Products get sold the wrong one regularly, so it’s worth being clear which risk you’re solving.

Which insert material is most environmentally friendly?

Corrugated and molded pulp are both recyclable and made from paper fibre, and molded pulp typically uses recycled content. Foam performs best for cushioning but isn’t recyclable in most kerbside programmes. Bear in mind that a broken product being remade and reshipped carries a much larger footprint than the insert that would have prevented it.

Can an insert let me use a smaller box?

Often, yes. A product held still doesn’t need the clearance and void fill that a loose product does, so you can frequently drop a box size. On parcel-shipped goods that reduces dimensional weight and cuts freight cost on every order, which is why we recommend quoting the box with and without the insert.

Can inserts be printed?

Cardstock and corrugated inserts can be printed, which is worth doing when the insert is visible on opening or behind a window. Molded pulp and foam are generally not printed, though pulp can be tinted.

Do you need a sample of my product?

For anything irregular, tapered or fragile, yes, it helps considerably. Drawings describe dimensions but not how a product actually sits, and an insert is entirely about how it sits.

Why Brands Order Inserts From Us

• Retention and cushioning treated as different problems. You get the one your product actually needs.
• Quoted separately from the carton. So you can see what the insert costs and weigh it against your damage rate.
• Box quoted both ways. Sometimes the insert lets you use a smaller, cheaper box, and sometimes you don’t need one at all.
• Material chosen for the product, not the trend. Corrugated and pulp where they work, foam where they’re genuinely needed.
• Sample credited back. Test the fit with your real product before committing.
• One named contact. The same consultant across every SKU and reorder.
• US-based support. Quotes, proofs and phone support in US hours from our St. Petersburg, Florida office.

Request a Quote for Custom Packaging Inserts

Tell us the product, the box, how it ships and what’s currently going wrong. If you can send sample units, do, because insert fit is solved much faster with the product in hand.

Call: +1 (630) 228-1764 Email: sales@thegrandpackaging.com Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET

Last updated: September 2026.