Custom Window Boxes

How the window is cut and patched

A window box is an ordinary carton with a hole cut in one panel and a clear film glued behind it.

The window shape is part of the cutting die, so it is made in the same pass as the box outline. The film is a thin, clear sheet cut slightly larger than the opening and glued to the inside of the panel before the carton is folded.

The shape of the opening is drawn into the dieline rather than chosen from a list. A circle, a rectangle or a custom outline are all possible, though sharp corners and fine detail are harder to cut cleanly and to patch.

• Window cut with the box outline
• Clear film glued to the inside
• Shape drawn into the dieline

Film patch or open cut-out?

Film keeps dust off the product and adds a step. An open window is simpler but exposes the contents.

A film patch seals the opening, so the product stays clean and cannot be touched. It adds a gluing step and a second material to the carton, which can make the box harder to recycle.

An open window is just a hole. It needs no film, so the box stays one material. The product can be handled and collects dust, so it only suits items that are already wrapped or that sell fast.

• Film: clean, protected, extra material
• Open cut-out: one material, contents exposed

Where the window goes and how big

A bigger window shows more and weakens the panel it sits in.

Board does the structural work in a carton. Remove too much of a panel and it bows, particularly on a tall carton under the weight of a stack. Leave a border of board around the opening, roughly a centimetre or more, and keep the cut-out away from creases and glue flaps.

Think about what the shopper sees. A window should frame the best part of the product, not the plain end of it, from the angle a customer will see it on the shelf. Tell us which part should show, and we place the window on the dieline so you can check it on the digital proof.

• Leave a border of board around the opening
• Keep the cut-out clear of creases and glue flaps

Window box or a fully printed carton?

A window shows the real item. A printed carton shows a photograph, which can be controlled.

A window is honest, and for products that look good, such as baked goods, candles or toys, it does more selling than a picture. It also depends on the product looking right every time, packed by hand.

A fully printed carton hides variation. Handmade or irregular items look the same inside it, and the whole surface is free for artwork. A common middle route is a smaller window with printing around it.

Film, glare and what shows through

The film and the board colour behind it change how the product looks more than the window shape does.

Gloss film catches shop lighting and reflects it, which can wash the product out. Matt film cuts glare but softens colour slightly. Warm contents can fog either type, so food that goes in hot needs time to cool first.

Whatever sits behind the product shows through the window. A white interior makes colours look brighter, while kraft makes them look warmer and darker. Print never covers the window area, so we place the artwork around it on the dieline.

• Gloss film reflects light, matt softens colour
• Warm contents fog the film
• Interior colour changes how the product looks

Window box or a closed mailer?

A window box is the pick for a product that sells on sight on a shelf. A closed mailer box is the pick when it goes in the post or must stay out of the light.

If the product does not look good, or must be protected from light, a window works against it. Items that vary, crumble or look untidy by the time they reach the shelf are better hidden. Products damaged by light, such as some foods and cosmetics, fade when displayed through a clear panel.

A window also removes strength, so heavy or fragile contents in a large-windowed carton need a sturdier structure or a smaller opening. For items that ship in the post, an unwindowed mailer box protects better.