Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about ordering custom corrugated packaging with Packara.

About Packara

Packara is an Australian manufacturer of custom corrugated cardboard packaging. We produce high-quality, fully printed boxes — including mailers, shippers, wine mailers, and product boxes — right here in Australia. We specialise in short-to-medium print runs, so whether you're a small eCommerce brand or a fast-growing business, we can help you create packaging that turns every delivery into a brand moment.

You deal directly with us — the people who actually print and produce your packaging from start to finish. There are no brokers, no middlemen, and no inflated mark-ups. Factory-direct pricing means you get better value and a more responsive service.

Our factory is based in Dandenong South, Victoria. All packaging is manufactured and printed here in Australia. We ship Australia-wide, and factory pick-up is available if you'd prefer to collect your order in person — you'll receive detailed collection instructions once your order is ready.

We work with businesses across a broad range of industries, including eCommerce, retail, food and beverage, cosmetics, fashion, events, and lifestyle. Whether you're fulfilling online orders, creating PR gift boxes, launching a new product, or building a subscription offering, Packara has a packaging solution for you.

Products

We offer four core product categories, all made from corrugated cardboard:

  • Mailers — ideal for eCommerce shipments and unboxing experiences

  • Wine Mailers — purpose-built for safely shipping bottles

  • Shippers — heavy-duty outer boxes for transit protection

  • Product Boxes — presentation-focused boxes for retail and gifting

You can also use our Custom Box Calculator to price up any box size across these styles in your exact dimensions.

We offer two corrugated board grades:

  • E-Flute (1.5mm) — a lightweight, great-looking option suited to most presentation and shipping boxes for non-fragile items. Offers excellent printability.

  • B-Flute (3mm) — a heavier-duty option offering more robust protection, ideal for fragile items or larger boxes.

If you're unsure which grade is right for your product, feel free to contact us and we'll point you in the right direction.

Each box can be ordered in one of four board materials — referring to the outside and inside face respectively:

  • White-White — white inside and out; the most versatile option for full-colour printing on both sides.

  • White-Kraft — white outside, natural brown Kraft inside; great when you want vibrant branding on the exterior and a more understated interior.

  • Kraft-White — natural brown outside, white inside; perfect for an eco-look on the outside with a full-colour surprise on the inside at unboxing.

  • Kraft-Kraft — brown inside and out; ideal for a natural, earthy aesthetic with bold, simple designs.

Absolutely. Our Custom Box Calculator lets you enter any length, width, and height dimensions and get an instant price. You're not limited to standard sizes — if your product needs a specific fit, we can make it happen.

Yes. When configuring your order you can choose single-sided or double-sided printing, or opt for no printing if you prefer a plain box. Double-sided printing is a great way to create a premium unboxing experience — a bold exterior combined with a colourful or branded interior makes every delivery feel like a gift.

Note
We don't print white ink. White areas in your artwork will appear as the natural board colour (white board or natural Kraft, depending on your material choice).
Ordering & Pricing

Our minimum order quantity is 10 units across all products. This makes it easy for small businesses and new brands to get started with professional custom packaging without committing to large stock volumes.

There are two ways to get pricing instantly:

  • Standard products — browse our online shop where popular styles have quick online quoting built in.

  • Custom sizes — use our Custom Box Calculator. Enter your box style, dimensions, board grade, material, printed sides, and quantity to get an instant price.

For larger or more complex requirements, you can also request a quote and our team will get back to you.

No. Pricing is transparent and includes full-colour custom printing. The price you see via our calculator or shop is what you pay for the boxes — shipping costs are calculated separately at checkout based on your order size and delivery location.

Yes. As with most print production, the per-unit cost decreases as your order quantity increases. You can see this reflected in real time using our online calculator — simply adjust the quantity to compare pricing at different volumes.

Yes, factory pick-up is available from our Dandenong South facility. Select this option at checkout and you'll receive an email with collection instructions once your order is ready.

Artwork & Design

All artwork must be supplied as a print-ready PDF. Files must be set up using our supplied templates, which you can download for each product. The template includes the correct dieline, bleed areas, and safe zones.

Important
Do not modify, resize, or alter the template in any way. Artwork placed outside designated areas or submitted in an altered template may cause delays or be rejected.

All artwork must be at least 300 dpi at final print size. Images taken from websites (typically 72 dpi) are not suitable for printing and will result in blurry, low-quality output. If your image looks sharp on screen, that doesn't necessarily mean it will print well — always check the actual file resolution.

Always submit artwork in CMYK for the most accurate print results. Files submitted in RGB will be automatically converted to CMYK during production, which can result in noticeable colour shifts. Packara does not accept responsibility for colour changes resulting from customer-supplied RGB files.

You may include Pantone (PMS) spot colours, but note these will be converted to CMYK values for print — we do not offer spot colour matching.

Corrugated cardboard has a natural texture that can affect how lighter and pastel colours appear — these may look slightly grainy as the board texture shows through. Bold, solid colours and high-contrast designs generally produce the best results.

Key tips:

  • Set solid blacks to CMYK: 20 / 20 / 20 / 100

  • We do not print white ink — white areas will appear as the unprinted board colour

  • Minor colour variation between your screen and final print is normal due to monitor calibration and the nature of the printing process

Yes. Packara provides templates for all products to make setting up your artwork straightforward. Templates include the dieline, bleed area, safe zones, and instructional layers. These layers must remain visible when you submit your file. Templates are available to download for each product through the website.

While we don't have an in-house design service, we do provide templates that make it easy for you to set up your artwork. If you need assistance, reach out to us via our contact form and we'll do our best to point you in the right direction. For detailed artwork specifications — including bleed requirements, font guidelines, and image resolution tips — visit our Artwork Guide.

Yes. Before your order goes to print, we provide a digital proof for your review and approval. Please check this carefully — verify spelling, layout, orientation on all panels, and that nothing important sits too close to the trim edge.

Once you approve the proof, production begins. Errors discovered after approval (including typos, incorrect colours, or layout issues in the supplied artwork) are not eligible for a free reprint.

Tip
Pay particular attention to the sides and inside lid panels when checking the proof - it's easy to miss orientation issues on these panels.

We currently provide digital proofs only rather than physical printed samples. The digital proof gives you a clear representation of how your artwork will appear on the finished box and is your final check before production begins. We recommend ordering the minimum order of boxes to before placing a larger order.

Production

Standard production time is 5–7 business days from the point your digital proof is approved. Our custom box calculator shows an estimated dispatch window of 7–10 business days from artwork approval to allow for proof turnaround. Production times may be longer during peak periods — we'll notify you of any significant delays.

We use digital print technology on corrugated cardboard. Digital printing is what makes short-to-medium runs both fast and cost-effective — there are no printing plates to set up, which means lower setup costs and quicker turnaround compared to traditional flexo or litho-laminate processes.

Some variation in cutting and creasing is inherent to the corrugated packaging production process and is unavoidable. We recommend designing your artwork with this in mind — keep all essential text, logos, and design elements at least 5mm inside the trim edges, and ensure backgrounds or edge-to-edge images fully extend into the bleed area.

If your product requires very precise internal dimensions, please note that a tolerance of a few millimetres may occur. Contact us before ordering if exact sizing is critical.

Corrugated cardboard has a natural texture that can affect how lighter and pastel colours appear — these may look slightly grainy as the board texture shows through. Bold, solid colours and high-contrast designs generally produce the best results.

Key tips:

  • Set solid blacks to CMYK: 20 / 20 / 20 / 100

  • We do not print white ink — white areas will appear as the unprinted board colour

  • Minor colour variation between your screen and final print is normal due to monitor calibration and the nature of the printing process

Shipping & Delivery

Yes, we ship to all states and territories across Australia using trusted carriers including Australia Post and StarTrack. We do not currently ship outside of Australia.

Estimated transit times are 3–7 business days depending on your location. Remote or regional destinations may take longer. Delivery times can also be affected by courier delays and public holidays, which are outside our control. Once your order is dispatched, you'll receive an email with tracking details — note that tracking updates can take up to 48 hours to appear in the carrier's system.

Shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on the size, weight, and destination of your order. For very large orders, you may be given the choice of multiple packs or pallet delivery.

Important
If you select pallet delivery, you must have access to a forklift to unload the pallet from the delivery vehicle. If you cannot accommodate this, additional charges will apply for hand unloading. Please consider this when placing large orders.

You must provide a valid physical street address, a contact name, and a phone number. We cannot deliver to PO boxes or parcel lockers. Failure to provide a complete and valid address will delay dispatch. It's your responsibility to ensure the address is correct at checkout — Packara is not liable for orders lost or delivered incorrectly due to address errors.

All orders are shipped with Authority to Leave (ATL), meaning couriers will leave the parcel at your door if the address is unattended. If there is no safe location to leave the delivery, we recommend nominating an alternative delivery address at the time of ordering. Packara does not accept responsibility for orders stolen or damaged as a result of being left in an unsuitable location.

Returns & Refunds

Because all Packara products are custom-made to order, we do not offer refunds or returns for change of mind, incorrect quantity or size selection, or if the product is no longer required. We encourage you to double-check your order details — dimensions, quantity, material, and printed sides — before completing your purchase.

If your order contains a genuine manufacturing defect or differs significantly from what was approved, we will offer a reprint or refund. Qualifying issues include:

  • Print quality errors not caused by the supplied artwork

  • Incorrect cutting, folding, or finishing outside of industry tolerances

  • Incorrect quantity supplied

  • Wrong product delivered

  • Product arrived damaged in transit

To lodge a claim, contact us within 7 days of receiving your order at [email protected] with your order number, a description of the issue, and clear photos.

We are unable to offer reprints or refunds for issues caused by the customer's supplied files or decisions, including:

  • Low-resolution or blurry images in the artwork

  • Typos, spelling errors, or incorrect information in the artwork

  • Incorrect bleed, margins, or layout errors

  • Artwork submitted outside our specifications

  • Colour variation due to RGB-to-CMYK conversion

  • Minor colour variation inherent to the printing process

  • Orders that have been reviewed and approved via digital proof

  • Delivery issues caused by an incorrect address provided by the customer

Nothing in our returns policy limits your rights under Australian Consumer Law (ACL). If a product has a major failure or is significantly different from what was described, you are entitled to a replacement or refund. For minor issues, you may be entitled to a repair or replacement. Our policy operates alongside — not instead of — your ACL rights.

Sustainability

Yes. All Packara boxes are made from corrugated cardboard and are fully recyclable through standard kerbside recycling. We use recyclable materials across our range, so your customers can easily dispose of packaging responsibly after use.

We are committed to using sustainable materials. Our packaging uses FSC-certified and recyclable board where available. If sustainability credentials are important for your brand, please contact us and we can provide more detail about the specific materials used for your order.

Producing your packaging locally in Australia rather than importing from overseas significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with freight. It also means faster lead times, greater flexibility, and the confidence of local quality control — all without the environmental cost of long international shipping routes.