Protect Exactly What You Ship

Custom Box Inserts, Made to Your Product

Stop your product from rattling around the box. We engineer custom foam, corrugated and paperboard inserts with cavities milled to your exact item — for a snug, shift-free hold that survives the trip and looks premium on the open.

Get a Custom Quote → Compare Insert Types
CNC-milled to ±0.5 mm
Foam, board & paperboard
Anti-static (ESD) options
Custom box insert with contoured foam cavities holding a product securely inside a shipping box Snug, shift-free hold
The complete guide

Everything you need to know about custom box inserts

Custom box inserts are the internal packaging components that fit inside your shipping or retail box to hold your product in place. Instead of loose fill, crumpled paper, or a box that’s too big, an insert is cut or folded to the exact shape of what you’re shipping — cradling it, separating multiple units, and absorbing the shocks of handling and transit. The result is fewer damaged returns, a cleaner unboxing, and packaging that feels engineered rather than improvised.

Because inserts are made to order, the right choice depends on what you ship, how fragile it is, and how the box should look when a customer opens it. This guide walks through the main insert types — from CNC-routed foam to corrugated partitions and product-lock trays — plus the materials and foam densities that drive protection, how the design-and-sample process works, and how bulk pricing scales with quantity. If you already know roughly what you need, you can request a custom quote at any point.

Why go custom

A fitted insert protects the product and elevates the brand

Off-the-shelf packing materials treat every product the same. A custom box insert is built around your specific item, so it holds tighter, cushions better, and presents cleaner. Whether you ship delicate electronics, glass bottles, precision tools, or a curated subscription box, a fitted insert turns a plain carton into protective, on-brand packaging.

Fewer damaged shipments

Contoured cavities stop products from shifting, colliding, or absorbing drops — cutting breakage, returns, and replacement costs.

Premium unboxing

A clean, fitted insert makes every product look staged and considered — the first impression that drives reviews and repeat orders.

Engineered to spec

Pick the material, foam density, cavity layout, and color — we cut to your product with tight tolerances and scale from pilots to full production.

How it works

From your product to a fitted insert in four steps

1

Share your product

Send dimensions, your product (or a sample), the box you’re using, and how fragile the contents are.

2

We design the insert

We recommend a material and cavity layout, then model the insert to fit your product and carton.

3

You approve a sample

Review a prototype or sample and confirm the fit and finish. Nothing scales up until you sign off.

4

We produce & ship

Your inserts are cut, quality-checked, and shipped ready to pack — from pilot runs to full production.

Insert types & specs

Foam density and board wall: how much protection do you need?

Two variables drive how much cushioning an insert delivers: the density of the foam and, for board inserts, the corrugated wall type. Lower-density foam is soft and forgiving for light items; higher-density foam is firm enough to hold heavy tools without compressing. On the board side, more walls mean more crush resistance. Here’s how the common options compare.

Foam density range (lb/ft³)

Foam is stocked across a 1.2–9.0 lb/ft³ range. Soft grades cushion light items; rigid grades hold heavy, precision products without sagging.

Corrugated wall thickness (relative)

More walls add thickness and crush resistance. Single-wall suits light dividers; triple-wall handles heavy or industrial contents.

Insert typeBest forMaterialStandout trait
CNC-routed foam PopularPrecision products, kits, toolsPE / PU / EVA foamContoured cavities, snug hold
Anti-static (ESD) foamBoards, drives, electronicsESD-safe foamStatic-dissipative
Convoluted (egg-crate) foamIrregular shapes, lid cushioningPE / PU foamFlexes, affordable
Corrugated partitionsBottles, jars, multi-unit packsSingle–triple-wall boardStops glass-on-glass impact
Folded paperboard traysRetail sets, unboxing revealsSolid paperboardClean, printable
Die-cut retention (product-lock)Premium single productsFilm + boardSuspends & locks product
Materials & durability

Built to cushion the product and survive the supply chain

Foam inserts are cut from packaging-grade foams — PE, PU, EVA, and static-dissipative ESD — stocked across densities from roughly 1.2 to 9.0 lb/ft³. Softer, lower-density foams absorb shock for lighter items, while firmer, high-density foams hold heavy or precision products dead-still. Cavities are CNC-routed to a tight ±0.5 mm tolerance so your product drops in cleanly and stays put through handling.

Board inserts — corrugated partitions and folded paperboard trays — use single-, double-, or triple-wall corrugated and solid paperboard depending on the weight and fragility of the contents. Corrugated dividers keep bottles and jars from knocking together, while printable paperboard trays stage retail sets and lift each item on the reveal. We match the material to how the insert will actually be used, not a one-size-fits-all default.

  • PE, PU, EVA & ESD foam — matched to product weight and fragility
  • 1.2–9.0 lb/ft³ densities — soft cushioning to rigid holding
  • ±0.5 mm cut tolerance — cavities that fit the product precisely
  • Single-, double- & triple-wall board — scaled crush resistance
  • Solid paperboard trays — clean, printable retail presentation
  • Anti-static (ESD) grades — safe for boards, drives, and electronics
Customization options

Make the insert fit your product exactly

Contoured CNC cavities

Cavities milled to your product’s exact shape for a snug, shift-free hold — including multi-cavity layouts for kits.

Foam density selection

Choose a grade from soft cushioning to rigid holding across the 1.2–9.0 lb/ft³ range to match your product’s weight.

Anti-static (ESD) protection

Static-dissipative foam to safely package circuit boards, drives, and sensitive electronic components.

Board wall & material

Single-, double-, or triple-wall corrugated and solid paperboard, selected for the weight and fragility of the contents.

Color & finish

Charcoal, black, blue, anti-static pink, or white foam; kraft or white board for a branded, on-shelf look.

Bulk quantities

Order pilot runs through full production, with per-unit pricing that improves as your volume grows.

Color guide

Insert colors and how they’re used

Insert color is part function, part branding. Charcoal and black foam read premium and hide marks; anti-static pink signals ESD-safe material; kraft and white board suit clean retail presentation. Common options:

Charcoal foamPremium, low-show, most popular
Black foamHigh-contrast, hides marks
Blue foamClean, on-brand accent
Anti-static pinkSignals ESD-safe foam
White foamBright, medical & cosmetic sets
Kraft boardNatural, recyclable, retail-ready
White boardPrintable, clean presentation
Mix & matchFoam base with board trays

Board inserts can be printed with your branding. Ask about foam colors and print options when you request a quote.

Buyer’s guide

How to choose the right custom box insert

The best insert comes down to what you ship and how it needs to arrive. Use this quick guide to match your product to the right insert type and material.

What you’re shippingRecommended insertMaterialWhy
Circuit boards, drives, electronicsAnti-static (ESD) foamESD-safe foamPrevents static damage
Precision tools & heavy itemsCNC-routed foamHigh-density PE/EVAFirm, shift-free hold
Bottles, jars & glasswareCorrugated partitionsDouble/triple-wall boardStops glass-on-glass impact
Premium single productDie-cut retention (product-lock)Film + boardSuspends & looks premium
Irregular or mixed shapesConvoluted (egg-crate) foamPE/PU foamFlexes and cushions affordably
Retail sets & subscription boxesFolded paperboard traysSolid paperboardClean, printable presentation

Not sure which fits your product? Tell us what you ship and we’ll recommend an insert with your quote.

Who they’re for

One insert, many industries

ElectronicsAnti-static foam for boards, drives and devices.
Medical DevicesClean, precise cavities for instruments and kits.
Industrial ToolsHigh-density foam that holds heavy, precise parts.
Cosmetics & BeautyTrays and partitions that stage bottles and jars.
Firearms & OpticsContoured foam for scopes, lenses and precision gear.
Subscription BoxesPrintable paperboard trays for a curated reveal.
Bulk pricing

How custom insert pricing works

Custom box inserts are priced per unit, and the per-insert price drops as your quantity climbs. Your final quote depends on four things: insert type, material and foam density, size and cavity complexity, and total quantity. Larger runs and simpler geometry bring the unit cost down the most.

Starter
100–499
Pilots & small batches
Standard
500–999
Best value for most orders
Volume
1,000–4,999
Lower per-insert pricing
Enterprise
5,000+
Best per-unit rate
FAQ

Custom box insert questions, answered

What are custom box inserts?
Custom box inserts are internal packaging components — foam, corrugated board, or paperboard — cut or folded to fit inside your box and hold your product in place. They cushion the item, separate multiple units, and give the box a clean, engineered feel when it’s opened.
Where can I buy custom box inserts?
You can order custom box inserts directly from us. Send your product dimensions and requirements through the quote form and we’ll recommend an insert type, design it to fit, and produce it in the quantity you need.
What types of box inserts do you make?
We produce CNC-routed foam inserts, anti-static (ESD) foam, convoluted (egg-crate) foam, corrugated cardboard partitions, folded paperboard trays, and die-cut retention (product-lock) inserts. The right one depends on what you ship and how it needs to arrive.
What are custom box inserts made of?
Foam inserts use packaging-grade PE, PU, EVA, and static-dissipative ESD foams in densities from about 1.2 to 9.0 lb/ft³. Board inserts use single-, double-, or triple-wall corrugated and solid paperboard, chosen to match the weight and fragility of the contents.
Which insert is best for shipping fragile products?
For fragile items, CNC-routed foam with contoured cavities holds the product still and absorbs shock, while corrugated partitions keep bottles or jars from knocking together. For very delicate single products, a die-cut retention insert suspends the item between film for maximum protection.
Do you make anti-static inserts for electronics?
Yes. Our anti-static (ESD) foam is static-dissipative, so it’s safe for circuit boards, drives, and sensitive electronic components. We can contour ESD foam to your board or device just like standard foam.
How precise is the fit?
Foam cavities are CNC-routed to a tight ±0.5 mm tolerance, so your product drops in cleanly and stays put. Send us the product or accurate dimensions and we’ll model the cavity to match.
Can inserts hold multiple products or a full kit?
Yes. We design multi-cavity foam inserts and multi-cell corrugated partitions so a single insert can stage a full kit, a set of bottles, or several units at once — each in its own protected pocket.
How do I choose between foam and corrugated inserts?
Foam is best for cushioning fragile, precise, or heavy products and for a premium unboxing feel. Corrugated partitions are ideal for separating multiple bottles or jars affordably, and printable paperboard trays suit clean retail and subscription-box presentation. Tell us your product and we’ll recommend the right option.
What colors do inserts come in?
Foam is available in charcoal, black, blue, anti-static pink, and white, and board comes in kraft or white. Charcoal and black read premium, anti-static pink signals ESD-safe foam, and kraft or white board suits printable, retail-ready presentation.
What’s the minimum order and turnaround?
We handle pilot runs through full production, and per-unit pricing improves with volume. Turnaround depends on the insert type, materials, and quantity — share your target quantity and any deadline in your quote request and we’ll confirm timing.
How do I get a quote for custom box inserts?
Use the custom quote form with your product dimensions, box size, quantity, and fragility, or call (929) 605-4397. You’ll get an insert recommendation and pricing back quickly.

Ready to protect exactly what you ship?

Tell us your product, box, and quantity — we’ll recommend an insert, send back exact pricing, and prepare a sample. Pilot runs and bulk orders welcome.