There are 16 sleeve styles on this site. That sounds like a lot, but most people end up choosing from three or four. The trick is to stop thinking about the sleeve and start thinking about your product and your customer.
Belly band
Box sleeve
Window sleeve
Tray sleeve
Start with three questions
Answer these, and the choice usually becomes clear.
- Does the product need to be seen? A handmade soap or a colorful candle sells itself when people can see it. A supplement bottle does not need to be seen.
- How much do you need to print? A logo and a name need very little room. Ingredients, instructions, a barcode and a story need a lot.
- Where and how will it be sold? On a shelf, on a peg hook, in a gift set, or shipped to someone's door?
A quick chart: what do you want to do?
| If you want to... | Look at |
|---|---|
| Brand a product in the simplest, cheapest way | Belly bands |
| Cover most of a box or tray, with lots of room to print | Box sleeves |
| Let people see the product through a cut-out | Window sleeves |
| Hang the product on a peg hook in a shop | Hang-tab sleeves |
| Show the pack has not been opened, and make it easy to open | Tear-strip sleeves |
| Make a multipack or gift set easy to carry | Handle sleeves |
| Skip the glue and assemble by hand | Tab-lock sleeves |
| Give a premium, open-the-drawer unboxing feel | Tray and sleeve boxes |
| Package a book, notebook or booklet | File sleeves or slipcase sleeves |
| Wrap a drink cup, a cone, a jar or a tube | Cup, cone or tube sleeves |
| Cover a ready meal or food tray | Food tray sleeves |
| Wrap an odd-shaped item in a plain sheet | Flat wrappers |
Belly band or box sleeve? The most common choice
Most people are deciding between these two, so here is a fair comparison.
A belly band is one strip that wraps around the middle of a product. It is light and low cost, and the product stays visible at both ends. It is perfect for soap bars, folded towels, candles in boxes and gift sets. The downside is space. A band has room for a logo and a line or two, but not much more.
A box sleeve has four sides and slides over a box or tray. It gives you a big surface for design, ingredients and a barcode, and it feels more finished. It costs more because it uses more board and takes more steps to make.
For a sense of the difference, at 1,000 units a plain one-color belly band starts at about $0.36 per unit, a box sleeve at about $0.62, and a tray and sleeve box at about $1.35. These are delivered prices at the standard size, so there is no shipping to add. See the pricing page for every style and quantity.
Three common mistakes
- Choosing a fancy style too early. If you are launching a new product, a simple band or box sleeve lets you test the market without a big spend. Orders start at 100 units.
- Forgetting the information. If you must print ingredients, warnings or a barcode, check that the style has enough flat space for them before you fall in love with a design.
- Guessing the size. The style is only half the job. A sleeve that is too tight tears, and one that is too loose looks cheap. Read how to measure before you order.
What to do next
Open the style that looks closest to what you need. Each style page has a price calculator, sizing tips and a list of products it suits. You can also make a free flat template for any style with the dieline generator, to see how the sleeve unfolds before you design on it.