Reverse Tuck End Boxes Printed and Cut to Your Product

What is a reverse tuck end box?

It is the most common printed carton on UK shelves. Pick up a box of vitamins or a hand cream carton. There is a fair chance it closes this way.

One flat blank is cut, creased and glued down a single side seam. The top and the bottom each close with a tuck flap tucked over two dust flaps. What makes it "reverse" is that the two tucks hang from opposite panels.

How does a reverse tuck carton fold shut?

Stand the carton with its front facing you. The lid flap is joined to the back panel and swings forward over the top. The base flap is joined to the front panel and swings backwards underneath.

Each tongue slides between a dust flap and the opposite wall. Friction holds it there, and the slit locks at each shoulder of the tuck stop it springing open.

The result is a crease along the bottom edge of the front panel. Most people never notice it, because the eye goes to the top of a carton first. Our guide to straight, reverse and auto bottoms has drawings of each fold.

Why is reverse tuck the everyday choice?

It comes down to the printed sheet. Because the flaps point in opposite directions, neighbouring cartons slot into each other on the layout like a jigsaw. More of them fit on one sheet, so less board is trimmed away.

That tends to make it the cheapest tuck style on a quote, size for size. It folds as quickly as any other tuck, too. That matters if you pack by hand at a kitchen table.

• Supplements, vitamins and powder sachets
• Hand creams, balms and small skincare jars
• Tea, spice and sweet gift packs
• Chargers, cables and phone accessories
• Spare parts, filters and replacement heads

Reverse tuck, straight tuck or auto bottom?

All three ship flat and all three take the same board and finishes. The differences are in the base and the front panel.

Filling hundreds a day, or packing glass jars? The crash lock auto bottom carton saves a step at the base.

What size reverse tuck end box do I need?

Start with the product, not a stock size. Measure width, depth and height with any lid, pump or label fitted. Then add a couple of millimetres either way for the product to slide in, and a little more on the height.

Pump bottles and droppers need extra headroom, because the head is wider than the neck. Round tubs need the inside width to match the diameter, or they rattle in the corners.

If you only have the product, send it to us and we measure it. The sizes table on this page gives a sense of scale for common items.

Board, print and the inside of the carton

350gsm white SBS is our usual board for a reverse tuck. Its white face shows colour cleanly and its crease lines fold sharply. Kraft and other boards can be quoted instead.

Our two photos show the range. One is a coral carton with a pale pattern printed on the inside of the lid. The other set is white outside and a natural brown inside, a board option you can ask for.

If the lid will be opened in front of a customer, printing the inside is worth considering. A short message or a pattern under the flap costs one extra print pass.

Can a reverse tuck box have a thumb notch or hang tab?

Yes to both. The notch is a curved bite taken out of the front panel's top edge. Your fingertip catches the lid tuck there.

A hang tab extends the back panel above the lid and is punched for a peg hook. It turns the carton into something that hangs on a retail display rail. Our hang tab tuck boxes for peg displays show the different punch shapes.

Both are cut by the same die as the carton, so there is no separate step.

How do I pack and post reverse tuck cartons?

They arrive flat and banded in stacks. Square one up, tuck the base, fill it and close the lid. With a little practice it takes a few seconds per carton.

Store the flat cartons somewhere dry and lying flat. Board left standing on its edge in a damp room can bow, and a bowed carton tucks less neatly.

For posting, treat the carton as the shop face, not the transit layer. A mailer or padded envelope around it keeps the corners sharp.

Which mistakes should I avoid?

A good proof catches most of these, but it helps to know them before you design.

• Designing the front as if it had no crease at the bottom
• Putting the barcode on the base tuck, where it bends
• Forgetting the lid opens from the back when placing the opening message
• Sizing a round tub by its height only
• Choosing a tuck base for a glass jar that needs a pre-glued base

How do I order reverse tuck end boxes?

Pricing starts from £0.25 per unit. Your exact figure arrives as a written quote once we know the size, board and run length. To preview a logo on a carton photo, open Design Your Box on this site and then send the brief below.

1. Send the product or inside size in mm and the quantity.
2. Pick a board and say if you want inside print, a notch or a hang tab.
3. Upload artwork, or just a logo. Placing it on the dieline is free, done by our designers.
4. Approve the free proof once every panel reads the right way up.
5. Allow 4–6 business days to make the cartons, plus 2–3 for the free tracked UK delivery.