12 Common Types of Folding Boxes (English / Vietnamese)
24/06/2025
In the modern packaging industry, folding boxes (hộp mềm) are more than just a flexible packing solution—they are also a powerful tool in brand marketing strategies. Thanks to their collapsible design, high-quality printability, ease of conversion, and eco-friendly nature, folding boxes have become an optimal choice across various industries—from FMCG and food to pharmaceuticals, electronics, and premium cosmetics.
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Below is a comprehensive overview of the most commonly used folding box types, along with technical descriptions, key advantages, and real-world applications:
1. Seal End Box (SE) / Skillet Box
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Nắp Dán Đáy Dán
📘 Concept
The Seal End Box is one of the most widely used types of folding cartons in industrial packaging.
It is designed to optimize packing speed, increase automation efficiency, and provide excellent product protection. These boxes are typically made from durable paper materials such as couche, ivory, duplex, or kraft, and are assembled using specialized gluing equipment (either cold glue or hot melt).
Both the top and bottom ends are securely sealed with adhesive, offering resistance to dust, moisture, and external contamination—making it particularly suitable for food and pharmaceutical products that require high preservation standards.
🧩 Key Features
Features flaps on both ends that are glued (typically by machine) to form a fully sealed carton.
Offset-printed box body; shipped flat with pre-glued side seam, optimized for automatic packing lines.
Rigid and protective, ideal for large-scale industrial production.
Fast assembly helps reduce labor costs.
🏭 Applications
Widely used in the packaging of food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and FMCG products such as: instant noodles, candies, toothpaste, medicines, and other high-volume consumer goods.
2. Straight Tuck End Box (STE)
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Nắp Cài Đáy Cài Thẳng
📘 Concept
The Straight Tuck End Box (STE) is a type of folding box featuring tuck-in flaps on both the top and bottom ends, aligned in the same direction. This is one of the most commonly used structures in retail packaging, ideal for medium and small-sized products that require a premium look and ease of assembly—whether by hand or semi-automatic processes.
These boxes are typically made from couche, ivory, or duplex paperboard, offering excellent surface quality for brand printing and compatibility with finishing effects such as foil stamping, UV coating, gloss/ matte lamination.
🧩 Key Features
Both top and bottom flaps are tucked in from the same side, allowing for fast folding and a clean, uninterrupted front display.
Supplied flat, easy to assemble manually or with semi-automatic machines.
Lightweight, user-friendly, and preserves the front-face artwork.
Ideal for offset printing and decorative surface treatments.
🏭 Applications
Commonly used for cosmetic packaging, pharmaceutical products, nutraceuticals, small electronic devices, or display boxes that require a clear, uncut front image.
3. Reverse Tuck End Box (RTE)
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Nắp Cài Đáy Cài Đảo
📘 Concept
The Reverse Tuck End Box (RTE) is a folding box design where the top and bottom tuck flaps fold in opposite directions—the top flap tucks from front to back, while the bottom flap tucks from back to front (or vice versa). This construction enhances box closure, distributes structural stress more evenly, and helps prevent the box from popping open during transit.
Made from materials such as couche, ivory, or duplex, this box type supports high-quality offset printing and finishing techniques like foil stamping, UV coating, gloss/ matte lamination.
🧩 Key Features
Opposing flap directions allow efficient paper usage and optimized die-cut layout.
Shipped flat; easy to assemble and well-suited for high-volume production.
Cost-effective in materials; supports fast packaging by hand or machinery.
Ideal for compact products requiring convenient and secure packaging.
🏭 Applications
Frequently used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, FMCG products, small food packaging, electronics accessories, and other fast-moving consumer goods.
4. Snap Lock Bottom Box (SLB)
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Đáy Xếp Khóa
📘 Concept
The Snap Lock Bottom Box is a type of folding box featuring a bottom closure formed by interlocking flaps that lock into place without the use of glue. The top closure is typically a standard tuck top.
This box style is suitable for manual or semi-automatic packing, ideal for medium-weight products that require a stable structure while keeping production costs in check. It is usually made from couche, ivory, or duplex board, which works well with offset printing, gloss/mattelamination, foil stamping, and other surface effects.
🧩 Key Features
Bottom flaps are designed to interlock, creating a secure base without adhesives.
Top typically features a tuck-in flap; ships flat and requires manual folding during use.
Offers stronger weight support than standard tuck-end boxes—suitable for moderately heavy items.
Easy to assemble and helps reduce packaging time and labor costs.
🏭 Applications
Commonly used in food packaging, cosmetics, consumer goods, gift boxes, and retail items with moderate weight that require durable but cost-effective packaging.
The Crash Lock Bottom Box—also known as an Auto-Lock Bottom Box—is a folding box whose base is pre-glued during manufacturing. When opened, the bottom automatically locks into place without manual folding or extra adhesive, significantly reducing assembly time.
This type of box is ideal for medium to heavy products that require strong structural integrity and fast packing speeds. Made from high-GSM couche, ivory, or duplex paperboard, it ensures durability and rigidity for demanding applications.
🧩 Key Features
Pre-glued bottom flaps that auto-lock when the box is opened—no manual tucking required.
Flat-packed box body; easy to assemble by hand or machine, typically paired with a tuck top closure.
Ultra-fast setup time while maintaining excellent strength and reliability.
Perfect for high-volume industrial packaging lines or fast-paced manual packing environments.
🏭 Applications
Widely used in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, accessories, and other mass-produced products with light to moderate weight. Especially effective for retail packaging and e-commerce operations where speed and ease of use are critical.
6. Roll End Tuck Top Box (RETT)
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Cuộn Nắp Cài Trên
📘 Concept
The Roll End Tuck Top Box (RETT) is a folding box featuring rolled-in side panels at the bottom for structural integrity without the need for glue. The top lid folds down and tucks into the back panel, making opening and closing actions simple and user-friendly.
This box type is commonly made from couche, ivory, duplex, kraft, or textured art paper. It supports various finishing techniques such as foil stamping, UV coating, and gloss/ mattelamination, balancing rigidity, visual appeal, and cost efficiency—making it suitable for products that require both protection and presentation.
🧩 Key Features
Bottom sides roll inward to form a sturdy structure—no glue required.
Top lid folds down and tucks into the rear panel with side locking flaps for secure closure.
Supplied flat; requires manual assembly without adhesive.
Provides good protection, easy handling, and reusable functionality.
Ideal for rigid packaging needs with optimized cost for packing and transport.
🏭 Applications
Commonly used for cosmetic boxes, pharmaceuticals, food packaging, small gift items, and display packaging—especially for products that need to be opened and closed multiple times.
7. Roll End Tuck Front Box (RETF)
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Cuộn Nắp Cài Trước
📘 Concept
The Roll End Tuck Front Box (RETF) is a folding box with side panels rolled inward to form a strong, glue-free base structure. The front-facing lid folds forward, with two tuck flaps inserted into slots on the front panel to lock the box securely.
Manufactured from couche, ivory, duplex, kraft, or premium art paper, this box supports high-end surface finishes like gloss/ mattelamination, foil stamping and UV coating. It’s an excellent option for premium products that require both aesthetic appeal and structural durability, especially those meant to be opened repeatedly.
🧩 Key Features
Roll-in bottom construction provides strong support without glue.
Front-facing tuck lid with dual flaps that insert into the front for a secure lock.
Ships flat, requires manual assembly; no adhesive required.
Rigid, foldable, and durable—ideal for repeated opening and closing.
Great for cost-effective yet sturdy packaging and logistics.
🏭 Applications
Perfect for gift boxes, food boxes, cosmetics, handmade items, and product sets—especially those designed for display and repeated use.
8. Hinged Lid Box
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Nắp Bản Lề / Hộp Nắp Liền Đáy
📘 Concept
The Hinged Lid Box is a type of folding box composed of two connected parts—a lid and a base—joined by a paper hinge strip. This design allows the box to open and close like a book, keeping the lid attached to the base and delivering a more seamless and premium unboxing experience compared to lift-off lid boxes.
Typically die-cut from a single sheet of paperboard, the box can be shipped flat and folded into shape without requiring glue—provided the structure is engineered correctly. Common materials include couche, ivory, duplex, kraft, or textured art paper, all suitable for offset printing and high-end finishing techniques.
🧩 Key Features
Compact and sturdy structure with flexible book-like opening and closing.
Optional thumb-cut for easy lid lifting.
Supports full offset printing, with enhancement options such as foil stamping, UV coating, gloss/ matte lamination, etc.
Efficient for mass production and glue-free if properly designed.
🏭 Applications
Ideal for cosmetic boxes, mailer boxes, mini gift packaging, lightweight luxury items, catalog holders, gift card boxes, and other products requiring a flexible lid that stays attached to the base.
9. Lift-off Lid Box / Base and Lid Box
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Nắp Rời / Hộp Âm Dương
📘 Concept
The Lift-off Lid Box, also known as a Base and Lid Box, is a folding box structure consisting of two separate components—a base and a lid—where the lid fits over the base vertically. Both parts usually share similar features such as folded edges and reinforced flaps for added rigidity and a luxurious hand feel.
Unlike hinged-lid types, this box opens by lifting the lid off and replacing it—mimicking the experience of premium rigid gift boxes, while retaining the flexibility and lower production costs of folding boxes.
These boxes are typically made from couche, duplex, ivory, or art paper, all of which are suitable for offset printing and surface finishing techniques.
🧩 Key Features
Two fully detachable parts: lid and base, easy to produce and assemble.
Entire surface is printable and compatible with finishes such as gloss/ mattelamination, foil stamping, UV spot coating, etc.
Optional thumb cuts or custom inserts (trays) can be added to enhance usability and product presentation.
Minimalist structure that feels premium, and often reusable.
🏭 Applications
Commonly used for cake boxes, standard gift boxes, cosmetics, handmade goods, small accessories, and display packaging—perfect for products that benefit from an elegant, tidy, and reusable unboxing experience.
10. Sleeve Box/ Tray & Sleeve
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Tay Áo
📘 Concept
The Sleeve Box, also known as Tray & Sleeve, is a folding box consisting of two separate parts: an inner tray that holds the product and an outer sleeve that slides over it. The sleeve can be open-ended or closed on one side, allowing easy slide-in/slide-out functionality while enhancing product protection, aesthetics, and brand messaging.
This box type is typically made from ivory, kraft, or other printable paperboard, suitable for offset printing, gloss/ mattelamination, hot stamping, and UV coating. It offers a sleek, modern unboxing experience and is ideal for products where design, presentation, and tactile interaction are essential.
🧩 Key Features
Can be assembled glue-free with snap-lock trays or pre-glued for added stability.
Each component is flat-packable and easy to produce.
Sleeve surface is highly customizable for finishes like lamination, foil stamping, UV, and QR code printing.
Premium open-close experience; neat, reusable, and efficient.
🏭 Applications
Ideal for gift boxes, cosmetics, premium bakery packaging, handmade items, small product sets, and any high-end packaging that benefits from an elegant and modern unboxing experience.
11. Hanger Box
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Móc Treo
📘 Concept
A Hanger Box is a folding box designed with an integrated hanging tab at the top, typically featuring a round hole or Euro slot for hanging on retail hooks or display racks. It is a specialized packaging format for modern retail environments, maximizing shelf space while enhancing product visibility and consumer engagement.
Made from medium-weight couche, ivory, duplex, or kraft, hanger boxes can vary in structure—ranging from tuck end, snap-lock bottom, to crash lock bottom—depending on the product’s weight and durability requirements. Die-cut windows are often included to reveal the product inside, increasing transparency and customer curiosity.
🧩 Key Features
Optimized for vertical display in supermarkets, pharmacies, and convenience stores.
Ships flat, easy to assemble, suitable for manual or semi-automatic packing.
Highly adaptable to product size, display needs, and durability.
🏭 Applications
Perfect for small cosmetics, electronics accessories, stationery, toys, and FMCG products—especially those sold via modern trade channels like retail chains, convenience stores, and drugstores.
12. Handle Box
🔠 Vietnamese: Hộp Quai Xách
📘 Concept
The Handle Box is a folding box with an integrated carrying handle, formed directly from the box material (usually by die-cutting or folding flaps). It enables users to carry the box without the need for a separate bag—offering both functionality and visual appeal. This makes it ideal for gift-giving, takeaway, or on-the-go products.
Typically made from couche, ivory, duplex, or kraft with moderate grammage, it supports offset printing and surface treatments, combining durability with attractive presentation.
🧩 Key Features
Built-in handle eliminates the need for external packaging.
Often uses hinged or tuck-top closures with die-cut or folded handles.
Easy to produce and assemble; suitable for mass production.
Enhances portability and shelf appeal.
Cost-effective solution for transportable consumer goods.
🏭 Applications
Widely used for cake boxes, fast food packaging, souvenir gift boxes, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or mobile products. Especially suitable for gift occasions, retail takeaways, events, expos, or promotions.
Summary: Choosing the Right Box Type Maximizes Packaging Value
Selecting the right folding box design allows businesses to optimize production costs, elevate user experience, and reflect brand identity with precision. At Newlifepack, we offer end-to-end solutions—from design consulting, material selection, high-end finishing, to mass production—tailored to meet the most demanding requirements of your marketing campaigns or recurring manufacturing needs.
Newlifepack – Where Every Box Becomes a Brand Masterpiece
With over 17 years of experience serving top-tier brands across consumer goods, food & beverage, and luxury product sectors, Newlifepack doesn’t just print beautifully—we create packaging solutions that help brands shine from the very first glance.
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