What is a dieline?
A dieline is the flat template of a box before it is folded. It shows where the board is cut (solid lines), where it folds (dashed lines), how far artwork should extend past the edge (bleed) and where important content must stay (safe zone). Designers place artwork on the dieline so it lands on the right panels when the box is folded. Read more in our artwork & dieline guide.
How to use the Dieline Generator
- Choose a style: mailer box, shipping box (RSC), reverse tuck end, straight tuck end, auto-lock bottom, tray, sleeve or pillow box.
- Enter inside dimensions (length × width × height) in inches or millimeters.
- Choose the board thickness. Thicker board needs slightly larger panels; the generator adds a thickness allowance automatically.
- Choose layers: bleed, safe zone, panel labels and dimensions.
- Download an SVG (opens in Illustrator, Affinity, Inkscape, Figma and Canva) or a 1:1 scale PDF for printing a test mockup.
Reading the output
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Black solid | Cut line |
| Magenta dashed | Crease / fold line |
| Light blue band | Bleed (1/8 in beyond the cut) |
| Green dashed | Safe zone (1/8 in inside each panel) |
| Tinted panels | Main display panels (lid, base, front) |
Make a paper mockup
Print the PDF at 100% scale (no "fit to page") on heavy paper or card, cut along the solid lines, score the dashed lines and fold. A paper mockup is the fastest way to check that your product fits and your artwork lands where you expect.
Box styles included
- Mailer box (roll end tuck front): e-commerce and subscription boxes
- Shipping box (RSC, FEFCO 0201): standard shipping cartons
- Reverse tuck end: the most economical retail carton
- Straight tuck end: clean front panel, ideal for windows
- Auto-lock bottom: crash-lock base for heavier products
- Tray: four-corner tray with double walls, pairs with a sleeve
- Sleeve: slides over a tray, with thumb notches
- Pillow box: curved-end gift box
Important: planning vs. production dielines
The generator produces accurate layouts for design and planning. Production dielines also account for specific machine tolerances, board caliper, grain direction, glue flap positions and locking details for your exact materials. When you order, we send a production-verified dieline for your exact specification, free.
Approximate board area per box
Approximate flat blank area (board used per box, including flaps and glue areas) for each style at its most popular size, from our pricing model. Larger blanks use more board, which is one reason some styles cost more than others at the same inside size.
| Style and size | Blank area | Square feet | Typical board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailer Boxes9 × 6 × 3" | 495 sq in | 3.44 sq ft | E-flute corrugated, white |
| Shipping Boxes12 × 10 × 6" | 724 sq in | 5.03 sq ft | C-flute corrugated, kraft (32 ECT) |
| Product Boxes4 × 4 × 4" | 218 sq in | 1.51 sq ft | SBS white paperboard (18pt) |
| Folding Cartons3 × 3 × 5" | 153 sq in | 1.06 sq ft | SBS white paperboard (18pt) |
| Tuck End Boxes4 × 2 × 6" | 140 sq in | 0.97 sq ft | SBS white paperboard (18pt) |
| Auto-Lock Bottom Boxes5 × 3 × 7" | 222 sq in | 1.54 sq ft | SBS white paperboard (18pt) |
| Rigid Boxes8 × 6 × 3" | 215 sq in | 1.49 sq ft | Rigid greyboard + printed wrap |
| Magnetic Closure Boxes9 × 7 × 3" | 344 sq in | 2.39 sq ft | Rigid greyboard + printed wrap |
| Two-Piece Boxes8 × 8 × 3" | 272 sq in | 1.89 sq ft | Rigid greyboard + printed wrap |
| Sleeve Boxes6 × 4 × 2" | 172 sq in | 1.19 sq ft | SBS white paperboard (18pt) |
| Pillow Boxes6 × 3 × 1.5" | 98 sq in | 0.68 sq ft | SBS white paperboard (18pt) |
| Gable Boxes6 × 4 × 5" | 332 sq in | 2.31 sq ft | SBS white paperboard (18pt) |
| Display Boxes10 × 7 × 4" | 390 sq in | 2.71 sq ft | E-flute corrugated, white |
| Window Boxes5 × 3 × 5" | 201 sq in | 1.40 sq ft | SBS white paperboard (18pt) |
| Hanger Boxes4 × 1.5 × 6" | 126 sq in | 0.88 sq ft | SBS white paperboard (18pt) |
| Tube Packaging3 × 3 × 7" | 99 sq in | 0.69 sq ft | Rigid greyboard + kraft wrap |
| Stand-Up Pouches6 × 3.5 × 9" | 135 sq in | 0.94 sq ft | Matte laminated film (PET/PE) |
Production dielines may differ slightly depending on board caliper and machine.
Key terms on this page
- Dieline
- A flat template showing the exact shape of a box before folding, with cut, crease, bleed and safe zones. Artwork is designed on top of it.
- Board
- A general term for thick paper materials used in packaging, including paperboard, corrugated board and greyboard.
- Artwork
- The final graphic files (logos, images, text and colors) placed on a dieline and used to make printing plates or digital print files.
- Bleed
- Artwork that extends beyond the cut line, normally 1/8 inch (3 mm), so that no unprinted edge appears if cutting shifts slightly.
- Safe zone
- The area inside the cut and fold lines where important text and logos should stay, usually at least 1/8 inch from any edge.
- Mailer box
- A self-locking corrugated box with a hinged lid and tuck front, widely used for e-commerce and subscriptions.
- Regular slotted container (RSC)
- The standard corrugated shipping box with four top and four bottom flaps of equal depth (FEFCO 0201).
- Reverse tuck end (RTE)
- A carton whose top and bottom tucks close from opposite sides. The most economical tuck style.
- Straight tuck end (STE)
- A carton whose top and bottom tucks close from the same side, leaving the front panel uninterrupted.
- Auto-lock bottom
- A pre-glued carton base, also called a crash-lock bottom, that locks into place automatically when the flattened box is opened. Stronger and faster to pack than a tuck bottom.
- Tray
- An open-topped box base, often used with a sleeve or lid.
- Sleeve
- An open-ended band or tube that slides over a tray or box, often printed to brand plain packaging.
- Pillow box
- A small paperboard box with curved ends that fold in to close.
- Inside dimensions
- The usable space inside a box, the standard way to specify custom box sizes (L × W × H).
- Panel
- A face of a box, such as the front, back, side, top or bottom panel.
- Cut line
- The line on a dieline where the board is cut through, usually shown as a solid line.
- Crease (score)
- A line pressed into board so it folds cleanly in the right place. Shown as dashed lines on dielines.
- Lid
- The top part of a box, hinged or separate.
- Carton
- A box made from paperboard, usually a folding carton. In shipping, "carton" can also mean a corrugated case.
- Caliper
- The thickness of paper or board. Paperboard caliper is usually given in points, where 1 point equals 0.001 inch.
- Grain direction
- The direction fibers run in paper or board. Folding with the grain is easier; it also affects stiffness.
- Glue flap
- The narrow strip glued to another panel to form the side seam of a box.
More definitions in our packaging glossary.
Discussed on Quora & X
Frequently asked questions
Are the dielines free?
Yes, free to download and use.
Which file format should I use?
SVG for designing in vector software; PDF for printing a 1:1 test mockup.
Can I get a dieline for another style?
Request a quote and we will create a dieline for any structure we produce.
Why are panels larger than my inside dimensions?
The generator adds a board-thickness allowance so the inside dimensions are correct after folding.
