Industry

Custom Tea Packaging Boxes for Tea Bags and Loose Leaf

Colormix makes custom tea packaging boxes in Guangzhou, China, from 500 pcs per size: samples in 3–7 days and bulk in 15–22 working days after approval. A tea range usually needs two structures — a compartmented rigid box for wrapped sachets and a folding carton for the single-SKU retail line — printed from the same artwork so the gift set and the shelf carton match.

Tea is sold by weight, by ritual and by story, and the box has to carry all three. The practical constraints are moisture, aroma and the fact that a stack of sachets has to stay square in the hand. That is why tea packaging is usually a cut tray inside a rigid lid and base or flip-lid box, with a printed carton for the everyday line.

Dark green flip-lid tea box open to show two compartments of wrapped tea sachets

Where this packaging is used

The same structure behaves differently across these three situations. They are the first we ask about.

  • Sachet gift sets

    Twelve, twenty-four or thirty-six wrapped sachets in a compartmented tray.

  • Loose leaf retail

    Lined carton with an inner food-grade bag.

  • Hotel and airline service

    Small cartons with single-serve envelopes.

Which box to choose

Three structures cover most briefs in this category. Each is quoted per size, from 500 pcs.

  • Flip-lid rigid

    Wrapped greyboard with a two-compartment tray.

  • Folding carton

    350 gsm carton for a single SKU on shelf.

  • Window carton

    Die-cut aperture where the leaf itself has to be seen.

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What changes the packaging in this category

Four constraints drive most of the decisions here. They are the first things we ask about.

01

Aroma and moisture decide the barrier

Tea takes up odour from board and adhesive. Where the leaf is exposed, we specify a food-grade liner or an inner bag rather than rely on the outer print to do the work.

02

The sachet count sets the tray

Twelve, twenty-four or thirty-six sachets change the tray depth and the number of compartments. The tray is cut to the count, so the stack does not slide when the box is tilted or posted.

03

Gift set and retail line are two jobs

A rigid box earns its cost in a gift set. A folding carton does the work on a shelf. Printing both from one artwork keeps the range recognisable without paying rigid prices on every SKU.

04

Dark stock needs a foil decision

Deep green and black are the default tea colours, and both swallow four-colour print. Gold or copper foil on the dark wrap is usually what makes the mark legible at arm’s length.

A typical packaging set

Most brands in this category need three or four of these, not one. Each is quoted separately.

ComponentHow it is built
Rigid flip-lid or lid and base box 1.5–2.5 mm greyboard wrapped in printed paper, with a gold border line if the artwork calls for one.
Compartment tray Die-cut paperboard or EVA, cut to 12, 24 or 36 sachets, with a finger notch for lifting the stack.
Retail carton 300–350 gsm folding carton for single SKUs, printed from the same artwork as the rigid box.
Window carton A die-cut window with PET or PLA film where the leaf or the sachet itself has to be visible.
Sleeve and carrier bag Printed sleeve around the rigid box, and a matching paper bag for the retail counter.

Specification

Box types
Lid and base, flip-lid rigid, folding carton, window carton
Board
1.5–2.5 mm greyboard; 300–350 gsm SBS or FBB
Tray
Paperboard or EVA, 12 / 24 / 36 sachets
Print
Offset CMYK plus one spot; foil on dark stock
Minimum
500 pcs per size
Lead time
3–7 days sample; 15–22 working days bulk

Box types used here

Finishes that suit this category

Three finishes do most of the work here. The full library, photographed as macros, sits on its own page.

  • Gold border line

    The traditional cue on a dark green or black wrap.

  • Matte lamination

    Protects the print from damp hands in a kitchen.

  • Foil on the mark

    Reads at shelf distance where four-colour print on dark stock does not.

See every material and finish →

Tea & Herbal Blends packaging: common questions

Can the box hold loose leaf instead of sachets?

Yes. Loose leaf usually goes in a lined rigid box or a carton with an inner food-grade bag, because the leaf needs a barrier that printed board does not provide.

How many sachets fit in one tray?

Twelve, twenty-four and thirty-six are the common layouts. Above that the tray splits into two layers, which changes the depth of the box.

Do you print the sachet film as well?

We print the box, the tray, the sleeve and the bag. Sachet film is made by a separate converter; we quote the box to the filled sachet size so the two fit.

Is the minimum different for a gift box?

No. 500 pcs applies per size and per structure, so a gift box and a retail carton in the same range are two minimums.

Can the gold border line be printed instead of foiled?

It can be printed in a metallic ink, but on dark stock the foil reads sharper. Both are quoted, and the difference is shown on the sample.

Get a packaging quote

Send the tea & herbal blends brief

Product, channel, quantity and target date is enough to start. You get two or three options with the trade-offs, and an itemised quote.

Get a packaging quote

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We reply to every request within one business day. Your files and details stay with our sales and engineering team. Prefer email? sales@colormixpackaging.com

Last reviewed: 2026-10-26