Box Style Guide: FEFCO Styles Explained

A plain-English guide to the box styles we make, from the everyday 0201 case to die-cut postals, trays and telescopic export cases, and how to pick the right one.

Box styles are catalogued using FEFCO codes, an international four digit reference that describes exactly how a box is constructed. Quote a code and any manufacturer in Europe knows the construction you mean. This guide covers the styles we cut most often in Letchworth, what each one suits and where people go wrong.

How to read a FEFCO code

• 02xx: slotted cases made from a single piece of board with glued or taped joints.
• 03xx: telescopic styles made from two or more pieces, such as a lid and a base.
• 04xx: folders and trays, cut and creased flat then folded without glue.
• 07xx: ready glued cases that pop up or fold in one movement.
• 09xx: interior fitments such as pads, partitions and dividers.

0201 regular slotted case

The workhorse. Flaps meet in the middle top and bottom, so it is economical on board and quick to make in any internal size. Best for general transit, pallet loads and anything where the box is not part of the presentation. Tape both top and bottom seams, and step up to double wall once you pass about 15kg or start stacking.

0203 full overlap case

Same shape as a 0201 but the outer flaps overlap fully, giving extra strength across the top and bottom panels. Choose it for heavy or dense products, long journeys and anything that gets stacked several layers high. It uses more board than a 0201, so only spec it where you need the extra stacking strength.

0200 half slotted case

A 0201 with one end left open, effectively a deep tray. Useful as a cap over a product on a pallet, as a sleeve, or paired with a second 0200 to make an adjustable-height outer.

0300 telescopic cases

A separate lid and base. Because the lid slides over the base you get double thickness walls and the ability to absorb a little variation in product height. This is the style we reach for on large, awkward or heavy items, and for anything loaded from above rather than through the end.

0409 one piece folder

A flat wrap that folds around the product, ideal for books, prints, framed items and anything flat. Ships flat, takes seconds to assemble and needs very little tape.

0427 die-cut postal box

The e-commerce favourite. A die-cut blank with a hinged lid and tuck-in front, often with a tear strip or peel and seal tape. No tape needed on the outer flaps, so pack times drop sharply on a busy bench, and it presents well when the customer opens it.

0713 crash lock base

Supplied ready glued. Push the sides out and the base locks itself, which removes a step from every pack. Worth it wherever labour on the bench is the real cost rather than the board.

0901 partitions and fitments

Corrugated dividers that keep units apart inside an outer box. Cheaper and more recyclable than foam for glass, jars, bottles and small assemblies, and they add stacking strength to the outer at the same time.

Choosing between styles

• Presentation matters: 0427 die-cut postal, printed on a white or kraft liner.
• Heavy or dense: 0203 full overlap or 0300 telescopic in double wall.
• Flat products: 0409 one piece folder.
• High pack volumes: 0713 crash lock to cut seconds off every pack.
• Mixed units in one outer: 0201 plus 0901 partitions.
• Awkward or oversized: 0300 made to measure, up to the sizes our box-making machines cut.

Specifying it properly

Give us the internal dimensions in millimetres in length x width x height order, the FEFCO style, the board grade, any print requirement and your annual usage. If you are not sure of the style, tell us what you are packing and we will suggest one, make a free sample and let you test it with your own product before you commit.

Made to measure, made here

Every style above is cut on our own box-making machines in Letchworth Garden City, so sizes are not limited to a stock range and sample turnaround is a few working days rather than weeks. Try Packassist for a suggested style and board grade in under a minute.