Hang Cards and Color Boxes for Heavy Hardware Shipped to North America: What to Align Before Artwork
What should I align before artwork when packing heavy hardware in hang cards or color boxes for North America?
A: Align five things before anyone starts the artwork: the product weight and the insert that holds it, hang-hole reinforcement if the pack will hang, the outer carton that will carry the packs, the retail barcode and label areas, and the order in which those files are signed. Zhongshan Boya Color Printing Co., Ltd. (BOYA Printing) in Xiaolan, Zhongshan, Guangdong makes color boxes and corrugated color cartons; the box and the insert are quoted separately.
Key points
Weight and insert before artwork: the insert has to hold the real product; artwork comes after the structure is agreed.
Hang-hole reinforcement: if the pack hangs, specify the hole, the reinforcement and the hook type before the dieline is frozen. See our peg-hook and hang-tab spec guide.
Outer carton pairing: how many packs per carton, and whether the shipper is printed or plain, should be set with the retail pack.
Label areas: reserve space for the barcode, any warning and any origin marking so they are not added over a finished design.
Artwork order: sign the structure, then the hang-hole details, then the label layout, then the graphics.
MOQ: MOQ from 1,000 pcs, depending on product and process.
Reply time: We reply to inquiries within 24 hours.
Why start with product weight and the insert?
Heavy hardware — locks, hinges, large sets of fasteners, door closers — can shift in a light insert or pull on a hang hole that was drawn for a lighter SKU. The insert should be designed around the actual piece: its weight, its centre of gravity, and which surfaces must not be scuffed. Paperboard and foam inserts are both used, depending on the product; at BOYA the insert is quoted as a separate line from the box. For how inserts are sampled and approved, see Paperboard and Foam Inserts.
This is not a strength-test article, and it does not give crush or burst figures. The practical step is to confirm the insert with the real product on a sample, then freeze that structure before artwork starts.
What should you lock in if the pack will hang?
If the color box or hang card will sit on a peg hook, lock in the hole position, the hole size, any reinforcement (a patch, a double wall or a hang tab) and the hook type the retailer uses. Those choices change the dieline. They are covered in detail in the peg-hook and hang-tab spec guide; this article does not repeat that specification. The point here is timing: agree the hang-hole details with the insert, not after the front panel has already been designed.
If the same SKU also ships as a shelf-ready color box without a hang hole, treat that as a second structure and a second artwork version, even when the product inside is the same.
How should the outer carton be paired with the retail pack?
Set the number of retail packs per outer carton while the pack size is still open, so the carton footprint and the pack footprint belong to the same plan. Decide whether that shipper is a printed carton or a plain master carton, and what marks it needs, at the same time. For the choice between a printed shipper and a plain master carton on US hardware, see Printed Shipper vs Plain Master Carton.
A heavy pack that hangs in store still travels in an outer carton. If the carton count or the pack orientation changes late, the insert and the hang-hole position may need to change with it.
Where do the barcode and label areas belong?
Reserve a panel or a quiet area for the UPC, and for any warning or origin marking the brand will supply, before the main graphics are drawn. If those areas are left until last, they often land on a fold, a hang tab or a window margin. The brand supplies the label content; the factory places it on the agreed area and checks it on the proof.
In what order should the artwork be signed?
A workable order is:
Product weight, piece list and insert layout, signed on a sample with the real product.
Hang-hole or hang-tab details, if the pack will hang, signed on the same dieline.
Outer carton count and shipper style, so the pack and the carton stay in one plan.
Barcode and label areas reserved on the dieline.
Graphics and copy, including any warning or origin text the brand supplies, signed as a named artwork version.
Signing the graphics before the structure is set is what usually forces a second round of artwork.
What should I send BOYA for a quote?
Send the product weight and dimensions, photos or a sample, whether the pack will hang, the hook type if known, the preferred box style, an insert indication if you have one, packs per carton, artwork if you have it, quantities and the destination. BOYA's core products are color boxes, corrugated color cartons and handmade rigid gift boxes; graphic and structural packaging design are also available. BOYA runs 4 offset presses. Sampling is available. MOQ from 1,000 pcs, depending on product and process. Typical lead times, depending on specifications: color boxes 7–15 days; folding cartons 10–25 days; rigid/gift boxes 15–45 days; tea, wine/liquor and mooncake boxes 15–30 days; displays typically 10–20 days. BOYA is certified to ISO 9001, FSC-C157096 and ONE (formerly GMI). See our hardware and tools packaging page, call +86 189 2812 5102, email denny@byprintings.com, or use our contact page. We reply to inquiries within 24 hours. Factory visits are welcome by appointment. More on the factory: About BOYA.
FAQ
Should artwork start before the insert is sampled?
No. Sample the insert with the real product and agree the hang-hole details, if any, before the front-panel artwork is signed. Otherwise a later structure change usually means a new artwork version.
Do hang cards and color boxes need different dielines for the same SKU?
Yes, if one version hangs and the other sits on a shelf. Treat each structure as its own dieline and its own artwork version, even when the product inside is the same.
Can the factory choose the hang-hole reinforcement for us?
The factory can propose a hole, a patch or a hang tab that fits the dieline and the hook type you name, then you confirm it in writing on the sample. The peg-hook and hang-tab spec guide lists the details to send.
What is the MOQ for hardware color boxes or hang cards at BOYA?
MOQ from 1,000 pcs, depending on product and process. Sampling is available so you can check the product, insert and hang-hole details together before mass production.
Reviewed by Denny Mo. Last updated: 2026-11.
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