Belly band
Art paper200 minimum · 10 to 14 business daysA belly band is a strip of 250 to 350 gsm art paper that wraps around a box, a stack of cards or a pouch and closes with a glued or tucked tab, so it holds the item shut and carries print without touching the box. We produce them from 200 units in 10 to 14 business days after proof. Most are 2 to 4 inches wide.
When to choose it, and when not to
Choose a belly band when you want to change the look of a box without reprinting it. One plain white carton, five bands, five flavors. It also holds a two-piece box or a magnetic box shut through a carrier, wraps a set of cards or a pouch, and carries a seasonal message on a standard product. Chocolate, tea, soap, stationery and candle brands use bands for this exact reason. It is the fastest way to make a stock box look made for you.
Choose a sleeve and tray carton when the wrap needs to cover the whole box and hold weight, because a band covers a strip and holds a lid, nothing more. Choose printed tissue paper when the item should be hidden until opened, since a band leaves the box faces visible.
Specifications
| Board | 250, 300 or 350 gsm art paper, or 18pt SBS |
|---|---|
| Offset CMYK, spot colors, foil, blind or registered deboss | |
| Finish | Matte, gloss or soft-touch lamination, or uncoated |
| Closure | Glued overlap, tuck-in tab, or double sided tape strip |
| Insert | None, sits over the box or the tissue |
| Die-cut | Optional window or shaped edge in the band |
| Minimum | 200 units |
| Lead time | 10 to 14 business days after proof |
| Ships | Flat, in bundles of 100, or fitted on your boxes if we produce them |
| Sizes we run | 2 in wide, to wrap a 6 x 4 x 2 in box 3 in wide, to wrap a 8 x 6 x 3 in box 4 in wide, to wrap a 10 x 8 x 4 in box 1.5 in wide, to wrap a 5 x 3.5 in card set any size from 1 to 8 in wide, wrapping a box from 3 x 3 to 16 x 12 in |
Materials that suit it
Questions people ask
How tight should a belly band be?
Tight enough to hold a lid shut and not slide off when the box is tipped, loose enough to slip off with one hand. We spec the band to the box perimeter plus about 0.04 in of slack and add the overlap. If we supply the box, the band is sized to it. If you supply the box, send one and we size it.
Glued or tucked?
Glued is the standard, a permanent overlap on the underside that the customer tears or slides off. A tuck-in tab lets the band be reused and suits a box that will be reopened. Double sided tape on a flat band lets you fit it yourself at the bench, which is useful if the boxes are already packed.
What paper weight?
300 gsm is the default and holds a 3 inch band square around most boxes. 250 gsm is fine under 2 inches wide. 350 gsm or 18pt SBS is for bands over 4 inches or for a band that must hold a heavy lid shut. Laminated bands sit flatter than uncoated ones on a glossy box.
Can I put a window in the band?
Yes. A die-cut window in the band shows the box face or the product through it, and a shaped edge, scalloped or angled, is cut at the same time. Both add one die and no lead time. A window wider than about 60 percent of the band weakens it, so keep it narrower.
Can you fit the bands on the boxes for me?
The bands ship flat in bundles of 100 with the glue strip covered, and each takes a few seconds to fit at your bench. If you want them fitted to boxes from the same order, ask with your quote and we will confirm whether that is possible for your job.
How is a belly band different from a packaging sleeve?
A belly band is a strip, a sleeve is a tube. The band is 250 to 350 gsm art paper or 18pt SBS that wraps a box, a card stack or a pouch and closes with glue, a tuck tab or tape, so it also holds the item shut. A packaging sleeve is 18pt SBS formed into an open-ended band that slides over a box and covers two or four faces without any glue. The band starts at 200 units in 10 to 14 business days after proof; the sleeve at 500 units in 8 to 10 business days. Choose the band for a narrow brand strip or a closure, the sleeve when most of a plain box needs to be covered.
Similar styles
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Ready to price your belly band?
Send the size and quantity for a quote and a dieline, usually within one business day. Your digital proof follows, usually within one business day of your artwork. Design help and the Swatch Book of materials are free.