avery@paper-ecopackaging.com
+86 180 9206 4152
Mon - Sun: 9:00 - 21:30
Online store always open
avery@paper-ecopackaging.com
+86 180 9206 4152
Online store always open
For small brands, the right packaging isn’t just a box—it’s a marketing tool. Great packaging helps you:
Look professional and trustworthy
Improve customer experience
Stand out on social media
Reduce shipping costs
Build a consistent brand image
how to package small business orders? Whether you’re selling on Shopify, Etsy, Amazon Handmade, or using dropshipping platforms like AliExpress, CJ Dropshipping, or Faire, the right packaging can change everything.
how much does packaging cost for a small business?Easy guide to small business packaging—materials, low MOQ, customization tips, and cost-saving ideas to help small brands grow and stand out.
In recent years, there’s been a significant rise in individuals choosing to launch small businesses. Several trends are driving this shift. First, digital platforms have lowered the barrier to entry—anyone can sell online, reach a global audience, and build a brand with minimal upfront investment. Second, economic uncertainty has pushed many people to create additional income streams or pursue self-employment for greater control and flexibility. And finally, consumers increasingly seek unique, authentic, and locally produced products, opening new opportunities for small-scale creators.
Small business owners enjoy several competitive advantages that larger corporations often struggle to match:
Flexibility & Speed
Small businesses can innovate faster, respond quickly to market changes, and tailor their offers to niche audiences.
Authenticity & Personalization
Consumers value brands with real stories. Small businesses can build deep emotional connections by sharing their journey, values, and craftsmanship.
Lower Overhead, Higher Creativity
Without massive operational costs, small business owners can test new ideas, iterate product lines, and experiment freely.
Direct Customer Relationships
Personalized service, responsive communication, and community engagement help small brands stand out and build loyal followings.
Whether you’re selling on Shopify, Etsy, Amazon Handmade, or platforms like AliExpress, CJ Dropshipping, or Faire, great packaging can significantly improve how customers perceive
Your packaging can directly influence:
Customer trust
Product value perception
Repeat purchase rate
Social media shareability
Shipping efficiency & cost
But you’ve always been rejected by small business packaging supplies because of small customization needs.This guide gives small businesses the professional-level packaging knowledge normally reserved for big brands — but with low MOQ, small budgets, and scalable growth strategies in mind.
As more entrepreneurs enter the market, differentiation becomes essential—and packaging remains one of the most powerful tools small businesses can use to stand out. The right packaging elevates perceived value, communicates brand identity, and builds trust from the very first touchpoint. It doesn’t just protect the product—it tells your story, reflects your values (whether sustainability, luxury, or craftsmanship), and creates a memorable unboxing experience customers love to share.
For small brands, packaging functions as a marketing asset. Thoughtfully designed packaging helps you look professional, enhance customer experience, attract attention on social media, reduce shipping challenges, and maintain a consistent brand image across every sales channel.
Best Packaging Materials for Small Business (Deep Breakdown)
Traditional packaging suppliers require 3,000–10,000 units.
This is NOT feasible for small brands.
Modern suppliers offering low MOQ (50–200 pcs) allow small businesses to:
Test multiple designs
Avoid inventory pressure
Launch seasonal packaging
Customize at a manageable cost
Below is a detailed list of the packaging products you may need, the customization options for those products and how to choose the right size for your product as well as the cost.
The backbone of e-commerce packaging
Upgrade your packaging with premium custom mailer boxes designed for e-commerce, retail, and small business shipping. Made from durable materials and engineered for protection, these mailers are the ideal solution when you need packaging that is both beautiful and functional. Whether you run an online shop or a subscription service, these boxes deliver a professional unboxing experience that strengthens your brand.
Custom box is the primary thing that small businesses use for packaging.How to choose the right size ,cheap box and corrugated boxes or card boxes for your retail packaging?
Generally speaking, custom cardboard boxes or custom mailer boxes start from 1000-3000 as the price is more reasonable for larger quantities.
But nowadays there are more and more small business packaging supplies offer small quantity order, you can buy empty gift boxes with stickers or labels on it ,also custom boxes with logo from Low MOQ, for example, 100pcs can be customized with your logo in stock size! Custom box just got a whole lot easier!
Example:Eco Packaging Factory specializes in eco friendly packaging for small business while also stocking a wide range of popular inventory items, making it particularly suitable custom packaging for small business
Adds a premium unboxing layer.
Custom tissue paper is a lightweight wrapping paper used to protect and elevate products during packaging, making unboxing feel more premium. Brands often choose custom tissue paper with logo designs or printed tissue paper to enhance branding, while colorful tissue paper and classic white tissue papers add visual appeal. Common thickness ranges from 17gsm to 175gsm, offering a soft yet durable layer for clothing, gifts, and retail items. Today, many businesses prefer eco-friendly paper tissue paper made from recycled or FSC-certified materials, ensuring that their tissue wrapping paper looks great while supporting sustainable packaging practices.
tissue wrapping paper Common sizes are 19.7“ by 27.5”, but of course any size, color and printing process tissue papers are available from 100 sheets.
The highest ROI branding tool for small businesses.
Packaging labels and sticker packaging play an essential role in branding, organization, and safe delivery. From product labels and photo stickers to custom picture stickers, these small details strengthen brand identity and enhance the unboxing experience. Businesses rely on cheap shipping labels, fragile labels, and sample shipping labels to ensure accurate handling, while clear shipping label dimensions help users create a shipping label that fits their packaging needs. Thank-you messages like “thank you for supporting my small business” add a personal touch that customers love. Whether used as packaging stickers or a protective packaging sleeve, these labels are indispensable to modern packaging—and many are now made from eco-friendly, recyclable materials to support sustainable shipping practices.
Whether you need UV DTF stickers which are very popular these days, metallic stickers, coated paper stickers, clear stickers, art paper stickers, they can be customized from 1 sheet, which is very friendly to small business owners and can be fulfilled no matter you have silkscreen printing, foil stamping or color printing requirements.
what is EVA foam？EVA is the most commonly chosen inner tray material, with eva foam being the preferred choice for approximately 70% of products. EVA foam material delivers excellent flexibility, cushioning and High density foam.
layer.An extra layer of protection for your products
Foam padding and custom foam inserts are essential for protecting products during shipping, providing shock absorption and a secure fit inside packaging. Options such as EPE foam, EPP foam, and EVA foam each offer unique advantages: EPE foam is lightweight and recyclable, EPP foam is highly durable and eco-friendly.
Foam inserts for cases, and foam boards are commonly used to safeguard delicate items, sustainable solution.
There are also plastic paper holder, which are very popular in recent years for cosmetic packaging, skincare packaging, beauty packaging and other brands.It is made of pressed paper pulp and pressed according to the model of different products to produce a smooth-cut inner tray package. This product has a slightly higher starting quantity and cost, but it is 100% environmentally friendly, making it highly sought after by luxury brands.
These practical, environmentally friendly inner tray materials help reduce damage, enhance product presentation, and support more responsible packaging choices.
| Material | Density | Hardness | Cushioning Quality | Eco-Friendliness | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EVA | High❤❤❤❤❤ | Hard❤❤❤❤❤ | Excellent❤❤❤❤❤ | Recyclable❤❤❤❤ | Very High❤❤❤❤❤ |
| EPE | Medium❤❤❤ | Medium❤❤ | Very Good❤❤❤❤ | Recyclable❤❤❤❤ | Very High❤❤❤❤ |
| EPP | Medium–High❤❤❤❤ | Medium–Hard❤❤❤ | Excellent❤❤❤❤ | Highly Eco-Friendly❤❤❤❤ | Rising Fast❤❤❤ |
| Plastic Paper | Normal❤❤ | normal❤❤ | Good❤❤ | Biodegradable & Recyclable❤❤❤❤❤ | High❤❤ |
For foam boards are not a necessity for small business owner. While they are well cushioned and lightweight, they are bulky and cost too much to transport. small business ideas ：paper plates, honeycomb paper, or paper fillers such as raffia are not only aesthetically pleasing, but still protect the product well.
Are these small business tips working for you?
You can also look for help from a team of professionals
NEED HELP?
The icing on the cake for your product
Ribbons are a versatile packaging accessory used for gift wrap, branding, and decoration, available in a wide range of materials such as threaded ribbon, cotton ribbon, polyester ribbon, velvet ribbon, satin ribbon, and silk ribbon. From classic Christmas ribbon and grosgrain ribbon to elegant velvet ribbon and smooth satin ribbon, each style offers its own texture and visual appeal. Businesses can easily customize ribbon with exclusive logos—many suppliers even allow custom ribbon orders starting from just 1 roll, making it perfect for small business owners. Custom ribbons are available in multiple widths, countless colors, and various printing methods, giving brands full control over their look. Whether used as gift wrap ribbon, product accents, or creative ribbon drawing designs for marketing, these drawn ribbons add a polished, professional finishing touch to any package.
Very well cushioned bags
Bubble bags are essential for protecting products during shipping, offering lightweight cushioning that prevents scratches, shocks, and breakage. From bubble wrap envelopes and large bubble wrap to custom bubble mailers, these materials keep items safe while maintaining a professional presentation. Although fully custom bags with logo usually require a high MOQ of 10,000–50,000 pieces, many packaging suppliers now provide a wide selection of stock sizes and colors. This makes it easy for small businesses to find the perfect fit for their products. Even better, most stock bubble bags can be customized with a logo starting from just 100 pieces—an affordable branding option that is especially popular in e-commerce packaging.
Poly bags — including shopping bags, poly bags, plastic shopping bag styles, custom mailers, and resealable bags — remain a go-to for packaging thanks to their light weight, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. While some still assume all poly bags are environmentally harmful, today’s versions are increasingly made from biodegradable raw materials like PE, PLA, PBAT, and D2W. According to materials science research, PBAT is “fully biodegradable … having many similar properties [as] low-density polyethylene,” and PLA (polylactic acid) is derived from renewable resources and degrades under industrial composting conditions These eco-friendly poly bags help small businesses reduce their environmental footprint. Plus, with a wide variety of stock sizes and colors available, you’ll rarely struggle to find a poly bag that’s the right fit for your product — and custom printed bags or custom poly bags make branding even easier.
Whether you need custom printed bags, custom mailers, or standard plastic shopping bag sizes, there are now many stock options in a wide range of sizes and colors — so you don’t have to worry about finding one that fits your product. For example, Eco Packaging Factory offers a fully compostable option, while D2W Biodegradable Poly Mailer provides a lightweight, yet durable shipping solution. These “green” poly bags allow small businesses to customize packaging and make a more responsible choice — proving that packaging can be practical, affordable, and kind to the planet.
Corrugated shipping boxes are one of the most essential packaging products for transportation, offering strength, affordability, and versatility for nearly any type of shipment. Available as personalized shipping boxes, custom shipping boxes, large cardboard box options, medium boxes, and heavy duty shipping boxes, they’re built to protect everything from small gifts to large electronics. Corrugated boxes come in different thicknesses — single-wall, 3-layer, 5-layer, and even 7-layer structures — allowing you to choose the right level of durability for your product. If a custom order of 1,000 pieces or more feels like too much, you can easily select from stock corrugated boxes instead.
ECO Packaging Factory offers hundreds of ready-made sizes, making it simple for small businesses to find the perfect fit without overspending.
Custom packing tape is one of the simplest but most effective ways to elevate your brand’s shipping experience. Whether you choose packaging tape, clear packing tape, personalized packing tape, or fully branded custom tape, adding your logo to every shipment instantly boosts brand recognition and professionalism.
For sellers, customizing tape with an exclusive logo isn’t just about looks—it’s a smart business move. Custom packing tape helps protect packages, prevents tampering, and acts as a free marketing tool every time your box is handled or delivered. It reinforces brand trust, makes your packaging stand out from competitors, and creates a memorable unboxing experience that keeps customers coming back.
Small Business Packaging Ideas often start with one challenge: finding packaging that looks professional without requiring huge order quantities. Many small business owners struggle with high MOQs, storage pressure, and the difficulty of choosing eco-friendly materials that still support their brand image.
That’s where Eco Packaging Factory offers real value. As an eco-friendly packaging manufacturer, we specialize in low-MOQ customized solutions designed specifically for small businesses. From paper boxes to tissue, stickers, and tape, we help brands create packaging that’s both sustainable and practical.
By focusing on environmentally friendly materials, we reduce waste, elevate your brand story, and help you stay aligned with today’s consumer expectations. And with flexible order quantities, you never have to overstock or overspend.
Smart packaging isn’t just about looks—it’s about choosing materials and quantities that truly fit your business. Eco Packaging Factory makes that easier.
You can write down your detailed requirements in the message, for example, style, material, size, quantity, printing requirements, etc. You can also leave accurate contact information, we will contact you within 24 hours!
