Custom Guide to Shipping Candles

Fragile candles need extra attention and care when shipping. Most candles come packaged in glass or metal containers that can break or dent. The candle can also crack, crumble or melt during shipping without sufficient protection. Boxes are the ideal solution for protecting candles and customizing with your design.

This guide covers how to ship candles without melting or breaking them and gives advice on choosing the perfect box for your brand. We’ve also included some candle packaging ideas to inspire your designs.

How to Package Candles Safely

Use these tips to ensure your candles arrive at their destination in perfect condition.

Add cushioning: Extra padding is the best way to protect candles during shipping. Bubble wrap is a common material, but you can choose paper as an eco-friendly alternative. Ensure there are limited gaps within the shipping box to secure the candle.
Protect from heat: Candles will melt if they get too hot during shipping. To prevent this, add cooling packs or use insulating panels and box materials. You can also choose a shipping company that controls the temperature during transit.
Choose a sturdy box: While they can be more expensive, a robust, high-quality box will protect your candles better than a flimsy one. Pick durable cardboard with a thick flute so the box holds its shape and withstands rough handling.
Label the package: You can stick a “fragile” or “handle with care” label on your candle boxes to alert shipping companies to the fragile contents.

What Packaging Should You Use?

Candle boxes require intricate details to ensure the packaging and contents delight customers and boost your brand reputation. The perfect packaging design gives buyers an idea of what to expect inside and creates an exciting unboxing experience. To achieve this, you’ll need to invest in custom boxes for your candles.

Below are the primary factors to consider when choosing custom candle packaging for your brand.

1. Box Material

The ideal material for custom candle boxes provides maximum protection by preventing these fragile products from melting or breaking before reaching the buyer. Consider the following materials for your made-to-order candle boxes.

Corrugated Cardboard: This affordable, lightweight and durable material protects your candles against damage, heat and other environmental conditions. It can also have a white coating, creating a high-end feel and better color contrast for designs.
Kraft paper: Eco-friendly kraft candle boxes are naturally brown and made from 100% recycled paper. They are excellent if you want to reduce waste and appeal more to your customers with sustainable packaging.

2. Box Style

The benefit of custom candle boxes is that they can meet your exact design specifications. Before customizing them, select a box style that best serves your clients and suits your brand.

Custom-printed mailer boxes are the best option for shipping candles. They have an attached folding lid with a self-locking mechanism that reduces the risk of opening during shipping. It does not require tape to close, which lets you maintain aesthetics. Mailer boxes are also sturdy enough to protect candles from external shocks during shipping.

3. Box Size and Shape

The boxes you choose should match the candles’ size and shape. For example, tall and narrow boxes will fit pillar candles, while short and wide boxes work perfectly for tapers and votives. If you want to pack various candle sizes together, add box inserts and filler paper to prevent them from moving around or colliding during shipping.

4. Box Color

Color can influence emotions, behavior and perceptions. Choose a color scheme that evokes the desired feelings in your customers while staying true to your brand. The color of your custom packaging also needs to complement your candles. For instance, a brightly colored box with flowers coordinates with floral-scented and brightly colored candles. Use white or earth tones if you sell nature-inspired candles, or choose festive colors like red and green for your holiday collection.

5. Printing Method

To boost brand awareness and recognition, include your company logo, name, tagline and instructions for candle use on the product packaging. The writing and graphics on the packaging must be precise and legible to draw the customer’s eye and accurately represent your brand. 

Compare the following printing methods to choose one that best fits your requirements.

Digital: Digital printing is perfect for small orders requiring a fast turnaround time. It reproduces electronic images on various materials, including cardboard and coated boxes.
Lithographic: Lithographic printing is an excellent technique for processing large batches of high-quality orders. It produces superior prints with up to six colors of impression-free and unhindered graphics.
Flexographic: Flexographic printing is ideal for prints requiring a minimum of three colors. This method boasts high speeds and works with many materials.

The Importance of Custom Boxes for Candles

Custom packaging offers multiple advantages over standard boxes.

Customization options: By choosing custom boxes, you can create unique designs that showcase your branding and enhance the product.
Increased protection: Custom boxes perfectly fit candles, preventing them from shifting, moving, breaking or leaking wax during transit. You can also design custom packaging to handle the weight of different-sized candles and stop them from crashing into each other.
Improved brand experience:  Creating custom packaging is all about the presentation and experience for the customer. A visually appealing box filled with small details — like thank-you notes, care instructions and discount codes — will create a memorable unboxing experience that leads to a positive brand perception.
Competitive advantage: Well-designed custom candle boxes effectively showcase your brand’s creativity and set you apart from the competition.

Package Customization Ideas

People who buy candles appreciate the visual appeal of products and packaging. Beautifully designed, creative packaging can grab your customer’s attention and give them an excellent purchasing experience. Try these ideas to make your products stand out and protect them during shipping.

Custom containers: Customers and gift recipients will see the candle’s container before the contents. Make their first impression unforgettable by adding unique, eye-catching candle packaging. Some ideas include minimalist cardboard tubes, seasonal-themed boxes and boxes with windows. You can even make the candle container a different shape, like a heart or cloud.
Beautiful artwork: Bright colors, stylized fonts and hand-drawn illustrations can elevate your candle packaging and help it stand out. Metallic foiling is also a nice touch.
Gift wrapping: To give your candles a luxurious feel, wrap them in elegant wrapping paper and add a bow. You can theme the wrapping paper around the candle’s scent or your branding.

Order Custom Candle Packaging From Bolt Boxes

Bolt Boxes has provided outstanding made-to-order packaging solutions for six decades. When choosing us as your custom box manufacturer, you can rest assured that you will get sustainable product packaging. We make our boxes from 100% recyclable kraft cardboard containing 60% to 90% post-consumer waste.

As the world’s fastest custom box manufacturer, Bolt Boxes does everything in-house, including printing, design, manufacturing and delivery. Choose from digital, lithographic or flexographic printing to bring your company logo to life on any tailor-made package. Our experienced structural designers will help you design the perfect custom candle boxes.

Are you ready to build your custom boxes? Contact our design team for assistance or enter your specifications into our online configurator today.