MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)
The smallest production run a manufacturer will accept for a given product — driven by setup costs, press economics, and material waste.
Every custom-printed product carries a minimum order quantity because manufacturing setup costs are fixed. Whether you order 50 boxes or 500, the printer still pays for plate-making, pre-press review, and press calibration. Below the MOQ, the per-unit cost balloons to a point where neither side wins — most factories simply decline runs that small.
MOQs vary by product family: digital mailer boxes typically start at 50–100 units, offset-printed retail boxes at 250–500, and rigid setup boxes at 100–250. If your run sits below an MOQ, options include grouping multiple SKUs into one run, switching to a digital-friendly substrate, or starting with a sample kit before scaling up.
Related terms
- B-fluteA medium-weight corrugated grade (~3 mm thick) that adds real crush resistance while still printing cleanly — common for shipping mailers.
- DielineThe flat, two-dimensional template that defines exactly how a piece of packaging is cut, scored, and folded before it becomes a box.
- E-fluteA thin, fine corrugated material (~1.5 mm thick) used in mailer and retail boxes for a clean print surface with light cushioning.
- EmbossingA finishing technique that raises a portion of the printed surface using paired dies, creating a tactile relief without ink.