FEFCO: corrugated box styles
FEFCO, the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers, publishes a catalog of box styles identified by four-digit numbers. The first two digits indicate the family:
| Family | What it covers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 02xx | Slotted boxes, made from one piece | 0201: the regular slotted container (RSC), the most widely used |
| 03xx | Telescope boxes: separate base and lid | Boxes with a fitted lid |
| 04xx | Folder-type boxes and trays, often glue-free | 0427: the mailer box and the pizza box |
| 05xx | Slide-type boxes and sleeves | A drawer sliding into its sleeve |
| 06xx | Rigid-type boxes with separate end pieces | Boxes with attached ends |
| 07xx | Ready-glued boxes, quick to set up | Auto-lock bottoms |
| 09xx | Interior fittings | Partitions, inserts, dividers |
The code describes a shape, not a size or a material. A 0201 can be 20 cm or a full meter long, in single-wall or double-wall board.
ECMA: paperboard folding cartons
For paperboard (the folding cartons used for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food), ECMA, the European Carton Makers Association, publishes its own code. It describes the carton family and the type of top and bottom closure: straight tuck end, reverse tuck end, snap-lock (1-2-3) bottom, auto-lock bottom… Carton printers use it to rule out any ambiguity.
Why use them
- Order without misunderstandings: “FEFCO 0427, inside dimensions 300 × 300 × 45, E-flute microflute” leaves no room for doubt.
- Compare quotes: you know two printers are pricing exactly the same box.
- Find an existing die: many shops file their cutting dies by code.
On boite.ma, templates that follow a standard display their code on their page: just copy it into your quote request.