Made by Pip: Business Sticker Labels for the Inside of a PIP Box Lid

People searching for made by pip are usually trying to work out one of two things: who makes the small mailer boxes known as PIP boxes, or how to brand the inside of one. This guide covers the second question. A PIP box is a postal-size carton that fits through a letterbox, and its lid has a blank inside face that most small sellers leave empty.

A sticker label fixed to that face is a cheap way to add a logo, a thank-you line or a social handle. It costs pennies per box and the customer sees it the moment they open the parcel.

What a PIP box lid label actually is

It is a printed sticker, usually matte or kraft paper, cut to sit inside the lid with a small margin all round. Some are round, some rectangular. Most carry a logo and one short line of text.

Standard small PIP boxes measure around 160 x 100 x 25 mm, though sizes vary between suppliers. The inside lid face is therefore roughly 160 x 100 mm. A label of about 140 x 80 mm leaves a tidy 10 mm border, which hides small cutting or placement errors.

Choosing a size and shape

Measure your own box before you design anything. Two boxes sold under the same name can differ by 5 mm or more, and that is enough to make a label look crooked.

• Full-lid rectangle, around 140 x 80 mm, for a logo plus a short message
• Circle of 60 to 80 mm, for a centred logo only
• Narrow strip of about 120 x 30 mm, for a handle or web address
• Small square of 40 to 50 mm, for a simple mark in one corner

For a first order I would pick the full rectangle. It gives the most room and forgives a slightly off-centre hand.

Artwork tips for sticker labels

Supply your logo as a vector file if you have one, or a PNG at 300 dpi at the final size. A low-resolution image enlarged to fit will look soft, and soft edges show badly on matte stock.

Keep text at 8 pt or larger. Leave 3 mm of empty space inside the cut line. If the background colour runs to the edge, ask for a 2 to 3 mm bleed, otherwise a thin white rim can appear where the blade is slightly out.

Dark backgrounds look sharp but show fingerprints on some matte papers. A white or cream background with dark ink is the safer choice for a hand-packed parcel.

Matte, gloss or kraft

Matte suits most brands and photographs well under room light. Gloss makes colours stronger but reflects light, which can make small text harder to read inside a dim box. Kraft gives a natural, handmade look and works best with one or two ink colours, since light colours fade against the brown base.

Whichever you pick, check that the adhesive is permanent. Cardboard is slightly porous, and a removable adhesive can lift at the corners after a week in transit.

Applying the label without bubbles

Wipe the lid with a dry cloth first, because carton dust stops adhesive gripping. Peel back a third of the backing, line up one edge, then smooth the label down from the centre outwards with your thumb. Work on a flat surface and fit labels before the box is filled.

If you pack 50 or more boxes a week, a simple card template cut to the border size saves a surprising amount of time and keeps placement identical.

Other labels that go with a branded box

The lid insert rarely works alone. A sealing sticker on the outside, a thank-you card and the right outer labels make the whole parcel look planned. Larger cartons usually need separate box labels sized for the outside faces, which is a different print job from a lid insert.

If you sell scented goods, regulations apply to what appears on the packaging. Sellers of reed diffusers should look into clp labels for reed diffusers, since hazard wording and a supplier name are legally required on the pack, and the lid insert cannot replace them.

For the outside of a posted parcel, many UK and Irish sellers also use personalised return address labels ireland searches to find small sheets that carry a logo and a sender address. Three sheets of around 19 labels each (57 in total) is a typical pack size and lasts a small seller a few weeks.

Indicative costs and quantities

Custom sticker labels for box lids are commonly sold in packs of 24, 48 or 100. Expect roughly 15 to 40 pence per label at small volumes, falling noticeably above 250. Made-to-order work normally takes several working days to print and cut, so plan for about a week before a product launch or a craft fair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Made by Pip?

The name is often used loosely for PIP boxes, the small letterbox-friendly cartons used by online sellers. This page treats it as a box format and explains how to label one. It does not describe any particular supplier.

Will a lid label fit every PIP box?

Not automatically. Box sizes differ by supplier, so measure the inside of the lid and subtract about 10 mm from each dimension. Test one printed label on a single box before committing to a large batch.

Can I print the label myself at home?

Yes, with A4 sticker sheets and a laser or inkjet printer. Home prints usually have a visible margin and weaker ink on dark colours, and inkjet ink can smudge if the label gets damp. Professionally cut labels look cleaner for repeat orders.

Does a lid label replace legal labelling?

No. A branded insert is decoration and marketing. Products that fall under cosmetic or chemical rules still need the required information on the pack itself.