Structural dieline & CAD
Engineered dieline drawn to your product's exact dimensions.
- Specification
- ArtiosCAD-style dieline, PDF + DXF supplied
- Turnaround
- 2–3 working days
- Minimum order
- Min 1 design
From AED 450
Packaging Design & Prototyping in Dubai
A sample table plotter produces the real box in your hands before a single production sheet is printed. We engineer the dieline, cut the sample, load it, and drop-test it against courier handling.
Packaging prototyping at Printing Shop produces structural dielines, white samples and full-colour mock-ups of cartons, rigid boxes, sleeves and labels within days, before committing to a production run in Dubai.
Capability at a glance
48hrs
sample turnaround
Sample qty
1–25
Dielines
CAD plotted
Structures
Rigid to carton
About packaging prototyping in Dubai
A carton that looks right on screen can still fail on a shelf. We build the structure first: a dieline drawn to the actual product dimensions, plotted and hand-assembled as a white sample so you can test fit, closure strength, stacking and how the box behaves when a customer opens it.
Once the structure is signed off, we print a full-colour mock-up on the production board with the intended finish — matt laminate, foil, soft-touch — so the sample in your hand is what the shelf will show. This is the stage where retail buyers and regulatory teams sign off, and it is far cheaper than discovering a problem after a 10,000-unit run.
We work across folding cartons, corrugated e-flute shippers, rigid gift boxes, sleeves, labels, pouches and printed inserts. For food and cosmetic clients we advise on food-grade boards, migration-safe inks and the label content Dubai Municipality expects.
Sustainability is now a buying requirement, not a bonus. We can specify FSC board, plastic-free coatings and recyclable mono-material structures, and note the change in unit cost so it is a decision, not a surprise.
Packaging Prototyping options & variations
Indicative starting prices in AED, excluding VAT. Final pricing depends on quantity, stock and finishing.
White structural sample
Plotted, creased and hand-assembled blank for fit testing.
- Specification
- Production-weight board, unprinted
- Turnaround
- 2–4 working days
- Minimum order
- Min 1–5 samples
From AED 250
Full-colour mock-up
Printed and finished sample on the real production stock.
- Specification
- Digital print + laminate, foil and spot UV optional
- Turnaround
- 3–6 working days
- Minimum order
- Min 1–10 samples
From AED 650
Short-run production packaging
Launch quantities and test-market batches without offset plates.
- Specification
- Digital print, die-cut and glued, 100–1,000 units
- Turnaround
- 7–10 working days
- Minimum order
- Min 100 units
From AED 1,900
Rigid & luxury gift boxes
Greyboard boxes with wrap, magnet closure and foam or EVA insert.
- Specification
- 1.5–3 mm greyboard, printed wrap, ribbon and insert options
- Turnaround
- 10–15 working days
- Minimum order
- Min 100 units
From AED 4,200
What you get
- CAD structural design
- One-off white and printed samples
- Insert and tray engineering
- Dieline supplied for artwork
- Drop and stack testing
Technical specification
| Structures | Folding carton, corrugated, rigid, sleeve, pouch |
|---|---|
| Board range | 250–450 gsm FBB, e-flute and b-flute, greyboard |
| Sample lead time | White sample 2–4 days, printed mock-up 3–6 days |
| Finishing | Foil, emboss, spot UV, soft-touch, window patching |
| Food safe | Food-grade boards and low-migration ink available |
| Certification | FSC-certified board on request |
Materials & stocks we run
- Folding box board (FBB) 250–450 gsm
- Kraft and recycled liner
- E-flute and B-flute corrugated
- Greyboard 1.5–3 mm for rigid boxes
- Metallised and pearlescent wraps
- Self-adhesive label stock, matt and clear
Commonly produced with this service
Retail carton developmentRigid box structuresE-commerce mailer designInsert and tray engineering
Artwork & file requirements
- Product dimensions in mm, plus weight and stacking requirements
- Artwork placed on our supplied dieline layer, unflattened
- Barcodes at 100% with quiet zones intact
- Regulatory text, ingredient lists and origin marks as final approved copy
Turnaround: A dieline plus white sample usually lands within a week of the brief. Printed mock-ups follow in a further 3–6 working days once artwork is placed on the structure.
How the job runs
Hover or use the arrow keys to step through each stage.
01 — Send artwork or an idea. You get a costed quote within two working hours.
More about Packaging Prototyping
Packaging Prototyping at Printing Shop runs on CAD structural design and sample cutting tables in our Al Quoz plant in Dubai. The floor exists for one reason: packaging structures proven physically before tooling is committed. Every job on this line is colour-managed to the same G7 targets as the rest of the building, so work can move between processes without a visible shift in brand colour.
A sample table plotter produces the real box in your hands before a single production sheet is printed. We engineer the dieline, cut the sample, load it, and drop-test it against courier handling. Our prepress team preflights every incoming file free of charge, checks bleed, resolution, spot colours and trapping, and returns a digital proof for approval before anything is committed to press. Colour-critical jobs can be proofed on the final substrate.
Most work on this line is delivered within two to five working days from approval, and rush slots are available when a deadline is fixed. Delivery is free across Dubai and next day to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and the Northern Emirates. Because print, finishing, packing and installation all sit under one roof, there is one team accountable for the schedule.
Send a brief through the quote form with your quantities, sizes and deadline, attach any artwork you already have, or push the same details to WhatsApp for a reply within two working hours. If you are still scoping the job, ask for a sample pack or a structural sample and we will get one to your office before you commit.
Packaging Prototyping FAQs
- How long does packaging prototyping take in Dubai?
- A structural dieline and white sample are typically ready in two to four working days; a printed, finished mock-up follows within three to six days.
- Can I order packaging in small quantities?
- Yes. Digital print and die-cutting make runs of 100 to 1,000 units viable for launches and test markets, with no plate or large die investment.
- Do you supply food-safe packaging?
- We supply food-grade boards with low-migration inks and coatings suitable for dry and packed food, and advise on the labelling Dubai Municipality requires for the category.
- Will you design the packaging as well?
- Our design studio handles structural engineering and the graphic artwork together, so the dieline and the design are developed on the same file rather than retro-fitted.
Other services
24hrs
typical turnaround
Digital Printing
Short runs, variable data, next-day delivery.
Min run1 pc
Max run5,000 sheets
Plate costNone
Short runVariable dataNext-day
Open serviceG7cal
colour control
Offset Printing
High-volume sheetfed with G7 colour control.
Min run1,000 sheets
Sheet sizeB1 / 70×100
Colours5 + coating
High volumePantoneWet proof
Open service3.2m
max print width
Large Format Printing
Latex and UV up to 3.2 m wide.
Resolution1440 dpi
Outdoor life3–5 years
Substrates20+
LatexUVOutdoor
Open service50+wash
durability tested
Screen & DTF Printing
Apparel, textiles and specialty substrates.
Min order10 pcs
ColoursFull CMYK
PlacementAny panel
ApparelUniformsTextile
Open service12fx
finishing effects
Die-Cutting & Finishing
Foil, emboss, spot UV, creasing, binding.
FoilHot & cold
EmbossUp to 3 levels
Binding5 methods
FoilSpot UVEmboss
Open service0AED
prepress file check
Design Studio
Artwork setup, prepress fixes and full brand work.
ProofingDigital + wet
File rescueAny format
Brand kitsFull identity
ArtworkPrepressBranding
Open service7emirates
coverage
Installation Crew
Signage, wraps and office branding fitted on site.
SurveyBefore build
Night fittingAvailable
Own crewNo subcontract
Site surveyWrapsSignage
Open service