Folding Carton Material Cost per Unit Calculator
Calculate board-only cost per folding carton from actual blank area, board GSM and a kilogram or tonne quotation.
Use a saved product specification (optional)
Enter your values
First time using this calculator?
Replace the example values with figures from your supplier sheet or measurements. Choose the unit beside each value. Results update as you type; fix any highlighted field before using the result.
GSM means grams per square metre. Net weight excludes the core and other packaging. MOQ means the minimum order quantity. An optional field can stay blank unless the result you need depends on it.
Prices keep the selected currency; changing its label does not convert an exchange rate. Save or export the result after checking your inputs.
Help with board gsm
GSM is the weight of one square metre of material, in grams. Find it on the supplier specification; use the complete laminate value for layered film.
Unit label only. No currency conversion.
Cost per carton
A metric-tonne price is divided by 1,000 to obtain price/kg.
Material only; excludes sheet-layout offcuts, process loss, printing, finishing and gluing.
Board cost/carton = actual blank area × GSM ÷ 1,000 × price/kg
0.2 × 300 ÷ 1,000 × 1.2 = 0.072/cartonSaved calculations stay in this browser. No account or cloud backup is created.
Save to a product project (optional)
Choose or create a saved product project ↗This is an illustrative example. Saved or transferred values must be checked against your job.
Calculated from your inputs. Confirm specifications with your supplier.
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Vary one input and inspect cost per carton
All other entered inputs stay fixed. Ranges are your scenarios, not statistical confidence or supplier performance predictions. This uses the same validated calculator engine.
The formula, made clear.
Blank area and basis weight give the board mass allocated to one carton. Apply the mass price after converting a tonne quote to kilograms. This exposes the raw board contribution to a finished-carton quotation without assuming that board cost includes print or finishing. Use the full purchased blank area even if parts are removed by die cutting.
How to use this calculator
- 01
Enter actual blank area and board GSM.
- 02
Select price per kilogram or metric tonne and enter the quotation.
- 03
Read board cost per carton and per 1,000 cartons.
A calculation you can check
The example isolates the paperboard material contribution for a carton with a known blank allocation.
- Actual blank area
- 0.2 m²
- Board GSM
- 300 g/m²
- Board price on selected basis
- 1.2 EUR
0.2 × 300 ÷ 1,000 × 1.2 = 0.072/cartonCheck the displayed formula and units against your quotation. Use measured GSM, net weight and actual layout dimensions where available. Default densities are planning assumptions, not certified material properties. Calculated cost does not certify strength, compatibility or safe loading.
Method, units and material assumptions ↗