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FEFCO 0215

Tuck Top Snap-Lock Box

  • Available in a wide range of custom configurations & material selection.
  • Order 1 sample. Or order 100K+ units. Or anything in between.
  • Affordable delivery across North America.
  • Design support, warehousing, testing, assembly available.
  • Widest machinery capability in America via 30+ specialist partner plants.
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Product details

Top highlights

  • Tool-free base assembly using a 1-2-3 interlocking fold
  • Unbroken front and top panels for premium retail branding
  • Requires fine flutes or cartonboard for the locks to fold cleanly

About this product

The tuck top snap-lock box, often called a Swedish bottom or 1-2-3 bottom, is a premium folding carton designed for retail presentation and fast manual packing. The base features four interlocking flaps that snap together securely without tape, while the top closes with a clean friction tuck.

Because it eliminates bottom tape, this style provides an unbroken display face and a smooth unboxing experience. However, the mechanical base relies entirely on the board's stiffness to hold weight, making it a strong choice for lightweight consumer goods but a poor fit for heavy industrial payloads or standalone parcel shipping.

Common uses

  • Cosmetics and personal care
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Lightweight kitting
  • Retail displays

Get a quote

Share what you know. We'll take it from there. Or email us at info@herculeindustrial.com

Best Price Guarantee

Already have a packaging quote? Let us beat it.

Send us the quote you have. We will beat it for the same specifications, quantity, and delivery requirements.

Upload a competing quote

Free quote review. No obligation.

30+specialist partner plants

We supply through the plant best suited to your price, material, production, and delivery requirements.

Why we can beat a lower quote

30+ plants give us more ways to lower the price.

Each plant has different machinery, material costs, order minimums, and freight rates. Our buying volume helps us secure better pricing. We then quote through the plant that gives you the lowest total price for your requirements.

Send us your current quote. Watch us beat it.

Attach it to the quote form or email it to us. We'll review it free and send you our price.

Upload a competing quoteinfo@herculeindustrial.com
Best Price Guarantee terms

To qualify, send a written supplier quote dated within the past 30 days and addressed to your company. It must cover the same dimensions, construction, material, print, finish, quantity, tooling, freight, delivery date, and delivery location. The guarantee does not cover taxes, expired quotes, liquidation or clearance sales, or obvious pricing errors.

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Retail, display, and lightweight kitting

Retail shelf packaging

The clean, tape-free exterior keeps the focus entirely on the product branding. The friction tuck top allows consumers to open and re-close the box easily without destroying the presentation.

Lightweight internal kitting

For manual fulfillment lines assembling parts, sales kits, or sample sets, the snap-lock base allows operators to erect the box quickly without managing tape dispensers or glue guns.

Secondary product packaging

Often used to hold primary containers like cosmetic jars or pharmaceutical bottles, providing a rigid, stackable outer layer that protects the primary container while maintaining a high-end feel.

Subscription box inner cartons

Used as a clean inner box that holds specific items together inside a larger master shipper, keeping the presentation neat without requiring packers to use tape.

Consumer goods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals

Cosmetics and personal care

Brands rely on the unbroken front panel for high-quality graphics and regulatory text, while the tool-free base maintains a premium unboxing experience.

E-commerce inner cartons

When placed inside a master shipping box, this style delivers a clean presentation. The end-user experiences a neat package without wrestling with heavy packing tape.

Pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals

Brands packing lightweight bottles or blister packs use the unbroken front panel for regulatory text, while the manual snap base keeps assembly fast on the packing bench.

When to compare taped or pre-glued bases

Heavy payloads

If you are packing dense or heavy items, the mechanical snap lock can bow or drop out. Compare a tuck top with a taped slotted base to gain the load capacity of a standard shipping box while keeping the clean top.

High-speed fulfillment

The 1-2-3 bottom requires sequential manual folding. If your packing line needs maximum speed, compare a crash-lock or auto-bottom box, which is pre-glued at the factory and opens in one motion.

Close variants and lookalike dielines

The closest library neighbors include EVC11101, 0212a, 0220. Use this as a variant check if a buyer brings an old code, sample, or dieline that looks close. The deciding details are usually the lock, slot, closure, wall build, part count, or fold sequence.

Board thickness, assembly labor, and shipping route

Board and flute selection

The intricate die-cut hooks of the snap base are highly sensitive to material thickness. Fine flutes or cartonboard fold crisply and lock securely. Heavy double-wall board fights the fold, causing the locks to bind, crush, or tear during assembly.

Outer shipping requirements

While the base is tape-free, the friction tuck top is vulnerable to drop impact. If this box will travel through a courier network, an outer master shipper or security seal helps prevent the friction tuck from opening.

Assembly labor availability

The 1-2-3 bottom requires sequential manual folding. If packing lines are fully automated, a different base style is necessary because standard case erectors cannot fold the interlocking snap base.

Print and presentation needs

Because the base requires no tape, the front and bottom panels remain clean. This makes the box a strong candidate for high-quality litho-lamination or flexographic printing where an unbroken display face matters.

Dust flap and lock profile adjustments

Top dust flap coverage

Standard dust flaps cover the sides of the opening. For complete dust protection and higher top-edge crush resistance, the flaps can be extended to meet exactly in the center under the main lid.

Lock and tuck friction

The depth of the tuck tongue and the tightness of the base hooks can be adjusted based on the exact board caliper to ensure the box is neither too difficult to assemble nor too loose to hold its shape.

Tuck flap profile

The top tuck flap can be cut with a straight angle, a rounded edge, or a hooked slit depending on how much friction is needed to keep the lid closed during handling.

Board and packing details

Die-cutting production path

Unlike standard slotted boxes, the rounded tuck flaps and complex base hooks require a flatbed or rotary die-cutting process. This production route shifts the decision toward repeat packaging programs rather than short-run trials.

Flap and lock variants

Extended meeting dust flaps

Lengthens the top side flaps so they meet in the center, creating a continuous barrier under the lid for better dust protection.

Additional notes

Sample testing for base strength

Because the base relies on mechanical friction rather than tape, always request a physical prototype in the exact production board to verify that the locks hold your specific product weight.

Related package comparisons

0210: Straight Tuck Carton

Uses friction tucks on both the top and bottom, offering an even cleaner look for very lightweight items.

EVC11101: Friction Tuck - Crash Lock

EngView neighbor that can look close in CAD. Review it if a sample or dieline seems similar, then verify closure style, slots, wall build, and assembly before treating it as a substitute.

FAQs

Assembly and Packing

Is a Swedish bottom the same as an auto-bottom?

An auto-bottom or crash-lock is pre-glued at the factory and opens in one motion. A Swedish bottom requires the packer to manually fold and interlock four flaps in a specific sequence.

Can a machine erect this box automatically?

Standard automated case erectors cannot fold the 1-2-3 snap base. This style is designed for manual packing lines.

Shipping and Route

Can I ship this box through the mail without tape?

While the box assembles without tape, the friction tuck top and snap base are vulnerable to drop impact. For parcel shipping, it needs an outer shipper or a strong security seal.

Product Fit

How much weight can the snap lock base hold?

It depends entirely on the board grade and the size of the box. Lightweight items like cosmetics or small parts are safe. Heavy items cause the interlocking flaps to bow or drop out. We recommend physical testing for anything moderately heavy.

Materials

Can this be made in heavy double-wall corrugated?

It is generally a poor fit for double-wall board. The thick material makes the intricate base hooks bind and tear during manual assembly. It performs best in fine flutes or single-wall board.

Production

Does this box require a flatbed die-cutter?

The rounded tuck flap and complex interlocking base hooks must be cut with a flatbed or rotary die-cutter. It cannot be produced on a standard straight-knife machine.

Assembly and Packing

How does the top close?

The top uses a friction tuck flap that slides into the front of the box, resting over two side dust flaps. This allows the end user to open and re-close the box easily without destroying the presentation.

Comparison

Why choose this over a taped base?

The snap lock base eliminates the need for packing tape on the bottom, which speeds up manual assembly on the packing bench and provides a cleaner look for retail presentation.