Pillow box template
Enter the size of your closed pillow box and the dieline below redraws instantly: two faces, a curved crease and end flap at each end of both faces, and a glue flap. Open it in the Studio to design it, watch the faces bow and the ends close in 3D, and export the dieline as a 1:1 PDF, SVG or DXF.
Set your box size
- Flat sheet
- 109 mm × 148 mm
- Panels
- 7
Cutting template: a front and a back face joined by a straight crease, each with a curved crease at both ends and a curved end flap beyond it, and a glue flap whose ends follow the creases. No glue at the ends. Width, depth and height are the outside of the closed pillow: tip to tip, across, and through the middle. The faces are cut as wide as their bowed curve. Ask your printer to confirm the curved scores for their board.
What is a pillow box?
A pillow box is a small carton with two bowed faces and curved ends, shaped like a pillow. It is cut from one piece of board, glued along one side and shipped flat; to close it, you push in the curved ends and they lock shut against each other with no tuck or glue. Pillow boxes are a favourite for jewellery, gift cards, party favours, cosmetics samples and small accessories, because they look premium and use little board.
What is on the dieline
The template draws every part from your three measurements.
- A front and a back face, each as wide as its curve across the closed box, sharing a crease that becomes one side edge.
- A curved crease at each end of both faces, dipping into the face: the deeper it dips, the longer the taper to the closed end.
- A curved end flap beyond each crease, as deep as it needs to be to reach the middle of the closed end.
- A glue flap along the back face, whose ends follow the front's creases so it stays hidden inside.
- An adjustable glue flap width in the Studio.
- Cut lines and crease lines kept separate, as in the PDF, SVG and DXF exports.
How to fold a pillow box
Score the curved creases cleanly first: they are what make the box work. Fold along the straight crease between the two faces, glue the flap inside the front edge and let it dry. Squeeze the sides so the faces bow out, then push one curved end in until both flaps meet in the middle, fill the box, and push the other end in the same way. In the Studio you can watch the faces bow and the ends close in 3D. For more detail, see how to make a pillow box.
Choosing the size
Measure the product and add a little room: the pillow is thickest in the middle and tapers to its ends, so a product needs to fit well inside the middle third of the length. Keep the height at no more than about two thirds of the depth across, or the faces cannot bow enough to close. For a flat item such as a gift card, a slim pillow 20 to 25 mm thick works well; for jewellery or soap, 30 to 40 mm.
Is the pillow box template free?+
Yes. The size picker and dieline here are free. Designing, saving and exporting happen in the Studio with a free account.
Are the sizes inside or outside dimensions?+
Outside. Width is the closed pillow from tip to tip, depth is across, and height is its thickness in the middle. The inside is a little smaller, and less towards the ends, where the pillow tapers.
Does a pillow box need glue?+
Only once, along the glue flap that closes the tube. The ends close by pushing in the curved flaps, with no glue or tuck, so the box can be opened and closed again.
Can I download the dieline?+
Yes. The Studio exports a 1:1 PDF with your artwork, and the cutting template on its own as SVG or DXF with cut and crease lines on separate layers. The curved creases are drawn as short straight segments, as die makers cut them. Ask your printer to confirm the scores for their board.