Thank You Card Sizes and Paper: A Buyer’s Guide for Gift Packaging

Most buyers ordering custom thank you cards start with the design and end up adjusting the size three times. The smarter order is the reverse: pick the size around your packaging, pick the paper around your budget, and then design to fit. Here are the three size tiers we produce most, with the paper weights that make each one work.

Mini Cards (Business Card Size) — Small Boxes, Small Products

For jewelry boxes, lipstick cartons, candle tins and other compact packaging, a full-size card is simply in the way. The mini format — roughly the size of a business card (85 × 54 mm) — tucks into the corner of the box, sits on top of tissue paper, or slips into a small envelope. Despite its size, foil printing makes a mini card feel deliberate and luxurious. It is also the most economical option: a large sheet prints dozens of cards, so the unit cost stays low even at small quantities.

• Typical size: 85 × 54 mm (business card) up to 100 × 70 mm
• Best paper: 300–350gsm — weight matters more when the card is small
• Placement: on top of product, or inside a mini envelope
• MOQ: from 500 pieces

Best for: jewelry, cosmetics, candles, earrings and any tight packaging space.

A6 Cards with Envelope — The Standard for Gift Boxes

A6 (105 × 148 mm) is the industry default for a reason: it is large enough for a real message on the front and back, small enough to lie flat in most mailer and gift boxes without folding. Adding a matching envelope transforms it from a “card in the box” into a “letter from the brand” — a small psychological upgrade that customers consistently mention in unboxing reviews. If your boxes are roughly shoebox size or larger, this is the safe first choice, and it pairs naturally with the custom rigid boxes we produce.

• Typical size: 105 × 148 mm (A6), A7 for tighter boxes
• Best paper: 300gsm card + 120–140gsm envelope
• Finishes: matte lamination, foil, rounded corners
• MOQ: from 500 pieces

Best for: apparel boxes, skincare sets, subscription boxes and corporate gifts.

Thick Square Cards — When the Card Is Part of the Luxury

For high-end packaging, some brands make the card deliberately oversized and thick: a 130 × 130 mm square on 600gsm duplex board feels like a piece of the gift rather than an insert. The weight does the talking — clients judge the whole box by the heaviest paper in it. Square cards also photograph well for social media, which is why luxury gift sets often use them as a design centerpiece. The trade-off is cost: heavier paper and larger format raise the unit price, so reserve this format for products with the margin to support it.

• Typical size: 120–140 mm square
• Best paper: 500–600gsm duplex or layered cardstock
• Finishes: embossing, deep foil, painted edges
• MOQ: from 500 pieces

Best for: luxury gift sets, jewelry collections, premium hampers and flagship packaging.