How Can We Help?
Learn more about our custom luxury packaging solutions and what we can do for you.
General & Location
Where are you located?
We have two locations in the US:
293 Child Street, Warren RI 02885, about 25 minutes driving time from Providence;
58 Browne St, Oneonta, NY, 13820, about 1hr 10 minutes from Albany or 3.5hrs from central
Manhattan.
For our global locations, visit us at pusterla1880.com.
How long have you been in business?
Our story began in 1880 and has continued to convey the same values ever since: a love of aesthetics and new technologies, a sense of service, and a commitment to the future are part of our everyday life. We like to reinvent our profession to meet every demand by developing tomorrow’s unique solutions and technological innovations. With this passion and these commitments, we have supported global luxury players for 140 years.
Who do you do work for?
We work with a variety of brands, designers, and agencies from startup to Fortune 100, across the United States, the UK, Europe.
Do you have representation in my area?
We serve our clients wherever they are, ensuring great outcomes with our hands-on project management process. We have US representation in the tri-state, Philadelphia and Boston areas, and travel frequently to Louisville, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and surrounding areas.
We have a global sales presence throughout France, Italy, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Mexico.
Are you hiring?
Pusterla is always looking for talented team members passionate about premium packaging.
Services
Do you really design and manufacture?
Yes, we truly do both. We work with first-time packaging buyers who require full design development and prototyping prior to production, as well as our global partners with full design, marketing, and packaging departments who present us with project specifications and dielines.
I am a printer, bookbinder, or packaging producer, can I contract jobs or components to you?
Yes, Pusterla often partners with printer, bookbinders, and packaging producers who require our unique production capabilities, including automated box wrapping for larger and oversized trays, automated folder lamination and wrapping for curved and angled panels, a highly skilled hand-made department, etc.
Will you sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
Yes, we frequently work on sensitive projects requiring confidential treatment and will happily accommodate your privacy needs.
Do you do fulfillment?
Pusterla provides fulfillment/co-pack services for projects over 10,000 pieces, and others on a
discretionary basis. We routinely handle everything from perfumes and skincare products to
books, game components, luxury items, and promotional collateral.
Design
Can you create a custom package design for me?
Yes. We have seasoned packaging design consultants and a robust structural design studio ready to help you select a style, dimensions, board, wrap and decoration method, and refine it you your exact needs.
However, we do not provide graphic design services; if you require a logo design or other two dimensional designs, we may be able to refer you to a graphic designer.
Do you charge for design?
Design development is part of a production engagement, and therefore we do not have separate charges for design when you choose to partner with Pusterla
Can I get a prototype of my box?
Prior to production, we will create an undecorated prototype that we will send to you free of charge. You then have the opportunity to test the sample and confirm the design is correct, or inform us if changes are needed. This sample must be signed and returned to us for quality control before we begin production.
If you require decorated prototypes, or a sample for your own internal use, or if your design is exceptionally complicated involving many components, we will charge for the prototype service. The cost of the sample will depend on the size, materials, and complexity of the design.
Can you send me samples of your prior work?
Yes, once we have determined the type of packaging you’re interested in, we can send out samples of previous custom work that is comparable or shares elements of your design.
I really just need something simple; do you have any stock designs?
No. Pusterla is a 100% custom manufacturer. We do not have any stock boxes, and every design is customized in its details, scale and materials for your special project. If you are looking for a stock solution, we recommend Uline, which can be branded with a sticker or label from Avery WePrint.
Do you offer graphic design services?
We offer simple logo placement and size adjustments in-house. For more complex work, we’re happy to refer you to a graphic design firm- we work with some of the best!
Production
What are your lead times?
This depends totally on the specifics of your project. For small quantities using stock materials, we can turn projects in as few as 4 weeks from receipt of PO and all signed approvals. However, most custom projects require us to order some components, so a more typical lead-time is 8-10 weeks. Longer-run or multi-SKU projects can take weeks or months to produce after receipt of specially-ordered materials, so it’s important to contact us with as much lead-time as possible to insure you meet your delivery needs. If you have a hard delivery date, or preferred timing, be sure to discuss this with your Project Manager or Salesperson.
What is your production capacity?
Pusterla has over 17 automated lines in the US and 90 globally, as well as extensive capacity for handwork around the world. If you let us know what is needed and where, we can meet your requirements.
What are the minimum and maximum sizes you can produce?
Minimum and maximum dimensions are dependent on the relationship between the length, width and depth of your package, and the board sheet size. Therefore, there is no set minimum and maximum size for manufacturability; often, it is not a matter of if we can produce the desired size, but how we will produce it.
What materials do you use?
Our US sites manufacture primarily paper products: lined and unlined chipboard (aka Uncoated Recycled Board), SBS and other folding carton weight solid coated sheets for the box, and papers ranging from uncoated vat-dyed stocks to coated and embossed specialty wraps from around the world. Specialty options include bonded leather, linen bookcloth, wood-framing, and more. Inserts can be made of board, paper, flute, pulp, recycled PET, and foam.
Globally, we produce in a variety of materials. See our global page for more on tin, wood and multi-material boxes.
Pricing
How do I get an estimate for a box?
All our packaging is 100% custom. In order to generate a project quotation or estimate, we must first design the package, route it through our production processes, and source material quotes. This process usually takes 3-5 business days on average* after the structural design has been approved by the client.
*While this is the typical time-frame for estimates - if a package is very complex, it could take longer. Your project manager should tell you an estimated time frame for receiving your quote.
What is your minimum order?
We do not have a unit minimum, but rather an order value minimum of $10,000, which does not include the cost of dies, plates, tooling, and setup.
How do I proceed if I want to order?
Once you have received and approved your estimate, your Project Manager will request an undecorated sample which we will send to you for approval.
You will also receive our New Client paperwork packet, which includes a credit application, our Terms and Conditions, and a freight carrier form. Once you complete this paperwork, you will submit it along with your Purchase Order, a signed and circled copy of your estimate, your signed approval sample, and your deposit.
Billing & Shipping
What are you shipping tolerances?
We default to a 5% under and 10% over shipping tolerance. What this means is, unless specified, Pusterla will ship and bill for as little as 95% of the total order volume, or up to 110% of the order volume. If you desire an exact quantity, this must be stated in the Purchase Order.
What are your payment policies?
New customers are required to fill out new client paperwork, including a:
Credit application
Terms & Conditions
Freight Carrier form (if applicable)
Resale Certificate (if applicable).
Credit terms are determined based on this submission, with many orders requiring a 50% deposit on the total order value as well as 100% of tooling and prep charges. We accept checks and electronic payment.
Can I pay by credit card?
No, we do not accept payment by credit card. We accept check and electronic payment.
Can you ship to my location?
Yes, Pusterla can either offer goods ex-works (which means you pick up at one of our global
locations and handle loading, transport, tariffs, and insurance where applicable), or in the case
of established clients, we can provide delivered pricing. Ex-works pick up means clients are
responsible for paying their provider directly, and the client assumes ownership of finished
goods upon collection, meaning that Pusterla is not responsible for any damage that occurs
during transportation.
Can you help me find a freight provider?
Yes, we are happy to recommend a freight company to new clients who don't have a preferred freight provider.
Sustainability
Is your packaging environmentally friendly?
As much as you’d like it to be! We specialize in paperboard, an inherently organic and green material with a life cycle including up to 7 rounds of recycling as board and paper before the fibers become too short to make good packaging substrates. We can help you choose substrates that fulfill any set of environmental guidelines, and we’ll be honest with you about the known ultimate impacts of each decision.
Pusterla is FSC certified and EcoVadis accredited, giving you peace of mind that we’re a partner in the responsible farming, production, processing, and converting of paper and board. We pursue continuous upgrades to our facilities and processes to advance responsible manufacturing.
Do you use recycled materials?
Our primary board, brown chipboard, is made from +90% recycled fiber, meaning your package will be predominantly recycled content by weight (generally +80% of weight is board). We have a wide range of recycled fiber cover materials and are happy to work with you to achieve your recycled content goals in your packaging design.
Are your boxes recyclable?
In short: depending on the design. We are happy to guide your choices to create a fully recyclable package that can be thrown straight into the bin, or with removable parts that can be separated for recycling in different streams.
Our preference is always to design this way, and we’re familiar with many nuances of recycling requirements around the world. We’re able to provide ATICELCA and Western Michigan University accreditation for whole package and substrate recyclability for large projects if required, and can build this into your timeline and pricing.