Thermoformed Packaging and PET Boxes from China

Quick answer

Source thermoformed packaging and PET boxes from China by freezing material (PET, PETG, PP, etc.), cavity drawings, wall thickness, and food-contact needs before tooling. Tooling ownership and sample gates matter as much as unit price.

Formats this guide covers

Clear PET/PETG boxes and clamshells, thermoformed trays inserts, and related blister-style trays. Plastic jars and buckets may use different processes—do not mix jar blow-mold RFQs with tray thermoform RFQs unless the factory truly runs both.

Material choices

PET/PETG for clarity and retail display; PP for some heat or chemical needs; other sheets by application. Define recycled content rules if claimed. Clarity, scratch, and anti-fog needs should be written, not assumed from a photo.

Tooling and design for manufacture

Thermoform tools define cavity detail, draft, and undercuts. Complex undercuts raise cost or force assemblies. Provide 3D/2D with tolerances and critical fit points for product nests. Ask who owns the tool and where it is stored.

Food-contact and retail rules

If packing food or food-adjacent goods, request appropriate declarations for your market early. Retail programs may need barcode windows, hang holes, or tamper features—add them to the drawing before steel is cut.

Sampling path

Prototype/tool sample → fit test with real product → pre-production with production sheet grade. Approve snap fit, hinge durability on clamshells, and scuff behavior. Color-tinted runs need separate shade approval.

MOQ and cost drivers

Tooling amortization, sheet grade, cavity complexity, and packing method dominate. Clear shallow trays differ wildly in price from deep multi-cavity nests. Ask for quantity ladders after tool approval.

RFQ fields

Drawings and material callout

Wall thickness class; clarity/tint

Food-contact and recycling claims rules

Tooling ownership; sample stages

Quantity ladder; destination; Incoterms

Related PackTrades Knowledge

How to Evaluate Custom Packaging Suppliers in China, How to Request Packaging Samples from China Factories, EVA Foam and EPE Inserts for Inner Packaging, Folding Cartons from China: Sourcing Guide.