Packaging: US vs overseas suppliers and landed cost

Research date: 2026-11-05. All figures are from supplier pages or trade sources read that day. "Quote only" means no public price. Calculator prices are for the default configuration on the page; the three Bagel & Butters sizes will differ. Nothing was priced through a live quote request.

Bottom line

Pick the stand-up pouch, not the carton. Soft chews need a moisture and odor barrier and a reseal. A carton still needs an inner bag (a second cost and a second supplier). A printed zipper stand-up pouch is one component, and every US digital printer below can run the three sizes in one order.
First run: US digital, 500–1,000 per size. Budget about $1.00–1.60 per pouch non-child-resistant, roughly $3,000–4,500 for 3,000 pouches, in hand within three weeks, no tariff exposure, reprints in days.
- ePac Flexible Packaging: 100 per SKU inside a 500-pouch online order, no plate fees, 15 business days, pet-food specialty, recyclable/PCR and child-resistant on quote. Best single vendor for all three sizes.
- UPrinting: the only one with public pricing ($1.34 each at 500 for the 4 oz size, 6-day turnaround). Use its calculator to price all three sizes at 500 and 1,000 and treat that as the US ceiling.
- Brand My Bags: if child-resistant matters at launch. 500 per SKU, ASTM D3475-20 documented, 7–10 days.
Qualify a China vendor in parallel for the reorder. At 1,000 per SKU, China by air saves roughly $0.40–0.80 per unit (about $1,200–2,400 across three SKUs) but adds 4–6 weeks, a sample cycle, 40.5% duty, and no de minimis. The saving becomes decisive at 5,000+ per SKU. Start with Dongguan OK Packaging (free prototype) or an Alibaba Verified / Trade Assurance supplier with a 4.8+ rating and 95%+ on-time.
Under 500 per SKU or before art is final: stock kraft zipper pouch (about $0.90) plus a StickerYou or Sticker Mule label ($0.20–0.40) is about $1.10–1.30 per unit with no minimum.

Format A: printed folding carton (SBS paperboard, CMYK)

Supplier	Country	MOQ	Published price	Setup	Lead time	Notes
UPrinting	US	1	100 × 18pt straight-tuck gloss = $4.12 each; instant calculator	none	8–10 biz days (4–5 rush)	14/18/24pt; matte AQ or soft-touch (quote). https://www.uprinting.com/product-boxes.html
Packlane	US	25	250 × 2.25×2.25×6 RTE 14pt gloss = $1.90 each; calculator; >3,000 = quote	none	7–18 biz days	Soft-touch laminate available. https://packlane.com/products/cardstock-product-boxes
Refine Packaging	US	100	quote only	none	8–10 biz days	Free shipping; gloss/matte free; foil/spot UV extra. https://refinepackaging.com/faq/
PakFactory	US/CA	1,000 (one page says 250)	quote only	PMS extra	15–20 biz days	Pouches MOQ 10,000, not viable.
Arka	US	10 (own blog)	"from $0.99" (unverified)	—	—	Site rate-limited; nothing verified first-hand.
Custom Boxes Now	US	~10	100 × 10" RSC = $6.27 + $1,020 die	$600–1,020 die	≤7 days	Corrugated only; not a folding-carton vendor.
Packhelp	EU (Poland)	30	editor only; >3,000 = quote	none	72 h express in EU; US shipping time unpublished	FSC badge. https://packhelp.com/en-us/
ClearBags (custom print)	US-sold, overseas-made	5,000+ recommended	runs start $2,000–2,500	—	75–90 days	Stock boxes have no minimum.
QinPrinting (China benchmark)	CN	300	$0.08–1.03 per box across 500–20,000	—	—	https://www.qinprinting.com/custom-packaging-cost/

Market benchmarks for a small 4-color carton: about $1–3 each under 500; $0.52 at 2,500, $0.44 at 5,000, $0.36 at 10,000 (xwprint); $1.00–3.00 at 1,000–3,000 (packoi).

Format B: printed stand-up pouch with zipper (4 / 8 / 16 oz)

Supplier	Country	MOQ	Published price	Setup	Lead time	Child-resistant / eco
UPrinting	US	100	$1.34 each at 500 (5×6.5×2.5 matte, zipper, tear notch)	none	2–20 biz days selectable	CR version: MOQ 1,000, $3.36 each, 16 CFR 1700 / ASTM D3475 tested, out of stock at research time. https://www.uprinting.com/custom-stand-up-pouches.html
NextDayFlyers	US	1,000 (CR)	$3.41 each CR	none	20 biz days	Out of stock.
ePac Flexible Packaging	US	500 total, 100/SKU online; $1,500 min custom	quote only	no plates	15 biz days	CR, recyclable PE, PCR on quote; pet-food page; multiple SKUs per run. https://epacflexibles.com/markets/pet-food/
Roastar	US (WI)	1,000 custom (100/design) or 25 via templates	quote only	none	unpublished	"USA made, no tariffs." https://www.roastar.com/
Brand My Bags	US (MI)	500/SKU	quote only	not stated	7–10 biz days	CR zippers ASTM D3475-20 / 16 CFR 1700.20; recyclable PE-PE and PCR. https://brandmybags.com/products/stand-up-pouches
CarePac	US	500–1,000 print; 5,000 custom size	printing $0.60–2.00/unit	plate per color	~4 weeks	CR certified ASTM D3475-15. https://www.carepac.com/
NBi FlexPack	US (WI)	2,500/SKU	quote only	—	3 weeks	CR-certified PCR pouch.
Custom Product Packaging	US-marketed	150 (CR)	quote only	—	"fast"	CR + tamper-evident; no test standard cited; ask for the report.
StandUpPouches.net	US + overseas	500 digital, 2,500 traditional	quote only	—	~8–10 weeks (overseas-made)	Recyclable option.
ClearBags stock kraft zipper pouch	US	100	~$0.97 at 100, $0.89 at 1,000 (unprinted)	—	stock	Base for the label option.
Pouch.com / Pouchworth	—	—	—	—	—	Not usable: pouch.com is a handbag brand; Pouchworth refers custom work to CarePac.

Overseas (China)

Alibaba pages blocked automated reads, so supplier metrics come from search snippets. Re-check on the live listing with Verified Supplier and Trade Assurance filters.

Folding cartons (Guangdong): Guangzhou Baili Packaging (10 yrs, 4.8/5 on 69 reviews, $0.05–0.15, MOQ 500); Dongguan Jiurun (4.9/5, MOQ 500); Dongguan Hengxinshun (5.0/5, 98% on-time); Guangzhou Igiftbox ($0.18–1.58, MOQ 500); Dongguan FocusBox; Guangzhou Huaisheng.

Stand-up pouches: Dongguan OK Packaging (est. 1996; digital MOQ 500–1,000 at $0.14–0.30; flexo 5k–25k at $0.09–0.25; gravure 25k+ at $0.04–0.09; free prototypes in 5 days; production 5–15 days; claims ISO, BRC, FDA; plants in Dongguan, Thailand, Vietnam). Others: Hangzhou Jinhang, Guangdong Lihong, Sunshine Pack, BN Pack. Typical listings $0.03–0.10 each at 1,000–10,000; custom-logo MOQ often 1,000+.

Samples: $80–250 per SKU (credited against a first order over 1,000) or free (OK Packaging); 5–10 working days. Production: 7–15 days after sample approval; 4–8 weeks door-to-door including sampling.

Freight to the US East Coast (2026): LCL sea $60–110 per CBM, 1–2 CBM minimum, 26–35 days, plus $700–1,500 destination fees per shipment. Air about $6.30–7.00 per kg, 5–10 days door-to-door; courier DDP is practical under 100 kg.

Duties on China origin (early Nov 2026, confirm with a broker): IEEPA tariffs were struck down Feb 20, 2026; a Section 122 10% surcharge ran Feb 24 to Jul 24, 2026; a Section 301 action from Jul 24, 2026 applies 12.5% on China, stacking on the 2018 lists (25%). Folding cartons HTS 4819.20: free + 25% + 12.5% = 37.5%. Plastic pouches HTS 3923.29: 3% + 25% + 12.5% = 40.5%. Plus MPF (0.3464%, about $34 minimum) and HMF 0.125% on ocean. De minimis ($800) is suspended for all countries since Aug 29, 2025 and indefinite since Jun 24, 2026, so small air parcels pay full duty. Vietnam or Thailand origin avoids the 25% list but still carries 12.5% plus MFN.

Low-MOQ launch option: stock pouch or box plus a label

Stock kraft reverse-tuck cartons (Uline, unprinted): 3×2×4" $0.23 each at 500; 3×3×5" $0.27; 4×4×6" $0.36.
Stock kraft zipper pouch (ClearBags): $0.97 at 100, $0.89 at 1,000. Stock child-resistant pouch (Interplas 6×10): $0.53–0.71 each.
Labels: StickerYou $0.16 per label at 1,000 (paper roll), $0.23 durable; 4over4 roll labels about $0.38; Sticker Mule, SheetLabels, Avery WePrint are calculator-only, no minimums, 2–4 day turnaround.
Bridge cost: stock pouch + label about $1.10–1.30 per unit with no MOQ; stock carton + label about $0.45–0.65 plus $0.10–0.20 for an inner bag.

Pet-treat and CBD specialists

CR-certified with a documented standard: Brand My Bags (ASTM D3475-20 + 16 CFR 1700.20, 500/SKU, 7–10 days), CarePac (ASTM D3475-15, 500–1,000, 4 weeks), NBi FlexPack (certified PCR, 2,500/SKU, 3 weeks), UPrinting/NextDayFlyers (1,000 MOQ, about $3.40 each, out of stock).
Lowest CR MOQ: Custom Product Packaging at 150, but no test standard cited. Ask for the report first.
Pet-food focused digital printer: ePac.
No federal child-resistant requirement was found for hemp-derived CBD pet treats. CR mandates attach to state cannabis and THC programs. CR is a retailer-confidence feature here, not a legal one, so launch non-CR and add CR on the reorder if buyers ask.

Landed cost, 1,000 units of the medium size

	US domestic	China via air/courier	China via LCL sea
Folding carton (4×2.5×6", matte)	$1.00–1.60 per unit, 2–3 weeks	$0.60–1.05 per unit, 4–6 weeks incl. sampling (37.5% duty)	$1.30–2.50 per unit, 8–10 weeks (fixed fees dominate)
Stand-up pouch (8 oz, zipper, matte, non-CR)	$0.90–1.60 per unit, 1–3 weeks	$0.40–0.75 per unit, 3–5 weeks (40.5% duty)	$1.20–2.00 per unit (sea is uneconomic at this volume)
Child-resistant add-on	+$2.00–2.40 per unit at 1,000	OK Packaging "meets CR standards" but shows no certificate; unverified	—

Shipping all three sizes (3,000 units) in one consignment roughly halves the per-unit China fixed costs; one 3,000-pouch air shipment lands near $0.35–0.55 per unit.

Per-bag packaging cost in the pricing model

At a $24.99 / $34.99 / $44.99 MSRP and keystone wholesale ($12.50 / $17.50 / $22.50), a $1.30 US pouch is 10% of small-size wholesale and under 6% of large. Packaging is not the margin problem; the chew itself and the CBD input are. Do not chase the China saving on the first run.

Not verified

Arka, The Box Co-op, PrintPapa, Pouch.com/Pouchworth: no first-hand pricing.
Every "@1,000 / @5,000" figure not listed as published is a calculator or quote-only number.
Tariff stacking (25% + 12.5%) comes from third-party tariff tools and a trade-press timeline, not the HTSUS text. Confirm Chapter 99 treatment with a licensed broker before any purchase order.
Alibaba ratings are self-reported platform metrics from search snippets.