Windowed Paper Tubes — Die-Cut Window with Optional Film
A windowed paper tube is a cardboard tube with an opening cut into the body. The window can be left open so the product can be touched, or closed with clear film so it stays protected from dust.
A window is not a separate construction. It is a cut made in the body of a tube you have already chosen, so the box keeps the strength and the printable surface of cardboard and gives up only the area of the opening.
That is the balance the format is bought for: enough of the product on show to make the connection on the shelf, enough printed surface left for the brand to still speak.
Before you order
| Construction | The window is cut into the body of an existing construction, not a construction of its own |
|---|---|
| Constructions it can be applied to | Cardboard-lid, metal-lid and telescopic tubes |
| Window | Open (die-cut only) or closed with clear film |
| Window shape | Cut to your dieline — the shape, size and position are specified per brand |
| Body material | Coated or kraft paper over board |
| Printing | CMYK offset, hot foil stamping or spot UV, with precision window cutting |
| Sampling | Physical or 3D digital mock-ups before mass production, on request |
| Production | From 3 weeks* |
Diameter and height follow the construction the window is cut into, so the range depends on which of the three you choose. Every box is made to order; we do not sell from stock.
* Lead times vary with order quantity and technical specification.
** Applies to full truck loads to Central Europe.
Part structure
Closed box with the window, the parts apart, and a section through the window cut in the body wall.
Technical drawing © ArtasPackOpen window or film-closed
One decision changes what the buyer can do with the box on the shelf.
A film-closed window keeps dust and handling off the product while leaving it fully visible. It is the safer choice for food, for anything with a finished surface, and for products that sit on an open shelf for a long time.
An open window lets the buyer touch the product — the texture of a knitted sock, the weave of a scarf, the surface of a soap. Where the material is the selling point, letting it be felt is worth more than keeping it sealed.
Where it is used
Textiles such as socks and t-shirts · boutique food including chocolate, macarons, coffee and nuts · cosmetic sets · handmade candles · custom giftware.
The window earns its place when the product has a visual or tactile quality that a printed panel cannot carry — colour, weave, pattern or finish.
Printing and finishing
The body keeps its full printable surface, minus the opening.
Coated or kraft paper over board, printed CMYK, with hot foil stamping or spot UV where the brand mark needs to lift off the surface. The window is cut to your dieline, so the artwork and the opening are designed together rather than one being fitted around the other afterwards.
Printing and finishing run through a partner press network rather than a single press, so each project is matched to the right technique — and every printed sheet is inspected when it reaches our plant.
How it differs from a clear bodied tube
Both formats show the product. The difference is how much of it, and how much printed surface survives.
| Criterion | Windowed | Clear bodied |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Cardboard with a cut opening | Transparent film |
| What is visible | Only the part behind the window | The whole product, from every side |
| Printable surface | The full body around the window | Lid and base only |
| Protection from light | The cardboard shields everything except the window | None — the product is exposed to light |
| Best when | Brand graphics and a glimpse of the product work together | The product itself is the argument |
The windowed tube is the choice when you still need the body to carry the brand. The clear bodied tube is the choice when the product should carry it.
Why European brands source this format from Istanbul
Most enquiries that reach us have already been quoted in the Far East, usually China. This is what nearshoring the work to Istanbul changes.
We are the manufacturer, not a trading company
Winding, labelling, die-cutting and assembly all happen in our own plant in Istanbul. You are talking to the people who make the box.
Quotes within 24 hours, approvals inside your working day
Istanbul runs one to two hours ahead of most of Europe, so an approval you send in the morning is answered the same working day rather than overnight.
4–6 weeks faster than the Far East, first enquiry to pallet
Measured against a Chinese or other Far East supplier, and across the whole cycle — quoting, sampling, approvals and shipping — not transit alone. Transit to Central Europe starts at 7 days on full truck loads.
Duty free into the EU and the UK
Goods move duty free into the European Union under the Türkiye–EU Customs Union, and into the United Kingdom under the Türkiye–UK Free Trade Agreement. We quote EXW or DAP delivered to your door, and our export team handles the customs paperwork.
Samples before you commit
Physical samples, printed and unprinted, or 3D digital mock-ups for sign-off before mass production.
Shipping to more than 20 countries
Producing to order since 1986, with a large library of existing tooling — standard sizes carry no additional tooling cost.
What to send us for a quote
Which construction you want the window cut into — cardboard-lid, metal-lid or telescopic
Inner diameter and height — or the dimensions of the product going into the box
Whether the window should be open or closed with clear film
The window shape, size and where it should sit on the body
Quantity, and your estimated annual requirement if you have one
Print type (CMYK, Pantone) and the finishes you want
Your artwork — send it in vector format. The most common cause of delay we see is artwork that is not vector, or is below print resolution. If you do not have a file yet, we will prepare the dieline for you straight away.
Frequently asked questions
Can a window be added to any of your cylinder boxes?
It can be applied to the cardboard-lid, the metal-lid and the telescopic constructions. The diameter and height range then follows whichever construction you choose.
Does the window have to be covered?
No. You can leave it open as a die-cut, or close it with clear film. Open lets the buyer touch the product; film keeps dust off it.
Can the window be any shape?
The window is cut to your dieline, so the shape, the size and the position are yours to specify. If you do not have a dieline yet, we will prepare the dieline for you.
Can we get a sample?
Yes. We prepare samples both printed and unprinted, and 3D digital mock-ups are available as well.
Our artwork is not ready. Can we still start?
Yes. We send you the dieline, and we help place your design onto it.
What do we gain by buying here instead of the Far East?
We quote within 24 hours and approvals settle inside your working hours. Measured from first contact to pallet, that works out at a 4–6 week advantage over Far East sourcing; transit to Europe starts at 7 days on full truck loads.
Do you ship duty free to the EU and the UK?
Yes. Goods move duty free into the European Union under the Türkiye–EU Customs Union and into the United Kingdom under the Türkiye–UK Free Trade Agreement. We quote EXW or DAP delivered to your door and our export team handles the customs paperwork end to end.
Other products in the rolled-edge family
Butt Jointed Paper Tubes (3-Piece Shoulder Tube)
All cardboard, lid flush with the body
See the product →
