Kraft Shipping Tubes for Rolled Posters, Prints and Plans
Round brown postal tubes with an end cap at each end, cut to the length and width of the roll you send. Artists, print shops and architects use them to post work without a single fold.
Written price from£0.25 a box
What are kraft shipping tubes?
Kraft shipping tubes are round, wound brown tubes with a cap at each end, used to post rolled paper. Posters, art prints, maps and drawings travel inside without creasing. We cut the length and set the inside diameter to suit your roll.
- Shape
- Round tube with a push-in end cap at each end
- Board
- Kraft tube board, available on request for this style
- Sizing
- Inside length × inside diameter, in millimetres
- Plain kraft, a one-colour logo, or a printed wrap
Kraft Shipping Tubes Sizes
| Size | Typical inside size | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| A4 roll | 230 × 50 × 50 mm | Rolled A4 prints |
| A3 roll | 320 × 60 × 60 mm | Rolled A3 prints |
| A2 roll | 450 × 75 × 75 mm | Posters |
| A1 roll | 620 × 75 × 75 mm | Plans and maps |
Sizes are typical starting points, not stock sizes. Every box is cut to the inside size you send.
Who posts work in kraft shipping tubes?
Illustrators selling prints, photographers, map and chart sellers, architects sending plans, and schools posting certificates. Anything printed on paper that must arrive flat enough to frame.
A box would force a fold or a tight bend. A tube lets the paper roll loosely and keeps it round for the whole trip.
Tubes also work for things that are not paper. Fabric samples, rolled wallpaper swatches, yoga mats in small sizes and long thin items can all travel in a tube cut to their length.
Tubes sit in our range of kraft mailer and shipping boxes beside mailers and cartons.
How are kraft shipping tubes closed?
Each end takes a push-in cap. Our photos show white caps that sit flush with the rim, so the tube stands upright and stacks without rolling off a shelf.
The caps press in by hand. A strip of tape across each cap, or a label that wraps over the end, stops them working loose in the post.
End cap options are listed on your written quote, so you know exactly what arrives with the tubes.
Plan for the caps when you size the tube. Each cap sits a few millimetres inside the rim, so the usable length inside is a little shorter than the outside length.
What size tube fits an A3 or A2 poster?
Tube size is the inside length and the inside diameter. The length must be longer than the short side of the paper, because that is the side you roll along.
The sizes below are typical starting points, not stock sizes. Every tube is cut to your roll.
| Typical size | Inside length × diameter (mm) | Paper it suits |
|---|---|---|
| A4 roll | About 230 × 50 | A4 prints and certificates, rolled on the short side |
| A3 roll | About 320 × 60 | A3 posters and small art prints |
| A2 roll | About 450 × 75 | A2 posters and gallery prints |
| A1 roll | About 620 × 75 | A1 posters, plans and maps |
Add about 10 mm to the paper's short side for the length, so the cap does not press on the edge of the print.
How wide should the tube be?
A wider tube rolls paper more loosely, which matters for thick art paper and for prints that will be framed. A curl that is too tight can take days to flatten.
For one thin poster, a diameter around 50 mm is plenty. For several prints rolled together, or heavier card, go up to 75 mm.
If you are unsure, roll your paper by hand, slide a rubber band round it, and measure across the roll.
Our guide on measuring for kraft packaging covers inside sizes in more detail.
Which board are shipping tubes made from?
Shipping tubes are wound from kraft tube board in layers, which gives the spiral seam you can see in our photos. This board is available on request, and we quote it for every tube order.
The outside is plain brown kraft. The cut ends are clean and square so the caps sit firmly. We do not state crush figures; tell us how the tubes travel and we suggest a wall.
Can I print a logo on a kraft shipping tube?
Yes. A one-colour logo in black ink reads clearly on the brown tube. A printed wrap can carry a pattern or a full colour design around the whole length.
Keep text away from the very ends, where the caps and tape cover the board.
Because a tube is round, a logo printed along its length reads best. Text printed around the curve can disappear from view on a shelf.
- Black logo along the length, readable as the tube rolls
- Your web address near one end
- A small handling note such as do not bend
- A full colour wrap for gift prints and limited editions
See how each ink looks on brown in our guide to printing on kraft packaging.
Should I choose a tube or a flat mailer for prints?
Prints up to A4 can travel flat in a stiff mailer with a backing board. Above A4, a flat pack becomes large and easy to bend, so a tube is the safer choice.
Some buyers prefer flat prints because there is no curl to remove. Others prefer the tube because it is easy to store and gift. If you sell both sizes, you may need both packs.
| Print size | Usual choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A5 and A4 | Flat mailer or tube | Small enough to stay flat in a mailer |
| A3 | Tube | A flat A3 pack is large and easy to bend |
| A2 and A1 | Tube | Only practical rolled |
| Several prints | Wider tube | Keeps the roll loose |
How do customers flatten a rolled print?
Rolled the right way, with the image facing out, a print curls back toward the wall when unrolled and flattens quickly. A short note inside the tube helps customers handle it.
Suggest they lay it face down on a clean surface, weigh the corners with books for a day, and handle it by the edges. A wider tube makes this step easier because the curl is gentler.
How do I pack a print into a shipping tube?
- Lay a sheet of tissue or glassine over the print face.
- Roll the print loosely with the image facing out, so it curls back flat later.
- Slide the roll into the tube and let it open to the tube wall.
- Push a cap into each end and run tape across both caps.
- Fix the address label along the length, not across the seam.
What mistakes damage rolled prints in transit?
Each of these is easy to fix at the sizing stage, so tell us the paper size and weight when you ask for a price.
- A tube only a few millimetres longer than the paper, so caps crush the edge
- A diameter so narrow the print curls too tightly to frame
- Rolling the image inward, which makes it curl toward the viewer later
- Leaving caps untaped so they can push out
How do I order kraft shipping tubes?
Give us the inside length and diameter, or simply the paper size and how many sheets go in each tube. Mention any print and the end caps you prefer.
We price every tube order in writing, starting at £0.25 per unit. A free proof comes first if the tubes carry print.
Making the tubes takes 4–6 business days once you approve. Free tracked delivery then carries them to your door in 2–3 business days, UK addresses only.
Any tube that turns up damaged, misprinted or cut short gets a reprint or a refund if you photograph it and tell us inside 10 days.
Ready to price yours? Request a quote for shipping tubes with your paper size.
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Questions About Kraft Shipping Tubes
Straight answers from the people who cut and print the boxes. Open any question to read the reply.
Can a kraft shipping tube hold an A0 poster?
Yes, if we cut it long enough. Roll an A0 sheet on its short side and send us that length plus about 10 mm.
Do the end caps on shipping tubes come off easily?
They press in by hand and pull out by hand. Tape across each cap keeps them in place while the tube is in the post.
Can I fit several posters in one shipping tube?
Yes. Roll them together and measure the roll. A wider tube, around 75 mm, keeps several sheets from curling too tightly.
Are shipping tubes round or triangular?
These are round. If you prefer a flat-sided pack that does not roll, ask about a long kraft tuck box instead.
Will a kraft tube bend in the post?
A wound tube resists bending far better than a flat envelope. We suggest a wall to suit how far and how your prints travel.
Can you make a shipping tube for a rolled canvas?
Yes. Canvas rolls thicker than paper, so measure the rolled canvas across and allow extra diameter for a loose roll.
Do you print on the end caps of shipping tubes?
We print on the tube body. Caps are supplied as listed on your quote, and a printed sticker on the cap is an easy extra.
What length tube do I need for an A3 print?
An A3 sheet is 297 mm on its short side. A tube around 310 to 320 mm long gives room for the caps.
Can I post a shipping tube with a normal address label?
Yes. Stick the label along the length of the tube so it does not wrap around the curve and lift.
Do you make shipping tubes in white?
The standard outside is brown kraft. A white outside is a printed option; ask on your request and we include it on the quote.
Can I reuse a kraft shipping tube to store prints?
Yes. With the caps on, a tube keeps rolled prints clean on a shelf or in a plan drawer.
Is there a difference between shipping tubes and display tubes?
Shipping tubes are built for posting rolled paper. Our kraft paper tubes are made for products on a shelf, such as tea or candles.
Tell us what you ship
Send the product, a rough size and a quantity. We reply in writing within one business day with a price and a free design proof. Prefer to talk? Call +44 7578 382054 or message us on WhatsApp.