Carton marks (also called shipping marks) are the printed labels on the side of every export box. Done right, they let the warehouse, freight forwarder, customs and consignee identify a shipment in seconds. Done wrong, your boxes get held at port. Here is what every apparel exporter needs to print, and where.
Required fields on a standard export carton mark
- Buyer / consignee code — usually a 3–4 letter abbreviation chosen by the buyer.
- Purchase Order number (P/O #).
- Product / item description and SKU.
- Carton number — current / total (e.g. C/NO. 12/50).
- Quantity per carton.
- Gross weight (G.W.) and Net weight (N.W.) in KG.
- Carton dimensions (L × W × H in cm).
- Country of origin (e.g. MADE IN CHINA).
- Port of destination.
Layout: side mark vs end mark
Most apparel buyers require both a side mark (the large label on the long side of the carton) and an end mark (a smaller label with carton number and SKU on the short side). The side mark carries the full information; the end mark is for quick scanning when boxes are stacked on a pallet.
Sizing rules buyers care about
- Side mark: 200 × 150 mm or A5; the buyer code height should be ≥ 30 mm so it's readable from 5 m away.
- End mark: 100 × 100 mm or 100 × 70 mm.
- Barcode (P/O or carton ID): height ≥ 20 mm so it scans through stretch wrap.
- Print in pure black on a white area; do not print directly on Kraft brown — contrast is too low for warehouse scanners.
Special marks (handling symbols)
- Use ISO 7000 / GB/T 191 handling symbols: fragile, this side up, keep dry, stack limit, etc.
- If the carton contains lithium batteries, add the UN 3481 / 3091 label per IATA DGR.
- If the carton contains liquids, the "keep dry" umbrella symbol is mandatory in many destination countries.
Common mistakes that delay shipments
- Wrong carton number sequence (e.g. C/NO. 12/50 on a 60-carton shipment) — manifest mismatch, delays customs.
- Missing country of origin — confiscated at US and EU customs.
- Buyer code height < 20 mm — warehouse can't sort, charges back manual handling fees.
- Printing on dark / patterned cartons — barcode scanner fails in low warehouse light.
Get one approved master mark per buyer. Reuse it across every season — only the P/O number changes.