FREE PACKAGING PLANNER · NO EMAIL REQUIRED
Stick pack packaging size calculator.
Give your product the right space.
Estimate filled-stick thickness, compare carton and pouch interior space, and download a planning sheet in millimeters and inches. Start with your powder or measurements of actual filled samples.
Reference estimates, not production specifications. Test representative filled sticks in a physical package before ordering.
ESTIMATED PEAK THICKNESS13.8 mm0.54 in
Larger-volume estimate · physical fit not verified
YOUR ARRANGEMENT5 × 6
30 sticks · 5 across × 6 rows deep · Edge-to-edge · upright
REQUIRED USABLE INTERIOR181.0 × 89.0 × 111.0 mm7.13 × 3.50 × 4.37 in
width × depth × height · 3.0 mm0.12 in clearance per side
Millimeters first. Inches always alongside.
Compare before you commit.
Selected sizing basis: Larger-volume estimate
Central estimate
Estimated peak thickness
8.8 mm0.35 inRequired usable interior · W × D × H
181.0 × 59.0 × 111.0 mm7.13 × 2.32 × 4.37 inLarger-volume estimate
Estimated peak thickness
13.8 mm0.54 inRequired usable interior · W × D × H
181.0 × 89.0 × 111.0 mm7.13 × 3.50 × 4.37 inThe larger-volume estimate starts selected. These are scenarios, not validated upper and lower limits. Choosing central changes the package dimensions, fit check and plan.
Why can these sizes be different?
Density: the same grams take up more volume at lower density. Additional air: extra space beyond the air already in your bulk-density measurement. Seals & shoulders: less usable body length means more thickness for the same volume. Clearance: extra loading and closure room, added to each side of the full bundle.
Multiplying every stick’s peak thickness may overstate a real bundle. Settling and local bulges can also make this model underestimate actual thickness. Pouches instead use a loose-fill volume allowance; gaps, flexible construction and loading vary, so this is not an established packing rate. There is no physical error tolerance. Test several complete packs to reduce reliance on these assumptions.
2D plan & dimension key
Top view · width left to right, depth front to back.
5 across × 6 rows deep · Edge-to-edge · upright. 30 sticks per retail pack.
Individual stick arrangement.
Height before clearance: 105.0 mm4.13 in
Required usable interior: 181.0 × 89.0 × 111.0 mm7.13 × 3.50 × 4.37 in
Larger-volume estimate181.0 × 89.0 × 111.0 mm7.13 × 3.50 × 4.37 in
FROM A DIMENSION TO A DECISION
How do you choose packaging for stick packs?
Start with the complete filled stick, decide how many go in one retail pack, and allow room to load and close that pack. The calculator gives you an interior reference. Representative filled sticks and a physical package sample tell you what happens in practice.
- Define your stick. Use finished flat width and length from the dieline—not the film-web width.
- Describe the fill. Enter powder weight and density, or measure your actual filled samples.
- Choose the retail pack. Set the count, carton arrangement or loose-filled pouch, and clearance.
- Review the reference. Compare assumptions and download the current plan for your supplier.
- Test before ordering. Load the full count, close the pack, and confirm final specifications with its manufacturer.
THE PRIMARY PACKAGE
Stick pack sizes, with the film width kept separate.
These are our existing reference dielines. A 35 mm finished flat stick uses a wider web of film that wraps around both faces and includes the seam. Neither measurement tells you the filled thickness by itself.
| Finished flat width × length | Flat film-web width | Reference file |
|---|---|---|
| 23.0 × 110.0 mm0.91 × 4.33 in | 56.0 mm2.20 in | Download 23 × 110 mm dieline ↗ |
| 35.0 × 105.0 mm1.38 × 4.13 in | 80.0 mm3.15 in | Download 35 × 105 mm dieline ↗ |
| 35.0 × 140.0 mm1.38 × 5.51 in | 80.0 mm3.15 in | Download 35 × 140 mm dieline ↗ |
Review material, seals and artwork with the supplier before purchasing film. See the packaging sizes and dieline guide.
WHY WE ASK ABOUT DENSITY
Grams tell you weight.
Density helps explain space.
Bulk density is powder mass divided by its occupied volume, including the spaces between particles. A fluffy powder can take up more room than a dense powder at the same serving weight.
Example: 50 g ÷ 100 mL = 0.50 g/mL. That is an illustrative reading, not a density recommendation for your blend.
A practical loose-density check
- Use a clean, dry graduated container and tare its empty weight.
- Pour a representative sample loosely. Do not tap, shake or compress it.
- Record the net powder mass in grams and the occupied volume in milliliters.
- Divide mass by volume. Repeat with fresh pours to understand variation; the tool can average up to three readings.
This is a practical planning method, not a standardized laboratory test. Loose and tapped density differ. Keep the measurement basis with your result. Additional air in this model is a separate assumption beyond the space already represented by bulk density.
TWO EXAMPLES, ONE SET OF INPUTS
What does a 30-stick retail pack look like on paper?
These examples use the calculator’s starting inputs: a 35 × 105 mm stick, 8 g complete fill, 0.50 g/mL central density, a 0.35–0.80 g/mL scenario range and 10% additional air. The larger-volume scenario is selected. Seal zones are 9 mm at the top and 7 mm at the bottom, with 10 mm shoulder transitions.
01 / UPRIGHT CARTON
Five across. Six rows deep.
Edge-to-edge arrangement, with 3 mm clearance on every side.
- Estimated peak stick thickness
- 13.8 mm0.54 in
- Interior reference · width × depth × height
- 181.0 × 89.0 × 111.0 mm7.13 × 3.50 × 4.37 in
Larger-volume estimate. Rounded up to whole millimeters after clearance.
02 / LOOSE-FILLED POUCH
Upright sticks. No assigned rows.
50% assumed gap space, with 3 mm clearance on every side. This gap allowance is unvalidated.
- Estimated peak stick thickness
- 13.8 mm0.54 in
- Interior reference · width × depth × height
- 140.0 × 75.0 × 180.0 mm5.51 × 2.95 × 7.09 in
Loose fill · larger-volume estimate. Rounded up to 5 mm after clearance. Not an external pouch size or a flat dieline.
These are generated with the same calculation engine as the tool, not measured sample results. Changing your inputs changes the outcome. Retail count is separate from your manufacturing run quantity.
THE ASSUMPTIONS MATTER
Useful geometry. Real-world confirmation.
The powder model estimates a pillow-shaped stick from powder volume and available film circumference, with flattened seals and tapered shoulders. It does not simulate film stretch, powder flow or the filling process. No physical error tolerance has been established.
Cartons use an arranged upright bundle. Multiplying each stick’s peak thickness can overstate a real bundle, while settling and local bulges can also make the model underestimate actual thickness. Pouches use loose-fill volume, assumed gaps, and a reference width:depth:height profile of 1:0.5:1.3, enlarged where needed for the stick. This is not an optimized or calibrated pouch size.
Measuring the complete bundle or loose-fill envelope gives a more direct planning input; it does not certify fit. The 3D pouch exterior is illustrative. Its decorative seals and zipper are separate from numerical usable-space calculations. All calculations use millimeters; inch displays use exactly 25.4 mm per inch.
Method references: USP: bulk and tapped powder density · ePac: stand-up pouch volume. These sources provide background; they do not validate this calculator.
By StickPax · Model packaging-geometry-1.5 · Updated
GOOD QUESTIONS. STRAIGHT ANSWERS.
Before you buy packaging.
What size box do I need for 30 stick packs?
Start with the dimensions of your filled sticks and the intended arrangement. This planner compares an upright bundle with clearance around it. Thirty thin sticks and thirty bulky sticks need different space. Measure a complete 30-stick bundle when you have samples, then have your supplier confirm the box construction and test the fit.
Can I choose stick dimensions from the gram weight?
Not reliably. Two powders with the same weight can occupy different volumes. You also need bulk density, the complete serving including flavors, seal construction, and room for the powder inside the film. The reference stick sizes are starting points, not guaranteed capacities.
How thick will a filled stick be?
The powder model estimates peak thickness from volume and a simplified pillow shape. It is not a measured manufacturing tolerance. Density, additional air, seal zones, shoulder transitions, settling and local bulges can all matter. Compare both scenarios and prefer representative samples before selecting tight packaging.
Are the results the outside dimensions I should order?
No. Results describe interior space with the selected clearance. A carton supplier must account for board thickness and construction. A pouch supplier must translate the interior reference into flat width, overall height and gusset, allowing for seals, zipper and the actual shape. Do not send the interior numbers as an approved outer dieline.
How are cartons and stand-up pouches different?
Cartons use an upright arrangement: edge-to-edge or face-to-face. Pouches use upright loose filling with an assumed allowance for gaps, not fixed rows. The pouch drawing shows up to 12 representative sticks. It is not a full-count packing simulation or evidence that a pouch will close.
Should I choose the central or larger-volume estimate?
The larger-volume scenario starts selected. The central scenario uses your central density input and may suggest smaller dimensions. Neither establishes a proven upper or lower limit. Choose a basis explicitly, keep its assumptions with the plan, and confirm the actual package using filled samples.
What if I already have filled sticks?
Use measured-stick mode for actual individual dimensions, or apply the width, depth and height of the complete bundle or loose-fill trial in the package step. Measure the full selected count without squeezing. The planner adds clearance once. Changes to the stick specification or relevant packing choices clear an applied bundle measurement.
Is this calculator free, and do I have to submit my formula?
The planner and PDF are free and do not require an email address or ingredient list. Calculations and PDF generation happen in your browser. Contact emails are prepared for you to review and send yourself; nothing is sent automatically.
Can StickPax make samples for a test fit?
Optional powder analysis is $750 for one supplied blend and one evaluation round, payable upfront. You supply the blend or ingredients. Tell us the number of sticks and package samples you want to test; sample quantity, materials, timing and any additional cost must be confirmed individually. Unlimited samples, production-equivalent film and guaranteed fit are not promised.
PLAN THE PACKAGE. THEN PLAN THE RUN.
Your packaging has a shape.
Your project needs a scope.
Review manufacturing costs separately from materials, development and testing. A packaging plan does not place an order or approve a production run.