Cardboard Tubes

Wholesale cardboard tubes shipped from our UK warehouse. Choose from standard 1.5mm, heavy duty 2mm and extra heavy 3mm wall thicknesses — ideal for posting posters, artwork, blueprints, textiles, prints and industrial parts. Free UK delivery on orders over £150 and bulk trade pricing on every SKU.

Wholesale Cardboard Tubes — UK Stock, Trade Prices

Packaging Panda supplies wholesale cardboard tubes to printers, ecommerce brands, retailers, fulfilment centres and industrial users across the UK. Every cardboard tube in our range is in stock for next-day dispatch, with volume price breaks built into the table — the more you buy, the lower the per-tube cost. Buy a single pack to trial a size, or order by the pallet for the best wholesale price.

Cardboard tubes in three wall thicknesses

We stock the three most popular wall thicknesses so you can match the tube to the contents:

• 1.5mm standard duty — perfect for posters, prints, certificates and lightweight artwork.
• 2mm heavy duty — for thicker print runs, rolled canvas, framed prints and multi-poster mailings.
• 3mm extra heavy duty — see our extra heavy duty cardboard tubes for fabric rolls, blueprints, steel rule, model components and industrial parts.

Every tube ships with plastic end caps as standard — one caps the closed end, the other is removable so you can insert your contents and seal the tube before it leaves the warehouse.

Cardboard tube packaging by use case

Postal tubes for posters & artwork

Our poster tubes are sized to fit A1, A2 and A3 prints with end caps included. The 1.5mm wall is more than enough for most poster mailings; step up to 2mm if you're shipping multiple rolled prints in the same tube.

Royal Mail postal tubes

We manufacture cardboard postal tubes to fit Royal Mail PIP (Pricing in Proportion) sizing, so you can keep your postage cost in the lowest possible band. For flat-packed alternatives see our Royal Mail postage boxes.

Mailing tubes for documents & blueprints

Architects, engineers and design studios use our heavy duty cardboard mailing tubes to ship rolled drawings, plans and technical documents. The 2mm and 3mm wall thicknesses resist crushing in the postal network far better than thin-wall tubes.

Industrial & large cardboard tubes

Need large cardboard tubes or industrial cardboard cores for winding fabric, paper, film or wire? We manufacture bespoke cores in wall thicknesses up to 12mm and lengths up to 3 metres — see the bespoke section below.

Retail, gifting & subscription

Kraft cardboard tubes make beautiful retail and gift packaging for candles, t-shirts, drinks, cosmetics and limited-edition prints. Want them branded? Jump straight to our bespoke cardboard tubes page for custom printed tube packaging.

How to choose the right cardboard tube

1. Measure the longest dimension of your rolled contents and add at least 30mm to the tube length to allow for end caps.
2. Roll your contents loosely to find the right internal diameter — a tube that is too tight makes the contents hard to remove and risks damage.
3. Match the wall thickness to the value and weight of the contents. 1.5mm for light posters; 2mm for premium prints; 3mm for heavy or high-value items.
4. Confirm the postage band — Royal Mail PIP rules apply to tubes too. We can advise on the right size for the lowest postage cost.

End caps for cardboard tubes

Every tube in our range comes with two plastic end caps included as standard. One is fixed at the factory, the other is removable so you can insert your contents and seal the tube before it ships. End caps stay on snugly under normal postal handling, but for high-value contents we recommend a strip of tape over each cap as belt-and-braces protection.

Bespoke & printed cardboard tubes

Need a size we don't stock, or full-colour printed cardboard tubes for your brand? Our bespoke cardboard tubes service produces custom diameters, lengths, wall thicknesses up to 12mm, kraft or printed finishes, and a full range of end-cap options — with low minimum order quantities. Get a free quote.

Delivery

Standard UK delivery is £4.99, or free on orders over £150. Most orders placed before 2pm ship the same day for next-working-day delivery.

Cardboard tube FAQs

Are cardboard tubes recyclable?

Yes — every cardboard tube we sell is made from recycled paper fibre and is fully recyclable through standard kerbside paper and card collections. The plastic end caps can be removed and recycled separately at most household waste centres.

How are cardboard tubes made?

Cardboard tubes are spiral-wound from strips of kraft paper bonded with adhesive. Layering more strips at sharper angles increases wall thickness and crush resistance — which is how we offer 1.5mm, 2mm and 3mm walls from the same base material.

Can cardboard tubes be cut to size?

Yes — a fine-tooth saw, sharp utility knife or pipe cutter will cut a cardboard tube cleanly. For 2mm and 3mm walls a saw gives the cleanest finish. If you need lots of tubes cut to a non-standard length, our bespoke service will cut them at the factory for less than the cost of doing it yourself.

What's the longest cardboard tube you supply?

Our standard range goes up to 48 inches. On our bespoke service we manufacture cardboard tubes up to 3 metres long for blueprints, fabric rolls and industrial winding cores.

Are cardboard tubes waterproof?

Standard tubes aren't waterproof on their own, but they perform very well in the postal network. For long-term outdoor storage or wet-environment use we offer waterproof-lined bespoke tubes — ask on the bespoke enquiry form.