Best Packaging Services for Brands Expanding Internationally

Your packaging is the first thing a customer touches when they receive your product in a new country. Get that wrong, and you’re looking at a cascade of problems: materials that flunk local recycling rules, boxes that fall apart during longer shipping routes, costs that eat your profit margins alive, and compliance issues that stall your products at customs or rack up fines. Brands moving into international markets face three big packaging headaches at once: finding a supplier with actual manufacturing capacity or solid supplier networks in your target countries, making sure your packaging materials pass regulatory and sustainability checks in each destination, and keeping your brand looking consistent across markets without paying to manage a different supplier in every region. This guide walks through five packaging partners built for international expansion. You’ll see an accessible US-based e-commerce platform that ships worldwide, the biggest sustainable packaging company after a major acquisition, a protective packaging leader operating in 175 countries, a flexible and rigid packaging company across 40+ countries, and a 126-year-old packaging manufacturer serving 85+ nations.

How to Select the Best Packaging Services for International Expansion

We pulled this information in March 2026 from company websites, SEC filings, annual reports, and verified third-party sources to check each provider’s global reach, sustainability credentials, product lines, and recent business moves. Here’s what to look for:

Global Manufacturing Footprint: A packaging partner with manufacturing facilities or trusted supplier networks in your target markets cuts out the cost and compliance headaches of shipping packaging internationally; check for country-specific production capability before looking at anything else.
Regulatory and Sustainability Compliance: Packaging rules change from country to country; materials that get recycled easily in the US might be banned or need different labels in the EU, Japan, or Australia; make sure the supplier has compliance documentation and regulatory support for each specific market.
Scalability Across Order Volumes: Brands entering new markets usually start small and grow fast; a partner who can handle both a 50-unit test order and a 50,000-unit production run saves you from switching suppliers mid-growth.
Multi-Format Capability: International expansion often calls for different packaging formats by region; flexible pouches might work in one market while rigid containers dominate another; one partner covering corrugated, flexible, rigid, and protective formats across markets keeps things simple.
Sustainability Credentials for Target Markets: European, Australian, and many Asian markets have strict packaging recyclability, recycled content, and carbon disclosure requirements; check that the supplier’s materials carry the third-party certifications your retail buyers or e-commerce platforms require in each new market.

List of Best Packaging Services for Brands Expanding Internationally

Here are five packaging partners with different strengths for international growth:

Arka
International Paper
Sealed Air
Amcor
Sonoco

Best Packaging Services for Brands Expanding Internationally

1. Arka

Founded: Phillip Akhzar launched Arka in 2015 from San Francisco, California, and the company now supports 2,000+ clients across 950 cities globally.
MOQ & Pricing: You can order as few as 10 units, custom shipping boxes start at $0.99 each, standard production runs 7 to 10 business days, and rush orders ship in 3 to 6 business days.
Materials: All paper products are FSC Chain of Custody certified, with compostable and post-consumer recycled options available, plus full-coverage CMYK digital printing on every product.
Products: The product line includes custom mailer boxes, shipping boxes, product boxes, folding cartons, compostable poly mailers, 100% recycled bubble mailers, tissue paper, and void fill.
International Reach: Arka ships to international addresses, integrates with Shopify API and WMS platforms for automated stock replenishment, and includes instant online proofing with every custom order.

Arka launched in 2015 in San Francisco to solve packaging problems for growing e-commerce and DTC brands. The company offers FSC-certified, compostable, and recycled material options starting at just 10 units from $0.99 each, ships internationally, and plugs into Shopify for automated restocking. Arka doesn’t play at the same scale as the enterprise suppliers in this guide, but its low MOQ, instant proofing system, and international delivery make it a smart starting point for brands testing packaging in new markets before locking into high-volume production contracts.

Best For: DTC and e-commerce brands in the early stages of international expansion who need FSC-certified, low-MOQ branded packaging with international shipping and Shopify integration to test new markets without committing to large volumes.

Standout Feature: 10-unit MOQ from $0.99 per unit with FSC-certified sustainable materials, international shipping, and Shopify API integration makes this the easiest entry point in this guide for brands testing packaging across new international markets.

2. International Paper

Founded: International Paper started in 1898 and operates from Memphis, Tennessee, USA, with EMEA headquarters now in London, UK after acquiring DS Smith.
Scale: The company’s $7.2 billion DS Smith acquisition closed on January 31, 2025, and the combined business now employs 65,000+ people with operations in 30+ countries.
Revenue: Net sales for 2024 hit $18.6 billion, and the DS Smith acquisition created a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions across North America and EMEA.
Products: The product range covers corrugated packaging, solid fiber products, bulk packaging, retail displays, corrugated sheets, and recycling solutions, plus structural design, graphic design, fulfillment, and supply chain services.
Sustainability: The company runs 200+ box plants in North America, operates closed-loop sustainability and commercial recycling programs, and employs 200+ packaging design engineers across Europe and the USA working from standardized CAD systems.

International Paper launched in 1898 from Memphis, Tennessee, and just wrapped up a $7.2 billion buyout of UK-based DS Smith in January 2025. That deal created a global sustainable packaging leader with 65,000+ employees working in 30+ countries across North America and EMEA. With 2024 net sales of $18.6 billion, 200+ box plants, and a team of packaging design engineers running standardized CAD systems across Europe and the US, the combined operation gives brands expanding internationally access to fiber-based corrugated packaging, structural design, supply chain optimization, and closed-loop recycling across two of the biggest packaging markets on the planet.

Best For: Enterprise brands and large-scale manufacturers expanding into North America and EMEA markets who need a vertically integrated corrugated packaging partner with local box plants, design engineering, and supply chain management across 30+ countries.

Standout Feature: The 2025 DS Smith acquisition created a single supplier covering 30+ countries across North America and EMEA under one company, the broadest combined corrugated packaging footprint in this guide for brands operating across both regions.

3. Sealed Air

Founded: Alfred W. Fielding and Marc Chavannes founded Sealed Air in 1960 in New Jersey after inventing Bubble Wrap®, and the company now operates from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Scale: The company employs over 25,000 people serving customers in 175 countries, reported 2024 revenues of $5.4 billion (NYSE: SEE), and agreed to a $10.3 billion total enterprise value acquisition by private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice announced in November 2025.
Brands: The portfolio includes Bubble Wrap®, Cryovac®, Autobag®, LiquiBox®, and the Sealed Air brand, all recognized across global markets.
Segments: Sealed Air operates through Food and Protective segments; food packaging covers fresh red meat, poultry, seafood, plant-based products, fluids, and cheese; the protective segment covers e-commerce, consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and industrial manufacturing.
Services: Services include fulfillment design and engineering, shrink machinery upgrades, ship-from-anywhere services, automated packaging systems, and graphic design services across global markets.

Sealed Air started in 1960 in New Jersey when the inventors of Bubble Wrap® decided to turn their innovation into a business. Over 65 years, it grew into a global packaging solutions company with $5.4 billion in 2024 revenues, 25,000+ employees, and customers in 175 countries. The company’s globally recognized brands like Bubble Wrap®, Cryovac®, Autobag®, and LiquiBox® operate across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand through Food and Protective business segments. In November 2025, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice announced an agreement to buy Sealed Air for a total enterprise value of $10.3 billion.

Best For: Brands in food, e-commerce, pharmaceutical, and industrial manufacturing sectors expanding internationally who need a globally recognized, multi-segment protective and food packaging partner with established operations across 175 countries.

Standout Feature: Globally recognized brands across 175 countries spanning both Food (Cryovac®) and Protective (Bubble Wrap®, Autobag®) segments gives this company the broadest single-company international customer reach in this guide for cross-category packaging needs.

4. Amcor

Founded: Amcor’s roots trace back to Australian paper mills established in the 1860s, rebranded as Amcor Limited in 1986, and is now domiciled in Jersey, Switzerland, with dual listings on NYSE: AMCR and ASX: AMC.
Scale (FY2024): The company employs 41,000 people, reported $13.6 billion in annual sales, operates 212 locations across 40 countries, and projects combined annualized sales of approximately $23 billion after completing the Berry Global acquisition on April 30, 2025.
Sustainability Pledge: Amcor committed to making all packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable by the end of fiscal year 2025, reached 87% of products meeting that standard by the end of FY2024, employs 1,500+ R&D professionals, and invests approximately $180 million annually in R&D after the acquisition.
Products: The product line covers flexible packaging, rigid containers, specialty cartons, closures, and services for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home and personal care across four Flexibles business units: EMEA, Americas, Asia Pacific, and Specialty Cartons.
Industries: Amcor serves food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical devices, home and personal care, and other markets for globally recognized consumer brands and works to protect products, differentiate brands, and improve supply chains.

Amcor started in Australian paper mills back in the 1860s, took the Amcor Limited name in 1986, and has grown into a global flexible and rigid packaging leader with $13.6 billion in FY2024 sales across 212 locations in 40 countries. Combined annualized sales are projected at approximately $23 billion after wrapping up the Berry Global acquisition in April 2025. The company produces flexible packaging, rigid containers, specialty cartons, closures, and services across four regional Flexibles business units covering EMEA, Americas, Asia Pacific, and Specialty Cartons, serving food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and medical brands across 140+ countries.

Best For: Consumer goods, food, beverage, and pharmaceutical brands expanding globally who need a flexible and rigid packaging partner with operations across 40 countries, $23 billion in combined scale, and a documented 2025 recyclability pledge.

Standout Feature: A documented 2025 Pledge to make all packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable with 87% of products already meeting that standard by end of FY2024, backed by 1,500+ R&D professionals and approximately $180M annual R&D investment after the Berry Global acquisition.

5. Sonoco

Founded: Sonoco launched in 1899 as Southern Novelty Company in Hartsville, South Carolina, has operated for 126 years, trades on NYSE: SON, and is South Carolina’s largest corporation by sales.
Scale: The company employs approximately 19,900 people, operates 335+ facilities in 33 countries, serves 85+ nations, and reports annualized net sales of approximately $7.3 billion.
World Record: Sonoco is the world’s largest producer of composite cans, tubes, and cores and the only producer of both two-piece and three-piece aerosol cans.
Products: Product offerings include rigid paper containers, composite cans, paperboard tubes and cores, metal ends, flexible packaging, thermoformed plastics, protective packaging, and industrial paper packaging serving food, beverage, household, personal care, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets.
Certifications: Sonoco holds FSC®-C011144, Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI-00390), and PEFC/29-31-248 Chain of Custody certifications across US, Canadian, UK, Brazilian, and Mexican mills.

Sonoco was founded in 1899 in Hartsville, South Carolina, and has been operating for 126 years, growing into a global packaging leader with 19,900 employees and 335+ operations in 33 countries serving 85+ nations. The company holds a unique spot in the market as the world’s largest producer of composite cans, tubes, and cores and the only producer of both two-piece and three-piece aerosol cans. Sonoco serves food, beverage, household, personal care, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets with FSC, SFI, and PEFC Chain of Custody certifications across mills in the US, Canada, UK, Brazil, and Mexico.

Best For: Brands in food, beverage, personal care, household, and pharmaceutical markets expanding internationally who need a 126-year-old, FSC-certified industrial and consumer packaging manufacturer with proven operations across 33 countries and a unique position in composite and aerosol packaging.

Standout Feature: 126 years of continuous operation combined with unique world-leading positions as the world’s largest producer of composite cans, tubes, and cores and the only producer of both two-piece and three-piece aerosol cans with FSC, SFI, and PEFC certifications across five countries.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Packaging Service for International Expansion

In-Country Manufacturing vs. Cross-Border Shipping

Packaging made in a supplier’s home country and shipped internationally adds freight costs, longer lead times, customs paperwork, and damage risk that local production avoids entirely. Before you pick a global packaging partner, check whether they actually have manufacturing capacity or vetted regional supplier networks in your specific target markets, not just a general claim about global operations.

Destination Market Regulatory Compliance

Packaging rules change dramatically from one country to another. The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Japan’s Containers and Packaging Recycling Law, and Australia’s National Packaging Targets each set different requirements for materials, labels, and recyclability. Make sure your packaging partner has documented compliance expertise for each specific destination market before production starts, rather than assuming a globally active supplier automatically knows local regulatory requirements.

Sustainability Certifications Required by Retail Buyers

Big international retailers, especially in Europe and Australia, increasingly demand third-party sustainability certifications like FSC, SFI, PEFC, or verified recyclability claims as a condition of stocking your products. Check that your packaging supplier’s materials carry the specific certifications required by the retail buyers or e-commerce platforms you plan to sell through in each new market, since a supplier’s general sustainability talk doesn’t always translate into the specific documentation buyers actually need.

Volume Scalability Across Markets

International expansion rarely hits predicted volumes in year one. A packaging partner who can handle a 50-unit market test and a 500,000-unit production peak under the same commercial relationship saves you from switching suppliers mid-growth. Confirm the supplier’s MOQ, volume pricing tiers, and capacity commitment protocols before signing a multi-market agreement.

Supply Chain Redundancy for Cross-Border Resilience

Single-source packaging production creates serious supply chain risk for international brands. Port delays, raw material shortages, or facility problems that a domestic brand could manage might completely halt international operations. Check whether the packaging partner has multi-facility redundancy across regions or whether your supply agreement includes contingency sourcing provisions for high-volume international orders.

Final Thoughts

Before you commit to a packaging partner for international expansion, request physical samples produced from the specific facilities that will actually serve your target markets. A supplier’s global headquarters might run different quality standards than regional facilities, so verify surface finish, print quality, and structural integrity from the actual production source before placing your first real order. Match the scale of the packaging partner to your actual current volume, not your hoped-for peak numbers. An enterprise manufacturer with high MOQs and long lead times makes no sense for a brand entering a new market with a 500-unit test order, no matter how good their global footprint looks. Always check that sustainability certifications and regulatory compliance documentation cover the specific materials and formats you plan to use in each target country. General company-level sustainability claims don’t always cover every product in a supplier’s catalog.