What a cut sheet is for
A cut sheet, or spec sheet, is the short technical summary of one container model: its outer size, capacity, weight, material, lid, packing and the documents that come with it. It is not marketing. Its job is to let a buyer compare two quotes on the same basis, to tell a kitchen whether the box fits its line, and to give the inspector something to measure against before shipment. When a supplier sends only photos and a price, the first thing the desk asks for is the cut sheet, because every later conversation depends on it.
Partner plants in the Guangdong and Zhejiang clusters usually supply a simple table per series. The numbers are often measured by hand by the plant and are checked against the physical sample before an order is confirmed. The lines below are the ones that matter, in the order they usually appear.
Line 1: model number and capacity
Many container series are named by capacity: a 750 model is a 750 ml box. That convention is common but not universal. Some plants name models by an internal code, and on some starch-based bowls the stated capacity differs from the number in the model name; one partner range lists a 380 model as 450 ml and a 500 model as 650 ml. Always read the capacity column, not the model number, and ask whether the figure is the nominal capacity or the brim-full volume. The difference is explained in our note on ml, oz and fill lines.
Line 2: outer size in mm
Outer size is given as length x width x height, outside the walls and usually without the lid unless stated. The reference box on the PP food containers page reads 170x115x51 mm. Three things to check:
- With or without lid. A domed lid can add several millimetres; delivery bags and fridge shelves care about the closed height.
- Rim or base. Most containers taper, so the top dimension is larger than the base. The cut sheet should state which one it gives.
- Footprint family. When several capacities share a footprint, such as 170x115 mm from 500 to 1,000 ml, one lid fits them all. That is often the most valuable fact on the sheet.
Line 3: gram weight
Gram weight is the mass of one piece, base only or base plus lid, depending on the sheet. It is the single clearest signal of wall thickness, rigidity and resin use, and it is the line most often left off a quote. In the reference series, the 500 ml box weighs 17 g and the 1,000 ml box 22 g; a 1,200 ml roast-meat box on a larger footprint weighs 35 g. Two 750 ml quotes that differ in price may simply differ in weight. Ask for the weight of base and lid separately, and put the agreed weight and tolerance into the order. See gram weight and wall thickness.
Line 4: material per part
A good cut sheet names the material of every part: base, lid, and any insert or divider. For hot food and reheating that is PP, resin code 5. For cold display the lid or the whole container may be PET, code 1, which is clearer but not used hot. PVC does not appear on a food container cut sheet; in this range it is limited to clear windows and lids on paper and gift boxes and to non-heated storage. If a sheet says only plastic or does not name the resin, the desk asks the plant to confirm it in writing. For starch-based containers, the sheet should say starch blended with PP or the polymer actually used, not simply corn starch.
Line 5: lid and closure
The lid line should state the type (snap, hinged, press-fit), the material, whether it is flat or domed, and which bases it fits. Mixed sets, for example a PP base with a PET lid, must be labelled for cold use because the lid sets the limit. The sheet may also note a vent tab or a tamper feature. Lid fit is checked on the sample, and liquid containers are described as leak-resistant in the standard tilt test, confirmed per order.
Line 6: packing
Packing tells you how many pieces come per sleeve and per carton, the carton size and the gross weight. Thermoformed PP boxes and soup cups from partner plants are typically packed 200-300 sets per carton; injection molded cups 300-500 per carton, for example 500 in a 41x32x48 cm carton. These figures drive freight cost more than the product weight, because containers are light and bulky. The packaging and palletizing page covers carton specs.
Line 7: documents and markings
The last line lists what comes with the product: a supplier declaration to FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 for the US, a declaration of compliance to EU 1935/2004 and 10/2011 with a migration report for Europe, or GB 4806.7 for China, plus markings such as the resin code and a microwave symbol molded in the base. Documents are issued to partner plants or brands per project and verified by the desk; they are not general certificates.
A worked example
| Line | Reference value | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 750 ml | Nominal or brim-full |
| Outer size | 170x115x51 mm | With or without lid, rim or base |
| Gram weight | 19.6 g | Base only or with lid, tolerance |
| Material | PP per supplier declaration | Named per part, confirmed in writing |
| Footprint family | 500-1,000 ml on 170x115 mm | Shared lid across depths |
| Packing | 200-300 sets per carton, category typical | Carton size and gross weight |
Turning a cut sheet into an order
Once the sheet is complete, the agreed values become the order specification: size, weight and tolerance, material per part, lid fit, packing and documents, plus the tests agreed for inspection. That is what the inspector measures before shipment, so anything missing from the sheet cannot be enforced later. Typical starting quantities are a few mixed cartons from stock molds and 10,000-50,000 pieces per item for printed lids, confirmed in writing per program; see MOQ and lead time. Send the models you are comparing through the quote form and the desk will return complete cut sheets on one basis.