{"id":36031,"date":"2025-10-06T09:00:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T09:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/?p=36031"},"modified":"2025-11-03T04:13:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T04:13:21","slug":"board-game-inserts-101-materials-types","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/","title":{"rendered":"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials &#038; Types"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve ever opened a board game box only to find cards sliding around, tokens spilling into every corner, or miniatures bumping against each other, you understand the importance of a good insert.<\/p>\n<p>Board game inserts are the unseen structures that keep everything in its place within a game\u2019s box. They protect a game\u2019s components, reduce setup time and make the overall experience of playing a game smoother and more enjoyable.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re in the process of designing a board game, the design and materials you choose for its insert will have a big impact on how easy it is for players to organize its pieces and enjoy it.<\/p>\n<p>In this guide, we\u2019ll break down what board game inserts are, why they matter, the <a href=\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/guide-to-board-game-materials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">most common materials used<\/a>, common types of inserts, and what you as a game creator should keep in mind when you choose your game\u2019s insert.<\/p>\n<p>Need help designing your game\u2019s inserts, box or other components? <a href=\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact us<\/a> and our expert team will help you get every aspect of your board game or card game ready for production.<\/p>\n<h2>What Are Board Game Inserts?<\/h2>\n<p>A board game insert is the internal structure of the game\u2019s box that organizes and protects the components inside.<\/p>\n<p>Board game inserts can range from a simple cardboard spacer that prevents a deck of cards from sliding around to specially designed and engineered modular trays that are designed to hold hundreds of pieces.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s important to distinguish inserts from other storage options for board games. Game inserts are typically included in the <a href=\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/boxes-for-board-games\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game box<\/a> by the publisher. Just about every game includes some form of insert to keep its components organized.<\/p>\n<p>There are also \u201caftermarket organizers,\u201d which are sold separately for collectors who want an upgrade. Both serve the same purpose, but inserts from the publisher are part of the product and are a critical part of your game, not an optional extra purchase.<\/p>\n<h2>Why Board Game Inserts Matter<\/h2>\n<p>The value of a well-designed insert goes beyond keeping your game\u2019s components organized in its box. Here are the key reasons they matter:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Component protection<\/strong>. A good insert keeps your game\u2019s tokens, cards, miniatures and other components from rubbing against each other in the box. This reduces any damage to your tokens, scuffed cards, and other common wear and tear on your game.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Setup speed<\/strong>. A well-designed board game insert will make all of your game\u2019s essential components easy to access, reducing setup time for your game and improving players\u2019 experience.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gameplay<\/strong>. Inserts can also double as component trays for your game, allowing players to pick game pieces out and store all components on top of the table.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Storage<\/strong>. A solid insert keeps all of your game\u2019s components in the right place when it\u2019s being shipped to a customer or stored at home.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As a game publisher, your insert has a significant impact on your game\u2019s perceived value. Just like great packaging makes a new smartphone or pair of sunglasses feel premium to customers, a well-designed insert means your game is clean and tidy from the first unboxing.<\/p>\n<p>Think about the first impression your customers might form if your game arrives with its tokens, cards and other components scattered around the box. This is the problem a high quality game insert solves.<\/p>\n<h2>Common Materials for Board Game Inserts<\/h2>\n<h3>Plastic Inserts<\/h3>\n<p>Plastic is the most common insert material for large-scale production games. Injection-molded inserts can be produced cheaply once the mold is created, making them a practical, affordable choice for mass-market games.<\/p>\n<p>The upsides of plastic inserts is that they are durable, inexpensive to manufacture at scale and light in weight. The downside is that the setup costs of making a plastic insert means that small publishers may not find this option cost-effective.<\/p>\n<p>Also, like with other plastic products, plastic inserts are less environmentally friendly than game inserts made from sustainable materials.<\/p>\n<h3>Cardboard Inserts<\/h3>\n<p>Cardboard is another common option for inserts, especially for board games made in moderate quantities and\/or aimed at an affordable price point. Cardboard inserts are generally made from the same material as the game box.<\/p>\n<p>The advantage of cardboard is that it\u2019s affordable and lightweight. It\u2019s also more recyclable than plastic, giving it some sustainability benefits. The downside is that cardboard is less durable as a material, meaning it might warp or deform if it\u2019s exposed to moisture.<\/p>\n<h3>Wooden Inserts<\/h3>\n<p>Wooden inserts are usually not included in mass production for games, but can be popular as aftermarket upgrades for serious collectors. Wooden inserts have a premium feel and usually are laser cut, giving them a precise design and more luxurious look and feel.<\/p>\n<p>Compared to plastic and cardboard, wooden inserts are extremely durable. They\u2019re often sold separately from games by third-party creators. If you search on Etsy or other marketplaces, it\u2019s usually possible to find wooden inserts or organizers for most popular games.<\/p>\n<p>From a publisher\u2019s perspective, there are several downsides to using a wooden insert for your game. First, wooden inserts are significantly more expensive to manufacture than inserts made from plastic or cardboard.<\/p>\n<p>Second, wood is heavy, meaning your game will cost more to ship to your customers. Because of the additional weight of wood, your game may also need a thicker, heavier-duty box to avoid warping and support its internal components.<\/p>\n<h2>Choosing the Right Insert for Your Game<\/h2>\n<p>Like with other game components, there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to picking the right insert for your game. As a game publisher, you\u2019ll want to consider several factors when you\u2019re choosing your game\u2019s insert design and material:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Component count<\/strong>. The more components your game has, the more important inserts become for keeping them organized. If your game has hundreds of tokens, miniatures, or other components, you may want to <a href=\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">talk to us<\/a> about a modular insert design.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Aesthetics vs. practicality<\/strong>. A premium wooden insert may look amazing and give your game a premium feel, but it comes with extra production and shipping costs, meaning it may affect your game\u2019s pricing and market positioning.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Budget vs. longevity<\/strong>. Cardboard inserts keep production costs down, while plastic and other materials may offer better durability. Think about who your game is aimed at, when and how it\u2019s going to be played, and other factors that may affect wear and tear.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Environmental impact<\/strong>. Materials like plastic have significant environmental costs that you may want to avoid when making your game. We can help you explore sustainable options for manufacturing your game.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition to the factors above, different materials have different cost structures and impacts on your game\u2019s manufacturing timeline.<\/p>\n<h2>The Bottom Line on Game Inserts<\/h2>\n<p>Board game inserts aren\u2019t the most aesthetically interesting components, and as such, they\u2019re often overlooked during the design of our game. However, the type of insert you choose has a big impact on your game\u2019s experience, making it an important component for you to consider.<\/p>\n<p>A well-designed insert protects your game\u2019s components, speeds up setup and enhances the overall value of your game.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019d like help choosing the right type of insert for your game, contact us. We can help you learn more about materials and design options for your game\u2019s inserts and other components and help you get your game ready for manufacturing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve ever opened a board game box only to find cards sliding around, tokens spilling into every corner, or miniatures bumping against each other, you understand the importance of a good insert. Board game inserts are the unseen structures that keep everything in its place within a game\u2019s box. They protect a game\u2019s components, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pieces"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Board Game Inserts 101: Materials &amp; Types - Hero Time Academy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials &amp; Types - Hero Time Academy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you\u2019ve ever opened a board game box only to find cards sliding around, tokens spilling into every corner, or miniatures bumping against each other, you understand the importance of a good insert. Board game inserts are the unseen structures that keep everything in its place within a game\u2019s box. They protect a game\u2019s components, [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hero Time Academy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-06T09:00:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-03T04:13:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Nick\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Nick\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Nick\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#\/schema\/person\/50fed16c1e250ab656c206499d6cd4d1\"},\"headline\":\"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials &#038; Types\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-06T09:00:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-03T04:13:21+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/\"},\"wordCount\":1247,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Board Game Pieces\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/\",\"name\":\"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials & Types - Hero Time Academy\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-06T09:00:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-03T04:13:21+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Academy\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Board Game Pieces\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/category\/pieces\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials &#038; Types\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/\",\"name\":\"Hero Time Academy\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Hero Time Academy\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HT-academy.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HT-academy.svg\",\"width\":243,\"height\":41,\"caption\":\"Hero Time Academy\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#\/schema\/person\/50fed16c1e250ab656c206499d6cd4d1\",\"name\":\"Nick\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5df63c3943c6a03d9e0c4e6e95424be17bb2d8198eef64e14e848bf347a35cff?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5df63c3943c6a03d9e0c4e6e95424be17bb2d8198eef64e14e848bf347a35cff?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5df63c3943c6a03d9e0c4e6e95424be17bb2d8198eef64e14e848bf347a35cff?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Nick\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/author\/njgibson\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials & Types - Hero Time Academy","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials & Types - Hero Time Academy","og_description":"If you\u2019ve ever opened a board game box only to find cards sliding around, tokens spilling into every corner, or miniatures bumping against each other, you understand the importance of a good insert. Board game inserts are the unseen structures that keep everything in its place within a game\u2019s box. They protect a game\u2019s components, [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/","og_site_name":"Hero Time Academy","article_published_time":"2025-10-06T09:00:34+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-03T04:13:21+00:00","author":"Nick","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Nick","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/"},"author":{"name":"Nick","@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#\/schema\/person\/50fed16c1e250ab656c206499d6cd4d1"},"headline":"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials &#038; Types","datePublished":"2025-10-06T09:00:34+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-03T04:13:21+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/"},"wordCount":1247,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Board Game Pieces"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/","url":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/","name":"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials & Types - Hero Time Academy","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-10-06T09:00:34+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-03T04:13:21+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/pieces\/board-game-inserts-101-materials-types\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Academy","item":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Board Game Pieces","item":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/category\/pieces\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Board Game Inserts 101: Materials &#038; Types"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#website","url":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/","name":"Hero Time Academy","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#organization","name":"Hero Time Academy","url":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HT-academy.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/HT-academy.svg","width":243,"height":41,"caption":"Hero Time Academy"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/#\/schema\/person\/50fed16c1e250ab656c206499d6cd4d1","name":"Nick","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5df63c3943c6a03d9e0c4e6e95424be17bb2d8198eef64e14e848bf347a35cff?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5df63c3943c6a03d9e0c4e6e95424be17bb2d8198eef64e14e848bf347a35cff?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5df63c3943c6a03d9e0c4e6e95424be17bb2d8198eef64e14e848bf347a35cff?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Nick"},"url":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/author\/njgibson\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36031"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36031\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36035,"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36031\/revisions\/36035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herotime1.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}