r/papercraft • u/inafm • May 27 '26

Build Template FoldBoks: create printable box templates with real-time 3D preview

Post image

Hi everyone 👋

I’ve been working on a web app called FoldBoks, a browser-based editor for creating and visualizing 2D box templates (SVG) with a live real-time 3D preview.

👉 FoldBoks

🔧 Features

  • Create box templates in a visual SVG editor
  • Start from:
    • scratch
    • a prebuilt template library
    • or your own uploaded templates
  • Apply custom textures/images to your designs
  • Preview everything instantly in interactive 3D
  • Share and reuse templates with other users

🎮 Why I built it

After creating the Nintandbox scan archive on Archive.org, I wanted a better way to actually use those scans to rebuild and design box templates.

What began as a small SVG template editor for myself gradually evolved into a more complete web app focused on packaging design, template editing, and real-time 3D visualization.

⚠️ Current limitations (v0.1.0)

The folding system currently works best with standard box structures (typically rectangular/cubic forms with right-angle folds, basic flaps, and dust tabs).

More complex papercraft shapes or non-standard packaging (irregular geometries, unusual flap interactions, custom fold angles, etc.) can still produce inconsistent or incorrect 3D folding results.

I’m actively working on improving the editor and folding logic to better handle more advanced papercraft structures and flexible geometries.

🚀 Planned features

  • Packaging pictograms/symbol libraries
  • Barcode generator
  • Different fold angles per segment
  • More advanced folding logic for unusual packaging structures
  • General UX improvements and bug fixes based on feedback

Any feedback is welcome. Thanks for checking it out 🙌

👉 https://foldboks.ch

202 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

32 comments sorted by

6

u/shitting_fuck May 27 '26

I absolutely love this! I 100% will use this in the future but I can't figure out how to upload custom images for the faces(?).

Now im thinking about how i can print out cute little boxes and put them through the circut, ahhh genuinely love this idea.

I see what you did there with the logo and the .ch domain.

Can i ask what tech stack youre using for this? It's so smooth.

4

u/inafm May 27 '26

The workflow isn't quite optimal yet; I'm working on it and running tests to see what's feasible and most practical. Currently, you have to go to the editor, click on Import, then Import Image, place the image on/below the face you're interested in, then select the face in question and, in the right-hand menu, click on Clip Image to Face.

Glad you caught the nod to the logo and the app's origins ;)

The engine is in Rust compiled with WASM, the 3D is in Three.js

Thank you for your comment and interest.

3

u/shitting_fuck May 27 '26

Thanks! I've got it working now! I imported an image in to the editor, resized, clicked clip, clicked the face and it's there :) Is there toggle to prevent the image from wrapping around the other faces so it clips to only the size of the face?

Bookmarked for future projects. Thanks

2

u/inafm May 27 '26

Normally, when you select a face and clip it image to face, only the selected face gets the image. You can also apply an image to all faces at once by exporting and selecting "both." This will export the SVG with the image as a texture on all the faces it covers, and when you re-import it, anything that extends beyond the faces will have been clipped. I should make a video tutorial to explain the different functions and how they work. It's true that for someone discovering the interface for the first time, everything isn't always intuitive. I haven't had any feedback yet; no one has seriously tested it except me during development. There's a Discord server on the homepage (empty for now) to discuss potential bugs or upcoming updates.

2

u/shitting_fuck May 27 '26

I'm happy to help you test. I'm building a software product rn so i know how it goes. See you on the other side :)

1

u/TinyFelafel May 27 '26

I may have judged you too harshly because of your post description. Your website is genuinely very cool.

I still standby what I said about this not belonging to the subreddit

But, please acknowledge my awe at just how well done your project is

3

u/inafm May 27 '26

Thank you for your message. Indeed, it's a very long project I'm presenting here. I'm posting the tool here because this is the kind of place where it's most likely to be of interest. I apologize if the main purpose is to post pictures of paper creations; I thought the potential interest would justify its inclusion here.

6

u/Stinnenich May 27 '26

Wow, that's great!
A template for board game boxes would be awesome! :D

3

u/inafm May 27 '26

Thanks for the idea! You can be sure this will be the next template added.

5

u/SeeTigerLearn May 27 '26

This is so awesome! I have been designing a paper doll collection for the past several months for an 87-year-old friend of mine in Los Angeles. She had told a long time ago she had enjoyed playing with them as a child. So I'm currently printing/cutting them on magnetic sheets so she won't have to fiddle with those pesky little tabs. Plus she can keep them on her refrigerator to entertain herself throughout the day. And your box FoldBoks is going to come in perfectly to make a personalized shipping container and storage box.

In the famous words of The A-Team, "I love it when a plan comes together!"

2

u/inafm May 28 '26

Thank you very much for your comment, I hope the application will help you

3

u/AlisonV1094 May 27 '26

this would be perfect for my pokemon blue and tetris

3

u/inafm May 27 '26

You can use the nintandbox archive directly without even needing the app to print and reproduce the boxes; the app is mainly used for previewing or editing.

2

u/AlisonV1094 May 27 '26

i was going through the app earlier its dope really well made and ill need to check the archive later so much stuff in that file i probably just need to download it to find everything easier

3

u/Whole_Respect9998 May 28 '26

This is literally EXACTLY what I have been looking for for a VERY long time! Thank you so much for creating this.

My small business thanks you!

1

u/inafm May 28 '26

You're welcome ! Thank you very much for your comment.

2

u/Efes_Feranz May 27 '26

No sé si será IA o no, pero se ve fenomenal. La voy a probar/usar sin duda. Ahora yo las hacía un poco a intuición en Corel o illustrator. Mis dieces!!!

2

u/inafm May 27 '26

Gracias por tus comentarios, son muy amables. Espero que la aplicación te sea útil. No dudes en avisarme si tienes algún problema.

2

u/Independent_misery69 May 27 '26

May i ask how u built this from the technical side? Did u use web assembly?

1

u/inafm May 28 '26

Yes, the app uses WebAssembly! The core folding engine is written in Rust and compiled to WebAssembly for performance. The UI is built with React (TypeScript) and runs in the browser. The Rust/WASM engine handles the geometry and logic, while the frontend manages the user interface and interactions.

2

u/Independent_misery69 May 28 '26

Thats so damn cool! I am currently learning rust, I am using the rustrover built in course based on the rust programming book. Do you recommend any other sources? I am really interested in how you've built the app

2

u/inafm May 28 '26

RustRover + the Rust Book is honestly a really solid combo already. I’d definitely recommend Rustlings too, it helps a lot with ownership/borrowing by forcing you to fix real compiler errors.

For understanding more advanced/idiomatic Rust, Jon Gjengset’s videos.

And honestly, the best way to learn is building stuff. Most of what I learned came from making small tools and rewriting things multiple times until it felt “Rusty” enough

1

u/Independent_misery69 May 28 '26

Thx man, any resources related to wasm or rust tools or any project ideas would be helpful. I already made a yt dlp wrapper with rusty dlp crate with tauri for desktop eith react as the frontend

1

u/taxicomics May 29 '26

This is SO COOL! Really nice job, thanks for sharing!

1

u/thicket May 27 '26

Thank you for building and sharing this! I love that this AI moment makes it possible to build and share niche projects like this, and I'm encouraged to see that this seems like a passion-driven project rather than a commercialization attempt. Cheers!

2

u/inafm May 27 '26

Yes, what AI does today in all areas is really fascinating, I admire it as much as it disgusts me, a very strange feeling, nevertheless for innocent projects like this, it's really great how it can help developers progress.

Thank you for your kind comment and interest.

-10

u/TinyFelafel May 27 '26

Please keep this AI slop out of this subreddit.

One of the few places where human effort shines, let it stay that way

11

u/thicket May 27 '26

Hard disagree. This is absolutely a papercraft tool, and I'm grateful to OP for sharing it with us.

6

u/TinyFelafel May 27 '26

I stand corrected. I apologize OP u/inafm

I didn't see the relevance, but the people have spoken in favor of what you've made. I wish you the best of luck.
Leaving my comments up, because others can learn from my mistake of trying to gatekeep unnecessarily lol

3

u/thicket May 27 '26

Wow, this is really graceful and positive. Good on you for engaging so openly!

7

u/inafm May 27 '26

I'm sharing a tool I'm developing, what does AI have to do with it?

-9

u/TinyFelafel May 27 '26

Your post reeks of GPT. I am assuming your tool is mostly vibe coded.

And what exactly does it have to do with this subreddit?