Cardboard Boxes Neo
by JaaiDead
Cardboard Boxes Neo adds an early-game storage box, the cardboard box, as a lighter alternative to shulker boxes.
What it does
Cardboard boxes are craftable early in a game, so a player can store items before reaching the materials used for shulker boxes. A box can be dyed, and it keeps its contents when picked up. The key difference from a shulker box is capacity: a cardboard box holds 9 stacks of items, where a shulker box holds 27. Boxes also break instantly when struck with bare fists.
A cardboard box needs open space above it when opened, so the spot it is placed in must be clear. Both the server and every player need the mod, because the boxes and their inventory handling run on the server side. The mod is published for NeoForge only, with 1.0.0 as the latest file for 1.21.1, released under the MIT License. It is not open source. An issue tracker is linked from the project.
Key features
Early craftable storage
The cardboard box is crafted from an early recipe, so storage is available before shulker boxes are reachable.
Dyeable boxes
Cardboard boxes can be dyed, which changes their appearance without altering how they store items.
Reduced capacity
Each cardboard box holds 9 stacks of items, a third of the 27 stacks a shulker box offers.
Fragile placement
Boxes break instantly when hit with fists, and opening one requires free space above it.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Early-game storage
Players who have not yet reached shulker box materials can keep items sorted in cardboard boxes.
Raw food storage
The author suggests the boxes as a way to hold raw cod, for players who want a dedicated container for it.
Who it’s for: The mod suits players who want portable storage early in a survival game, and server owners who want a cheap box option before shulker boxes are available.
How it compares
Simple Shulkers is a Forge and NeoForge mod for 1.21.1, released under the MIT License and open source, that works on client and server. Shulker Accessory is a NeoForge mod for 1.21.1, open source under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later, that also runs on client and server. Cardboard Boxes Neo targets NeoForge only and is not open source.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardboard Boxes Neo | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2025-08-09 |
| Simple Shulkers | Forge and NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2025-06-18 |
| Shulker Accessory | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2026-04-29 |
Questions
Which loader does Cardboard Boxes Neo support?
Does the server need Cardboard Boxes Neo?
How many items does a cardboard box hold?
Where can problems with the mod be reported?
In the catalog
Cardboard Boxes Neo is one of 3,932 Transportation mods on ModsFinder, and one of 1,743 Transportation mods for NeoForge. 32,366 mods support Minecraft 1.21.1.
More from JaaiDead
Similar mods
What the author says
Cardboard Boxes is a mod that adds an early game alternative to shulker boxes! Because convenience shouldn't be exclusively for the rich! You can craft a cardboard box quite early with the following recipe: image
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/cardboard-boxes-neo
- Owner
- JaaiDead
- Published
- 2025-08-09
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-08-09
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15