Rigid Gift Boxes · MOQ 100 pcs
Our own cream box, built as a friction-fit lid and base rather than a magnetic shell — which is why it sits on the lower published band, indicative $1.20–1.80/pc at 500 pcs. The gold is a narrow trim line following the lid edge rather than a full band, so the wrap stays cream and the metal reads as a detail instead of a frame. Trim width, an upgrade to a magnetic closure and the insert are each quoted as their own line.
Overview
A lid & base box is two separately wrapped rigid pieces: a base tray and a lid that sits over it with a friction fit. There is no magnet to align and no moving part, which is what makes it the cheapest of the three core rigid structures and the one that scales. The gold trim on our sample is a narrow foil rule stamped along the lid edge, in register with the wrap, so it runs the full depth of the skirt and meets cleanly at the corners. Because the box is two pieces, the trim has to be set against the lid-to-base join rather than around a single shell — that relationship is fixed at the die stage, not at assembly.
This is our own box, and the mark inside the trim is ours. The honest case for it is cost: the same cream wrap, the same lamination menu and the same gold foil as our magnetic boxes, on a structure that lands roughly 25–30% lower, and with a trim line thin enough that the stamped area stays a small line item. What you give up is the opening. A friction-fit lid is a two-hand operation with no tactile snap, and the skirt clearance is the only thing holding it — so it needs a real tolerance rather than a marketing claim. One more thing specific to a light wrap: cream and ivory stock show handling marks more than navy does, so lamination is not optional on a box that will be picked up in a shop or stored for a season.
Specification
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Finished size | Made to your product; our own box is a compact gift format, and the band is quoted against 25×20×8cm at 500 pcs |
| Board | 1.5–2.0mm greyboard lid and base; 2.0mm for lids over roughly 25cm |
| Closure | Friction-fit lid skirt, normally 15–25mm deep; shoulder lid, ribbon or bow optional |
| Edge trim | Narrow gold hot foil rule along the lid edge, in register with the wrap; wider trim and a base-edge trim are separate stamped area |
| Mark | Our own CW Packing identity is foil-stamped from a die; your artwork replaces it one for one |
| Insert | Folded paper tray or platform included; EVA foam or velvet-wrapped tray quoted as its own line |
| Packing | Shipped assembled, or nested lids and bases to reduce freight volume |
| MOQ | 100 pcs per design |
| Lead time | 12–18 days after sample approval; sample in 3–5 days |
Variants
The same cream wrap with a magnet-set lid, which moves the shell onto the magnetic band at $1.50–2.30/pc at 500 pcs and is quoted as its own line. Worth it only where the closing snap is part of what you are selling; the exterior looks almost identical.
Lid edge only, lid and base edge, a lid-edge line plus a hairline on the join, or a line printed in gold ink instead of stamped. Each version is a different stamped area, so this is the fastest way to tune the finishing budget.
Cream and ivory are our house colourways; off-white, blush, sage and custom Pantone matches are the same process. Coated stock gives the cleanest print, uncoated or textured stock gives the print a softer edge and the foil more grain.
A satin ribbon around the base with a bow on the lid, or a printed paper band that wraps the closed box. Both are separate lines; the band is also the cheapest way to add a back-of-pack message without printing the base.
A folded paper platform is the cheapest way to hold a product in position, foam or velvet sets the presentation height, and interior print is a separate press pass.
An inner shoulder makes the lid self-centre instead of shifting over the base. It adds a piece of board and solves the loose-fit problem on wide lids.
Materials
The structure here is deliberately simple, so the budget goes on the surfaces the customer touches. On a cream box, one of those surfaces also has to work harder: a light matte wrap records every mark it receives.
| Option | What it means |
|---|---|
| Cream coated art paper wrap | The cheapest full-colour surface, and the one that prints the cleanest cream. Needs lamination on any box that will be handled in retail. |
| Uncoated or textured cream stock | A softer, more paper-like surface that suits a natural product. Print has a gentler edge, foil takes on the grain of the stock, and it marks more easily than coated. |
| Matte or soft-touch lamination | The protective layer. On a light wrap this is what keeps handling marks off the box between the packing line and the shelf; soft-touch costs a little more. |
| Gold hot foil | A narrow stamped rule along the lid edge. Foil is priced by stamped area, so a trim line is one of the least expensive ways to put metal on a box. |
| 1.5mm / 2.0mm greyboard | A lighter board carries this structure well at gift sizes; a wide lid over roughly 25cm should step up to 2.0mm so it does not bow over time. |
| Folded paper platform | The cheapest insert and fully recyclable: scored and folded board with cut-outs rather than foam. Gives less cushioning than foam, and it is a separate line. |
| EVA foam or velvet-wrapped tray | For a product that has to be held at a height, or several components in one box. The largest single cost driver inside the box. |
Best for
Cream with a gold edge is the most requested pairing for wedding favours and keepsake gifts, and the friction-fit lid is forgiving of repeated opening.
A light, calm palette suits clean-formulation brands; a folded paper platform plus a ribbon does the presentation without an insert die.
Soft cream stock and a fine gold rule read as considered rather than juvenile, and the box is usually kept for storage afterwards.
A paler palette sits well next to ceramic and textile products, and a printed belly band adds the property mark to an otherwise plain box.
A cheaper structure on a light wrap is where a brand can afford a rigid box for a gift-with-purchase that would not carry a magnetic box budget.
Sizing
Lid & base fit is entirely about the skirt and the clearance between the two pieces. Get those right and a cheaper box feels expensive; get them wrong and it feels like a misprint, whatever the foil costs.
| Dimension | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Lid to base clearance | 0.5–1mm total on width and depth for a lid you want to lift off freely; 0.2–0.5mm for a firm friction grip. In a humid climate the tighter figure becomes a two-hand struggle. |
| Skirt depth | 15–20mm on a standard box, 20–25mm on tall or heavy boxes. A short skirt on a deep base is the most common reason a sample feels loose. |
| Trim clearance | Keep the foil rule at least 3–5mm clear of the lid edge and off the score line, so it does not craze when the wrap is turned. Width is set with the die. |
| Smallest sensible size | Below roughly 60×60×20mm the wrapped board dominates the proportions and hand assembly barely gets cheaper per unit — a folding carton is the more sensible format. |
| Packing and freight | A two-piece box is mostly air, and nesting lids and bases cuts the volume without changing the box. Ask for carton dimensions with the quote and compare landed cost. |
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FAQ
Why this box is cheaper than our magnetic shells, and where the saving stops being worth taking.
Keep looking
Our own navy magnetic rigid box, carrying a single gold foil stamped mark rather than an edge band. Same shell, same band as the brushed-edge version, but one die and one stamping pass — the configuration that shows buyers what foil actually looks like on matt navy at $1.50–2.30/pc at 500 pcs.
Our own house box, and the one we send when a buyer wants to see finishing rather than read about it: a matte navy magnetic rigid shell with a brushed-silver metallic foil band run around the lid edge. Priced on the magnetic band at $1.50–2.30/pc at 500 pcs, with foil area, insert and the matching paper bag quoted as their own lines.
A two-piece rigid box: a base tray plus a lid that sits over it with a friction fit. No magnets, no moving parts, no visible mechanism — which is exactly why it is the cheapest of the three core rigid structures and the one that scales. Around 25–30% below a magnetic box at the same size and specification.
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