Gift packaging ranges from a rigid magnetic box built around a single premium product to a printed folding gable or favour box produced in volume for events and retail. Custom Boxez makes bespoke gift boxes for UK brands, retailers and corporate gifting to your own dimensions: rigid boxes with fitted EVA, foam or card inserts, and folding gift boxes on 300–600 GSM board, printed CMYK or Pantone and finished with foil, embossing, soft-touch lamination or spot UV. The choice between rigid and folding construction is mostly a question of perceived value against unit cost and storage, which we explain below. Send us the contents, quantity and finish you want and we will prepare a custom quotation.
Custom Gift Packaging for Brands
Gift packaging is judged twice: once by the person buying it, on the shelf or the website, and again by the person receiving it. That second moment is where a fitted insert, an inside-lid print or a ribbon pull earns its cost. We produce gift boxes for retail gift lines, subscription and seasonal campaigns, hampers and corporate gifting, and the first question we ask is what goes inside and how many you need – because that decides whether a rigid box or a folding box is the right construction.
Gift Box Styles
- Gold foil boxes – folding or rigid boxes with a foil-stamped logo or all-over foil wrap for premium gift lines.
- Gable boxes and black gable boxes – folding boxes with a built-in carry handle, popular for hampers, event and party gifting.
- Handle boxes – cartons with a die-cut or fitted handle for gifts that are carried away.
- Favour boxes – small folding boxes for weddings, events and promotional gifting in volume.
- Gift card boxes – slim boxes and sleeves that present a gift card or voucher.
- Ornament boxes – boxes with a window or insert for decorative and seasonal items.
For magnetic, two-piece, drawer and book-style luxury gift boxes see the custom rigid boxes range; for printed cartons in other shapes see retail boxes.
Rigid vs Folding Gift Boxes
Rigid gift boxes are built from thick greyboard wrapped in printed paper. They arrive assembled, hold their shape, feel substantial in the hand and carry finishes such as foil, embossing and soft-touch lamination well. They cost several times more per unit than a folding box, take more storage space (unless a collapsible construction is used), and are the right choice for a premium product, a gift set, or corporate gifting where the box itself is part of the gift.
Folding gift boxes are printed paperboard cartons – gable, handle, favour, tuck and pillow styles – that ship flat and are assembled at the point of use. They are far cheaper per unit, take little storage space, and can still be finished with foil, spot UV or lamination. They suit volume gifting, events, seasonal retail lines and any gift where the contents rather than the box carry the value.
A common approach is a rigid box for the hero product or set and a matching folding box for the volume line, sharing the same print specification so both read as one brand.
Printing & Finishing
Gift boxes are printed CMYK with Pantone spot colours where the brand colour must be exact. Foil stamping – gold, silver, rose gold, holographic and coloured foils – is the most used finish in gifting, on a logo, a pattern or the whole panel. Embossing and debossing add a raised or recessed logo, often combined with foil. Soft-touch or matte lamination gives a premium hand-feel and protects the print; gloss lamination suits bright seasonal designs. Spot UV adds a glossy pattern on a matte surface. Inside-lid printing on a rigid box, or inside printing on a folding box, is seen only when the gift is opened and is worth specifying for that reason.
Inserts & Presentation
An insert stops the contents moving and presents them in a fixed arrangement when the lid comes off. For rigid boxes: EVA or foam blocks cut to the product shape, or a card tray with cut-outs for several items, with or without a paper or fabric lining. For folding boxes: card platforms and dividers cut from the same board. Ribbon pulls, tissue and printed cards are added at assembly. Tell us the contents and how many items sit in the box and we will propose the insert with the quotation.
Corporate, Retail & Product Gifting
Corporate gifting – usually a rigid magnetic box, often collapsible so it can be stored flat before the campaign, with a printed inner lid and a card insert for the branded items inside. Retail gift lines – a folding or rigid box in the brand's standard specification, sized to the gift set, often with a window. Product gifting – a gift edition of an existing product in a rigid version of its usual carton, sharing the same artwork. Events and seasonal – gable, handle and favour boxes produced in volume with one- or two-colour print.
What Determines Gift Box Pricing?
- Construction – rigid boxes cost several times more per unit than folding boxes of the same size.
- Dimensions – larger boxes use more board and wrap.
- Quantity – dies, plates and make-ready are spread across the run; unit price falls with volume.
- Printing – CMYK plus spot colours, or inside printing, adds passes.
- Finishing – foil, embossing and spot UV are additional processes; lamination is included where it applies to the specification.
- Inserts and components – EVA and foam inserts, magnets, ribbon pulls and windows are added cost.
- Storage and shipping – assembled rigid boxes take more space than flat folding boxes; collapsible rigid construction reduces this.
Pricing is based on your box style, dimensions, material, quantity, printing and finishing requirements. Share your specification and our team will prepare a custom quotation.
Request a Gift Box Quote
Use the quote form and tell us what goes in the box and its dimensions, whether you want rigid or folding construction (or both), the quantity, printing and finishes, and any insert or ribbon requirement. Our team will review the specification and respond with the next steps.
Gift Box FAQs
Should I choose a rigid or a folding gift box?
Rigid for a premium product, gift set or corporate gift where the box is part of the gift; folding for volume, events and seasonal lines where cost and storage matter. Many brands use both with a shared print specification.
Can gift boxes be branded on the inside?
Yes. Rigid boxes can have a printed inner lid and tray; folding boxes can be printed inside on the same blank.
Do you supply gift boxes with inserts?
Yes – EVA, foam, card and corrugated inserts cut to the contents. Send us the item dimensions and count.
Can rigid gift boxes be delivered flat?
Yes, if you choose a collapsible magnetic construction. Other rigid styles are supplied assembled.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
Minimum order quantities typically start from 50 boxes and may vary depending on the box style, materials and specification. Tell us the quantity you require and we'll advise the most suitable production option.
How long does a gift box order take?
Production times depend on the box style, quantity, materials, printing and finishing requirements. Your estimated production and delivery schedule will be confirmed with your quotation.
Request a Gift Box Quote
Send us the contents, dimensions, quantity and finishes and we'll prepare a custom quotation for your gift boxes. Lamination where applicable, dies and delivery to your UK address are included, with no hidden charges.
Gift packaging is usually kept rather than recycled, which is why construction matters — our guide to rigid boxes vs folding cartons explains when a rigid box earns its cost.
