Custom Mailer Boxes
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Custom Kraft Boxes
Custom Product Boxes
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Custom Tuck End Boxes
Custom Pillow Boxes
Custom Window Boxes
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Custom Gift Boxes
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Custom Boxes with Logo
Custom Box Inserts
Custom Boxes with Handles
Custom boxes with handles have a carry handle folded into the top of the box, so a customer can walk out with cakes, treats or a gift hanging from one hand. No separate bag is needed, and the box keeps its contents flat and protected all the way home.
- Design proofFree, approved by you before printing
- PriceCustom quote by email within one working day
- Production4–7 working days after proof approval
- DeliveryFree and tracked, UK mainland, 2–3 working days
- Misprints or damageReported within 10 days, reprinted or refunded
A Box That Carries Like a Bag
Put a box of cupcakes into a carrier bag and it tilts as soon as the bag is lifted. Put the same cakes in a box with its own handle and they stay level, because the handle pulls straight up from the centre of the box. That is the main reason bakeries, sweet shops and gift shops love this style.
It also saves a step. Staff fill the box, close the handle panels and hand it over. There is no bag to open, no extra cost and no plastic. The customer gets a neat, branded box that looks like a present even when it is just a treat for themselves.
Because the box is carried in plain view through the street, on the bus or into an office, your logo travels with it.
For businesses that serve families, handle boxes are also easier for children to hold. A child carrying their own box of cakes or party bag out of a shop is a small moment that parents notice, and it saves them juggling an extra bag on the way to the car. Smaller treats sold at the till often go in a printed cube box for single items instead.
Handle Styles and How They Close
Gable boxes are the classic handle box: two sloping top panels meet in the middle with a cut-out handle, like a small house. They suit pastries, sweets, small gifts and children's party boxes. Tote-style boxes have a flat top with handles that fold up from the side panels, and they suit wider items such as cake boxes and hampers.
Some handle boxes have a locking tab that holds the handles together, so the box stays closed when carried. Others use a separate ribbon or rope handle threaded through holes for a more decorative look.
Choose a handle style based on how the box is filled. Gable boxes are filled from the top before the handle panels close, which suits loose items and treats. Tote-style boxes often open fully at the top, making it easier to place a cake or a hamper in without tipping it. If staff fill boxes quickly at a counter, ask for a style that stays open on its own while they work. Boxes that need a lid as well as a handle are shown on the double wall lid boxes with handle page.
- Gable boxes with a cut-out handle
- Tote-style flat-top boxes with fold-up handles
- Locking handle tabs for secure carrying
- Ribbon or rope handles for gift presentation
Often ordered by
- Bakeries and cupcake shops
- Sweet shops
- Takeaways and family restaurants
- Gift shops
- Party and event planners
- Garden centres and florists
Popular Boxes with Handles Sizes
Sizes are in mm. Every order is cut to your size, so any size between these rows is fine.
| Size | Often used for |
|---|---|
| Small gable 90 x 60 x 150 mm | Party favours and sweets |
| Medium gable 150 x 100 x 200 mm | Pastries, cookies and small gifts |
| Cupcake carry box 250 x 170 x 100 mm | Six cupcakes with insert |
| Kids meal box 180 x 120 x 180 mm | Children's meals and snacks |
| Small hamper 300 x 220 x 150 mm | Gift hampers and treat boxes |
Not sure of the size? Send the product measurements and we work out the rest.
Styles
- Gable box with cut-out handle
- Tote-style box with fold-up handles
- Handle box with locking tab
- Box with ribbon or rope handles
- Handle box with window
Materials
- White folding boxboard
- Kraft board
- E-flute corrugated
- Food-contact grade board on request
- Full colour CMYK
- One or two spot colours
- Inside print
- Single colour on kraft
Finishes
- Matt coating
- Gloss coating
- Soft-touch lamination
- Foil stamping
Extras
- Cupcake inserts
- Windows
- Crinkle paper
- Ribbon handles
- Message cards
See the board and finish guide for what each option looks like.
Production and Delivery
Production takes 4–7 working days after you approve the free design proof. Delivery to the UK mainland is free and tracked, and arrives in 2–3 working days once the order leaves production. The tracking link comes to you by email.
Reprints and Refunds
Check the order when it arrives. If anything is misprinted or damaged, report it within 10 days with a photo and we reprint or refund the items affected. Read the full returns and reprints policy.
Need it by a date?
Tell us the date with your sizes and we plan the proof and production around it.
Boxes with Handles Specification
| Style | Gable box with cut-out handle, Tote-style box with fold-up handles, Handle box with locking tab, Box with ribbon or rope handles, Handle box with window |
|---|---|
| Material | White folding boxboard, Kraft board, E-flute corrugated, Food-contact grade board on request |
| Full colour CMYK, One or two spot colours, Inside print, Single colour on kraft | |
| Finish | Matt coating, Gloss coating, Soft-touch lamination, Foil stamping |
| Extras | Cupcake inserts, Windows, Crinkle paper, Ribbon handles, Message cards |
| Size | Made to your size in mm |
| Minimum order | Low, quoted per job |
| Price | From £0.25 a box; custom quote by email within one working day |
| Proof | Free design proof before printing |
| Production | 4–7 working days after proof approval |
| Delivery | Free tracked UK mainland delivery, 2–3 working days |
What Goes in Custom Boxes with Handles
Bakeries use them for cupcakes, doughnuts, pastries and cookies. Sweet shops fill them with pick-and-mix. Takeaways use them for kids' meals and snack boxes. Gift shops use them for candles, soaps and small hampers. Event planners use them for party favours and wedding guest gifts.
They also work as product packaging for retail. A toy, a plant pot or a small kitchen item in a handle box can hang on a peg or sit on a shelf, and the customer carries it out without a bag. Garden centres and florists use larger handle boxes for plants and flower arrangements.
For food, food-contact grade board is available on request, and a window lets customers see the treats inside.
Sizing and Weight
Measure the items you want to carry, laid out as they will sit in the box, and add room for any insert or tissue. For cakes, check the height including any frosting, as the sloping top of a gable box takes some space. A tote-style box with a flat top gives more headroom.
Think about the weight. A box of six cupcakes is light, but a hamper with jars or bottles is heavy, and the handle takes all of that weight. Tell us the heaviest load and we will choose a board that will not tear at the handle. For heavier items, corrugated board or a reinforced handle area is the safer choice.
Handle comfort matters too. A narrow handle digs into fingers when the box is heavy, so for larger boxes we make the handle opening wider and add a folded edge that is softer to grip. For very heavy loads, a separate rope handle spreads the weight better than a card cut-out.
If the box will travel by car, check that it fits on a seat or in a footwell when full. A very tall handle box can tip on a corner; a lower, wider box with a short handle is more stable on the journey home. Heavier cakes and traybakes usually suit the lower, wider bakery boxes with carry handles.
Inserts for Cakes and Treats
Cupcakes and muffins need an insert with round holes to stop them sliding into each other. Doughnuts and cookies can sit flat on a base card. Macarons and chocolates need a tray with small cavities. We cut inserts from the same board as the box and can print them to match.
For gift boxes, crinkle paper or tissue around the items keeps them in place and adds colour. A small card on top of the contents with a message or thank-you note completes the presentation.
Ask for one plain sample with its insert and fill it with your real bakes before printing a full run.
Printing and Finishes
The sides of a handle box are visible as it is carried, so a logo on each face makes sure your name is seen. Bright full colour designs suit bakeries and children's party boxes; kraft with a single colour print looks natural and suits farm shops, delis and gift brands.
A window on one side lets people see what is inside, which is great for colourful treats. Inside print adds a surprise when the box is opened. For gifts, a matt or soft-touch finish with a foil logo feels premium.
If you sell different products in the same box, such as cupcakes one day and cookies the next, keep the main design general and use a sticker to show the contents. One print run then covers your whole range. Full-colour, one-colour and kraft print are compared on the printed boxes options page.
Test the Handle With a Full Box
The thing to decide before you order handle boxes is how much weight they will carry. A box of six cupcakes weighs under a kilo; a small hamper with jars and a bottle can be three or four, and the handle hole and the board around it take all of that. Fill a sample of what you sell, weigh it, and tell us the figure with the contents and the handle style you prefer. We match the board grade to that weight so the handle does not tear, and the free proof shows the handle and lock on the flat dieline.
Email the dimensions, weight, print and a rough quantity, and a custom quote comes back within one working day; simple gable boxes start from £0.25 each and minimums are set per job. The boxes are made in 4 to 7 working days after you approve the proof and arrive flat on free tracked UK mainland delivery in 2 to 3 working days. Any that arrive misprinted or damaged are reprinted or refunded if you tell us within 10 days. For heavier hampers, the corrugated boxes with carry handles take more weight.
Design Your Box
Choose the boxes with handles photo closest to what you have in mind, add your logo, drag it into place and set the size. Send it with your sizes and we reply with a custom quote and a free design proof.
Drag the logo, or select it and use the arrow keys (Shift moves faster, + and − resize).
Related Products
Other packaging that is often ordered alongside boxes with handles.
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Custom double-wall lid boxes fold their side walls back on themselves and lock into the base, so the box gains thick, rigid…
Custom Cube Boxes
Custom cube boxes have equal sides, which makes them one of the most versatile shapes for candles, mugs, jars, toys and…
Bakery Boxes with Handles
Custom bakery boxes with handles let customers carry a cake or a box of pastries home level and steady, with one hand free for…
Cardboard Boxes with Handles
Cardboard boxes with handles are corrugated boxes with hand holes or a carry top cut into them, so the box can be lifted and…
Boxes with Handles Questions
What buyers ask before ordering boxes with handles.
How much weight can a handle box carry?
It depends on the board. Light cakes are fine in folding board; heavier items like jars need corrugated or a reinforced handle area. Tell us the heaviest load and we will advise.
What is a gable box?
A gable box has two sloping top panels that meet in the middle with a cut-out handle, like a small house.
Can I fit cupcakes in a handle box?
Yes. An insert with round holes holds each cupcake in place. Check the height including frosting.
Will the box stay closed when carried?
Yes. A locking tab holds the handle panels together so the box does not open.
Where can a window go on a gable handle box?
On the front panel below the peak, or on one side, where the window film sits flat and does not interfere with the handle lock. A top window is possible on basket styles with a flat lid, and the proof shows the cut-out before anything is made.
Can food go directly in the box?
Food-contact grade board can be requested for treats that sit directly on the card. Many bakeries also use a base card or liner.
Do handle boxes need glue to assemble?
Most fold up from flat and lock with tabs, so they are quick to assemble by hand.
Can I use ribbon instead of a card handle?
Yes. Ribbon or rope handles threaded through holes give a decorative, gift-like look.
Are handle boxes good for children's party favours?
Yes. Small gable boxes are easy for children to carry and hold sweets or small toys.
Can a small bakery order printed handle boxes?
Yes. Minimums are low and quoted per job, so small bakeries can order printed boxes.
Which style suits a hamper?
A tote-style box with a flat top and fold-up handles gives more headroom and suits wider, heavier hampers.
Get a Price for Your Boxes with Handles
Fill in as much as you know. Sizes are in mm (internal sizes for boxes). If you have artwork, attach it; if not, a logo is enough to start the proof.
We reply with a custom quote by email within one working day, then send a free design proof before anything is printed.
- Phone+44 7578 382054
- WhatsAppMessage us
- Emailinfo@shopcustomboxes.co.uk
- HoursMonday to Friday, 9 am to 5.30 pm UK time
- OfficeOffice 704, 85 Dunstall Hill, Wolverhampton, WV6 0SR