Custom Briefcase-Style Boxes

Board Choices for Food and Treats

Most briefcase-style boxes are made from folding paperboard, which is light, takes print well and is easy to fold by hand. White board gives the sharpest print and the brightest colours, which matters for children's designs. Kraft board has a natural brown finish that suits rustic cafés, farm shops and bakers who prefer a handmade feel.

For food, ask for food-contact grade board on the inside face, and consider a grease-resistant coating if the box will carry anything warm or oily, such as chips or pastries. For heavier contents such as a drink carton plus a full meal, a thicker board or a light corrugated version keeps the handle from tearing. Tell us roughly what will go inside and how much it weighs, and we will suggest the right board.

Sizing the Box and the Handle

The handle sets a limit on how wide the box can be, because it has to fold from the lid and still be comfortable to grip. Small and medium boxes work best, roughly the size of a lunch box or a hardback book. Wider boxes need a reinforced handle or a double-thickness lid panel so the weight does not pull the box out of shape.

Measure the items you plan to pack, add some space for a napkin or tissue, and think about depth. A box that is too deep for its width looks top-heavy and swings awkwardly. If you are unsure, send a list of contents and we will propose dimensions that keep the classic briefcase proportion.

Think about the contents too, not just their size. Round items such as fruit roll, so a small card divider or a shaped base insert keeps them in one corner. Napkins and activity sheets are best laid flat on the base before the food goes in, so they stay clean and the box keeps its shape. If your sandwich wedge is the tallest item, check its size against the sandwich wedge box dimensions before fixing the box height.

Printing Ideas That Make the Most of Every Panel

Because the box is carried by the handle, the two large side panels face the world, so these are where the logo should be biggest. The lid can carry a pattern or message, and the inside of the lid is a fun spot for a joke, a puzzle or a discount code for the next visit.

Children's boxes often go further, with mazes, dot-to-dots or colouring outlines printed across every panel so the box keeps them busy at the table. Party boxes can carry the child's name or the venue's logo, while takeaway treat boxes are usually calmer, with a single brand colour, logo and a short message. Either way, we send a free design proof on the flat dieline so you can see exactly which panel ends up where once the box is folded.

• Large logo on both side panels
• Activity printing for children's boxes
• Printed inside lid with a message or offer
• Spot gloss or foil on the brand mark for gift versions

Assembly at Busy Times

Briefcase-style boxes arrive flat and fold together without glue. Staff fold up the base, tuck the side flaps, close the lid and lift the handle until it locks. After a few goes it takes seconds. For very high-volume service, ask about crash-lock bases, which pop into shape with one push and save time when a kitchen or party team is filling boxes against the clock.

It is worth folding a batch before a busy period and stacking them open, so the people packing only need to fill and close.

Flat boxes take up very little room, so a full carton fits on a shelf or under a counter. Keep them somewhere dry and away from cooking steam, as board that absorbs moisture becomes harder to fold crisply and the handle loses some of its stiffness. Stalls that build hundreds in a morning sometimes switch to gable boxes with locking bases, which pop up faster but carry less.

Size the Box to the Biggest Item in the Meal

A briefcase box is sized from the inside out, so list what goes in a typical order and find the one item that sets the height. For a kids' meal it is usually the drink carton standing up; for a party box it is the sandwich wedge. Measure that item, add 10 mm of headroom so the lid closes without squashing anything, and let the other items fill the remaining floor space. Boxes that are too deep look half empty and cost more board.

Send that list with your print idea and quantity, and we quote by email within one working day from £0.25 per box. The free proof shows the handle position and where the artwork meets the fold. Production takes 4 to 7 working days once you approve it, delivery is tracked and included for UK mainland addresses, and boxes that arrive bent or misprinted are reprinted or refunded if reported within 10 days. If the meal includes a hot main, pairing the box with kids meal boxes with vent holes for the hot item keeps the briefcase itself dry.