Custom Rigid PR Boxes

Designing the Inside of the Box

Inside a rigid PR box, the insert decides whether the contents look hand-picked or crammed. Card inserts wrapped in the same paper as the box look clean and can hold a full range of products in shaped wells. EVA foam inserts in black or white grip heavier items such as glass bottles and give a jewellery-box precision. Velvet-wrapped inserts suit watches and fine jewellery.

Plan the layout around one hero product placed in the centre or front of the box, with supporting items arranged around it. Leave space for a printed card, ideally in a slot on the inside of the lid, so the message is seen before anything is lifted out. A raised platform under the hero product puts it slightly higher than the rest and draws the eye straight to it.

Tissue paper, a printed belly band around the insert or a wax-effect seal sticker over folded tissue all add another layer to the reveal without much extra cost.

Wrapping Papers and Finishes

A rigid box's surface comes from the paper wrapped around the board, and the choice is wide. Printed art paper takes full-colour artwork and photography. Coloured speciality papers come pre-dyed in deep shades and textures such as linen, leather grain or a fine felt finish, which look rich even with a single foil logo and no ink at all.

Foil stamping in gold, silver, rose gold or a coloured metallic is the most common decoration on luxury PR boxes. Debossing presses the logo into the lid for a subtle, tactile mark, and embossing lifts it upwards. Soft-touch laminate on printed paper gives a powdery feel that suits beauty brands, while a spot gloss pattern over matt black is a strong look for fragrance and spirits. Our finish guide shows foil and deboss on coloured paper for boxes with no print at all.

Sizing for the Products and the Courier

Start with the items going in and arrange them on a table as you would like them to appear. Measure the footprint of that arrangement, add room for insert walls of around 8 to 10 mm between items, then add the height of the tallest product plus the insert base. That gives you the inner dimensions; the outer box will be a few millimetres larger because of the board thickness.

Then check the box against courier size bands. A box that tips just over a parcel size limit can double your postage across a large send-out list, and it is far cheaper to trim a few millimetres off the design than to pay that difference on every parcel. A plain or printed corrugated shipper around the rigid box is strongly recommended so the wrapped paper is not scuffed by the courier's conveyor belts. Rigid boxes should travel in an outer shipping carton for couriers sized to the box.

Personalising Each Send-Out

Personal touches are what get a PR box shared. A name foiled on a card, a handwritten-style printed note from the founder or a tag tied with ribbon around the box handle all make the gift feel individual. Variable printing lets every card carry a different name and message without slowing production.

For brands sending boxes in waves, such as press first and then creators, a different card or ribbon colour per wave helps your PR team keep track of who has received what.

Keep a simple spreadsheet of names, addresses and any personal notes, and send it to us in one file with your artwork. It makes the variable printing quick to set up and reduces the risk of a name being misspelt. If you are packing the boxes in-house, ask for the cards to be supplied in the same order as your list so packing is a matter of working down the pile rather than hunting for each name. The personal note is usually a set of printed thank you cards with names slotted into the lid.

Check the Outer Size Against the Courier Band Before You Sign the Proof

PR boxes are posted one at a time, so postage can cost more than the box if the size is wrong by a few millimetres. Before approving the proof, check the outer dimensions against your courier's parcel bands and trim the design if it sits just over one. Then plan the inside: a raised platform for the hero product, EVA foam for glass and wrapped card for compacts and tubes, with a slot for the personalised card. Decide on a hidden magnet closure or a lift-off lid, and whether the boxes arrive assembled or as the collapsible style that folds flat. Send-outs in waves usually use a different ribbon or card colour per wave, and a plain outer carton for couriers keeps the wrap clean.

Share the products, the closure and the number of boxes, and a custom quote comes by email within one working day, with minimums low enough for a targeted list. The free proof shows the wrap, insert layout and any foil. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval, boxes arrive by tracked courier to UK mainland addresses, and misprinted or damaged boxes reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded.