How to Source Custom Rigid Boxes from a China Manufacturer

Rigid boxes—also called set-up boxes or hard boxes—are the premium tier of folding carton packaging. Unlike folding cartons that arrive flat and are assembled at the brand's facility, rigid boxes come fully formed. They are used for cosmetics, electronics, spirits, jewellery and high-end gift sets because their thick board and tight wrapping communicate quality before the product is even seen.

Board Construction and Material Grades

A rigid box is built from a greyboard (chipboard) core wrapped in an outer material. The two most important specifications are the greyboard caliper and the outer wrap material.

• Greyboard caliper: 1.5 mm is standard for small cosmetic boxes; 2.0 mm is common for mid-size gift boxes; 2.5–3.0 mm is used for large electronics and premium spirits packaging.
• Outer wrap options: Art paper (80–128gsm), specialty paper (linen, felt, leatherette), bookbinding cloth, and full-bleed printed paper laminated to the board.
• Lining: Interior is typically covered with flocked paper, coated art paper, velvet fabric, or left as raw greyboard for a premium unfinished look.

Lid Styles and Closure Types

Printing and Finishing on Rigid Boxes

Printing is applied to the outer wrap paper before it is laminated and wrapped onto the greyboard. This means print quality can match that of a standard folding carton—full-bleed offset, CMYK + spot Pantone, or even digital printing for short runs.

Common finishing options:

• Matte or gloss lamination on the outer wrap
• Soft-touch (velvet) lamination for a tactile premium feel
• Hot stamping (gold, silver, rose gold, holographic)
• Spot UV on logos or selected design elements
• Embossing or debossing on the lid panel

MOQ and Lead Times

At BestPackFactory, the standard MOQ for custom rigid boxes is 500 PCS. For brand-new sizes with bespoke dies, allow 18–25 working days from artwork approval to sea freight departure. Sample production (one-off physical sample) takes 5–7 working days after artwork is approved.

Rush production is available for standard size ranges with an agreed premium. Sizes falling within our standard die library (common cosmetic and gift sizes) can reduce tooling time by 3–5 days.

What to Include in Your RFQ

• Internal dimensions (L × W × H in mm) with lid depth specified separately
• Greyboard caliper required (1.5mm / 2.0mm / 2.5mm)
• Outer wrap material preference
• Printing: CMYK only, or CMYK + number of Pantone spot colours
• Finishing requirements (lamination type, foil, UV, emboss)
• Closure type (lift-off, magnetic, drawer, clamshell)
• Quantity required and destination country
• Any certifications needed (FSC, food-safe liner, etc.)

Send your dieline or reference sample photo to start the quoting process. We provide a complete factory quotation within 24 hours of receiving full specifications.