04 — Drawer boxes
Drawer boxes that turn opening into an event.
A rigid tray that slides out of a rigid sleeve, usually with a ribbon pull or thumb notch. The extra movement is why fragrance sets, sample kits and limited editions use it.
The engineering is in the fit. A drawer that slides too freely feels cheap; too tight and it jams in a customer's hands. We build the sleeve and tray as a matched pair and hold the tolerance on every repeat run.
Constructions
Five ways to pull it open.
Ribbon pull
Grosgrain or satin ribbon wrapped around the tray. Colour-matched to the wrap or a contrasting accent.
Thumb notch
A die-cut notch in the sleeve. Cheapest option, cleanest look, no extra component.
Ribbon tab
Short tab attached to the tray end — visible cue to pull, less material than a full ribbon.
Double drawer
Two trays sliding from opposite ends for product-plus-accessory sets.
Finger hole
Punched hole with a printed ring, for larger or heavier drawers.
Book-slide
Hinged lid that opens flat, then a tray slides out — hybrid gift box construction.
Specifications
Tolerance is the product.
| Construction | Rigid tray + rigid sleeve, or folding tray + rigid sleeve |
|---|---|
| Core | 1.5–2.5 mm greyboard; sleeve wall matched to tray |
| Wrap | 128–200 gsm art or specialty paper, soft-touch or textured |
| Slide clearance | 0.5–1.0 mm, tuned to wrap thickness and humidity at destination |
| Inserts | Paperboard platform, EVA foam, thermoformed PET, ribbon bed |
| Starting MOQ | 500 pieces |
| Lead time | 15–20 working days after sample approval |
Details
Small decisions, felt in the hand.
- 01
Ribbon stop
A hidden stop so the tray cannot slide fully out and drop the product.
- 02
Insert engineering
Cavities cut to the product with 0.5 mm clearance, not to a nominal size.
- 03
Wrap direction
Grain and print direction set so the sleeve and tray pattern align when closed.
- 04
Foam or paper
EVA for protection, moulded pulp or paperboard where recyclability is the priority.
Questions
Drawer box FAQ.
Can the drawer be reopened many times without loosening?
Yes, if the sleeve is built from rigid greyboard rather than folded board. Repeated opening wears a folding-carton sleeve quickly; a rigid sleeve holds its tolerance for the life of the pack. We test 50 open-close cycles on the sample for retail display use.
Do you supply the insert as well as the box?
Yes — die-cut paperboard, EVA foam, thermoformed PET and flocked trays are all produced or sourced to fit the drawer interior. Send the product drawing and we will design the cavity layout.
Which is cheaper: drawer box or lid-and-base?
A lid-and-base box is usually 10–20% cheaper at the same size, because it has fewer components and less hand assembly. The drawer box earns the difference when the opening ritual matters — fragrance, samples and gift sets.
Drawer boxes
Send the product. We will fit the drawer around it.
A sample with the insert in place tells you more than any drawing. 5–7 working days from approved structure.