Custom Book Style Gift Boxes
A rigid box that opens like a hardback book, with a cover, a spine and a tray fixed inside. We size it to your product and print every face.
From £0.25 a boxexact price on your quote£0.25 is the folding card starting price; rigid styles are quoted higher.
- 1Free design proof before anything is printed
- 2Quote within one working day of your enquiry
- 3Made in 8–10 working days after you approve the proof
- 4Free tracked UK mainland delivery in 2–3 working days
- 5Misprints or damage within 10 days reprinted or refunded
Specification
| Construction | Case with front cover, spine and back cover; tray fixed to the back |
|---|---|
| Board | Greyboard wrapped in printed or coloured paper |
| Closure | Hidden magnets in the front cover, a tuck tab or a ribbon tie |
| Inserts | Card, foam or pulp, cut to the product |
| Typical sizes | About A6 (160×115×40 mm) to A4 (310×225×60 mm) |
| Lead time | 8–10 working days after proof approval |
| Sizes | Made to your length, width and height in mm |
| Full colour, Pantone matching on request, outside and inside | |
| Minimum order | Low, quoted per job |
What are book style gift boxes?
Book style gift boxes are rigid boxes shaped like a hardback. A tray is glued to the back cover, and the front cover swings open sideways on a spine. They close with hidden magnets, a tab or a ribbon tie, and stand on a shelf like a book.
| Typical size | Inside L × W × H (mm) | Often used for |
|---|---|---|
| A6 | 160 × 115 × 40 | Cards, small kits |
| A5 | 220 × 160 × 50 | Journals, press kits |
| A4 | 310 × 225 × 60 | Certificates, sets |
| Deep | 250 × 200 × 90 | Bottles in an insert |
What is a book style gift box?
It is a rigid case that looks and opens like a book. The front cover is hinged at the spine, the back cover carries a tray, and the closed box can stand upright on a shelf.
Publishers and authors use it for special editions. Brands use it for stationery, tea, sample kits, phone accessories and gift cards. Event teams use it for invitations people will keep. It sits with the other styles in our gift box range.
The appeal is the reveal. A plain-looking cover opens to show the product set into the tray, with the inside cover beside it like a facing page.
How does a book box open and close?
The cover swings open sideways on the spine hinge, just as a hardback does. Because the tray is fixed to the back cover, the product stays put when the cover opens.
Most book boxes close with magnets set inside the front cover edge and the tray wall. Others use a ribbon tie, or a printed tab that tucks over the front edge, like the patterned sample in our photos.
The cover lies flat when fully open, as our orange and navy cut-out shows. That makes the inside face a second page for a message, a story or instructions.
What sizes do book style boxes come in?
Our starting sizes follow paper sizes, which makes them easy to picture. Each box is still made to your product's inside size in mm.
| Size | Inside size (mm) | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| A6 | about 160×115×40 | Gift card, playing cards, a phone accessory |
| A5 | about 220×160×50 | Paperback book, notebook, tea selection |
| A4 | about 310×225×60 | Certificate, art print, sample kit |
| Deep | about 250×200×90 | Candle set, small bottle laid flat, layered gift set |
A book box is shallow by nature. If your product stands much taller than about 90 mm, a lid and base or magnetic box may suit it better. Our guide to measuring inside sizes in millimetres helps you check.
Why is a book box made from rigid board?
The cover is a flat panel of greyboard that has to stay straight when opened. Card would curl. The spine is a separate strip, wrapped together with the covers in one sheet of paper, so the hinge flexes without cracking.
The tray is made like a shallow rigid base and glued in place. Rigid styles take 8–10 working days after your proof is approved, and they are quoted above folding card, which starts from £0.25 a box.
That extra cost buys a box with real weight in the hand and a cover that still shuts flat after many openings. Most people keep a book box, so your brand stays on their shelf.
How do you design the cover and spine?
Treat it like a book jacket. The front cover gets the main design, the spine can carry a product name that reads when the box is shelved, and the back can hold details.
Print the inside cover too. In our purple sample, a short note is printed on the inside of the cover, right beside the product. The paper on the tray sides can be cream or white, so the edges look like the pages of a closed book.
Foil on the spine, a debossed title on the cover or soft-touch paper all make the box feel like a hardback. Read our guide to foil and lamination finishes first.
What inserts suit a book box?
The tray is shallow, so the insert does most of the work. Foam with cut-outs, like the dark grey sample in our photos, holds a pen or a small device tight.
- Foam cut to the exact outline of small objects
- Card platforms with a slot for a gift card or voucher
- Pulp trays for jars or candles
- A ribbon under the product so it lifts out easily
- A printed card on top of the insert with a message or instructions
Our guide to gift set inserts compares the three insert types in detail.
Which gifts suit a box that opens like a book?
Books, journals and planners, of course. Also anything that tells a story in order: a tasting set read left to right, a skincare routine in steps, or a welcome pack with a letter on the inside cover.
They suit gifts for the bridal party at weddings, graduation presents, retirement gifts and launch kits for press. For awards and certificates, also look at our presentation boxes for awards.
How do you pack and post book boxes?
Book boxes are flat and square, which makes them easy to post. Put each one in a stiff mailer and the cover magnets will keep it shut on the way.
We send your order made up and packed in cartons, with free tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses in 2–3 working days. Tell us within 10 days, with photos, if any box is misprinted or damaged, and we reprint or refund it.
If you are filling the boxes yourself, work with the box lying open and flat. Place the product, close the cover, and check the magnet catches before you stack the next one.
Common mistakes with book style boxes
Forgetting the spine width. The spine must match the depth of the box, so spine artwork can only be sized once the height is fixed. We set this on the proof.
Running a design across the hinge that has to line up exactly. The paper bends at the spine, and fine lines can shift slightly.
Choosing a book box for a tall product. Past a certain depth the box stops looking like a book and starts looking like a carton.
Leaving the inside cover blank. It is the largest flat surface in the box and the first one seen.
Ignoring the back cover. When the box is held, the back is in your palm, and a short line of text there finishes the design.
How to order book style gift boxes
Tell us what is going inside and we will suggest a size. If you have a sample, measure it rather than working from a catalogue listing.
- Pick a paper size, or send your product dimensions in mm.
- Choose magnets, a ribbon tie or a tuck tab, plus any finishes.
- Get your quote within one working day.
- Send artwork, or use Design Your Gift Box to place your logo on the cover.
- Approve the free proof, with as many edits as you need, and we make the boxes in 8–10 working days.
Ask for a book box quote by form, by email or by phone on +44 7578 382054.
Design Your Book Style Gift Box
Add your logo and see it on the box. We send a free design proof before anything is printed.
Book Style Gift box questions
Still unsure? Ask us on WhatsApp or call +44 7578 382054.
Which way does a book style box open?
The front cover swings open sideways on the spine, like a hardback book. The tray stays fixed to the back cover.
Can a book box hold an actual book?
Yes. Send us the book's height, width and thickness and we size the tray with a little clearance, plus room for tissue or a card if you want one.
Can you print on the spine of a book box?
Yes. The spine is wrapped in the same printed paper as the covers, so a title or product name can run along it.
How does a book style box stay closed?
Usually with hidden magnets in the front cover and tray wall. A ribbon tie or a tuck tab over the front edge are the other options.
Can the tray sides look like book pages?
Yes. Wrapping the tray sides in cream or white paper makes the closed box look like a book with page edges.
What is the deepest book style box you can make?
We make to your product, so there is no fixed limit. About 90 mm deep is a common deep option, and beyond that the box looks less like a book.
How long do book style gift boxes take to produce?
8–10 working days once you approve the proof, then 2–3 working days for free tracked delivery to the UK mainland.
Can a book box hold a gift card or voucher?
Yes. A card platform with a slot holds the card in place on the tray, and the inside cover can carry a printed message.
Do book style boxes arrive flat?
No. They come made up, with the tray already fixed inside, packed in cartons.
Can I add a foam insert to a book box?
Yes. Foam is cut to the outline of each item, which suits pens, small devices and bottles laid flat.
How much do book style boxes cost?
Price depends on size, closure, finish and quantity. Rigid styles are quoted higher than folding card, which starts from £0.25 a box, and the quote comes within one working day.
Can a book box be used for wedding invitations?
Yes. The A5 size suits an invitation suite, and the inside cover can carry the details or a short note.
Send us your brief
Tell us what goes in the box, the size and how many you need. A quote comes back within one working day, and a free design proof follows before anything is printed.