Custom Drawer Gift Boxes
A rigid sleeve with a tray that slides out on a ribbon pull. We size the tray to your product and print the sleeve, the tray and the inside.
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 | Outer sleeve with a sliding inner tray |
|---|---|
| Board | Greyboard wrapped in printed or coloured paper |
| Opening | Ribbon pull on the tray end, or a thumb notch in the sleeve |
| Inserts | Card, foam or pulp, with dividers for sets |
| Typical sizes | About 90×90×40 mm up to 260×190×70 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 drawer gift boxes?
Drawer gift boxes are made of two parts: an outer sleeve, open at one or both ends, and an inner tray that slides through it. A ribbon tab on the tray front, or a thumb notch in the sleeve, lets you pull it open. They are also called slide boxes or matchbox-style boxes.
| Typical size | Inside L × W × H (mm) | Often used for |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 90 × 90 × 40 | Earrings, rings |
| Medium | 180 × 120 × 50 | Chocolates, cards |
| Long | 250 × 100 × 50 | Pens, tea sticks |
| Large | 260 × 190 × 70 | Scarves, gift sets |
What is a drawer gift box?
It is a sleeve and a tray. The tray slides in and out of the sleeve like a drawer, so there is no lid to put down and nothing to lift off.
Jewellery brands use it for earrings and bracelets. Beauty brands use it for lip balm sets and sample kits. Chocolate makers use it for a single row of truffles. It belongs to our range of rigid gift boxes, alongside magnetic and lid and base styles.
People like drawers because the opening is slow and deliberate. The product comes into view a little at a time, and the closed box looks like a neat block with no seams on top.
How does the drawer open?
The tray fits the sleeve with a small clearance: enough to slide without catching, not so much that it drops out when tilted. A ribbon is fixed under the tray front and runs out between tray and sleeve, leaving a short tab showing.
Pull the tab and the tray slides forward. Some designs use a thumb notch cut into the sleeve side instead, as on our white cut-out sample, so you push the tray from the far end. A sleeve open at both ends lets you push from either side.
Ribbon pulls come in many colours. Matching the ribbon to the tray, as in the lip balm sample, keeps it quiet. A contrast colour makes the pull easier to spot.
What size drawer box fits your item?
We build the tray to your product's inside size in mm, then make the sleeve around the tray. These are common starting points, nothing more.
| Size | Tray inside size (mm) | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Small | about 90×90×40 | Earrings, a ring, a pair of cufflinks |
| Medium | about 180×120×50 | Lip balm set, two soap bars, tea sachets |
| Long | about 250×100×50 | Bracelet, pen, a row of truffles |
| Large | about 260×190×70 | Silk scarf, skincare set, notebook and pen |
Keep the tray shallow where you can. A drawer slides best when it is much wider than it is tall. Our guide to measuring box inside sizes covers clearances in more detail.
Why use rigid board for a drawer box?
A sliding tray needs both parts to stay square. Rigid greyboard stops the sleeve bowing in the middle, which is what makes card drawers stick.
Each part is wrapped in its own paper, so the sleeve and tray can be different colours. Rigid styles take 8–10 working days after proof approval. They cost more than folding card, which starts from £0.25 a box, and the quote shows the exact figure for your job.
The sleeve and tray are glued and wrapped before delivery, so there is nothing to assemble. You only open the carton, check a few boxes and start packing.
How should you print the sleeve and tray?
The sleeve is the outside of the closed box, so it carries the logo and pattern. Print can run round all four sides and onto the edges at the ends.
The tray is seen only as it opens. A contrast colour, like the green tray inside the orange sleeve in our photos, gives a small surprise. You can also print a message on the tray floor, under the product.
Gold foil on the sleeve, embossing or spot UV on a logo, and matt, gloss or soft-touch lamination are all available. Compare matt, gloss and soft-touch lamination before choosing.
Inserts and dividers for drawer boxes
Sets look tidiest when each item has its own slot. In our lip balm sample, card dividers hold five tubes upright in a neat row.
- Card inserts with slots for tubes, vials or pens
- Foam pads with cut-outs for earrings or rings
- Pulp trays shaped around candles or small jars
- Card dividers that split the tray into rows
- A ribbon pull in a colour that matches the sleeve or tray
- A belly band round the sleeve with a product name or gift message
See card, foam and pulp inserts compared for help choosing.
Who buys drawer boxes, and for what?
Jewellery sellers, gift shops and small beauty brands order them most. A drawer box makes a small item look considered, and it can go in a handbag without a lid coming loose.
They suit wedding favours, bridesmaid jewellery, Valentine's Day chocolates and corporate thank-you gifts such as a pen or cufflinks. For rings and necklaces on pads, our gift boxes made for jewellery are another option.
Can drawer boxes be posted?
The tray can slide out if the box lands on its end. A sticker across the open end, a belly band or a ribbon tie stops that happening.
Post each box inside a padded mailer or a small carton. Your order reaches you made up and packed in cartons, with free tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses in 2–3 working days. If a drawer box arrives misprinted or damaged, send us photos within 10 days and we will reprint or refund it.
If you are filling boxes yourself, slide each tray out, pack it, and slide it back before the next one. Stacking open trays invites dust and dents.
What mistakes do buyers make with drawer boxes?
The most common one is a tray that is too deep for its width. It wobbles as it slides and catches on the sleeve.
Another is forgetting the ribbon pull in the artwork. The tab sits at the tray front, so keep text away from that spot.
A third is a heavy product at one end of a long drawer. The weight tips the tray as it opens, so use an insert to keep it central.
Last, printing the sleeve with a design that only reads one way. Drawer boxes get picked up from either end, so check the proof both ways round.
How to order drawer gift boxes
Most drawer box orders are settled in a couple of emails.
- Measure the product and decide on a ribbon pull or a thumb notch.
- Ask for a quote with the size, quantity and finishes. The quote follows within one working day.
- Upload artwork, or lay out your logo on Design Your Gift Box.
- Approve the free proof. Our designers fit your artwork to the sleeve and tray, and make changes until you are happy.
- We make the boxes in 8–10 working days and send them free, tracked, to your UK mainland address.
Ready to price it? Request a drawer box quote or message us on WhatsApp at +44 7578 382054.
Design Your Drawer Gift Box
Add your logo and see it on the box. We send a free design proof before anything is printed.
Drawer Gift box questions
Still unsure? Ask us on WhatsApp or call +44 7578 382054.
Will the tray slide out of a drawer box on its own?
Not in normal handling, as the tray fits the sleeve closely. If the box is dropped on its end it can, so a sticker, belly band or ribbon tie is worth adding for posting.
Can the sleeve of a drawer box be open at both ends?
Yes. A sleeve open at both ends lets you push the tray out from either side, which suits long boxes.
What is a ribbon pull on a drawer box?
It is a short loop or tab of ribbon fixed under the front of the tray. You pull it to slide the drawer open.
Can the tray and sleeve be printed in different colours?
Yes. They are wrapped separately, so a patterned sleeve with a plain coloured tray is easy to do.
Can a drawer box hold a lip balm or lipstick set?
Yes. Card dividers or a slotted insert hold each tube upright in a row. Send us the tube diameter and height.
How long do drawer gift boxes take?
Production is 8–10 working days after you approve the proof. Free tracked UK mainland delivery then takes 2–3 working days.
Do drawer boxes come assembled?
Yes. They arrive made up with each tray already in its sleeve.
Can you print a message on the tray floor?
Yes. The inside of the tray can be printed, so a note can sit under the product and show once it is lifted out.
Is a drawer box a good fit for earrings?
Yes. The Small size, about 90×90×40 mm, takes a pair of earrings on a foam or card pad.
Why does a rigid drawer box cost more than a card one?
It is two rigid parts, each wrapped in printed paper, plus a ribbon pull. Folding card starts from £0.25 a box, and rigid drawers are quoted higher.
Can I order drawer boxes in small quantities?
Minimums are low and quoted per job. Tell us how many you need and we will price that quantity.
Can the sleeve of a drawer box have a window?
Yes. A clear window can be cut into the sleeve top so the product shows through before the drawer is opened.
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.