A Guide to Gift Box Design Packaging

Many e-commerce businesses are focused on making their packaging and unboxing experience just as special as the product itself, and for good reason – people love opening packages!

Whether it’s a feeling reminiscent of Christmas morning as a kid or an appreciation for the box packaging design, unboxing is now a crucial part of the e-commerce customer journey. In a famous 2018 study by Ipsos, 72% of Americans said that product packaging influenced their purchase decision. That figure increases to 81% when buying gifts. Plus, with the rise of unboxing content on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, a carefully thought-out gift box design can make all the difference in building customer loyalty.

Let’s cover how to create gift box designs your customers will love!

Key considerations for designing a great branded gift box

At noissue, we specialize in helping businesses create and print beautiful, eco-friendly packaging that stands out. Before you start designing gift boxes for your product, think about the following:

• Box size: The size of your gift box will be determined by the products you're packaging. You'll need to leave enough room for padding and ensure that the lid closes properly.
• Material: Choose a durable, thicker box if your product is on the delicate side or if you’re packaging multiple items. FSC certification ensures you’re working with boxes made from sustainably sourced materials.
• Color scheme: Your color scheme should align with your brand identity. Depending on the product type, you can print with limited Pantone color or  unlimited CMYK colors.
• Shape: Tuck boxes are an excellent all-rounder option, especially for smaller products. If you’re packaging multiple items or bulkier products, roll end front tuck boxes offer a premium touch—making every unboxing moment magical.
• Design: Your gift box should be unique to your brand. At noissue, you can create a design from scratch with our PDF template, or upload your artwork and a brief so our designers can create packaging personalized to you.

How to design gift box packaging

Step 1: Explore gift box inspiration

Before you dive into designing your gift box, get inspired! A great place to start is the noissue blog, where you’ll find real-life examples from brands across beauty, food and beverage, retail, fashion, and more. Seeing how different industries approach shape, color, layout, and unboxing can spark ideas for your own packaging style.

Step 2: Choose your box type

Once you have an idea of the look and feel you want, it’s time to choose the right kind of product box. Two of our most popular styles that are most commonly used as gift boxes are:

Custom Gift Boxes

• Sturdy and secure, great for premium gifting and products that need extra protection.
• The front-tuck closure gives a polished, “keepsake box” feel that customers love opening.
• Dust flaps help protect the contents and create a cleaner, more controlled unboxing moment.
• Ideal for subscription boxes, curated gift sets, PR packages, and any product with multiple items.

Custom Tuck Boxes

• Lightweight, versatile, and perfect for smaller products or single-item gifting.
• The reverse tuck design makes them quick to assemble, great if you’re packing orders at scale.
• A more compact, cost-effective option that still allows full customization on all sides.
• Excellent for cosmetics, accessories, confectionery, stationery, and small retail items.

Step 3: Select your specifications

Next, it’s time to get into the details. This is where your gift box truly becomes yours.

Select from standard sizes or customize dimensions that fit your product snugly. Full-color printing lets you showcase illustrations, logos, or patterns, while minimalist single-colour designs create a premium, understated look. Both are great options — it just depends on what suits your brand personality!

Order just what you need, whether you require low minimums for your small businesses, seasonal gifting, special editions, or bulk quantities for your growing enterprise.

Step 4: Add your gift box design

Now here’s the best part: it’s time to design your gift box!

There are two ways you can do this:

A. Upload your own design

If you already have a clear design or idea for your gift box, you can download our box guidelines directly from the product page, create it offline, and then upload the finished artwork to noissue's platform. The dielines are available in both PDF and Adobe Illustrator formats, so you can work in whichever design program you prefer.

B. Brief in a noissue designer

If you don’t have a full design ready or simply want expert help, you can brief one of noissue’s designers to bring your vision to life. Just upload your logo, artwork, or any graphics you want included, then share your preferred look and feel, color palette, layout ideas, and any text or messaging you’d like on the box.

From there, our designers will create a custom gift box design that reflects your brand and fits your chosen box style and size.

No matter which route you take, you’ll receive a final design proof for your approval, so you can make sure your gift box packaging is perfect before it goes to print!

Step 5: Submit Your Order

If you want multiple sizes to package different products, make sure you meet the minimum order requirements per size. Once you've submitted your order, we’ll be in touch to confirm the final design before it goes to print.

You can also buy our gift boxes in wholesale quantities to save money if you require a large quantity.

What information should you include on a gift box?

Most businesses will include their logo, contact information, and social media handles on their gift box. A direct call to action encouraging customers to browse more gifts online is also a smart addition, whether via a website or a dynamic QR code that links to a microsite. Depending on the product, you may need to include additional information, such as care instructions or warnings.

If your product details vary or don’t make sense to print on every gift box, custom labels let you add the exact information you need to the outside of your packaging. They’re ideal for seasonal or limited-edition releases, giving you flexibility without the expense of producing new gift boxes each time.

Complete your design with other complementary packaging products

If you want to give your customers the full unboxing experience, don't forget about complementary packaging products. Small packaging touches can add real value to your product and the customer experience. It might be a thank-you card in each order, tissue paper for both protection and extra unboxing joy, or a branded sticker sealing the box for a little extra security.

If your business ships internationally, our shipping boxes and mailers come in different sizes and are the perfect way to send your products safely and securely. They're made with circular materials and are either recyclable, compostable, or reusable to help minimize environmental impact. And, like the rest of our packaging range, they’re fully customizable with your design, whether you have one ready to go or need help from our designers with creating it.

Get started designing your gift box today

Now that you know the basics of designing boxes, it's time to get started! By working with a reputable packaging supplier like noissue, you can design sustainable custom packaging in bulk that's sure to elevate your brand and leave an impression — all with ease!

Experience the difference that quality gift box packaging and a reliable supplier make, and check out our options. Start designing your own custom product box today!