Magnetic Closure Boxes

Where the magnets go

Rigid board wrapped in printed paper, with the magnets hidden inside the board before wrapping.

Nothing is printed on the box itself. The colour, texture and finish all sit on the wrap, and the magnets go in before that wrap goes on, so the closure looks like part of the board.

Most versions are collapsible. The box arrives flat and folds up along pre-creased corners, which saves a great deal of storage and freight against a rigid box that ships already assembled.

• Board is typically 1.5-3mm thick
• Small boxes use one pair of magnets, larger ones two or more
• Folds flat for storage and inbound freight

Magnetic closure or two-piece lid?

A two-piece lid is cheaper and stacks better. A magnetic lid is for boxes people keep.

The two-piece box has a lid that lifts off entirely: simpler to make, lower cost per unit, and easier to stack in a warehouse.

The magnetic version costs more because of the magnets, the wrapping and the extra assembly. It earns that back when the opening is part of the product, and when the box gets photographed, reopened or kept.

• Two-piece: lower cost, stacks, lid can be mislaid
• Magnetic: lid stays attached, opens one-handed

Choosing the wrap paper

The wrap decides how the box feels, and dark soft-touch shows every fingerprint.

Coated art papers print sharpest and take foil and spot gloss cleanly. Uncoated and textured papers feel better in the hand but soften photographic detail and absorb more ink.

Soft-touch lamination is popular on dark wraps for the feel, and it marks more easily than any other finish, so on a box that is handled often a lighter or textured wrap hides wear better. Laminated wraps are also harder to recycle, which matters if the brand makes recycling claims elsewhere on the pack.

Sizing without surprises

Quote internal dimensions, and remember the board adds 4-6mm to the outside of every dimension.

A box built around a 200mm product needs an internal length nearer 210mm once an insert and a little tolerance are allowed for. Send us the product's measurements and we work out the internal size, insert included.

Depth is where most first designs go wrong. A lid closing against contents that press up on it will bow over time, so internal depth should clear the tallest point in the box, including any insert wall.

Artwork notes

Artwork goes on the wrap dieline, not a box net, and every edge needs a turn-in allowance.

The wrap is a flat sheet whose edges fold to the inside and disappear, typically by 15-18mm, and we mark that allowance on the dieline. Any design running to the edge must continue into it, or a white line appears on the corner.

Wrapping involves a small amount of movement, so patterns that must line up across lid and base are the hardest thing to hold. Central motifs and full-bleed colour are far more forgiving than continuous patterns and thin border rules.

Magnetic box or tuck-front mailer?

A magnetic box is the pick when the box is part of the gift and stays with the customer. A mailer box is the pick when it is posted out and opened once.

If the box is posted out and opened once, the closure is doing very little. Rigid board is heavy and the wrap adds more, so the same size in a magnetic box can weigh several times a folding carton. On a light product shipped in volume, that weight is charged on every unit.

A tuck-front mailer box gives similar protection and a similar unboxing for a fraction of the cost. The magnetic version pays off when the box is kept, reopened, or put on a shelf.