Made to your size- 100 boxes
- Custom sizes & styles
- Free dieline support
- Quality print options
- Proof before production
- 8–12 business day production
Shoulder boxes, also called neck boxes, are three-piece rigid boxes: a base, a lid, and an inner neck that stands up above the base. The lid rests on the shoulder the neck creates, leaving a visible band of the neck between lid and base - often in a contrasting colour. Lifting the lid is slow and smooth, which is why they are used for fragrance, candles, cosmetics and spirits.
Three-piece, with a reveal
Custom Shoulder Boxes
✓Clear proofing before productionSee our process
Get a free quote
Tell us what you are packing and we’ll reply with practical options.
Product features
Built around the jobVisible contrasting neck
Slow, smooth lid lift
Wrapped rigid board
Printed text on the neck
Round or square shapes
Shaped cavity insert
Narrow or wide neck band
Specifications made for your product.
Technical snapshotEvery final specification is confirmed against product weight, packing method, print coverage, route, and order volume.
View artwork preparation guide- SKU
- bm-1052
- Dimensions
- Custom-made around the product and packing workflow
- Materials
- Greyboard wrapped in printed paper, Specialty papers, Contrasting neck papers
- Printing
- CMYK, Pantone, white ink, or unprinted
- Finishes
- Matte, gloss, soft-touch, foil, embossing, spot UV
- Quantities
- Starting at 100 on selected configurations
- Proofing
- Dieline and digital proof
Make the neck part of the story.
Artwork and materialsArtwork wraps the lid, the base and the neck, which shows as a band between them. The neck can carry its own colour or a line of text. Our packaging guides cover sizing, materials, print, and cost in more depth.
Lid, base and visible neck
We wrap the lid, base and neck separately, so each can have its own paper and print. Text on the neck stays within the band that shows when the box is closed, with a fuller message under the lid.
Explore print and finishesSpecialty and contrast papers
A contrasting neck paper creates a band of colour between lid and base, while specialty papers add texture and depth. Foil on the lid or neck text gives a refined finish for fragrance and candles.
Explore material decisionsChoose your box
Tell us the product, its size and whether you want a round or square box.
Request a quote
We recommend the neck height, papers and insert that suit your product and brand.
Finalize the order
Confirm the size, shape, papers for each part, neck band, insert and delivery details.
Build the dieline
We draw the lid, neck and base around your product, with the neck band height marked.
Approve the proof
Check the lid, base and neck artwork, including neck text, on the digital proof.
Roll on production
We make and wrap all three parts, check the lid lift, and pack your boxes with care.
Best for
Fragrance and cosmeticsCandlesSpirits and teaLuxury gift setsWhat changes the price.
Cost factorsEvery project is quoted individually. These are the choices that move the price on almost every order.
- Three parts
- A shoulder box is three wrapped pieces rather than two, so it takes more material and more hand work.
- Neck height and colour
- A contrasting neck needs its own paper, and a taller neck uses more board.
- Fit
- The lid must slide smoothly over the neck, which takes precise sizing.
- Finishes
- Foil and embossing on the lid add tooling and a production step.
Buyer guidance
Choosing this format
The three parts of a shoulder box
A neck is glued inside the base and stands up above it; the lid slides over the neck and rests on the base's edge.
The three pieces are each wrapped separately. With the lid on, a band of the neck shows between lid and base, which is the shoulder that gives the box its name. That band is a design feature - many brands wrap it in a contrasting colour or print a line on it.
- Base, neck and lid
- Lid rests on the shoulder
- A visible band of neck
Why the lid lifts so slowly
The neck fits closely inside the lid, so air escapes slowly and the lid glides off rather than popping.
That slow lift is part of the experience - it makes opening feel considered. It depends on a precise fit between neck and lid, so we size every part from your product's measurements, allowing for the wrap on each one, and you check the proportions on the dieline and digital proof.
Shoulder box or two-piece box?
A two-piece box is simpler and costs less; a shoulder box adds the neck reveal and a more precise fit.
If the lid simply lifts off, a two-piece rigid box does the job. Choose a shoulder box when the opening is part of the brand - fragrance, candles and spirits are the classic examples.
Related packaging formats
Compare your options
Rigid Boxes
Luxury two-piece and magnetic boxes with a substantial, keepsake feel.
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Candle Boxes
Protective cartons and rigid presentations for candles, vessels, and gift sets.
Explore box style
Two-Piece Rigid Boxes
Classic lift-off lid and base rigid boxes, in full or partial telescope depths.
Explore box styleQuestions about shoulder boxes.
Box style FAQsWe’ll confirm the exact details that apply to your structure and volume.
Read all frequently asked questionsHow much of the neck shows on a shoulder box?+
We usually keep the visible band narrow, so it reads as a trim line rather than a separate part, while the rest of the neck runs down inside the base to hold it firm. A wider band suits a contrasting colour or a printed line of text; a thin band looks more refined. We set the proportions with you on the proof before production.
Will a perfume bottle or candle jar stay still in a shoulder box?+
Yes, with an insert that holds the base of the product, because the neck alone does not stop it moving. For a perfume bottle, we cut a cavity shaped to the bottle, so it stays upright and centred under the lid. For a candle, we size the box to the jar with its lid or dust cover fitted, allowing for any label that adds width.
Can the neck of a shoulder box be printed?+
Yes. We wrap the neck separately, so it can have its own paper colour, a pattern or a line of text such as the brand name or the scent. Only the band above the base shows when the box is closed, so we keep text within that band. With the lid off, the full neck is on view, which gives you a second place for a short message.
Can a shoulder box be round instead of square?+
Yes. We make round shoulder boxes, a common format for fragrance, tea and candles, from a wrapped tube base, an inner neck tube and a lid, with the same close fit for the slow lift. The wrap meets in a seam, and we place your artwork so the seam falls in a quiet spot. Square and rectangular versions pack more neatly into cartons and onto shelves.
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