Rigid boxes — drawer and sleeve
Custom Drawer Boxes
A drawer box is a rigid tray that slides out of a rigid outer sleeve, usually on a ribbon pull or through a thumb hole. The product is presented as the tray emerges rather than when a lid lifts, which is why jewelry, watches and small luxury goods favour it. The sleeve carries the print; the tray and its insert carry the product.
- Family
- Rigid boxes
- Best for
- Jewelry, watches, small luxury goods, gift sets
- Minimum order
- 50 boxes
- Sizing
- Made to your dimensions
Construction
How it is built, and how it opens.
How it is built
Two wrapped greyboard structures are made and fitted together. The sleeve is a four-sided tube, open at one or both ends, wrapped outside and lined inside. The tray is a five-sided box, open at the top, wrapped and lined, with the insert glued into its floor. A ribbon pull is anchored under the tray's front wall before wrapping, or a thumb hole is die-cut in the sleeve so the tray can be pushed out from behind.
How it opens
The tray slides out of the front of the sleeve. A stop can be built in so the tray cannot be pulled clear and dropped, which matters when the insert holds several small items. The fit is set so the drawer moves with a little resistance and does not slide open when the box is tipped. A drawer that opens from both ends, or a two-drawer stack, is possible for sets.
Board and wrap
Greyboard from 1.5 mm to 3 mm for both parts, with the sleeve often on the heavier gauge because it is the part that is handled. The outer wrap is full-color printed art paper or a textured, linen, kraft, metallic or leatherette paper; the tray is usually lined in a contrast color so the drawer reads as it opens. Foil, embossing, debossing and spot UV go on before lamination, which is included.
Packing, shipping and cost
Drawer boxes arrive assembled with the tray inside the sleeve and do not fold flat. Because there are two complete structures, two wraps and a ribbon to fit, this is one of the more labour-heavy rigid constructions and costs more per unit than a two-piece box of the same size. A paperboard sleeve over a paperboard tray gives a similar reveal at much lower cost where the weight of greyboard is not needed.
What it suits
Where a drawer / sleeve box earns its place.
Jewelry and watches
A fabric-wrapped platform with a slot or cushion, drawn out on a satin ribbon.
Small luxury goods
Pens, eyewear and leather goods held in a die-cut cavity in a lined tray.
Gift sets
Several items in one insert, presented in a row as the drawer opens.
Chocolates and confectionery
A shallow tray with cells, in a sleeve printed for the season.
Tech accessories
Earbuds, cables and chargers in a foam or board cradle that the customer keeps.
Finished work
Rigid boxes we have made.
Drawer and sleeve rigid box · Gold foil stamping 
Collapsible rigid box · Matte lamination 
Collapsible rigid box 
Collapsible rigid box base · Printed inside
- Internal dimensions of the tray (L × W × D) or the product itself, plus weight. Every box is made to your dimensions.
- Pull: ribbon (color and width), thumb hole in the sleeve, or both, and whether a drawer stop is needed.
- Sleeve open at one end or both.
- Wrap for the sleeve, lining color for the tray, and finishes: foil stamping, embossing, spot UV, lamination.
- Insert: material, cavities and the arrangement of items.
Or consider
When another style does the job better.
Sleeve & Tray
Choose it when a printed paperboard sleeve and tray will give the same reveal at lower cost and ship flat.
Read the guideTwo Piece (Lid & Base)
Choose it when the product should be seen from above the moment the lid lifts, with no drawer to pull.
Read the guideMagnetic Closure
Choose it when the box should open flat on a hinge and close with a click.
Read the guide
Start a quote
Three answers is all it takes to open a job.
Structure, board and finishing come next — with our team, on the full quote form.
No account needed. Artwork and reference images can be attached on the next step.
Drawer / Sleeve questions
Before you ask.
Anything not covered here, put it in the notes on your quote and we will answer it directly.
Ask on your quoteWhat is a drawer box?
A rigid box in two parts: a wrapped tray that slides out of a wrapped sleeve, usually on a ribbon pull or through a thumb hole. It arrives assembled.
Can the drawer be stopped from pulling right out?
Yes. A stop is built between the tray and sleeve so the drawer opens fully but cannot be pulled clear.
Is a drawer box more expensive than a lid-and-base box?
Usually, for the same size. There are two complete structures to wrap and a ribbon to fit, so the labour is higher; the board is much the same.
What is the minimum order for custom drawer boxes?
The minimum order for custom drawer boxes is 50 boxes, the same as every structure we make. Your quote shows the price at each quantity you ask for.
How long does production take?
Standard production is 10–12 working days from proof approval and payment. Ground shipping adds 3–5 working days, and delivery is free on every order.
Can I get a sample before the full run?
Standalone samples are chargeable, because making one box or a handful takes the same setup and production steps as a full run. On a qualifying bulk order, once the order is placed we produce a pre-production sample for your approval at no extra sample charge, and the remaining quantity runs after you approve it.
Same family
Other rigid boxes styles.
Start here
Send us your dimensions. We’ll send back a box.
Or talk to a packaging specialist: (209) 444-0744