Folding cartons — sleeve and tray
Custom Sleeve Boxes
A sleeve box is an open-ended printed paperboard sleeve that slides over a tray, or over the product itself. It shows the product at the ends, opens by sliding rather than tipping, and ships flat. Sets, soaps, chocolates and tech accessories use it because the reveal is close to a drawer box at a carton's cost.
- Family
- Folding cartons
- Best for
- Sets, soaps, chocolates, tech accessories
- Minimum order
- 50 boxes
- Sizing
- Made to your dimensions
Construction
How it is built, and how it opens.
How it is built
The sleeve is a four-panel blank scored and glued at one seam into a tube, open at both ends; a thumb cut in one panel lets the tray be pushed out. The tray is a separate blank with walls that fold up and lock at the corners, or glue there, to make an open-topped box. For a heavier presentation the tray can be wrapped greyboard under a paperboard sleeve. Both parts are printed before die-cutting, so sleeve, tray and floor can all carry artwork.
How it opens
Push the tray through the thumb cut, or hold the sleeve and pull the tray by its end, and the product slides out in view. The fit is set so the tray moves freely but does not fall out when the pack is turned on end, and a stop tab can be added where the contents are loose. A belly band is the same idea reduced to a strip: a narrow printed sleeve around a tray or a lidded box, removed to open.
Board and print
SBS paperboard from 14 pt to 24 pt for the sleeve, with the tray on the same board or one gauge heavier so it holds its shape under the product; kraft board from 18 pt to 24 pt for a natural look. Each part is printed directly, in CMYK or Pantone, and the inside of the sleeve can be printed so a color shows as the tray moves. Lamination is included; foil, embossing, spot UV and a window in the sleeve are applied before die-cutting.
Packing, shipping and cost
Both parts ship flat and are erected at packing, which keeps storage low. Because there are two blanks and two dies, a sleeve and tray costs more than a single tuck carton of the same size, though far less than a rigid drawer box. A sleeve alone, slid over a soap bar or a folded garment, is one of the least costly printed structures there is, since it is one small blank with one glue seam.
What it suits
Where a sleeve & tray box earns its place.
Soap and bath bars
A printed sleeve slid over the bar itself, or over a small tray, with the product showing at the ends.
Chocolates and confectionery
A tray with cells under a seasonal sleeve, sold on the counter and given as a gift.
Tech accessories
Cables, earbuds and cases in a die-cut board tray under a sleeve with a window.
Sets and kits
Several small items arranged in one tray, revealed in a row as the tray slides out.
Belly bands
A printed band around a plain tray or a rigid box, changed for seasonal editions without a new box.
Finished work
Folding cartons we have made.
Tuck-end carton · Print inside and out 
Tuck-top carton · Full-color print 
Straight tuck end carton · Full-color print 
Auto-lock bottom carton · Full-color print
- Internal dimensions of the tray (L × W × D), or the product itself if the sleeve goes straight over it. Every sleeve is cut to your dimensions.
- Tray: paperboard folded and locked, glued, or wrapped greyboard under the sleeve.
- Thumb cut, stop tab, and whether the sleeve is closed at one end.
- Print for the sleeve outside and inside and for the tray floor; finishes: lamination, foil stamping, embossing, spot UV, window.
- Insert cells or a cradle inside the tray, and the arrangement of items.
Or consider
When another style does the job better.
Drawer / Sleeve
Choose the rigid version when the product's price point calls for the weight of greyboard and a ribbon pull.
Read the guideStraight Tuck End
Choose it when a fully enclosed carton with a clean front is enough and the lowest unit cost matters.
Read the guideWindow Box
Choose it when the product should show on shelf through a film-patched aperture rather than at open ends.
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.
Sleeve & Tray 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 sleeve box?
An open-ended printed paperboard sleeve that slides over a tray or over the product. It ships flat, opens by sliding and shows the product at the ends.
Can the sleeve go directly over the product?
Yes. For soap bars, folded textiles and boxed sets a sleeve alone is common, and it is one of the least costly printed structures because it is one small blank.
Can the tray be rigid?
Yes. A wrapped greyboard tray under a printed paperboard sleeve gives more weight in the hand while the sleeve still ships flat.
What is the minimum order for custom sleeve boxes?
The minimum order for custom sleeve 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 folding cartons styles.
Start here
Send us your dimensions. We’ll send back a box.
Or talk to a packaging specialist: (209) 444-0744