Custom Packaging & Print
Custom packaging is one of the best-value things a UK brand can source from China: branded boxes, labels, bags and food packaging at prices — and minimum orders — UK suppliers struggle to match.
Packaging is the category we most often recommend as a first order, because it demonstrates the whole proposition quickly and at manageable risk. The products are inexpensive per unit, quality is easy to assess from a sample, and the price difference against UK suppliers is stark — particularly on printed and rigid formats where UK quotes reflect short domestic print runs rather than the cost of the box itself.
It is also the category where good packaging changes how a product is perceived out of all proportion to what it costs. A rigid box, a well-printed sleeve or a properly designed mailer does more for a brand's perceived value than most things you could spend the same money on. The practical constraints are print accuracy, which a physical proof solves, and food-contact compliance, which has to be declared before quoting rather than assumed.
What we source
- Custom printed boxes and cartons
- Rigid gift boxes
- Labels, stickers and sleeves
- Paper bags and mailers
- Food packaging
- Protective and void-fill packaging
What to consider
- Branding a stock format keeps minimum orders lower than a fully bespoke shape.
- Always approve a printed proof before the run, and flag food-contact requirements up front.
- Packaging takes up far more container space than its value suggests, so consolidating formats into one shipment is what keeps the landed cost sensible.
- Send your dieline and artwork in a production-ready format — most delays in this category are artwork problems, not factory problems.
Common questions
How low can the minimum order be?
It depends on the format, but stock shapes with custom print — and digital printing for shorter runs — make small first orders viable.
Can you match my exact brand colours?
With Pantone references and an approved printed proof, yes. Different substrates take ink differently, which is precisely why we check the proof on the actual material rather than on screen.
Is packaging a sensible first order to test you with?
It is our usual recommendation. The unit cost is low, quality is easy to judge in the hand, and you see the whole process end to end before committing to anything larger.
Related guides
- Sourcing custom packaging and print from ChinaColour, structure and the UK taxes that attach to packaging. How to get print right first time and avoid an expensive tax surprise.
- UK Plastic Packaging Tax: what importers from China oweThe tax applies to the packaging you import, not just what you manufacture. What it costs, the 10-tonne threshold, and how to avoid paying it.
- MOQ and sampling: starting with small ordersWhat minimum order quantities really mean, how to lower them, and why you should always sample before you commit.
- How to write a product spec that gets accurate quotesA specification is what makes a delivery capable of failing. Dimensions with tolerances, materials by grade, colour to a physical reference, packing, and the defect standard with an agreed inspection rule.