Manufacturing Cost of Rigid Boxes & Tips to Reduce It

Rigid boxes demand no recognition — it’s the only, all-in-one solution when it comes to luxury packaging. From delicate jewelry products to high-value watches, these boxes are the perfect choice. Unfortunately, the cost of these boxes is something that deters struggling brands from opting for their products.

We understand this concern deeply and therefore, are offering you a list of options to minimise your cost. Continue reading, as you’re going to uncover something special that can make your brand thrive for less.

Factors That Contribute Most to the Rigid Boxes

Before we discuss the ways to reduce the cost, let's first discuss the actual cost factors of the rigid boxes. So, this starts with the:

Materials

A box is material and vice versa. The main ingredient of rigid boxes is one of the major cost contributing factors that determines the final monetary value. Within the material, there are a lot of aspects that influence the cost-related concerns. Its thickness, finish, and more directly influence the costs.

Design Complexity

Secondly, the more you demand from a rigid box, its production cost will be. For instance, custom add-ons, handles, and inserts increase the overall cost. To cope with this, you have to make minimal design-related demands.

Manufacturing Methods

Although most of the boxes are manufactured via machine processing, some also demand manual labor and craft work. This increases the cost as more resources are required. That’s why the production method either contributes to the budget of the box making or saves your costs.

Volume of Production

If you order in smaller quantities for custom rigid boxes, the cost will rise dramatically. It’s strange but true. The reason behind it is simple: the same number of resources is required to make a bunch of boxes. Thereby, the cost automatically rises up and you may complain that rigid boxes are very expensive and your brand can’t afford them.

Logistics

Similar to production, logistics can make or break your budget. Foldable rigid boxes take up less space compared to non-foldable ones and thereby increase the costs of shipping. This factor becomes more complex, especially when you’re ordering the bulk packaging from different continents.

Effective Ways to Reduce the Cost of Rigid Boxes

So far, you’ve explored the factors that increase the rigid box costs, but how to minimise them the best way possible. Don’t worry, we understand your concerns, and below are some of the ways to reduce them, such as:

Material Selection

When you have the option to choose from material quality, choose the one that is most durable but affordable as well, rather than going for the one that is too expensive and will strain your budget. This may not make a significant difference at the start, but it will surely contribute to the budget.

Minimalistic Box Design

As we’ve discussed earlier, the cost of the box is influenced by the box’s design; its reverse is beneficial for you. When you opt for the simple rigid box that still appeals beautifully, you’ll save a significant budget on it.

Increase Order Volume

Again, since lower volume increases the production cost, increasing your order size will reduce it accordingly. It’s the best way to optimise resources as it gives the maximum output with the same input levels.

Reduce Production Complexity

Your custom boxes order should be clear and concise so that you can easily communicate with the vendor. Even if you have to change your manufacturer, you just hand over the instructions to them, and they start working on it. Because standard guidelines will eliminate the hassle of re-explaining the same aspect over and over, reducing time and mental energy.

The Bottom Line

All in all, the cost of the rigid boxes production is influenced by your custom requirements, and the ideal way to reduce it is by making the box simple but practical. Sometimes businesses try to reduce the cost but silently compromise on the packaging quality; it’s a red flag for their brand identity.

Because the buyers get a bad impression of this practice, and may eventually remove your product from their lists. So, it’s better to balance the design and style without going too high or too low on the budget side.