Guide / Box & packaging styles / Chapter 2.13
Sleeves and slide boxes.
A tray that slides out of a sleeve, like a matchbox, makes opening feel deliberate and a little special. Here's how sleeve and slide boxes work, where they shine and what to watch for.
The short answer
A slide box has two parts: an inner tray or base that holds the product, and an outer sleeve that slides over it. The customer pushes the tray out to open it. A sleeve on its own, also called a belly band, wraps around an existing box to add branding or hold a lid in place. Slide boxes suit chocolates, sweets, jewellery, small gifts and premium products where the reveal matters. We sell paperboard slide-over boxes in 285gsm paperboard, corrugated tray-and-sleeve boxes and rigid drawer-style jewellery boxes.
The main types
Paperboard slide-over boxes
A paperboard base with a matching sleeve that slides over it. Light, neat and easy to brand. Our chocolate boxes include slide-over cover styles in several pack sizes, some with removable inserts to hold each piece in place.
Corrugated tray and sleeve
A self-locking corrugated tray with a sleeve. It's sturdier than paperboard, so it suits slightly heavier products and can give a mailer-style box a more premium opening.
Rigid drawer boxes
A rigid board drawer that slides out of a rigid sleeve, often with a removable insert. These are the most premium version and suit jewellery and small luxury gifts. Our jewellery boxes include rigid drawer styles.
Sleeves and belly bands
A printed band that wraps around a box, a stack of boxes or a product. A sleeve is a simple way to brand plain packaging, add product information or seasonal artwork without reprinting the box underneath.
Which slide box suits what
| Type | Best for | Strength (presentation, not for posting) | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperboard slide-over box | Chocolates, sweets, small gifts | Light | Neat and simple |
| Corrugated tray and sleeve | Gift sets, slightly heavier items | Medium | Sturdy, mailer-style |
| Rigid drawer box | Jewellery, luxury gifts | High | Premium, kept by the customer |
| Printed sleeve on a plain box | Seasonal or product-specific branding | Same as the box underneath | Flexible and lower cost |
Getting the fit right
The tray needs to slide smoothly without falling out. Too tight and the customer struggles to open it. Too loose and the tray slides out in transit. With stock slide boxes, the sleeve and tray are made to fit each other, so the main thing to check is that your product fits the tray, including any insert.
If you're adding your own sleeve to a box, measure the box's outside size and allow for the thickness of the sleeve material.
What it means for you
The same question, answered for where your business is today.
Choose your stage at the top of the page to open the advice for you.
Start-up · under 100 units
Stock slide-over boxes with a sticker on the sleeve look polished without a custom run. They suit markets, gift orders and small batches.
Order a sample and check your product fits the tray with its insert before buying more.
Growing · 100 to 2,499 units
A printed sleeve over a plain base is a smart way to brand several products with one box. Change the sleeve, keep the tray.
Try this: use one base size across a product range, with a different printed sleeve for each product.
Enterprise · 2,500 units and more
Specify the tray, sleeve and insert separately so each part is consistent across runs. Check how they pack into outer cartons for freight.
Test opening by real customers: a sleeve that's too tight frustrates people.
Common mistakes
- 1Posting slide boxes unprotected. Most slide boxes are presentation packaging. Put them in a mailer box or carton for shipping.
- 2A loose tray. If the tray slides out easily, it can open in transit. Add a sticker or band to hold it closed.
- 3Forgetting the insert. Chocolates and small pieces move around without an insert. Choose a box with one, or add tissue.
- 4Ignoring the opening direction. Put branding where the customer starts the slide, so the reveal makes sense.
Slide box questions
What is a slide box?
What's the difference between a sleeve and a slide box?
What are your slide-over boxes made from?
Can I post a slide box?
Can slide boxes be printed?
From our customers
Truffle CoChocolate boxes with slide-over covers and inserts, in smooth white, to present handmade chocolates.
Read their story →Keep reading
Shop slide and drawer boxes
Want a box that opens like a reveal?
Tell us what you're presenting and how many. Our Melbourne team will suggest the right slide box or sleeve, usually within 1 business day.