The production process of gift boxes is significantly more complex than that of simple folding cartons. The typical process for folding cartons involves printing, surface finishing (such as foil stamping, lamination, spot UV coating, embossing), die-cutting, folding and gluing, inspection, and finally packaging. In contrast, the production process for gift boxes includes:
1. **Printing**: Starting with the design specifications provided by the client, the initial step is to print the designs on the chosen material.
2. **Surface Finishing**: After printing, various decorative processes are applied, including but not limited to:
- Reverse printing
- Lamination (gloss, matte, tactile, scratch-resistant, etc.)
- Foil stamping (gold, red gold, colored foils, silver, holographic, etc.)
- Spot UV coating or screen printing inks
- Special seven-color powder application
- Embossing
- Texturing, among others.
3. **Outer Material Die-Cutting**: The outer wrapping material is then cut according to the design using a die-cutting machine.
4. **Greyboard Die-Cutting**: Similarly, the greyboard (recycled paperboard) used for the structure of the box is also die-cut.
5. **Greyboard Grooving**: Grooves are cut into the greyboard to facilitate folding. These V-shaped cuts are usually 1-4mm deep, leaving about 0.25mm uncut to ensure precise folding angles like 90 degrees or 120 degrees.
6. **Greyboard Forming**: The grooved greyboard is then shaped into the desired form.
7. **Mounting**: The printed and finished outer material is glued onto the formed greyboard structure.
8. **Assembly**: All parts of the box are assembled together.
9. **Inspection**: Quality checks are performed to ensure all components meet the required standards.
10. **Packaging**: Finally, the completed boxes are packed for shipping.
For daily high-end gift boxes, paper is commonly used as the outer material due to its adaptability to various finishing processes. Key considerations include:
- **Paper Selection**: Choosing between coated paper, art paper, or pearlescent paper based on the design requirements and intended visual effects.
- **Thickness Consideration**: Ensuring the paper is neither too thick to cause wrinkling during mounting nor too thin to prevent embossing effects from showing properly.
- **Surface Decoration**: Selecting appropriate surface treatments to achieve the desired aesthetic effect.
Choosing the right greyboard is crucial for ensuring the structural integrity and appearance of the gift box. Greyboards come in different types (single grey, double grey, full grey, high gloss) and thicknesses, selected based on the product's size and flatness requirements.
Die-cutting and grooving are critical steps that require high precision to avoid affecting the quality of subsequent processes. Mounting ensures the outer material adheres perfectly to the greyboard, enhancing both aesthetics and value. Unlike standard boxes, gift boxes are typically die-cut before mounting to maintain cleanliness and achieve a seamless look, often requiring meticulous handwork for complex designs. This careful craftsmanship results in a beautifully finished product that can be considered an artwork in itself.