Custom Magnetic Box FAQ: Cost, MOQ, Materials, Magnets & Ordering

Yes — a magnetic box is a rigid box that is engineered to collapse and ship flat.

It uses the same 1200–1800 gsm greyboard core and paper wrap as a rigid set-up box, but adds crease lines and embedded magnets so it folds flat for shipping and snaps together at the fulfillment center. Magnetic describes the closure (a front flap with magnets), while book style, two-piece, and drawer describe the opening structure.

Magnetic describes the closure; book style describes the opening structure. They are not mutually exclusive.

A magnetic box has a front flap that folds down and closes with concealed magnets. A book style box has a lid attached at a hinged spine that opens upward like a hardcover. Most book style boxes also add a concealed magnet at the front edge. Compare the opening (front flap vs spine hinge) and the shipping model: magnetic ships flat, book style is pre-assembled.

The MOQ is 50 units per SKU at XC Paperbox — well below the industry standard for rigid-format boxes.

At 50 units we use digital printing, which avoids plate setup costs, so you can test a market, a seasonal launch, or a new product without committing to volume. From 500 units, offset printing becomes more economical per unit. The MOQ applies per SKU, so a 6-SKU line at 50 units each is 300 units total.

Magnetic boxes sit in the rigid price range: roughly USD 6–15 per unit at 50 units and USD 3–8 at 1,000 units, ex-works.

They cost more than a corrugated mailer and less than a hand-built set-up rigid or book style box. Price is driven by size, quantity, board thickness, wrapping paper, printing, finishes, magnets and inserts, and shipping. Every box is custom, so there is no flat list; a tailored quote is provided within 24 hours. Our Custom Rigid Box Cost Guide breaks down each driver.

1200–1800 gsm greyboard wrapped in art paper (128–300 gsm), specialty paper, or textured stock.

The greyboard core is typically 2mm thick, recycled-content by default with FSC-certified options. The wrap is most commonly 157 gsm art paper, which takes CMYK, Pantone, foil, and lamination cleanly. Specialty papers (Curious, Fedrigoni, Gmund) and textured stocks (linen, leather, kraft) add a tactile surface when the paper itself is the statement.

N35 neodymium magnets, embedded flush under the wrap, rated for 5,000+ open/close cycles.

Standard boxes use a single flush-mount N35 magnet. For boxes above 2kg or larger than 300mm, we recommend a double-magnet closure. Magnetic strength can be tuned — a lighter snap for easy opening, or a firmer hold for luxury perception. The closure makes the box reusable as keepsake storage or a refill system.

Flat — collapsible magnetic boxes ship in sleeves and assemble in under 3 seconds with no glue or tape.

This cuts shipping volume roughly 40% versus pre-assembled rigid boxes and reduces warehouse footprint, which is why ecommerce, subscription, and 3PL brands favor the format. If you prefer pre-assembled delivery for retail counter display, we can ship them ready-filled instead. The flat-pack model is the standard for DTC fulfillment.

White sample 5–7 business days; printed sample 7–10 days; production 7–10 days after sample approval.

Total door-to-door is 3–5 weeks for most orders, including sampling, production, and 10–25 days of shipping. Rush production is available on request — we can compress production to 8 business days for an expedite fee. Sample fees range from USD 50 to USD 300 and are credited against your first production order.

Offset CMYK, Pantone spot colors, digital print, metallic inks, and white ink on dark wraps; plus lamination, foil, embossing, and spot UV.

Digital print suits 50–200 unit runs with no plate cost; offset CMYK is recommended from 500 units for photographic artwork. The standard finish is soft-touch lamination. Available finishes include matte or gloss lamination, foil stamping (gold, silver, rose gold, holographic), embossing and debossing, spot UV on matte grounds, and satin ribbon pulls.

EVA foam inserts, card dividers, velvet flocking, fabric inlay, and custom watch pillows.

Inserts position the product, protect it in transit, and present it cleanly at unboxing. EVA foam die-cuts hold watches, earbuds, or bottles in place; card dividers split the box into compartments; velvet flocking and fabric inlay line the interior for jewelry and fragrance. Insert tooling is a one-time fee amortized across the run.

Luxury cosmetics, jewelry and watches, premium electronics, corporate gifting, PR kits, and subscription boxes.

Magnetic boxes are chosen where the unboxing moment is part of the brand story and gets filmed or photographed: cosmetics launches, jewelry and watch presentation, premium electronics, PR and influencer kits, subscription premium tiers, seasonal limited editions, and wedding or event favors. The flat-ship model suits brands fulfilling from a 3PL warehouse.

Yes — both. The greyboard core is recyclable, and the 5,000+ cycle closure makes the box reusable.

The greyboard core is recyclable in standard paper streams once separated from the wrap, finishes, and magnets. Magnets are small enough to pass through most recycling facilities, though removing them gives the cleanest result. Many customers reuse magnetic boxes as keepsake storage, which the closure is engineered to support.

Yes — XC Paperbox holds FSC license A000511 and supplies chain-of-custody documentation.

If your brand makes a sustainability claim on-pack or in marketing, request FSC-certified greyboard and wrap papers at the quoting stage and we include the chain-of-custody documentation in your shipment. Recycled-content and recycled kraft wrap options are also available for eco positioning.

Yes — interior printing is a standard option because the lid opens fully and the inside is visible during unboxing.

We can print full-color artwork, brand storytelling, instructions, or a message inside the lid using offset CMYK, Pantone, or digital print. Soft-touch lamination on the interior is also available for a premium feel. Interior printing adds one production pass and is quoted separately.