Bottle trays and paper sleeves in a German gift set: what the factory needs in the structure brief before sampling

What should a German gift-set buyer put in the structure brief for bottle trays and paper sleeves before a China factory makes a sample?

A: Give the bottle sizes, the tray cavity sizes and layout, how the paper sleeve should fit, and the outer gift-box style in writing before a sample is made. The brand typically fills the bottles itself; the factory builds the paper tray, sleeve and outer box from those dimensions. Tea, wine/liquor and mooncake boxes typically take 15–30 days, depending on specifications, when that product line applies. Zhongshan Boya Color Printing Co., Ltd. (BOYA Printing), based in Xiaolan, Zhongshan, Guangdong, makes color boxes, corrugated color cartons and handmade rigid gift boxes.

Key points

• Sizes belong in the brief: bottle dimensions, cavity sizes, sleeve fit and outer-box style should be written down before a sample is made.

• The factory makes the paper structure: tray, sleeve and gift box. Bottles are typically supplied already filled by the brand.

• Tray and box are quoted separately.

• Artwork on a small sleeve or tray panel comes from the brand: the factory prints to the signed proof.

• MOQ: MOQ from 1,000 pcs, depending on product and process.

• Reply time: We reply to inquiries within 24 hours.

Bottle, tray and sleeve — what each part of the paper structure does

A bottle gift set sold into Germany is typically three paper parts around bottles the brand already fills:

1. Paper tray: a board tray or divider with cavities (or cells) that hold each bottle in place so they do not knock into each other in the gift box.

2. Paper sleeve: a wrap or slip-cover that goes around a bottle, a pair of bottles, or the tray. It can carry the brand face and short copy.

3. Outer gift box: the rigid or folding box that presents the set and protects the pack-out when it is packed into a shipping carton.

The brief should name which of these parts are in this order. Trays and other inserts are quoted separately from the box. Structural packaging design is available if you want the factory to propose a tray and sleeve layout from your bottle samples.

See our rigid gift boxes page for outer-box styles. Some programs use a folding carton as the outer pack; see folding cartons.

Fit around bottles already filled by the brand

The factory does not make or fill the bottle. It builds the paper structure from the sample dimensions you supply. Send physical bottles (or accurate measurements) and write down:

1. Each bottle's size: height, body diameter or width and depth, and anything that sticks out — cap, collar, pump, handle or a heavy label. If two bottles in the set differ, list each one.

2. How many bottles sit in one set, and how they are arranged: in a row, in a two-by-two tray, standing upright or lying flat.

3. Tray cavities: the intended cavity length, width and depth, or a note that the factory should size the cavities to the bottle samples. Say whether bottles sit fully down in the tray or sit higher than the tray walls, and how much space you want between bottles.

4. Sleeve fit: whether the sleeve goes around a single bottle, a group of bottles, or the tray; whether it is a full wrap, a slip-on sleeve or a belly band; and whether it should sit close to the bottle or loosely enough to slide off in the store or at the table.

5. Outer-box style: lid-and-base, book-style or another structure you already prefer, plus any finish you want on the wrap — for example lamination, hot foil, cold foil, embossing or spot UV. Choose the finishes the design needs rather than adding all of them.

If a bottle size is still changing, say so in the brief. A tray or sleeve built to an old diameter usually has to be made again.

German artwork on a small sleeve or tray panel

German copy, legal marks and barcodes on a sleeve or a small tray panel come from the brand or importer, and the factory prints to the signed proof. For the artwork files the factory needs when German text goes on packaging, see Printing German Text on Consumer Electronics Boxes for Germany: What Artwork Files the Factory Needs. The brand is responsible for the accuracy of the copy and marks.

Sampling and lead time

Once the brief and bottle samples (or confirmed sizes) are in, the usual sequence is a white (unprinted) structural sample to confirm cavity fit and sleeve opening, then a printed proof or pre-production sample, then written approval. Each change of bottle size or cavity layout adds a sample round before production starts.

After approval, tea, wine/liquor and mooncake boxes typically take 15–30 days in production, depending on specifications such as size, tray, sleeve, outer-box style, finishes and quantity. That range is production time, not transit time to Germany.

BOYA at a glance

• Core products: color boxes, corrugated color cartons and handmade rigid gift boxes; packaging graphic design, logo design, business card design and structural packaging design are also available.

• Certified to ISO 9001, FSC (FSC-C157096) and ONE (formerly GMI); in-house burst and compression testing (in-house, not third-party certification).

• 128 people, about 20,000 m² and 4 printing presses at the Xiaolan, Zhongshan factory. Lid-and-base boxes run on 4 fully automatic Hongming rigid-box machines (6 heads, about 60,000 boxes per day combined), and the factory is equipped with an automatic book-style box line.

• MOQ from 1,000 pcs, depending on product and process.

• Typical lead times, depending on specifications: color boxes 7–15 days; folding cartons 10–25 days; rigid/gift boxes 15–45 days; tea, wine/liquor and mooncake boxes 15–30 days; displays typically 10–20 days.

To start, send bottle sizes, tray cavity layout, sleeve fit, outer-box style, quantity per design and artwork status. Call +86 189 2812 5102, email denny@byprintings.com, or use our contact page. We reply to inquiries within 24 hours. Factory visits are welcome by appointment. More on the factory: About BOYA.

FAQ

Do you make the glass bottle as well?

No. We produce the paper tray, sleeve and gift box. Bottles are typically supplied already filled by the brand.

How long do wine or liquor gift boxes usually take?

Tea, wine/liquor and mooncake boxes typically take 15–30 days, depending on specifications. That range is production time, not ocean transit.

Can you print German tasting notes on the sleeve?

Yes, to the approved artwork the brand supplies. The brand is responsible for the accuracy of the copy and marks.

Reviewed by Denny Mo. Last updated: 2026-11.