How to Create a Patterned Cardboard Gift Box

Here’s an easy way to create beautiful, patterned gift boxes from cardboard! Try personalizing the box to match the gift or reflect the recipient’s interests—they might even prefer the box to the gift! Each gift box consists of an inner and an outer layer, allowing you to play with two contrasting colors that really bring the pattern to life.

Materials You Will Need

1. Cardboard Paper: Choose a color, thickness, and texture that suits your theme. Recommended thickness is between 160g and 250g.
2. Cutting Tool: A laser cutter is ideal, but you can also use a craft knife if you have a steady hand. I'm using an Ortur LM2 Pro S2 10W laser.
3. Adhesive: Use glue or double-sided sticky tape.
4. Box Generator Tool: Access the site below to create your box template.
5. Template Maker

You will need to create two templates, an outer box where you will add your patterned design and an inner box that will slide into the outer one.

Outer Box

1. Visit the Template Maker website. Template Maker
2. Select the type of box you want to make.
3. Enter the dimensions of your box.
4. Choose the export format for your box template. For laser cutting, I recommend using the ‘Perforated SVG’ format. The Perforated SVG will create a file that makes perforated cuts along the folding lines, making it easy to construct your box. If using a craft knife, select PDF or PNG.
5. Download your chosen box design.

Inner Box

1. Generate a slightly smaller version of the outer box using a different color of cardboard to enhance the design. For the examples shown here, I reduced all the outer box dimensions by 1mm.
2. Sizing Example: For the hexagonal box shown here, the outer box the base diameter is 70 mm and the height 80 mm. The inner box dimensions are reduced by 1 mm to give a base diameter of 69 mm and a height of 79 mm. In the image of the hexagonal box template I have overlaid the inner (red lines) and outer boxes (blue lines) to show the difference in size.

Now comes the personalization step!

1. Add a unique pattern to your box by creating one in your laser software or searching online.
2. To find a suitable image, type your subject followed by “SVG” or “silhouette” in a search engine.
3. For example, for a bee-themed box, search for “honeycomb silhouette.”
4. Save the image to your computer. If it isn’t in SVG format, convert it using an online converter like Picsvg.
5. Upload your image, adjust effects as needed, and download the SVG file.

1. Set Up Your Laser Software: Open your laser software (e.g., LightBurn).
2. Import your box outline (File > Import) and the pattern design.
3. Position the pattern design over the box outline on the workspace.
4. Prepare the Laser Bed: Place your cardboard on the laser bed, aligning it with your design in the software.
5. Adjust Laser Settings:
6. Select the layer assigned to the design. Although the cutting speeds and powers are the same for cutting outout the box template and the patterns, I personally prefer to assign them different layers for clarity. I just use the same settings for both.
7. Set the laser speed and power. Recommended settings (10W laser): speed at 750 mm/min and power at 100%.

I have added the laser software file (Lightburn) I used to cut the hexagonal box and pillow pack box.

1. Once the cutting is complete, carefully remove the pieces from the laser bed.
2. Fold along the lines to shape the boxes.
3. Apply glue or double-sided tape to the tabs.
4. Assemble the outer box first, then insert the inner box.

Add the gift or just give them the box. Here is an example of a 3D printed honey dipper gift that fits perfectly into a patterned honeycomb gift box.