A Beginner’s Guide to Custom Cigar Boxes

Last Updated on April 2, 2024 by Packoi Team

But that’s no longer the case. The box packaging of cigars is more important than ever. The right box design can help your cigar brand gain popularity. It’s influential enough to increase your sales and beat the competition.

It’s also a tool that can be used to convey a powerful message.

In this article, you’ll learn more about custom boxes for cigars and how you can design them to help grow your business.

What Are Cigar Boxes?

Don’t confuse a pack of cigars with cigarettes. Cigars are more valuable because they are made of fermented tobacco leaves rolled tightly. If you don’t protect it through box packaging, it could get bent or broken before the customer can enjoy it.

This is why you need custom cigar boxes. The boxes serve as a protective shield to keep the shape and form of the cigar.

But beyond that, cigar boxes are also marketing tools. Creating suitable packaging for cigars will help increase their value. That won’t just help you sell more.

It’ll also improve your brand’s image.

So if you’re making custom cigar boxes, start by understanding what your options are. That way, you can choose the right one that’ll best represent your brand and the value of your cigars.

Types of Cigar Box Materials

One of the important decisions that you have to make is choosing the recyclable material for your custom cigar boxes. Don’t think that it’s a simple thing. The material dramatically influences the first impression that people will have of your cigars.

So if you want to impress them or keep it simple, choose the suitable material that’ll represent your brand and product perfectly.

There are two main types of materials that you can use.

1. Wooden Boxes

If you’re aiming for luxury and elegance, opt to use wood for your cigars. Using wooden custom cigar boxes will increase the value of your brand. With the right material, your brand of cigars can exude class, power, and even dominance.

But beyond these, wooden custom cigar boxes can also be functional. Wood naturally provides warm insulation, and it also keeps cigars fresh.

If you want strength, choose oak as your material. If you want protection, create cedar boxes. Cedar wood contains properties that naturally deter pests.

Sustainability is another benefit of using wood. It’s a renewable source, so it’s more eco-friendly.

2. Cardboard Boxes

Although wooden boxes exude class and luxury, several manufacturers prefer to use cardboard for custom cigar boxes. This is mostly for economic reasons since cardboard is cheaper than wood.

It’s an excellent packaging material for custom cigar boxes.

Cardboard materials are also easily available. It’s very easy to personalize and print on. You can be imaginative with the cardboard box packaging ideas.

Of course, it’ll still have to align with your brand, but it should be fun to print on cardboard packaging. Just make sure you choose a material that’s thick enough to protect the cigars inside. This won’t make your cigars as valuable as when they’re in a wooden box, but you can still make them look classy.

3. Other Box Materials

While wood and cardboard are popular materials, others can be used to create cigar packaging boxes.

You can use metallic boxes. Glass is also a great material because it allows a glimpse of the cigars inside. It can be perfect as a display box. The glass material can be mixed with wood. So if you want cedar boxes with a glass top, that can be arranged.

Choose the material that’ll allow custom cigar boxes to represent your brand image best.

Other Materials Included in a Cigar Box

The outer material used for the custom cigar boxes isn’t the only thing you need to consider. The lining and inner packaging will have to be well thought out. Even if the outer and inner packaging are made of different materials, you still have to tie them together. It should come out as one cohesive look.

So here are some of the materials that you could add to your custom cigar box.

Cellophane Cover

This is specifically for the protection of cigars, It can stay fresh for a long time. Each cigar is wrapped individually with cellophane, so they don’t get wet even if they’re taken out of the box.

This will make it convenient for customers since they can carry it around without worrying that the cigar will be compromised. This will also keep the flavors from mixing inside the custom cigar boxes.

Aluminum Foil Tubes

You can use aluminum foil tubes if you want stronger protection for individual cigars. These would look great if you used wooden cigar boxes. It’ll make your custom cigar boxes look more luxurious and classy.

Although these aluminum tubes are meant to be disposable, they can be reused. This will help customers reduce packaging waste.

Different Cigar Box Styles

Cigar boxes come in different shapes and sizes. You need to choose the right type of box to pack cigars.

It’s not just about making sure that the cigars fit. You should be concerned about the overall look and appeal of the box. You want to have a box that’s both aesthetically beautiful and, at the same time, functional.

To find the right box style, you need to think about two things.

1. Based on Positioning

Cigar boxes are typically sold with 25 to 50 pieces of cigars.

They are put in a bureau-type cigar box. This is an elegant box made of wood. It’s designed to maintain a level of humidity that’ll keep the cigar in good condition. This is important because you can’t finish a huge quantity of cigars at once. You need custom cigar boxes to keep moisture from accumulating and destroying the cigar’s flavor.

The box style that you’ll use will depend on how you want the cigars to look when the customer opens the box.

One option is called 8-9-8. This requires cigar boxes to have three layers in them. The distribution of the cigars per layer is 8-9-8. 

Another option is called the 13 Topper. These cigar boxes only have two layers of cigars. The bottom of the cigar box has 12 pieces, with 13 pieces on top.

2. Based on Purpose

Another way to determine the box style for your cigars is to identify the purpose of the box. Apart from the actual packaging, the box’s design will depend on what the cigars will go through before it reach the customer.

If you have to ship the cigars, you need a sturdy shipping box that’ll keep the product packaging from being damaged. The cigars inside should have the appropriate linings and fillers to ensure the protection of the products as well as to keep humidity from destroying the cigars.

Some boxes are meant for display. It’s ideal for creating a box with windows. That way, the customer can immediately see what’s inside. It should also be easily opened, and the cigars can be taken out without issue. That way, the customer can thoroughly check the cigars before they buy them.

4 Design Styles for Custom Cigar Boxes

At this point, you should have an idea of what box style and materials you’ll use for custom cigar boxes. The next step requires you to unleash your creative side so you can figure out the best design for your custom cigar boxes.

To give you ideas, here are four common design styles that you can start with.

1. Minimalist Cigar Boxes

There’s greatness in having less. So if you want your brand to be known for its clean lines and simple design, choose to be minimalistic with your cigar packaging.

This is a great option for custom cigar box wholesale orders. Whether you choose wooden or cardboard boxes, they won’t take long to create because there’s hardly any design.

If you’re unsure about the design elements, you can stick to the colors and fonts used by your brand.

2. Textured Cigar Boxes

You can make your cigar boxes a sensational experience by stimulating the sense of touch. Use embossed designs.

If you have wooden boxes, you can engrave your brand logo on the surface. Such boxes would look elegant and classy. It’ll make your cigars look incredibly valuable.

It might even encourage customers to reuse the box for other purposes. With your brand there, that’ll give you free advertising.

3. Innovative Cigar Boxes

You can have fun with the design of your product packaging by being innovative with its design. Choose a unique shape for the box. Pick a design that tells a story.

Create eye-catching designs that’ll delight customers and entertain them while they use your products.

Admittedly, this would be easier to do with cardboard boxes. But with the right shape and graphics, you can achieve the vision that you have for your wholesale cigar boxes.

4. Vintage Cigar Boxes

This is a style that never gets old. You can combine traditional designs with modern materials to create seemingly old cigar boxes that are quite functional. Make the customers feel like they’re stepping back in time.

Give them a sense of nostalgia when they look at your custom cigar box. Use muted shades and whites on the surface of the box.

What’s great about this design approach is that it becomes timeless in your customers’ eyes.

5 Tips for Custom Cigar Boxes

As you round up your plans for your cigar packaging design, it’s important to remember that this isn’t just about creating a box to hold and protect your cigars wonderfully. 

It’s also about brand representation. It’s about meeting the expectations of your customers. It’s also about marketing your products so you can increase sales and grow your business.

The design of your wooden or cardboard boxes should be able to do all these things.

How can you customize your cigar boxes to meet all these functions? Here are some tips that you can use:

1. Design for Your Brand

If you’re creating any custom-printed packaging, the best place to start is by considering your brand. You have to incorporate your brand into the design of your custom cigar boxes. That way, the box can advertise your brand long after the cigars have been used by the customer.

Try to use the same elements so your customers can easily recognize your brand, even from afar.

2. Use Materials

The materials of your custom cigar boxes play a role in creating value for your products.

So if you want to be known as a luxury cigar brand, you should use top-of-the-line materials that come from reputable sources. If you want to be considered a green company, get your materials from eco-friendly sources.

Of course, you also want to get materials that can help custom cigar boxes protect the integrity of your products. Do your research to ensure that you’re using suitable materials for your cigars.

3. Choose Colors

The color of your custom cigar boxes will depend on your brand and the material that you’ll use.

If you’re using wooden boxes, it’s better to stick to the natural color of the wood. Just add some varnish or coating to make it look smooth and elegant. But if you’re using cardboard for your custom cigar box, then using other colors would make sense.

You can choose to stick to the brand colors or be more adventurous. Just make sure you’re sticking to the typical preferences of your customers. After all, it’s their taste that you have to attract.

4. Pick Typography

The font styles that you’ll use should be clear and easy to read. Remember, you have to make your custom cigar box informative as well. So you want your customers to be able to see the details printed on the cigar boxes.

If you’re not sure what font to use, you can stick to your brand’s typography. In case your brand font isn’t easily readable, you can choose a simpler version, as long as the similarities are evident.

5. Adhere to Industry Standards

Your DIY cigar boxes should also meet industry standards. Being a product that people can easily get addicted to, many rules and regulations surround the sale of cigars.

You have to make sure that your custom cigar boxes adhere to all these regulations so you can avoid problems in the future.

Don’t let ignorance compromise your ability to distribute your products. Do your research and ensure compliance with each rule.

Ready to Design Boxes for Cigars with Packoi Printing！

Putting together the right design for cigar packaging boxes is easy if you know the guidelines and the options that are available to you. Do your research and have a firm idea of your vision for your cigar brand. We will provide an eco-friendly packaging solution for you.

If you’re unsure about how to proceed, you can always get the help of an expert.

We at Packoi Printing have been in the business of creating product packaging for several industries. Custom boxes now, we can help you create a personalized cigar box that can make your brand stand out.

Give us a call so we can discuss your ideas. We’ll get back to you with a fair quote as soon as possible.