Why the UK Maker Matches Gravesend
Custom Pack Studio is within KennedySmith (Press) Ltd, a producer that has been making print and packaging in Scotland since 1997.
When you ask about a finish, a material or a deadline, you are speaking to someone who works the press every day. They do not need to forward the question to an overseas factory and hold out for a response.
UK to UK delivery is fast and reliable in a way an over-the-border order seldom is.
The majority of requests are ready within two to three weeks after you confirm the proof, and after dispatch, our courier network transports to Gravesend addresses in one to two working days.
Set that against that with a standard 8 to 12 week baseline lead time for packaging brought in from the EU or the Far East, before you even factor in a delayed container or a customs hold-up.
If you have got an imminent launch date or event deadline, please tell us at the inquiry stage.
We’ll stay straightforward about whether the timescale works, rather than making a fast turnaround that leaves you down.
Custom packaging for Gravesend firms
The packaging formats we offer fit most products, and each one is manufactured to your measurements and printed with your branding.
The most suitable format is determined by how the product is sold and shipped, so the quickest way to obtain the right answer is to tell our packaging experts what you are packing.
Retail and item packaging
A custom-printed carton handles the selling on the shelf when no one from your team is there to explain the product.
Reverse tuck end boxes are suitable for light retail goods such as cosmetics, supplements and beauty products, while a crash lock base provides more substantial items with a floor that will stay secure in transit.
Each print designs across every panel, covering the inside, so the branding stays on show regardless of how the box ends up sited on a shelf or in a stockroom.
Packaging containers for internet sellers
Gravesend’s online retail brands are shipping constantly.
A bespoke mailer box is frequently the sole tangible touchpoint a customer has with the brand, as there is no shop visit or face-to-face handover to rely on.
Displayed on both the interior and exterior, it protects the product across the courier network while making the unboxing itself a marketing moment. A properly fitted box also cuts down on the damage and returns that a ill-fitting one creates.
A plain tan outer can allow the parcel sent on its way, but it does not reveal the customer anything about who sent it or why it appears as it does.
Create a memorable first impression as soon as your delivery arrives with Custom Pack Studio.
Present and unveiling boxes
Custom gift boxes create a real difference.
A solid box with an convenient closure, foil stamping on the lid, or a velvety coating changes how a product feels before it has even been opened.
It is the key point for jewelry, perfume and speciality food brands, where the packaging is part of what the customer has already paid for.
Foil stamping is the finish that does the best job on a shelf, catching and reflecting the light in a way flat printing never can, while soft-touch coating works more effectively once the box is actually in someone’s hands, as it feels premium the moment they touch it.
Embossing lies between the two, creating a logo that can be visible and tactile, and it is particularly well effective on jewellery and perfume boxes, where the surface itself enhances the presentation.
Sleeves and wallets
Not every branding projects call for a full box reconstruction.
A printed sleeve fits over an existing tray or product, providing your branding without the need to rework the entire pack, making it ideal for a limited promotional run or a time-limited variant.
A wallet style box wraps around flatter products such as cards or cosmetics sets, and printed inserts prevent loose items from sliding inside a larger box during transit.
Sturdy cartons and transport boxes
A foldable carton will not necessarily endure a lengthy courier journey or protect a fragile item.
Corrugated board is designed for this purpose.
We create corrugated cardboard boxes to bespoke pack sizes and produce them in full colour printing, so a Gravesend brand shipping nationwide enjoys added protection and branding woven into one format, far beyond a plain double walled box with a sticker simply slapped on top.
Industries Covered in Gravesend
Gravesend’s portfolio covers beauty and skincare brands, jewellery makers, food producers, corporate offices and e-commerce companies.
Food and drink businesses face the toughest regulations, as product safety in contact with the product is prioritised over all concern of how the box looks.
This is where our BRC Global Packaging certification at High Hygiene level is important, whether you are a small batch bakery or a wholesale supplier. It is the standard that supermarket buyers and independent stores typically expect to see before they will list a new product.
Jewellery brands regularly get greater value from their packaging investment than most other categories.
A rigid box with a tailored insert is often used to contain an item worth considerably more than the box itself, so the presentation needs to reflect that worth.
Cosmetics and perfume brands make use of protective fitments and premium finishes for the same basic reason. The product itself is small, so the box does much of the convincing on a shelf.
Digital commerce and membership-based businesses want a mailer that arrives through the courier network intact.
For many online merchants, the parcel is the only physical point of interaction a customer has with the company.
No minimum order, whatever quantity you want.
The majority of packaging suppliers will supply 50 boxes custom printed with your personal design.
You will frequently be asked to return when you can commit to 500. That is a hefty demand for a Gravesend business evaluating a new product or trying a small batch before it expands.
We don’t apply a minimum requirement in any way.
Request a one sample to assess print quality, 50 boxes for a market stall, or many thousands once a retail listing shows demand. The procedure and pricing structure remain unchanged at every order size.
The unit cost falls as quantity goes up, which is common throughout the packaging industry.
Subsequent orders retain the same artwork and setup, so you are never charged twice for the design work.
We verify pricing and delivery time in writing before production starts, so there is not any difference between the estimate and the invoice amount.
Artistic design support accessible no matter stage you are at
You do not need an in house designer to order bespoke packaging here.
If you have your logo and a rough idea of what you want, that is enough to begin. We will determine the box structure, create the print ready artwork and present you with a proof for approval before anything goes to print.
For a product which does not fit a standard off the shelf format, structural design is included in the price. It is never charged as an extra.
Files provided as a JPEG or screenshot are converted to proper print specification.
Most artwork is supplied without the image resolution or bleed that a box really requires.
Our specialists verifies colour accuracy, resolution and bleed against the press profile before anything goes to production, so the printed result reflects the version you approved.
A design consultation is on offer if you would rather to discuss the options before confirming a specification.
You can use our in-house online creation tool if you wish to design the artwork on your own.
Reusable, sustainably sourced materials
Every container we produce is entirely capable of being recycled and crafted from material bearing FSC and PEFC approval. So it can be followed through an reviewed supply chain right back to a carefully managed forest.
We are moving away from single use plastic and EPS foam throughout the range, replacing them with paper based and eco-friendly alternatives where the format permits. Those materials break down naturally at the end of their life in a way plastic and foam do not.
If a credible sustainability claim is important to you and your clients, we can assist guide you through the various ways your bespoke packaging can have an impact in cutting waste.
Discover Why Gravesend Businesses Pick Custom-Pack Studio as the Preferred Packaging Supplier
1 Production Site from Inception to End
Every box we make is trimmed, printed and finished entirely in-house at our Irvine factory.
The very same team carries out quality checks at each stage, rather than the work being passed between separate subcontractors.
A colour tone that looks right on screen does not necessarily print the same, and the person checking it is the one using the press.
Problems are spotted and resolved before a box reaches dispatch, by the same team that identified the issue in the first place.
Board and ink are also sourced from the very same suppliers order after order, so a colour that matched in your initial proof continues to matches your fifth reorder two years on.
Supported by close to three decades’ worth in the field of print and packaging
Custom Pack Studio was introduced in 2025, yet the factory backing it has a much longer history.
We are part of KennedySmith (Press) Ltd, a well-established print and packaging manufacturer that has operated presses since 1997.
That history gives us excellent relationships with board mills and material suppliers. It also means a team that has already handled many of the issues a new packaging order can create.
It is evident in minor particulars, such as knowing which board’s weight can withstand a courier delivery.
It is also why we can manage a delicate perfume carton and a heavy duty shipping carton in the same seven days, using presses that have been processing both for a number of years.
A personal contact throughout the complete order
You will speak to the same person from your initial contact right through to the finished delivery.
There is transition between your sales team and a separate production department.
They already know your specification, your time limit and what you requested at the proofing stage, so there is no reason to say it again at each stage.
Should a material is on back order or a finish needs reassessing, you will receive a direct update from the person managing your job.
This also means you do not need to explain your order from scratch to a new person partway through production.
You can contact that person directly by phone, e-mail or text, without needing to go through a general enquiries inbox first.
The very same approach, no matter what the number
A one sample and a five thousand unit reorder undergo the same proofing and quality checks before either exits the factory.
No project is rushed simply because the run is brief, and no project is inspected more carefully merely because it is big.
A Gravesend company trialling a new product is given the same standard as one making a reorder for a national retail listing. The process does not change depending on the order size.
This consistency matters more than the discount on a bigger order, because a mismatched batch ends up costing much more to fix than it actually saved in unit price.
Whether it is 50 units for a market test or a few thousand for a retail rollout, the sign-off stage operates similarly every time.
Get a No-Cost Estimate for Personalised Packaging in Gravesend
Call 01294 314 919 or send an email to contact@custompackstudio.co.uk. Tell us what you are packing, approximately how many you need, and how the product is marketed or delivered. We will respond with a written quote and no obligation to order.
Hesitant to go ahead with a full order? Request a physical sample first, at no cost. You can see exactly how the colour appears in normal light and how a soft touch finish feels in your hand, rather than judging from a screen.
Help with design advice is readily available whenever it is needed, there is no minimum order to satisfy, and every box is made around your product, rather than drawn from a shelf of templates.
We manufacture every item in house and ship to Gravesend and throughout the UK from our own factory in Irvine. View our full packaging range or talk to the team directly to get started.
