The Reason a United Kingdom Producer Supplies Ilkeston
Custom Pack Studio is a part of 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 dealing with someone who works with the press each day. They do not need to pass the question to an overseas factory and wait on a response.
UK to UK delivery is typically speedier and more dependable than an abroad order.
The majority of orders are processed within two to three weeks after you approve the proof, and once sent out, our courier network delivers to Ilkeston addresses in just 1 to 2 working days.
Compare that with the standard eight to twelve 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 delay.
If you have an significant launch date or event deadline, please inform us at the time of your enquiry.
We’ll be straightforward about whether the timeline suits, rather than offering a turnaround that fails to deliver.
Bespoke packaging for Ilkeston firms
Our box sizes encompass a wide range of products, and each one is crafted to your specifications and printed with your brand details.
The format that is best suited depends on how the product is offered and sent, so the most direct way to get to the correct answer is to tell our packaging experts what you are packing.
Retail and Product Packing
A branded carton handles the sale on the shelf when no one from your team is present to explain the product.
Reverse tuck end boxes are suitable for lighter retail goods such as cosmetics, supplements and beauty products, while a crash lock base provides more substantial items with a floor that will not fail in transit.
Each print across every panel, including the inside, so the branding is visible regardless of how the box is positioned on a shelf or in a stockroom.
Packaging boxes for online stores
Ilkeston’s online brands are sending out without interruption.
A bespoke mailer box is typically the only tangible touchpoint a customer has with the brand, as there is no shop visit or face-to-face handover to rely on.
Printed on the inside and out, it safeguards the product across the courier network while helping make the unboxing itself part of your marketing. A well-fitted box also cuts down on the damage and returns caused by one that is poorly sized.
A plain kraft outer will deliver the parcel where it needs to go, but it gives the customer almost nothing about who posted it or why it looks the way it does.
Make a lasting impression from the second it arrives with Custom Pack Studio.
Gift and Gift Cases
Custom gift boxes can make a difference.
A rigid box with a clean closure, foil stamping on the lid, or a velvety coating alters how a product is perceived before it is even opened.
It is indeed the case for jewellery, perfume and boutique food brands, where the packaging constitutes part of what the customer has paid for.
Foil stamping is the surface treatment that stands out most on a shelf, catching the light in a way plain print never can, while soft touch coating performs better once the box is in someone’s hands, as it communicates quality the moment it is touched.
Raised printing falls between the two, placing a logo that can be both felt and seen, and it is particularly effective on jewellery and perfume boxes where the surface itself forms part of the finish.
Sleeves and wallets
Not every branding project calls for a total box rebuild.
A custom-printed sleeve fits over an existing tray or product, adding your logo and branding without the need to revamp the entire pack, which helps make it well suited for a short promotional run or a periodic variant.
A wallet style box folds tidily around flatter products such as cards or cosmetics sets, while printed inserts help stop loose items moving inside a larger box during transit.
Corrugated Containers and Transport Packages
A folding carton will not necessarily withstand a prolonged courier journey or a fragile item by itself.
Corrugated board is made for this purpose.
We make corrugated cardboard boxes to bespoke pack sizes and print them them in full-colour, so a Ilkeston brand shipping nationwide gets added protection and visual branding built into a single format, far beyond a plain double walled box with a sticker stuck on top.
Domains We Specialize In Across Ilkeston
Ilkeston’s portfolio of businesses encompasses beauty and skincare brands, jewellery makers, food producers, corporate offices and e-commerce companies.
F&B businesses deal with the toughest requirements, because product integrity consistently matters more than how the box looks of the box.
That is where our BRC Global Packaging certification at High Hygiene level becomes important, whether you are a small batch bakery or a wholesale supplier. It is the measure that supermarket buyers and independent retailers typically want to see before they will list a new product.
Jewelry labels regularly benefit more from their own packaging spend than most other sectors.
A sturdy box with a tailored insert typically holds an item worth considerably more than the box itself, so the packaging must match that value.
Beauty products and fragrance brands rely on protective fitments and premium finishes for the same reason. The product is small, so the box does the majority of the persuading on a shelf.
Online retail and subscription businesses require a mailer that can survive the courier network undamaged.
For numerous online sellers, the parcel is usually the only tangible contact a customer has with the brand.
There is no minimum order, every quantity is allowed.
Ask many packaging suppliers for 50 boxes branded with your design on them.
You will often be asked to return once you are set to go ahead for 500 or 1,000. For a Ilkeston business trialling a new product or trialling a small batch before scaling, that is a substantial demand.
We do not apply any minimum requirement under any circumstances.
Purchase a single sample to check print quality, fifty boxes for a market stall, or several thousand once a retail listing proves demand. The ordering process and pricing structure stay the same at every quantity.
Unit price decreases as quantity grows, as is common throughout the packaging sector.
Repeat orders use the same artwork and setup, so you are not ever charged twice for the design work.
We set out the pricing and lead time in writing before production begins, so there is no gap between the quotation and what appears on the invoice.
Project support provided whatever stage you are at
You don’t need an internal designer to arrange custom packaging here.
If you have your logo and a rough idea of what you want, that will be enough to begin. Our team will define the box structure, produce the print ready artwork and provide you with a proof for approval before anything goes to print.
For a product that does not suit an off the shelf format, structural design is covered in the cost. It is not charged as an additional charge.
Documents submitted as a JPEG or screenshot are converted to suitable print specification.
The majority of artwork is delivered without the image resolution or bleed that a box truly requires.
Our team reviews colour accuracy, resolution and bleed with reference to the press profile before anything enters production, so that the finished print reflects what you confirmed.
A design consultation is on offer should you choose to discuss the alternatives before committing to a specification.
You can also use our own online creation tool if you would like to make the artwork yourself.
Ethically sourced eco-friendly materials
Every box we make is completely recyclable and manufactured from board carrying FSC and PEFC certification. This means it can be tracked through an audited supply chain to a sustainably managed forest.
We are moving away from single use plastic and EPS foam across the range, replacing them with paper based and compostable alternatives wherever the format permits. Those materials decompose properly at the end of their life in a way plastic and foam do not.
If a trustworthy environmental claim counts to you and your audience, we can assist take you through the range of ways your bespoke packaging can make a difference in reducing waste.
Top Reasons Ilkeston Businesses Go with CPS as Their Trusted Packaging Supplier
An individual plant, from beginning to end
Every box we make is cut, decorated and completed all in one place at our Irvine plant.
A single team monitors quality at every stage, rather than the work being passed from one subcontractor to another.
A colour that looks accurate on screen does not always print the same, and the person inspecting it is the one operating the press.
Problems are identified and resolved before a box reaches dispatch, by the same team that noticed the problem in the beginning.
The board and ink are also sourced from the very same suppliers order after order, so a colour that matched on your initial proof still matches your fifth reorder two years on.
Strengthened by close to 30 years in the print and packaging industry
Custom Pack Studio was launched in 2025, although the factory behind it has a much deeper history.
We are part of the team at KennedySmith (Press) Ltd, a well-established print and packaging manufacturer that has run presses since 1997.
This history gives us solid relationships with board mills and material suppliers. It also means a team that has already tackled many of the issues a new packaging order can create.
That often shows itself in the small details, such as being aware of which board weight can withstand a courier journey.
It is also the reason we can manage a fragile perfume box and a sturdy shipping carton in the same week, using presses that have been handling both for years.
Designated point of contact throughout the purchase
Throughout your first enquiry to the completed delivery, you will be taken care of by the same person throughout.
There is no transfer between your sales department and a different production division.
They already know your specification, your deadline and the request you made at the proofing stage, so there is no requirement to repeat yourself at every point.
If a item is on backorder or a finish option needs rethinking, you will find out first-hand from the member of staff managing your job.
It also means you do not need to explain your order all over again to a different person halfway through production.
You can phone, contact by email or contact that person directly, without the need to go through a general enquiries inbox first.
A very same method, irrespective of the volume
A one sample and a five thousand unit reorder both go through the same proofing and quality checks before either leaves the factory.
Nothing is hurried because the run is short, and nothing receives additional attention because it is large.
A Ilkeston business testing a new product gets the same level as one reordering for a national retail listing. The process remains unchanged irrespective of the order size.
That uniformity matters far more than the saving achieved through a larger order, because a inconsistent run will cost more to correct than it would save in per-unit cost.
Whether it is 50 for test marketing or many thousands for a shop rollout, the proofing sign off operates in the same manner on every occasion.
Request a Complimentary Estimate for Bespoke Packaging in Ilkeston
Please phone 01294 314 919 or email contact@custompackstudio.co.uk. Let us know what you are packing, approximately how many units you require, and how the product is sold or shipped. We will then provide a written quotation with no obligation to place an order.
Not quite to commit to a full purchase? Ask for a physical sample first, at no cost. You will see exactly how the colour shows in natural light and how the soft touch finish feels when held in your hand, rather than relying on a screen.
Design support is available at all times when required, there’s no minimum order, and every box is made around your product, not pulled from a shelf of templates.
We produce every item in-house and ship to Ilkeston and throughout the UK from our own factory in Irvine. Browse our full packaging range or talk to the team directly to get started.
