Playboxes and packaging: the format at the service of the product

The bell format was established for four concrete reasons that the other formats (drawer, book, throat) do not all come together.

Instant access to content The cover is lifted, the whole game is seen at a glance. It is crucial for the installation phase of a part: you immediately identify where cards, pawns, trays, rules are. A drawer box or book requires additional manipulation to access the content.

Presentation of content : with a well-designed hold, the opening of a bell box is a moment of discovery - each component is staged in its place. It is the "wow" effect that is found in the unpacking of an Apple product: the staging of the content is part of the product experience.

Stack strength The bell boxes are stacked in store or on shelf and carry large loads (up to 30 boxes stacked without deformation for a 2 mm carton). This is essential for physical distribution in a game shop or large area.

Controlled series production The production of a bell box has been tried since the 1950s. Machines, glues, tolerances are standardized. Professional printers (including us) master this format with defects of less than 0.5 % in series.

A professional bell box is broken down into four distinct elements, each with its own technical constraints:

1. The bowl (bottom)

This is the bottom part of the box. It consists of four walls (sings) glued or folded on a flat bottom. The height of the walls (the shoulder) must be high enough to fit the lid with stability - typically 30 to 40% of the total height of the box. The carton of the bowl is usually thicker (2 mm) than the one of the lid (1.5 mm) to increase the weight of the contents.

2. The lid (cloche)

The top part of the bowl is the same as the bottom part of the bowl, but it is inverted. The lid must be inserted with a slight pressure - not too tight (not possible to remove) or too loose (below the first handling). The adjustment tolerance is 0.5 to 1 mm between the two pieces.

3. Inside hold

This is the element that transforms a bell box into a professional game. The hold is a cardboard or cut foam structure that houses each component in its place: a location for the card pack, a pit for the pawns, a groove for the folded tray, a compartment for the sandstones or tokens. Without a hold, the contents move, can damage themselves and break the discovery effect.

4. The dressing sheet (gaining)

It is the outer printed layer of the box (and sometimes the inner one) and consists of a thick paper (135 to 200g/m2) printed in offset and then film-coated, which is then hot-glued on the raw carton of the box. It is this layer that carries the visual communication - illustrations, title, brand, legal mentions.

There is no rigid standard of bell box dimensions, but the industry has adjusted around a few formats that correspond to the constraints of transport (European pallets), presentation of store (game shelves) and user use.

For a custom-made business game, we systematically adapt the dimensions to the actual content: if the content (plate folded + cards + pawns) holds in 195 × 110 × 70 mm, we produce a 195 × 110 × 70 mm box - not a 220 × 160 standard with vacuum to fill.

Unlike the bell box that opens from the top (overciver that rises), the drawer box The opening mechanism is a reminder of tea, cigar or match boxes - hence its immediate premium connotation.

The sheath can have one or two openings: at one end (the most common) or at both ends (the rarest, more convenient).The drawer must fit with a slight friction - not too tight (not possible to exit) or too loose (falls at the first handling).

• Professional card games (poker, tarot, magic) - The verticality of the drawer presents the cards packages.
• Premium B2B gift box - For VIP clients, important partners, end-of-year gifts.
• Limited editions and collector - The drawer box immediately reports "special edition".
• Ancient theme games (cigares, science, casino) - The drawer box evokes 19th century objects.
• Multi-game sets - Several independent games in one box with separate drawers.

• Distinctive look - Out of the rectangular standard, memorizable.
• Compactness - Holds in a pocket or bag, easy transport.
• 360° surface - Allows continuous printing without angle, unique graphic appearance.
• Premium Perception - You're talking about whiskey, cigar, luxury.

• Limited capacity - Not suitable for games with many components (folding board + many pawns).
• MOQ (minimum order quantity) high minimum - From 500-1000 units to cushion the manufacturing mould.
• Higher cost - +20 to +40% vs. an equivalent bell box.

• Standard case - Classic upper Rabat. The most common format.
• American case (tuck end) - Rabat with tab that folds inside. Very clean.
• Crash-lock case (self-bottom) - Self-assembly by folding in 1 second. Cosmetic and e-commerce standard.
• Case with cap - Rabat folds all over for secure closure.

• Cost-effective - Unit cost from 0.30 to 1, a budget content according to volume and finishes. Much less than a bell box.
• Compact - Minimal load, transport and storage optimized.
• Total customization - Quad print on 4 visible + interior sides if desired.
• Rapid production - 2-3 weeks for a standard series.

• Limited capacity - Adapted to cards alone or very few accessories (1-2 dice, fine chips).
• Look less premium than a bell box - For a very high-end project, prefer the bell.
• Not suitable for a large number of components - A complete set (plate + cards + pawns + booklet) requires a bell box.

The thermoforming uses a heated plastic sheet and then sucked on an aluminum mould. The sheet blends the shape of the mould, cools, and then is demolished and cut out. Result: a plastic insert with complex shapes perfectly suited to the components to be organized.

Mould initiation cost: 800-300 free depending on complexity. Starting with the second production, this cost is no longer paid.

• millimetric accuracy - Each component has its exact location, no longer moving in transport.
• Transparent or translucent - The player immediately sees the components at the opening, wahou effect.
• Very rigid - Superior mechanical protection for cardboard holds.
• Wipeable - If a component stains, we wipe the insert.
• Sustainability - Holds thousands of manipulations without deformation.

Three limits:

• Carbon footprint - Plastic virgin or recycled. Less green than a recycled cardboard bag.
• High QM - Relevant from 500-1000 boxes to cushion the mould.
• Higher cost - a moderate investment by insert vs 0, a moderate investment for an equivalent cardboard hold.

Ecological Alternative: multi-cavity wedge cardboard, less precise but recyclable according to local line.

1. Final assembly - Boxing all components in the order specified.
2. Cellophane filming - Transparent retractable film around the box. Guarantees integrity to transport.
3. Labelling - Bar code, sorting information, recipient label if fulfillment (unit shipment to end customers).
4. Individual cardboarding - For individual expeditions type Colissimo.
5. Palletisation - For deliveries grouped by truck.

• Cellophane PE recyclable - Transparent standard, recyclable plastic.
• Bio-based cellophane - Ecological alternative based on cellulose, biodegradable. +20% cost.
• Without cellophane - Box delivered naked, scotch inviolability or simple adhesive band. Strong CSR argument. (more about our see our CSR games)
• Cardboard overpack - Individual card per game for robust transport. Standard e-commerce or long distance shipments.

THE packaging A perfectly filmed box, labelled clean, in a suitable carton gives an immediate impression of quality. Conversely, a sloppy packaging can kill the perception of an excellently manufactured game.

For high-end B2B projects, asking for pre-shipment packaging photos is a good reflex.

• Traditional wood horse - French beech, length 18-25 cm, longitudinal slot to insert cards or letters. Classic look.
• Multi-fensed wood horse - Several rows to store in height (complex games).
• Injected plastic horseel - Economic, various shapes, colorful. Standard games youth.
• Custom Horse - Special cut, customer logo marking by screen printing or engraving.

• Letters - Scrabble, Boggle, puns.
• Hidden hand card games - To put his hand in front of himself.
• Educational games - Present flashcards or tiles.
• Strategy games Personal planning table.

Standard wooden hevallets: chain production on wood tower and high-cut. Wood, natural or tinted finish.

Plastic hem: injection moulding requiring a mould (3000-800free of charge, damped from 5000 units).

Minimum realistic MOQ: 200-500 easels wood for customization, 5000+ for custom plastic easements.