DHP Boxes at London Packaging Week: Custom Packaging Box Trends & Design Insights
London Packaging Week has established itself as one of the most important dates on the global packaging calendar. Held every year at ExCeL London, the show brings together brand owners, designers, material suppliers and packaging manufacturers from across beauty, fashion, drinks, food and consumer goods. This year, the DHP Boxes team was proud to be on the exhibition floor, meeting buyers, sharing our custom packaging box expertise and listening closely to what brands really want from their packaging partners. In this article, we share the key trends, design ideas and industry insights we took away from the event.
Why London Packaging Week Matters to the Packaging Industry
For more than fifteen years, London Packaging Week has grown alongside the industry it serves, evolving with the needs of brands, designers and suppliers that shape what packaging becomes next. It is a place where thousands of packaging professionals come together in London with a single shared goal: to create packaging that performs better, looks better and connects more meaningfully with consumers.
What gives the show its momentum is not just its scale, but its mindset. Open conversations, fresh thinking and a willingness to challenge what has been done before all happen in one room. As a custom packaging boxes manufacturer, DHP Boxes sees the event as an essential opportunity to discover new partners, breakthrough materials and the ideas that turn packaging innovation into action.
London Packaging Week at a Glance: Four Show Zones Under One Roof
One of the things that makes London Packaging Week so valuable is its structure. Rather than a single sprawling hall, the event is organised into four dedicated zones, each focused on a specific packaging discipline:
- PCD — packaging for perfume, cosmetics and personal care, connecting beauty brands with creative and sustainable solutions.
- PLD — premium luxury drinks packaging, from bottles and labels to closures, materials and decoration.
- Food & Consumer Pack — packaging for FMCG that balances performance, sustainability, convenience and brand impact.
- Packaging Première — premium packaging for luxury brands, from refined materials and finishes to innovative formats.
Alongside the exhibition floor, the London Packaging Week Innovation Awards spotlight the most forward-thinking packaging innovations across the UK industry, celebrating technical and creative excellence in luxury packaging, beauty, beverages, food and sustainability.
DHP Boxes on the Exhibition Floor
For DHP Boxes, the show was a chance to present our full custom packaging box capability in person. Our stand showcased a curated selection of luxury gift boxes, custom rigid boxes, wine boxes, cosmetic boxes, jewellery boxes, perfume packaging and cigarette packaging, giving visitors a hands-on feel for the materials, finishes and structures we manufacture.
Throughout the event, our team met with brand owners, packaging buyers and designers from across Europe and beyond. These conversations confirmed a consistent theme: brands want packaging partners who can combine quality craftsmanship with flexibility, competitive lead times and genuine design support. That is exactly the service we deliver at DHP Boxes.
Custom Packaging Box Trends That Stood Out
Several clear custom packaging box trends emerged across the show. First, premiumisation remains a dominant force: brands across every category are trading up to rigid boxes and tactile finishes that make a product feel more valuable before it is even opened. Second, personalisation is no longer a novelty — low-run customisation and variable print are now expected as standard.
Third, we noticed a strong shift toward a refined minimalism. Clean layouts, confident typography and a single signature finish are replacing busy, overly decorated designs. The result is packaging that feels premium, modern and instantly recognisable on shelf.
Luxury Gift Box Design: Materials, Finishes and Unboxing
Luxury gift box design was a recurring talking point. Visitors were particularly interested in how the right combination of materials and finishes can elevate the unboxing experience. Rigid board with a soft-touch or linen finish, paired with foil stamping, embossing or debossing, consistently produced the most memorable first impressions.
At DHP Boxes, we guide clients through every element of this journey — from selecting the right paper and board, to adding magnetic closures, ribbon pulls and custom inserts that hold products securely while enhancing the reveal. A well-designed luxury box does more than protect; it turns the moment of opening into part of the brand story.
Sustainable Packaging: The Shift Toward Greener Boxes
Sustainability was impossible to ignore this year. Brands are actively seeking recyclable packaging, FSC-certified materials, mono-material constructions and reduced reliance on plastic. The conversation has matured from simply swapping materials to designing for end-of-life from the very beginning.
Our takeaway: sustainability and premium quality are no longer in conflict. Recyclable rigid boxes, water-based inks and plastic-free lamination now deliver a high-end look without the environmental cost. DHP Boxes continues to expand its eco-friendly packaging options so brands can meet their sustainability goals without compromising on design.
Beauty, Perfume and Cosmetic Packaging Trends
The PCD zone reinforced how much beauty and fragrance brands value structural elegance. Perfume boxes with precision-cut inserts, soft-touch coatings and delicate metallic accents were everywhere. The trend is toward packaging that feels as refined as the product inside, with a strong emphasis on custom structural design rather than off-the-shelf solutions.
As a manufacturer of custom perfume and cosmetic packaging boxes, DHP Boxes specialises in the intricate, hand-finished structures that machines cannot easily replicate — from bespoke die-cut shapes to perfectly aligned inserts and closures.
Luxury Drinks and Wine Packaging Inspiration
Across the PLD zone, luxury drinks packaging continued to push boundaries. Rigid wine boxes, bottle gift sets and premium closures stood out for their craftsmanship and storytelling. Many brands are moving beyond simple presentation cases toward layered experiences that open to reveal the bottle with ceremony.
Our custom wine boxes and alcohol packaging boxes are built for exactly this purpose — combining structural strength with decorative finishes that reflect the heritage and character of each brand. Whether for a single bottle or a multi-bottle gift set, the packaging becomes a meaningful part of the gift.
Structural and Print Innovation We Noticed
Beyond materials, we saw genuine innovation in structure and print. Magnetic rigid boxes with hidden compartments, collapsible premium formats that reduce shipping volume, and layered foiling with tactile raised effects were among the most impressive developments on display. Digital embellishment is also making high-end finishes more accessible to smaller production runs.
These techniques align closely with what we offer at DHP Boxes. Our in-house capabilities cover everything from die-cut structures and magnetic closures to hot-foil stamping, embossing, debossing and custom insert design, so brands can bring ambitious packaging concepts to life in a single, reliable manufacturing partner.
What These Trends Mean for Your Brand
So what should brands take away from this year's London Packaging Week? A few practical lessons stand out. Invest in tactile quality, because touch still sells. Design for sustainability from the start rather than as an afterthought. And choose a packaging partner who can support both creative ambition and reliable production at scale.
Prioritise Tactile Finish
Soft-touch, linen and embossed surfaces create perceived value before the product is even opened.
Build Sustainability In
Recyclable, FSC-certified and plastic-free materials now deliver premium results without compromise.
Design the Unboxing
Magnetic closures, ribbon pulls and custom inserts turn a simple opening into a memorable brand moment.
Partner for Flexibility
Work with a manufacturer that supports custom structures, low minimums and fast sampling.
Partner with DHP Boxes for Your Next Custom Packaging Project
London Packaging Week reminded us why we do what we do. Great packaging is the meeting point of protection, presentation and brand storytelling, and we are proud to help brands achieve all three. If you are planning a new product launch, refreshing your luxury gift box range, or exploring sustainable packaging options, our team would love to hear from you.
From custom rigid boxes and wine boxes to perfume, cosmetic and jewellery packaging, DHP Boxes delivers premium, handcrafted packaging solutions with the flexibility and support modern brands need. Get in touch with our team to discuss your requirements or request a sample.
