Style and dimension references are as published by US packaging suppliers (Mid-Atlantic Packaging, Superior Gift Wrap, Creative Carding, ActionPKG, Alya Packaging, BoxIt, NAPCO — checked October 2026); they describe those suppliers' stock ranges and are quoted for orientation, not as ELAPACK specifications. Order terms — MOQ 200 pieces, 15–20 day production, custom sample USD 25 plus USD 20 shipping in 3–5 days, cutting-die tooling USD 50–100 where required — are ELAPACK's confirmed trade terms.
Quick answer: the card is the standard (3-3/8 × 2-1/8 in, the credit-card size), so every style decision is about the unboxing — pop-up for theatre, slider or folder for slim retail, lid-and-base or ribbon-tie for gifting. For holiday programmes, work the Q4 maths backwards from your shelf date: production is 15–20 days plus transit.
Key facts at a glance
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum order | 200 pieces per design, all box lines | ELAPACK confirmed terms |
| Production lead time | 15–20 days at 200–20,000 pieces | ELAPACK confirmed terms |
| Custom sample | USD 25 plus USD 20 shipping, 3–5 days | ELAPACK confirmed terms |
| Cutting-die tooling | USD 50–100 where a new die is required | ELAPACK confirmed terms |
| Standard card size | 3-3/8 × 2-1/8 in (credit-card standard) | As published, Mid-Atlantic Packaging |
Sleeve, envelope, holder, box
Gift-card buyers name the format they need — sleeve, envelope, holder or box — and they are separate line items in one brief, bought in different quantities and materials. Christmas runs register as their own seasonal line and are ordered months ahead. The occasion set is broad — birthdays, weddings, graduations, employee appreciation (as published on midatlanticpackaging.com).
The format is the line item — sleeve, envelope, holder and box belong on one brief, not one order.
Start from the card: one standard, every style
Every style fits the same card: 3-3/8 × 2-1/8 inches, the credit-card (ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1) standard, which also covers business cards of the same cut. Published closed dimensions around that standard: a pop-up gift card folder at 5 × 3-3/8 × 3/16 in closed (midatlanticpackaging.com), and a pop-up gift card box at 4-5/8 × 3-3/8 × 5/8 in holding up to six cards (superiorgiftwrap.com). Those are stock-product references — your own programme sizes from the card outward, adding insert thickness and the number of cards per box to the closed height.
| Style | Published structure | What it is bought for |
|---|---|---|
| Pop-up | Built-in insert lifts the card as the box opens (midatlanticpackaging.com); To/From/Amount fields printed on inserts (creativecarding.com) | Unboxing theatre at POS and gifting |
| Folder / sleeve | Slim flat closure, e.g. 5 × 3-3/8 × 3/16 in closed | Slim retail, mailers, card sleeves |
| Slider | Sliding-lid drawer construction (alyapackaging.com) | Reusable keepsake slider |
| Lid-and-base / magnetic | Lift-off and magnetic-lid variants with card or foam inserts (alyapackaging.com) | Premium gifting and sets |
| Ribbon-tie | Tied bow as the closure and presentation, 50-count packs as published (midatlanticpackaging.com) | Wedding and occasion gifting |
| Pull-ribbon | Ribbon-pull opening format (napco.com) | Novelty reveal |
Structure rows are published observations of US suppliers' stock ranges; ELAPACK quotes gift card box constructions to order — style feasibility and insert details are confirmed on the quotation, and unconfirmed construction details are deliberately not promised here.
Pick the moment, not the box: the opening experience the recipient has is the entire style decision.
Inserts: what holds the card
Published insert options run from the built-in pop-up platform, through die-cut card slots, to foam padding that stops cards sliding in transit (boxitpackages.com, actionpkg.com, midatlanticpackaging.com). Card capacity is a real specification — one supplier's pop-up box holds up to six cards (superiorgiftwrap.com) — so state cards-per-box in the brief if the pack is a multi-card set. Printing belongs on the insert as much as the wrap: To/From/Amount fields are a published standard feature of pop-up inserts (creativecarding.com), and they turn the box into the greeting card. Finish options on the box itself are the luxury set — foil stamping for logo and metallics, with the full finish comparison in the surface finishes guide.
The Q4 timeline, worked backwards
Holiday gift-card programmes fail on dates, not design. With production at 15–20 days once artwork and the pre-production sample are approved, a shelf date in the first week of December needs the order placed with artwork ready by early-to-mid November — earlier if sea freight is involved, later for air. The sample route (custom sample USD 25 plus USD 20 shipping, 3–5 days) is the place to lock the pop-up action and insert fit before tooling; where a new cutting die is required it is quoted at USD 50–100. The same backwards maths, with seasonal wording swapped, runs the Valentine's window — see the Valentine's packaging timeline for that worked calendar.
Set the shelf date first and let it set the order date — Q4 lead times do not bend for late artwork.
What to put in your enquiry
A gift card box brief a factory can quote first time carries: the style and construction (or a reference to the table above as a starting point); cards-per-box and card size confirmation; the insert type — pop-up platform, die-cut slot or cushioned; printed fields on the insert if wanted; quantity against the 200-piece minimum; artwork in vector with Pantone references; and the need-by date so production and freight can be planned to it. Adjacent formats for the same programme: the magnetic closure gift box for premium sets, the ribbon gift box for occasion gifting, and the parent custom gift boxes and boxes collection pages for the wider range. Specification-sheet fields are covered in the spec sheet guide.
The bottom line
One card standard, six working styles, and a Q4 clock: choose the opening moment, size from the card outward, and order against the holiday maths. Contact ELAPACK with the style, quantity, artwork and need-by date, and the quotation will state the construction, insert and tooling that apply to your gift card programme.