The continuous expansion of the luxury goods market (it is expected that China will account for 35%-40% of the global market share by 2030) has promoted the upgrading of packaging from a protective function to a carrier of brand value. The design of luxury packaging boxes in 2025 is facing dual requirements: it must convey a high-end positioning through sensory experience and respond to environmental demands through sustainable innovation. This “unity of contradictions” has given birth to three major design trends, providing a clear direction for customized gift box packaging.
The technological reconstruction of tactile experience. Consumers’ expectations for the tactile feel of luxury packaging have shifted from “precious metal texture” to “unique memory points”. Through printing process innovation, sustainable materials are achieving breakthroughs in high-end texture. The micro-embossing technology developed by the WestRock design team can form texture changes with a precision of 0.1mm on the surface of recycled paper, simulating complex tactile sensations such as crocodile skin and silk. Combined with temperature-sensitive color-changing coatings, the packaging box presents a gradient effect when touched. This combination of “technology + process” has become the mainstream design language in 2025. The gift boxes designed by RISUN-PRINT for watch brands achieve a cool touch similar to metal through multi-layer paper composite, while maintaining the environmental attribute of all paper materials.
The visual expression of sustainability. The concept of environmental protection is no longer an implicit requirement but a brand value that needs to be actively conveyed. Luxury packaging boxes have begun to intuitively display their sustainable attributes through structural design—for example, adopting a detachable modular structure to allow consumers to clearly see the natural state of the materials; or using seed paper to make the inner lining of the gift box, so that consumers can plant it and make it germinate, forming an emotional connection. In the gift box design for a high-end jewelry brand, RISUN-PRINT used laser engraving instead of traditional gold stamping, forming patterns through the color difference of the wood itself. This not only reduces the use of chemical substances but also highlights the natural beauty of the material. This “subtraction design” has been recognized by environmental protection awards.
The scenario-based integration of smart elements. Luxury consumers’ pursuit of “experience premium” (42% are willing to pay for experience) has promoted the integration of smart technology and packaging, but the application needs to be restrained and in line with scenarios. Different from the complex interactions in the mass market, the smart elements of luxury packaging focus more on “invisible services”—such as built-in NFC chips to realize authenticity verification, but there are no traces of technology in the appearance; or using temperature-sensitive ink to reveal hidden information about the brand story under the temperature of hands. The smart gift boxes developed by RISUN-PRINT for champagne brands can light up the built-in miniature LED light strips by gently touching the box surface. The soft light highlights the texture of the product, and at the same time, the energy consumption of the light strips is extremely low, which does not affect the recyclability of the packaging.
