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Made to Order · Since 1971

Leather Slip-Lid Boxes

Slip-lid boxes in leather, made to your dimensions and your logo. Hide thickness varies across a panel, which makes a slip-lid fit in leather less predictable than in leatherette. We cut lid and base from the same hide and set the fit on the sample rather than calculating it.

Leather Slip-Lid Boxes made to order by Chung Ngai, Hong Kong
Hand assembly at the bench

What this construction is

A slip-lid box is two separate pieces: a base and a lid that slides down over it. There is no hinge and nothing to break, and the lid can be lifted straight off so the piece is seen with nothing behind it.

Leather on this construction, specifically

Hide thickness varies across a panel, which makes a slip-lid fit in leather less predictable than in leatherette. We cut lid and base from the same hide and set the fit on the sample rather than calculating it.

Getting the fit right

The fit between lid and base is the whole specification. Too tight and the customer struggles; too loose and the lid comes off in a bag. The tolerance is small and it changes with the thickness of the covering, which is why it is set on a physical sample rather than on a drawing.

The mistake to avoid

Wrapping a slip-lid in a thick material without adjusting the base is the standard error. The lid then will not go down, and the fix is a new die rather than an adjustment.

Where it is used

Posted goods, premium presentation and anywhere the box has to look the same from every side. It is also the construction that stacks best in storage.

Why leather

Real leather has variation in it — a slight difference in grain and in depth of colour from hide to hide. That is the point of it, and it is also the thing to decide before you commit to a house box.

Putting your logo on leather

Leather holds a deep blind deboss beautifully and takes foil well, though foil on a heavily grained hide will break slightly along the grain — usually read as character rather than fault.

Cutting the interior in leather

Leather is wrapped over a rigid shell. The shell defines the geometry; the leather gives the surface.

Keep out of direct sun. A leather conditioner once a year on a display piece; nothing at all on a box that ships.

What we need from you

What we needWhy
Piece dimensionsSets the interior
Leather colourMatched to a Pantone reference or a swatch
Logo artworkVector gives the cleanest die or screen
Leather on this constructionHide thickness varies across a panel, which makes a slip-lid fit in leather less predictable than in leatherette.

Frequently asked questions

Is leather a good choice for a slip-lid box?

Hide thickness varies across a panel, which makes a slip-lid fit in leather less predictable than in leatherette. We cut lid and base from the same hide and set the fit on the sample rather than calculating it.

How does leather wear on this construction?

Keep out of direct sun. A leather conditioner once a year on a display piece; nothing at all on a box that ships.

Can it be made in our colour?

Yes — the leather is matched to a Pantone reference or a physical swatch, and confirmed on a sample.

What logo methods suit leather?

Leather holds a deep blind deboss beautifully and takes foil well, though foil on a heavily grained hide will break slightly along the grain — usually read as character rather than fault.

Can I see it before ordering?

Yes. A physical pre-production sample is made to your specification and the bulk run is held to the sample you approve.

Make your slip-lid boxes

Tell us the piece, your brand and the quantity you have in mind. We’ll send photos of our work and one clear, all-in quote.