Industry Overview
In recent years, driven by rising household consumption capacity, evolving consumption concepts, the booming e-commerce sector and expanding online consumption scenarios, China’s printing and packaging industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation, accelerating its shift from traditional extensive production to refined, intelligent and personalized manufacturing.
According to data released by authoritative industry institutions such as Gongyan Industrial Research Institute, China’s packaging box market demand in 2026 increased by approximately 35% year-on-year, with the market size surpassing the 1-trillion-yuan mark to reach 1.229439 trillion yuan, hitting a record high and demonstrating strong growth resilience.
Among segments, gift boxes, cosmetic packaging boxes, food packaging boxes, jewelry boxes and perfume packaging boxes recorded the most rapid growth, all exceeding 40% year-on-year. These sectors have become new growth engines powering the high-quality development of the printing and packaging industry, leading the sector into a new development phase.
Meanwhile, the global printing and packaging industrial landscape is reshaping. As the world’s largest producer and consumer of packaging products, China is gaining an increasingly prominent position in the global market through technological innovation and production capacity advantages.
I. Robust Market Demand, Record-High Packaging Box Orders
To gain an in-depth understanding of the industry, reporters recently visited dozens of packaging enterprises in major industrial clusters across the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, Bohai Rim and other regions. From large-scale manufacturers to small and medium-sized specialized custom producers, all reported a surge in orders.
Since late 2025, orders for gift boxes, festival gift packaging and other packaging products have continued to climb. Most production lines are operating at full capacity, and some enterprises face order backlogs and supply shortages. Many have had to expand production capacity and add production lines to meet surging demand.
The cosmetic packaging sector stands out in particular. Fueled by the rapid growth of the beauty industry, the rise of domestic beauty brands and consumption upgrading, orders for skincare gift sets, cosmetic packaging, perfume boxes, lipstick cases and facial mask packaging have exploded.
Statistics show that in the first quarter of 2026, domestic demand for cosmetic packaging boxes rose by 52% year-on-year. The global cosmetic packaging market is expected to reach $64.7 billion, with the Asia-Pacific region as the fastest-growing area. As the core market in Asia-Pacific, China accounts for nearly 30% of global share.
To enhance competitiveness, beauty brands are increasing investment in packaging, pursuing high-end and personalized designs that drive cosmetic packaging toward refinement and multi-functionality.
The food packaging sector also shines brightly. As consumers demand higher food safety, quality and experience, demand for candy boxes, chocolate packaging, biscuit boxes, tea packaging, wine boxes and beverage containers remains strong.
Demand for premium food, health food and prepared meal packaging has notably risen in terms of freshness preservation, environmental friendliness and aesthetics, boosting high-end food packaging. Festival and gift-giving consumption further fuels gift box orders, which peak periodically during Chinese Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, Valentine’s Day, Christmas and other holidays, becoming a major revenue driver.
“Customers now have much higher expectations for packaging boxes. They no longer only seek basic protection and containment, but also attractive appearance, practical structure and strong reflection of brand value and product positioning, achieving ‘packaging as marketing’,” said a person in charge of a well-known gift box manufacturer. “Custom packaging business in particular has grown exceptionally fast in the past two years, with an annual growth rate exceeding 60%. More clients want personalized packaging to help their products stand out and increase added value. Our custom orders are already scheduled three months ahead. We have to work overtime and expand capacity to keep up.” |
II. Green and Eco-Friendly Packaging Becomes Industry Mainstream
Guided by the “dual carbon” goals, green development has been deeply integrated into every link of the printing and packaging industry. Green packaging has become the core theme and an inevitable path for sustainable corporate development.
With stricter national environmental policies — including the revised Express Delivery Regulations mandating a nationwide ban on non-degradable plastic packaging at express outlets by the end of 2025 — and international regulations such as the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, the industry is accelerating its green transition.
Degradable packaging boxes, eco-friendly paper boxes and recycled packaging have gained wide market popularity and become a new competitive focus.
Data shows the annual growth rate of the degradable materials market is three times that of traditional plastics, with food packaging accounting for over 40%. This shift is driven by both regulatory pressure and rising consumer environmental awareness.
Demand for eco-friendly packaging is especially strong in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging. Manufacturers are increasing R&D and application of green materials, moving toward degradability, recyclability and reusability.
For example, a research team from Henan Agricultural University developed an edible packaging film made from fruit and vegetable juice-modified potato starch. Composed entirely of food-grade ingredients, it can be directly used for instant food inner packaging such as instant noodle seasoning packets, realizing the innovative concept of “packaging as food”. Its antioxidant performance surpasses 90% of commercial synthetic cling films, at only one-third the cost of protein-based films.
Today, green packaging materials are increasingly diverse. Technologies for polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and other biodegradable materials are maturing, with costs falling and gradually replacing traditional plastics.
• Jindan Technology has built a complete “corn-lactic acid-PLA” industrial chain, with an annual output of 75,000 tons of PLA expected to generate 1.5 billion yuan in annual output value.
• Kingfa Technology has achieved breakthroughs in bio-based PA materials, making degradable products perform similarly to traditional plastics while cutting costs by 15%–20%.
Recyclable packaging models are also gaining traction. Many e-commerce platforms and manufacturers have introduced reusable packaging containers to reduce single-use waste, lowering costs and environmental impact.
Green printing technologies are widely adopted as well, with eco-friendly and water-based inks replacing traditional solvent-based inks to reduce emissions during printing.
III. Personalized Customization Emerges as a New Industry Trend
Amid ongoing consumption upgrading, consumer demand for personalization has grown sharply. Custom packaging boxes have become a major trend, driving the industry from mass production to personalized customization.
More enterprises recognize that personalized packaging enhances brand recognition, product added value and competitiveness, leading to greater investment in customized services and diversified offerings.
Custom packaging now features innovative materials and designs, combining leather, wood, paper and mounted boxes with embroidery, gold stamping, UV coating, embossing and other techniques for enhanced texture and artistry.
Data from the Zhubajie platform in Shandong shows creative designs for personalized gift boxes are becoming increasingly diversified, integrating material innovation, interactive structures, cultural symbol transformation, technology integration and emotional design.
• An organic tea brand launched a “Sustainable Growth” plantable tea gift box made of degradable pulp with embedded tea seeds. After use, consumers can bury the box, which decomposes while the seeds germinate. Repeat purchases rose 47% in the first quarter after launch.
• Belgian chocolate brand Cacao introduced a “Detective Series” chocolate box with a 3D puzzle structure. Consumers must solve mechanisms to access the chocolate, extending average unboxing time to 18 minutes and boosting product memorability threefold.
Custom orders are characterized by small batches, high diversity, fast delivery and high quality. While large-volume orders once dominated, small-batch, multi-specification custom orders now account for more than 50% at many enterprises.
Customers increasingly require delivery within 7–15 days, placing higher demands on production efficiency, flexible manufacturing and supply chain management. To respond, many packaging companies have introduced flexible production lines for rapid small-batch production and optimized supply chains to improve on-time delivery.
IV. Technological Innovation Drives High-Quality Industry Development
Technological innovation is the core engine of high-quality development in printing and packaging. With rapid advances in digital and intelligent technologies, smart packaging, anti-counterfeiting packaging and traceable packaging are widely applied, significantly boosting product value and industry competitiveness while transforming production and business models.
In 2026, the once-labeled “traditional sunset industry” is entering a new era of green, digital, intelligent and customized development. The digital printing market is expected to exceed 92 billion yuan in 2026, growing at over 15% annually.
In smart packaging, QR code traceability, smart chip identification and AR technology are increasingly integrated.
For instance, a commemorative wine box for a red wine brand embedded a flexible NFC chip. Tapping it with a smartphone displays holographic content of the winemaking process, integrating anti-counterfeiting, brand storytelling and membership systems. It won the 2024 Pentawards Gold Award for Technological Packaging, with a counterfeiting difficulty score of 9.2, far above the industry average.
Consumers can scan QR codes to view production processes, raw material sources and quality inspection reports, improving trust. AR technology enriches user experience with 3D product displays and tutorials.
3D printing has brought revolutionary changes, breaking traditional mold constraints. Designers can directly construct 3D packaging structures, enabling on-demand manufacturing, freeform design and material innovation.
A cosmetics brand uses 3D printing to create exclusive gift boxes for each consumer: facial features are scanned to generate a matching contour, with precision-fitted inner linings that reduce shipping damage. This “one design per customer” model cuts costs by 80% compared to traditional molds.
3D printing materials now form a three-dimensional system of bio-based, smart and composite materials. Composite PLA and starch-based printing allows packaging to fully biodegrade within three months under composting conditions, with tear resistance reaching 80% of traditional plastics.
Digital transformation is reshaping production and business models. More packaging enterprises are adopting digital equipment and management systems for end-to-end digital control from design and production to delivery.
• Digital design software enables rapid prototyping and real-time adjustments.
• Intelligent automated equipment improves efficiency, quality and cost control.
• Digital management systems support real-time monitoring of orders, inventory and production.
Big data and artificial intelligence are also being gradually applied. Enterprises analyze consumption data to accurately identify market demand and launch more targeted products and services.
V. Cross-Border E-Commerce Opens a New Blue Ocean
Accelerating global economic integration and booming cross-border e-commerce have created new opportunities for Chinese packaging enterprises to expand internationally. Cross-border e-commerce has become a key driver of export growth, opening a vast overseas blue ocean.
Statistics show China’s cross-border e-commerce import and export volume is expected to exceed 20 trillion yuan in 2026, maintaining rapid growth. This directly fuels export demand for gift boxes, cosmetic packaging, food packaging and other categories, with strong overseas orders.
Chinese packaging enterprises enjoy strong international competitiveness thanks to mature technology, complete supply chains and cost-effective products, exporting to Europe, the U.S., Southeast Asia, the Middle East and beyond. Cosmetic and food packaging, in particular, are popular overseas for innovative design and reliable quality.
• Kingfa Technology serves electronics manufacturing clients in Southeast Asia through its Vietnam base, targeting 35% overseas revenue by 2025.
• Lvrui Bio assists domestic packaging firms in obtaining EU EN 13432, U.S. ASTM D6400 and other international certifications to accelerate global expansion.
The Belt and Road Initiative has further strengthened trade cooperation with partner countries, creating more export opportunities.
To seize cross-border opportunities, many packaging enterprises are adjusting strategies, strengthening global layout, optimizing product mix and enhancing international competitiveness:
• Developing eco-friendly packaging for Europe and the U.S., and cost-effective solutions for Southeast Asia.
• Entering global platforms such as Amazon and AliExpress to connect directly with overseas buyers.
• Building overseas production and logistics centers to reduce shipping costs and improve delivery efficiency.
Industry Outlook
Insiders note that 2026 is a pivotal year for the transformation and upgrading of China’s printing and packaging industry. The full explosion of intelligent and customized demand, deep implementation of green development, continuous technological innovation and rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce will bring unprecedented opportunities.
Going forward, the industry will continue moving toward greenization, intelligence, personalization and internationalization, with rising concentration. Enterprises with technological, brand and supply chain advantages will stand out, promoting higher-quality development of China’s printing and packaging industry and strengthening its global position.
