Why October is red packet season for corporate buyers
Chinese New Year 2027 falls in early February. For most Singapore companies that sounds a long way off, but the people who handle corporate print know otherwise. Banks, property developers, insurance agencies and law firms all order branded red packets and CNY cards in the same few weeks, and printers that do foil stamping and embossing fill their schedules from November onwards. Buyers who send artwork in October get their choice of paper, finish and delivery date. Buyers who wait until January get whatever slot is left.
This guide is for office managers, marketing teams and procurement staff who order corporate hongbao and festive cards for clients and staff. It covers the formats, finishes and quantities that matter, how to plan the timeline, and the details that cause most of the problems at delivery.
Who the red packets are for
Before choosing a design, settle who will receive the packets. The answer drives the format, the quantity and how much you spend on finishing.
- Staff: many companies give a red packet to each employee at the first working day after the holiday. Quantity is your headcount plus a margin, and the packets are handed out internally, so they can be simpler.
- Clients and partners: a branded set given at year-end meetings or sent with a card. This is a marketing item, so the finish and packaging matter more.
- Customers at the counter: banks, retailers and property showrooms often hand out packets to walk-in customers. Quantities are large and the packets act as a small piece of advertising that sits in someone's drawer all year.
Many companies order two versions: a premium set for clients and a standard version for staff and walk-ins. Printing both in one order, with shared artwork and different finishes, usually costs less than two separate jobs.
Formats and paper
Red packets come in a few common formats. The long format holds a note flat, the short format needs the note folded, and there are square and wide versions for gift cards or vouchers. Ask your printer for their standard sizes and die-lines before your designer starts, since using an existing die is faster and cheaper than cutting a new one.
| Choice | Options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Long, short, square, wide | Long fits a note flat; check what your recipients expect |
| Paper | Coated art card, textured specialty paper, kraft | Textured paper shows foil and emboss well |
| Colour | Traditional red, or a brand colour with red accents | Gold on red is classic; a white or pastel packet can look like a different occasion to some recipients |
| Closure | Tuck flap, gummed flap, no flap | Gummed flaps suit packets that will be mailed |
| Packaging | Loose, sets of 6 or 8 in a sleeve, gift box | Client sets look better sleeved; staff packets can ship loose |
Lucky numbers matter to many recipients, so sets of 6 or 8 are common. Sets of 4 are usually avoided.
Finishes that make a packet look corporate
The difference between a red packet from a stationery shop and a corporate one is mostly in the finishing. Gold or rose-gold hot foil stamping on the logo and the zodiac animal is standard. Blind embossing or debossing adds texture without extra colour. Spot UV gives a subtle gloss pattern on matte paper.
Two practical warnings. First, fine lines and very small text do not foil well; ask your printer for the minimum line thickness before finalising the artwork. Second, each finish needs its own block or plate and its own pass on the machine, so every extra finish adds lead time. If you are ordering late, keep to one foil colour and skip the emboss.
Also check your brand guidelines. Some companies only allow the logo in brand colours, which may not sit well on red. A gold foil version of the logo, approved once by the brand team, saves the same discussion every year.
Corporate Chinese New Year cards
Many companies send a CNY card alongside or instead of red packets, especially to overseas partners. A folded card with a short greeting from management, printed on the same paper and with the same foil as the packets, makes the set look planned. If you send cards by post to clients overseas, factor in postage time; cards that arrive after the holiday lose their point.
For matching envelopes, our guide to branded envelopes and SingPost requirements covers sizes and mailing rules. If you also print a desk or wall calendar for the new year, see our notes on corporate calendars for 2027; the two are often delivered together.
What drives the cost
Red packet pricing follows the same logic as most short-run specialty print. The setup is a large share of the cost: the die for cutting, the foil block, the emboss plate and the time to make the machine ready. After that, each extra thousand packets adds comparatively little. This is why 3,000 packets often cost only a bit more than 1,500, and why combining the client and staff versions into one order helps. Sleeves and boxes add a second set of setup costs, so ask for quotes with and without them before deciding.
A working timeline
- October: agree quantities and formats, brief the designer, request quotes and samples.
- Early November: approve artwork, including the zodiac illustration and any greeting text in Chinese. Have a native reader check the characters.
- Mid November: sign off a physical proof or a printed sample of the foil colour.
- December: production and delivery; plan where the cartons will be stored.
- January: distribute to branches and account managers before they start client visits.
Year-end is also when calendars, diaries and festive gifts are printed, so printers are busy. Planning early is the cheapest way to get good finishing.
Procurement details that cause problems
Most red packet problems are small and avoidable:
- Quantity confusion: state clearly whether you are ordering pieces or sets. A quote for 5,000 pieces is very different from 5,000 sets of 8.
- Branch delivery: if packets go to several offices, ask for split delivery and cartons labelled by branch.
- Character errors: greetings in Chinese are easy to get wrong when the designer does not read Chinese. A single wrong character is a full reprint.
- Colour expectations: red on screen and red on textured paper look different. Ask for a printed sample of the paper and foil.
- Leftovers: packets carry the zodiac animal, so they cannot be reused next year. A version without the animal can be used for weddings, openings and other occasions through the year.
The last point is worth considering if your company gives out red packets for staff weddings or other events. A generic branded design, printed in a larger run alongside the CNY version, keeps a useful stock in the office cupboard, the same way we suggest for branded notepads and diaries.
Ordering corporate red packets with us
We print branded red packets, CNY cards and matching sleeves and boxes for Singapore companies every year, from a few hundred staff packets for an SME to large runs for banks and developers with split delivery to branches. We can arrange foil stamping, embossing and spot UV, check Chinese text with you before plating, and hold a printed sample for approval before the full run.
If you are planning for Chinese New Year 2027, send us your quantities, preferred formats and logo files, and we will suggest papers and finishes that fit your budget and deadline. Teams that also need festive greeting stationery can add it to the same order with our card printing services. Reach us through the contact page.
