This Upcycled Star Wars-Style Crate Makes a Great Galactic Gift Box

If you’ve seen any Star Wars movie or series, this gray crate probably looks familiar to you. From carrying scanning equipment in Star Wars: A New Hope to serving as cover for some unlucky mercenaries in the first episode of The Mandalorian, these storage cubes are almost everywhere. The best thing to store in them? Presents, of course!

Give the packaging that shipped your holiday gifts a new life with this how-to. You’ll make a one-of-a-kind gift box for your favorite Star Wars fan and recycle old cardboard while you’re at it. (Just don’t try to take cover behind it.)

What You’ll Need

• Cardboard box pieces
• Crate template
• Scissors or craft knife
• Pencil
• Food packaging pieces
• Glue
• Gray acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Light gray acrylic paint
• Masking tape
• Hot glue gun
• Red grosgrain ribbon
• Gold cord
• Bow

Get Started!

The activities in this article should only be done with adult supervision.

Step 1: Print the crate template and cut it out around the black square.

Step 2: Trace the template on cardboard box pieces and cut it out with scissors or a craft knife. Repeat until you have six cardboard squares total.

Step 3: Cut the gray shapes out from the template. Discard the rest.

Step 4: Trace and cut out each gray shape on food packaging cardboard. Repeat until you have five of each shape. (You can leave one square plain to mark it as the bottom of the box.)

Step 5: Glue the four corner pieces and the center circle on the cardboard square. Repeat until you have five decorated squares. Let all glue dry.

Step 6: Paint all six squares with the gray paint. Let the paint dry.

Step 7: Dry brush each square with the light gray acrylic paint to add weathering. Let the paint dry.

Step 8: With the undecorated square on the bottom, use the masking tape on the outside of the pieces to put the box together. Leave one piece, which will be the lid, off for now.

Step 9: Place the box on its side. Hot glue the inside edges and inside corners in place until the box feels sturdy.

Step 10: Paint the outside edges and corners of the box gray, if needed. 

Step 11: Next, cut two pieces of red grosgrain or other thick ribbon into strips at least three inches in length.

Tip: If you are using grosgrain ribbon, carefully use a flame to melt the ends to prevent fraying.

Step 12: With the box on its side, line up the lid piece with one of the top edges. Glue the top half of the ribbon to the inside of the lid and the bottom half to the inside of the box. Repeat with the other ribbon piece.

Step 13: Hot glue a loop of gold cord to inside front edge of the lid; this makes it easier to tell which side of the box is the front. 

Step 14: Place the box right-side up. Add a bow of your choice to the center of the lid.

Your gift crate is complete! Don’t be surprised if your lucky gift recipient hangs on to the box to display among their Star Wars collection. It just might become their favorite piece.