Domain Cigars has been awarded U.S. Design Patent D1,132,493 S for its cigar box liner. The patent, titled “Cigar Box Liner,” was filed on March 28, 2024, and issued on June 30, 2026. The issued design patent protects the ornamental appearance depicted in the patent drawings, showing the liner as positioned inside a cigar box.
Domain Cigars sought to design a box that could improve on things such as positioning humidification and making a box have better shelf presence. As a new cigar company, Domain Cigars knew it would face the shelf presence challenge, so this was a key element in designing a box. To address these things, Domain Cigars rethought the design of a traditional slide box. One way to accomplish these goals was to create a liner that is housed inside the outer shell of the box.
The liner contains an inner humidification window. This is where a humidification pack inside a dedicated envelope is housed (the company refers to it as Esteban Disla’s love letter to tobacco). The humidification window is at the footer of the cigars, where it can optimally control humidification inside the box.
Another element of the liner is the use of a bridge. When opening the box, it holds the cigars in place. Once the box is placed on the retail shelves, the bridge can then be used as a shelf-talker.
“We knew from the beginning that shelf presence was going to matter. We were a new company, and we needed to be respectful of the traditions of cigar packaging while finding a way to make the box unmistakably ours. The slide-top box gave us the heritage. The liner gave us an opportunity to rethink how that box presents the cigars, how the humidification is positioned, and how much character something very simple can have,” commented Daniel Lance in a press release.
Domain Cigars has said the design has received attention outside the cigar industry. The company has said they have received interest from large cosmetics companies exploring the possibility of licensing the design and packaging concept.
The Instagram video below (or click here) gives more details into the practical use of this box:
