Packaging requires your keen attention across almost all types of businesses. You may deliver top-notch quality, but if you lack packaging, your business will likely struggle among competitors. It’s not just about putting things in a box; it’s about keeping products safe, reducing waste, and ensuring businesses leave a good impression. Corrugated cardboard has quietly become one of the most trusted choices for this job. This article will explore these boxes as one of the best choices to use in the packaging industry, facilitating multiple businesses.
What is Corrugated Cardboard?
Corrugated cardboard is a cardboard-like material with different layers. Due to its lightweight and highly durable properties, it is notable in the packaging industry, making cartons and boxes. Its material is highly suitable for protecting the items shipped from damage during travel and is a cost-effective option for safely delivering your products worldwide. Moreover, you can make customised boxes according to your products’ requirements while representing your brand through appealing visuals and printed texts.
Material Used in Making Corrugated Boxes
Corrugated boxes are simple and thoughtfully designed packaging cartons. Here are all three main components that together make up these packaging boxes:
Linerboard
Linerboard is the outermost covering of a corrugated box, providing a surface for custom box printing or brand information. The finishing of this paper depends on the type of flute medium used in the inside layer. Flutes with fine-sized curls will have a more refined outer surface than those with more thickness. The material used to make liner board is usually extracted from softwood from pine trees, making it a recyclable packaging material.
Flute
The medium layer with a zig-zag pattern offers resistance to damage and shocks. Due to its strength and lightweight appearance, it can be considered the backbone of corrugated packaging boxes. Waste paper is usually recycled to make the flute medium, and the number of flute layers determines the box’s strength.
Sticking
A suitable adhesive is crucial to securing the liners and flutes together. Starch-based adhesives combine both components securely to avoid damage during storage, handling, or delivery.
Together these components make the excellent eco-friendly packaging solutions.
Types of Corrugated Boxes
The types of corrugated boxes depend on different factors, including the walls, the kind of flute used and the structure of the boxes. Here is a description of all the types of these boxes:
Number of Walls
Corrugated boxes may differ based on the number of flute layers between the linerboard. Here are the three common types;
Single Wall Cardboard Boxes: It is a standard corrugated cardboard box with two liners and one flute layer combined. Such boxes are excellent choices for lightweight packages.
Double Wall Cardboard Boxes: Double wall cardboard boxes have two flute papers with three liners, so the liner covers the flute papers from both inner and outer sides. You may consider these boxes when delivering heavy or delicate products.
Triple Wall Cardboard Boxes: These corrugated boxes contain three flute layers in alternate patterns with four liners. They may be used to deliver heavy materials such as industrial equipment or large amounts of items.
Flute Size Used
Flutes are added in corrugated boxes to improve their shock-absorbing capacity, enhancing the safety of the products delivered. Here are different types of flutes used in making corrugated boxes:
A Flute: It is the thickest wavy layer, measuring around 4.8mm. Such boxes are the most suitable for packing fragile items with minimal or no printing.
B Flute: With a Thickness of around 3.2 mm, it can be a good option for absorbing shocks and vibrations. Also, the size of wavy flutes does not disrupt the printing on the outer surface, making it suitable for packaging that requires more designs and text.
C Flute: C-type flute is the most common material used in the packaging industry. It is 4 mm in size and very good at absorbing shocks. Different products may be stacked on top of each other in such boxes.
D Flute: The D flute layer is less familiar, with a 2mm thickness. With this layer in a corrugated box, you can have a fine surface suitable for printing. It offers enough strength to accommodate stacked items while providing customers with a printable aesthetic.
E Flute: This is a minimum of 1.6mm. The thickbox looks pretty sleek, but the outer surface is smooth, which you can customise with maximum printing. Such packaging is a reliable choice for products directly from business to consumer.
F Flute: Its 0.8mm thickness is excellent for premium boxes. The thin flute size gives the box a very sleek and elegant look. You can print your brand logos or customise anything on its superfine surface.
Box Structure
Different products require different box structures to fit perfectly. The size of all the sides and the number of flaps decide the structure of a corrugated box:
Regular Slotted Container: This is the most used box in packaging. Its four sides are equal, and the flaps that join to close the box are on the outer side.
Die-Cut Boxes: These are custom boxes made using a cutting die to adjust the box shape according to your product’s requirements. They can be used in e-commerce for different-dimensional products.
Full Overlap Slotted Container: Full-overlap slotted Containers are highly durable boxes with equal sides. However, their outer flaps do not meet in the middle; instead, they are similar in size to the sides, making both flaps overlap when the box is closed. Thais provide extra protection to the package inside.
Half Slotted Container: The sides of the half-slotted containers are the same as those of the Regular Standard Containers. However, only the lower end contains two flaps meeting in the middle, while the upper end remains open with no flaps.
Telescoping Boxes: Two boxes slide over one another when you open or close a telescoping box. Due to their sliding nature, they can accommodate large items but are compact.
Corrugated Board vs Cardboard for Packaging
Regular cardboard is a single-layer hard paper suitable for lightweight, temporary uses such as cereal boxes or tissue packaging. It does not offer the durability and strength to deliver different items over longer distances.
However, corrugated boards are highly durable, which makes them excellent for meeting extraordinary packaging requirements. The presence of one or more layers of flutes in between the liner material further leads to the box’s strength and
This makes shipping boxes of corrugated type, ideal for protecting items during transport, especially delicate or luxury products. Corrugated board absorbs shocks, resists compression, and maintains its form even in highly challenging weather and damage-prone situations.
Unlike regular cardboard, which uses new or sometimes recycled paper, corrugated shipping boxes are made from recyclable packaging material. Enterprises concerned about minimising their carbon footprint prefer corrugated materials to wrap and deliver their products safely.
Benefits of Cardboard Packaging
Corrugated cardboard packaging is a remarkable introduction to the packaging industry. Here are some key benefits you can have using these custom packaging solutions:
Protection
In the world of packaging, corrugated cardboard is well-known for protecting and securing the products inside. Due to the presence of flute layers, it can manage shocks and bumps during travel, and the air spaces act as an insulating barrier to the products. You can safely deliver items like glassware or electronics over longer distances without damage.
Durability
Corrugated cardboards increase the box’s strength and durability. Packaging materials made from corrugated cardboard can withstand the test of time very well. Due to the flutes inside the liner, they are highly resistant to challenging weather conditions and can bear frequent wear and tear that is common while delivering any object.
Lightweight
One excellent feature of good packaging material is that it is lightweight to avoid extra delivery costs, which are usually decided by the weight of the shipping item. The lesser the weight, the less costly it is, and corrugated cardboard offers the least possible weight with maximum strength and durability. Such lightweight packages are easier to carry and manage, which adds to the package’s safety.
Can be Customised
Corrugated material is highly customisable. You can customise the packaging material based on your preference and your product’s requirements. You may make small jewellery boxes, an organising box with multiple compartments, or a large carton for sizable items. It all depends on the type of your business and the demands of your products.
Branding Tool
Promoting your brand using appealing printables and images has long been a remarkable branding tool. Different types of corrugated cardboard offer a sophisticated surface for printing. You can customise your unique logo and key features of the product inside, or offer compelling offers that will encourage people to make more purchases. This way, not only will the aesthetics of products improve, but the brand identity will also improve.
Eco-friendly
The primary material required to make corrugated cardboard is extracted from pine trees or paper pulp made from waste paper. You can recycle or biodegrade the corrugated cardboard, leaving no plastic or chemical residues behind. Even the making of such cardboard requires minimum energy. Thus, using such packaging materials can significantly cut your business footprint overall.
Low Cost
Among different packaging options, corrugated cardboard offers one of the most affordable custom packaging. The compact-size boxes take up less space to store, saving on storage and transport costs. Lightweight material offers cheaper delivery, and the raw materials are completely renewable and inexpensive.
In Which Industries Can Corrugated Boxes Work Well?
You may use these boxes in almost every sector where packaging is required. Here are some common businesses that significantly rely on them.
Food Packaging
Corrugated cardboard packaging is necessary for people who do organic farming, sell dairy and poultry products, or have a fast food business. These boxes allow almost all food items to be delivered safely with minimal to no chances of contact with external contaminants. Regular slotted Containers are good to go to provide generic food items over longer distances, while for ready-to-eat bakery items, you may rely on die-cut boxes.
-
Footwear Packaging
Footwear brands are usually very concerned about safety as they must deliver their items locally and internationally. Such industries require packaging material offering maximum customisation and durability. For luxury footwear or international deliveries, you may use die-cut custom rigid boxes, adding size-fits to keep the shape and style intact. For lightweight daily wear, even single-wall cardboards work well.
Textile Industry
Corrugated fiberboards are helpful when presenting your premium clothing, whether a fabric roll or a pret-a-porter outfit. These boxes organise the stacks of products well. You may use a half-slotted container to display the vibrant fabrics and attract maximum customers. While delivering locally or internationally, opt for custom corrugated packaging that is a complete overlap slotted container for maximum safety.
Electronic Equipment
Electronic equipment is fragile; even minor damage can render the product useless. Custom corrugated boxes, such as double-wall or triple-wall cardboard boxes, work best to deliver these items. You may use die-cut boxes with additional foams for extra cushioning, allowing the product to adjust precisely. Such options offer an extra protective packaging material for premium items.
The Bottom Line
These impactful and efficient corrugated boxes can meet your demands for personalised packaging for small business to bulk custom packaging solutions. They’re strong and light and help keep products safe during storage and shipping. Whether you’re sending parcels or packing up products for a move, they do the job without much trouble. If you’re looking for a practical and sustainable packaging solution, corrugated cardboard is worth considering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shelf life of corrugated boxes?
These boxes will last a long time without moisture or humidity. Keep them in dry places for maximum performance. The shelf life for corrugated boxes is usually 1 to 2 years.
How many layers does corrugated cardboard have?
A standard corrugated cardboard has three layers. Two are on both sides, covering the wavy or flute layer in between. However, you may add a double or even triple flute layer for maximum strength.
Can you deliver products internationally in corrugated boxes?
Yes, you can use corrugated boxes to ship products internationally. They come in different sizes and dimensions to accommodate multiple products and offer high protection, ensuring safe delivery.
Are corrugated boxes durable enough to stack in a store or a garage?
Yes, you can stack corrugated boxes in a store or pile them up in a garage, but ensure the boxes align with the inside product weight. To be a step ahead, use boxes with double walls.
How can I save costs by using recyclable materials?
If you are a business owner, using eco-friendly materials for packaging or a recyclable option will save you from buying conventional raw materials. You’ll also have to spend less on waste disposal and environmental cleanup costs.