Why You Should Use Corrugated Cardboard
Wide Range
A major reason to use corrugated cardboard is that it is one of, if not the most widely used materials in the packaging industry, from cartons and postal packaging to edge protectors and protective sheets. The most popular use for corrugated cardboard is the cardboard box or carton. Even for this seemingly basic product, there is a huge range of sizes, styles and choices available. There are a standard set of design patterns used within the industry which are referred to as FEFCO codes.
Types of Paper
One of the key properties to define corrugated cardboard is the type of paper used. There are two main types of paper used, which are Kraft and Test. Normally you will have a Kraft outer and a Test liner. The Kraft paper is better quality and is made from virgin fibres giving it a better finish. In addition to this, there are various weights of paper which are measured in GSM. The most commonly used are 125/150/200/300 GSM which you will more commonly view as 125KT etc. This would be a 125GSM paper with a Kraft outer and a Test liner.
Wall Types
One of the easiest ways to categorise cardboard boxes is based on the amount of ‘walls’ they have and the thickness of these walls. The strength of a box and the weight it can hold is dependent on its size and the type/strength of the corrugated (as well as the overall quality of construction). As a rule of thumb though, triple wall boxes will hold more than double wall boxes and double wall boxes will hold more than single wall boxes. The most common flutings are:
Single Wall
B Flute – 3mm – Most commonly used single wall
C Flue – 4mm
E Flute – 1.5mm – Ideal for retail cartons
Double Wall
BC Flute – 6mm – Combination of a B and C flute
EB flute – 4.5mm – Combination of a B and E flute
In addition to this, there are various weights of the actual fluting. The most common board will be around 100GSM WBF (waste based fluting) which is a fully recycled material. On top of this, the fluting can be adapted to strengthen the material or make more suitable for storing in low temperatures, for example, the fluting is treated with a chemical and commonly referred to as Semi-Chem. All these variations give you a multitude of choices to select the packaging that’s right for you.
Styles
Other than your standard 0201 brown cartons that you tape at both ends, there is a wide range of styles and sizes. Examples of these styles are adjustable boxes, instant base boxes, telescopic boxes, and self-sealing boxes to name a few. Each of these styles offers their own benefits and often two or more of these features are combined, such as our Single Wall Crash Lock Boxes which have locking bases, adjustable height and adhesive sealing strips.
Protective
Initially, corrugated cardboard might seem flimsy and weak, but when looking at it closer it actually offers a great level of protection. A single wall of corrugated cardboard is made from a fluted corrugated sheet sandwiched between two layers of linerboard (usually a kraft outer and test liner as discussed earlier). This multi-layered construction makes corrugated cardboard a rigid and sturdy material suitable to package most products. From the multiple layers, it also has excellent cushioning properties to protect against impacts and crushing, making it an excellent reason for why you should use corrugated cardboard. Other than the boxes themselves, there are many other uses for corrugated cardboard such as edge and corner protection as well as surface protection in the form of rigid sheets or flexible corrugated rolls.
Ideal for Customising
Although a plain brown box can be perfectly functional, a lot of businesses opt for a bit more in the style department when they use corrugated cardboard. Make your packaging stand out from the crowd by adding your logo or branding to them. It’s usually a simple process and is often not as expensive as you might think.
Generally, kraft and white surfaces make for the best quality printing and show up the clearest. Having Custom Printed Boxes is a great way to build your brand image and visibility and can help with providing your customer with a great unboxing experience.
As well as printing you can also opt to have specifically sized boxes cut for you to give you the exact size packaging you need for your products. If you’re using a large number of cardboard boxes this can help you save money on filling up empty space. Be aware though that for both custom sized and printed boxes, minimum order quantities will apply. For more information on customised packaging speak to one of our representatives on our LIVE chat tool.
Cost Effective and Convenient
Corrugated Cardboard Boxes are an extremely affordable and cost-effective choice of packaging for the majority of businesses. As well as the up-front cost of cardboard boxes being low, providing you have the right size box for your product they can also save you money on shipping compared with other options due to them being lightweight.
With corrugated cardboard being so popular, thanks to the easy availability of materials needed to produce cardboard packaging it’s unlikely you’ll ever be stuck finding a cardboard box or corrugated sheet.
Environmentally Friendly
Corrugated cardboard is one of the most environmentally friendly packaging materials out there. With packaging often being classed a ‘waste product’, being fully degradable and recyclable means the impact of cardboard packaging is a fraction when compared to plastic. On top of these qualities, it is often made from recycled materials and here at Davpack many of our corrugated products are made from at least 75% recycled material, making it a great incentive to use corrugated cardboard.
Overall there are tons of reasons to use corrugated cardboard as the main material for your packaging, whether it’s for boxes themselves or protective material such as edge protectors and corrugated sheets. All you need to do now is find out which corrugated cardboard products suit your needs best and start using them.
Sarah Hickson
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