Many businesses that are inexperienced with custom made packaging and shipping boxes will assume that all boxes are simply made of cardboard. Even those who may be aware of corrugated shipping boxes may assume it is simply just another name for cardboard packaging. However, the terms “cardboard” and “corrugated” are not interchangeable and have different meanings that are important to understand when choosing the packaging for your product.
Understanding the Difference Between Cardboard and Corrugated Packaging
Cardboard and corrugated boxes are different in a number of key ways, from the materials used to the way they’re constructed. These differences may seem small to those outside of the industry, but to those who work in the shipping and packaging business knows how important the difference can be.
The major differences between cardboard vs. corrugated boxes focus on:
- The materials used to construct each type of box
- The construction process required for assembly
- The sturdiness of the finished product for shipping and storage purposes
Cardboard vs Corrugated
One of the reasons it is important to know the difference between cardboard and corrugated is that the term “cardboard” can be broadly applied to any type of board made of heavy paper pulp. This can include anything from cereal boxes to greeting cards to a deck of playing cards. While corrugated boxes may utilize cardboard in their design, they are designed in such a way that they are thick, sturdy and secure.
The term “corrugated” refers to a specific type of material that is actually composed of three different sheets of containerboard (essentially thick paperboard). The two sheets on the outside are flat liners and the sheet in the middle has a rippled shape. A corrugated fiberboard sheet is created by gluing these three sheets together with a thick, starchy glue that is commonly used in the packaging industry.
When formed into boxes, corrugated sheets are ideal for shipping because they can easily be printed on, they are very strong and durable, and they are widely recycled. Corrugated boxes are used for everything from shipping to product displays, and although they start out brown they can be quickly transformed with a wide variety of colors, designs, text, and graphics printed directly on the material.
Victory Box Corp Custom Shipping Box Design
At Victory Box Corp, we have a staff of designers ready to assist our customers with their unique design needs and specifications. We can create custom corrugated shipping boxes in any style, including standard configurations like:
- Regular Slotted Cartons (RSC) – The most common type of corrugated shipping box. The flaps are all of the same length and the outer flaps meet in the middle. Strong and cost effective.
- All Flaps Meet – Same as RSCs except all the flaps, inner and outer, meet in the middle.
- Full Overlap Containers – Containers with overlapping flaps at the bottom to cushion the item inside from vibrations. Great for thin products.
- Five Panel Folders – Made from a single piece of cardboard, these boxes are wrapped around smaller products that have to avoid harm during the shipping process. Easy to tape closed.
- Half Slotted Boxes with Cover – These are great for implementations that require the lid for a container to regularly be removed and replaced.
- Double Cover Boxes – Often used for tall or heavy objects that would be difficult to lower into other box configurations.
- One Piece Folders – A single piece of cardboard cut to achieve a flat bottom and flaps on the side. Used mostly for books and other printed articles.
- Partitions – Custom pieces of cardboard that divide a shipping box into smaller sections.
In addition to these, we are equipped to design any custom configuration you require for your business needs. All of our boxes are made from recycled paper, as we are committed to environmental sustainability.
Our design staff will also help you with any coloring, labels or logo you could want on your custom corrugated shipping boxes and shipping cartons. We have different printing processes for different applications and our design team will assist you in picking the right one for your business and budget.
