Type of packaging

For the song by Flo, see Cardboard Box (song)

Cardboard boxes are industrially prefabricated boxes, primarily used for packaging goods and materials. Specialists in industry seldom use the term cardboard because it does not denote a specific material.[1][2] The term cardboard may refer to a variety of heavy paper-like materials, including card stock, corrugated fiberboard,[3] and paperboard.[4] Cardboard boxes can be readily recycled.

Terminology

[

edit

]

Several types of containers are sometimes called cardboard boxes:

In business and industry, material producers, container manufacturers,[5] packaging engineers,[6] and standards organizations,[7] try to use more specific terminology. There is still not complete and uniform usage. Often the term "cardboard" is avoided because it does not define any particular material.

Broad divisions of paper-based packaging materials are:

• Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags, or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets.
• Paperboard, sometimes known as cardboard, is generally thicker (usually over 0.25 mm or 10 points) than paper. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a basis weight (grammage) above 224 g/m2, but there are exceptions. Paperboard can be single- or multi-ply.
• Corrugated fiberboard sometimes known as corrugated board or corrugated cardboard, is a combined paper-based material consisting of a fluted corrugated medium and one or two flat liner boards. The flute gives corrugated boxes much of their strength and is a contributing factor for why corrugated fiberboard is commonly used for shipping and storage.[8]

There are also multiple names for containers:

History

[

edit

]

The first commercial paperboard (not corrugated) box is sometimes credited to the firm M. Treverton & Son[9] in England in 1817.[10][11][12] Cardboard box packaging was made the same year in Germany.[13]

The Scottish-born Robert Gair invented the pre-cut cardboard or paperboard box in 1890 – flat pieces manufactured in bulk that folded into boxes. Gair's invention came about as a result of an accident: he was a Brooklyn printer and paper-bag maker during the 1870s, and one day, while he was printing an order of seed bags, a metal ruler normally used to crease bags shifted in position and cut them. Gair discovered that by cutting and creasing in one operation he could make prefabricated paperboard boxes. Applying this idea to corrugated boxboard was a straightforward development when the material became available around the turn of the twentieth century.[14]

Cardboard boxes were developed in France about 1840 for transporting the Bombyx mori moth and its eggs by silk manufacturers, and for more than a century the manufacture of cardboard boxes was a major industry in the Valréas area.[15][16]

The advent of lightweight flaked cereals increased the use of cardboard boxes. The first to use cardboard boxes as cereal cartons was the Kellogg Company.

Corrugated (also called pleated) paper was patented in England in 1856, and used as a liner for tall hats, but corrugated boxboard was not patented and used as a shipping material until 20 December 1871. The patent was issued to Albert Jones of New York City for single-sided (single-face) corrugated board.[17] Jones used the corrugated board for wrapping bottles and glass lantern chimneys. The first machine for producing large quantities of corrugated board was built in 1874 by G. Smyth, and in the same year Oliver Long improved upon Jones's design by inventing corrugated board with liner sheets on both sides.[18] This was corrugated cardboard as we know it today.

The first corrugated cardboard box manufactured in the US was in 1895.[19] By the early 1900s, wooden crates and boxes were being replaced by corrugated paper shipping cartons.

By 1908, the terms "corrugated paper-board" and "corrugated cardboard" were both in use in the paper trade.[20]

Crafts and entertainment

[

edit

]

Cardboard and other paper-based materials (paperboard, corrugated fiberboard, etc.) can have a post-primary life as a cheap material for the construction of a range of projects, among them being science experiments, children's toys, costumes, or insulative lining. Some children enjoy playing inside boxes.

A common cliché is that, if presented with a large and expensive new toy, a child will quickly become bored with the toy and play with the box instead. Although this is usually said somewhat jokingly, children certainly enjoy playing with boxes, using their imagination to portray the box as an infinite variety of objects. One example of this in popular culture is from the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, whose protagonist, Calvin, often imagined a cardboard box as a "transmogrifier", a "duplicator", or a time machine.

So prevalent is the cardboard box's reputation as a plaything that in 2005 a cardboard box was added to the National Toy Hall of Fame in the US,[21] one of very few non-brand-specific toys to be honoured with inclusion. As a result, a toy "house" (actually a log cabin) made from a large cardboard box was added to the Hall, housed at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.

The Metal Gear series of stealth video games has a running gag involving a cardboard box as an in-game item, which can be used by the player to try to sneak through places without getting caught by enemy sentries.

Housing and furniture

[

edit

]

Living in a cardboard box is stereotypically associated with homelessness.[22] However, in 2005, Melbourne architect Peter Ryan designed a house composed largely of cardboard.[23] More common are small seatings or little tables made from corrugated cardboard. Merchandise displays made of cardboard are often found in self-service shops.

Cushioning by crushing

[

edit

]

Mass and viscosity of the enclosed air help together with the limited stiffness of boxes to absorb the energy of oncoming objects. In 2012, British stuntman Gary Connery safely landed via wingsuit without deploying his parachute, landing on a 3.6-metre (12 ft) high crushable "runway" (landing zone) built with thousands of cardboard boxes.[24]

See also

[

edit

]

• Banana box, a type of cardboard box designed for transportation of bananas
• Eurocontainer, a system for boxes that can be used for reusable packaging for transport and storage
• The Adventure of the Cardboard Box (a Sherlock Holmes story)

References

[

edit

]

The Benefits of Cardboard Packaging

Corrugated cardboard is an incredibly popular packaging material and has been for many years. Even though it was originally created to transport food from the manufacturer to the customer, the material has since been proven to be the perfect solution for shipping all types of goods. From fragile and delicate items to clothing pieces, cardboard is a secure substance that can preserve its contents for long periods, making it an excellent container for items that need storing or transporting. It has won battles against wooden boxes, making it every industry’s favourite for protecting products. But why is corrugated cardboard such a popular choice for packaging? BiGDUG has put together a list of reasons why many people choose to cover their items with this material. The benefits of cardboard packaging are endless. So, if you are unsure about what type of packaging you should choose for your business, here is why cardboard should be your first pick…

The popularity of cardboard packaging is fairly well known at this point, almost any package you receive will be protected by cardboard. In fact, around 80% of all packages in the US and the EU are packaged in cardboard. This would equate to around 400 billion square feet of cardboard! Definitely hard to get your head around but fascinating nevertheless!

High Strength and Security

Corrugated cardboard has a strong fluted design. This involves a cardboard sheet consisting of three layers: an inner/outer paper liner and a middle flute which is formed into a crimped shape. This formation increases the strength of the cardboard box and helps it hold its shape even when under stress. Due to corrugated cardboard having the ability to keep its structure during transit, it is incredibly difficult to tear or crush. Which in turn provides high levels of protection and cushioning to delicate items, keeping them safe on long journeys and whilst being handled during the trip.

Corrugated cardboard can also prevent bacterial growth during transport and storage. This is because the material resists moisture from entering the carton, keeping its contents out of harm’s way. This is why cardboard boxes are suitable for storing food products or any items that are prone to spoiling if infected by bacteria.

It is Cost-Effective and Lightweight

One of the main benefits of cardboard packaging is that it helps businesses save a significant amount of money. The material is considerably cheaper than other variants of packaging such as plastic. Cardboard boxes do not cost as much to source and manufacture, therefore the cost price when buying boxes is not as much as other containers that are more expensive to form. When bought in bulk, your company can save money because suppliers lower their prices for customers who purchase more packaging, and as boxes are delivered flat, they can be conveniently stored without taking up excessive amounts of space.

Corrugated cardboard is also a very lightweight material. What this means is it will not add a lot more weight to your item, and as a result, will not significantly increase your postal costs. This comes in handy for goods travelling long distances – once they are placed on the scale you won’t be shocked by the transit costs. Helping keep your items easy to store and transport as well as not making them bulky for the customer to receive.

Another note to add that is an advantage of incorporating cardboard into your packaging is that it is ideal for printing and customising. Unlike other forms of substances, corrugated cardboard is easy and effective to print designs onto, which means that your boxes can stand out and increase brand awareness without breaking your business’s bank.

Suitable for a Wide Range of Products

Cardboard is a very flexible material. This adaptability allows the material to be suitable to package a wide variety of different products. From books, jewellery and clothing to pizza or drink bottles, cardboard can be cut and moulded into any size or shape. This means there is no limit on what they can package. That is why companies choose to use cardboard to protect their products as it reduces the stress from packaging as it is more comfortable due to providing more options to businesses.

Cardboard is highly customisable, It can be bent into any shape imaginable, it can be printed with different colours, your logo or almost anything. Finding the right kind of packaging is very simple when you are working with cardboard.

Cardboard is Environmentally Friendly

Now for one of – if not the most – obvious reasons why individuals choose cardboard over other forms of packaging. It is a very eco-friendly material. Not only is cardboard packaging beneficial to your business, but it also benefits the environment. Sourced from trees, it is a renewable resource and has been proven to be one material with very little environmental impact. When cardboard boxes are manufactured, there is a reduction of up to 60% in carbon dioxide and oil emissions produced compared to other packaging materials. Corrugated cardboard is also 100% recyclable and biodegradable, it takes a maximum of one year to degrade and what’s more, it minimises waste generation. This means that before it is thrown away and left to degrade, it can be reused and recycled to avoid any unnecessary consumption of cardboard. What is also good about recycling the material is that it saves significant amounts of energy compared to other substances. Recycled packaging takes 90% less water and 50% less electricity to make!

If you are trying to find the perfect packaging solution, then using corrugated cardboard boxes is worth consideration. They can save your business money on production and shipping, fit a wide variety of items and impress customers due to being environmentally friendly. Here at BiGDUG, we offer a huge range of cardboard packaging options to ensure that you can find the right one to benefit your business. We also have a line of eco-friendly products whether it be boxes, mailing bags, or tape that you need. If you would like more assistance when choosing packaging, then get in touch with our friendly customer service team by calling 0333 200 5299 or emailing contact@bigdug.co.uk