Everything You Need to Know About Corrugated Boxes
Many people use the terms “cardboard box” and “corrugated box” interchangeably. However, the two actually refer to different types of containers. The experts at Axis Corrugated Container—a premier supplier of corrugated product solutions—have put together the following guide to explain the differences between cardboard boxes and corrugated boxes to help readers understand which one is right for their packaging needs.
What Are Cardboard Boxes and Corrugated Boxes?
The first step in explaining the difference between cardboard boxes and corrugated boxes is answering the following questions:
- What is a cardboard box?
- What is a corrugated box?
A cardboard box is a container made from thick paper stock or heavyweight paper-pulp. Common examples include cereal boxes, folding takeout containers, and toy packaging. A corrugated box is a container made from multiple layers of material (i.e., one or more fluted layers surrounded by flat liner layers). It is commonly used to package and ship products.
Key Differences Between Cardboard and Corrugated Boxes
As indicated above, cardboard boxes and corrugated boxes are made from different materials. This difference in materials affects both the assembly process for and the sturdiness of the containers.
Cardboard boxes are produced from one or more pieces of single-layer material. The pieces are cut to the proper shape and size and joined using glue, staples, tape, or other fastening methods. The result is a container that is suitable for packaging products. However, it is not strong enough to withstand the stresses of shipping, so additional packaging materials must be used if the packaged product needs to be shipped.
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Corrugated boxes are produced from one or more pieces of multi-layer material. The material is created by gluing one or more pieces of fluting (i.e., wavy layers of materials) between flat liners. This sandwich construction results in a strong and sturdy material (i.e., corrugated board), which can be used to create pieces of the desired shape and size for the final container. The container pieces can be joined using a variety of methods, including glue, staples and other fasteners, or tape. The resulting container is capable of enduring the stresses experienced during shipping (e.g., bumping, crushing, and falling), so it can be used to product packaging and shipping operations.
Why Choose Corrugated Boxes?
There are many advantages to choosing corrugated boxes to package products, such as:
- Greater product protection. The multi-layer materials used for corrugated boxes provide greater strength and support than the single-layer materials used for cardboard boxes. As a result, corrugated boxes are better at protecting their contents from harsh conditions, such as those experienced during shipping operations, than cardboard boxes.
- Broader customization options. Since corrugated boxes are made from multi-layer materials, there are more opportunities to customize the container design. The type of liner material used, the profile of the fluting, and the combination of liner-fluting layers can be tailored to achieve different functional and aesthetic characteristics. The corrugated board can be further customized with graphics and coatings to suit a specific product or brand image.
- Better eco-friendliness. Corrugated board is highly recyclable. New corrugated boxes are generally made from a combination of virgin and recycled materials, which often makes them a greener product packaging option.
Corrugated Boxes, Cartons, and More From Axis Corrugated Container
Now that you know the differences between cardboard boxes and corrugated boxes, you can select the container solution that suits your product needs. If you’ve chosen corrugated boxes, Axis Corrugated Container is the ideal partner. Our extensive design and manufacturing capabilities, combined with our in-house graphic and printing capabilities, enables us to provide corrugated container solutions for a range of customer applications. We can support short-run or long-run production of standard or custom products. Whether you require a basic container or an out-of-the-box solution, we’ve got you covered.
To learn more about our corrugated product solutions or discuss your packaging requirements with one of our representatives, contact us today.