How to Choose the Right Corrugated Box for Your Retail Business?

In the world of packaging there are three material names that you would mostly come across, they are cardboard, Kraft and corrugated. Each material has its own characteristics and unique traits. Therefore each is used to pack a specific category of items. Corrugated is majorly used to pack those items that are fragile and require protection from heat, humidity and physical damage. For example, corrugated packaging is used for packing refrigerators, televisions, heavy machinery, glass and ceramics. This material is known for its following features;

• Versatility
• Durability
• Strong Built
• Environmentally Responsible
• Sustainability
• Protectiveness
• Customizable
• Cost- Effectiveness

Corrugate Types:

Corrugated boxes are mainly known for their two traits, versatility and durability. These boxes can be used for anything from front shipping to packaging. There are three main types of corrugated boxes.

• Single Wall Corrugated Box

The materials strength and durability of this type of corrugated box style varies. One way to measure its strength is by conducting an ECT (Edge Crush Test). With the help of this test we know that single wall corrugated boxes can carry from 23 ECT to 56 ECT. By these results we can conclude that this type of corrugated box is weaker in nature and therefore can carry only up to 20lbs.

• Double Wall Corrugated Box

In this type of box two layers of corrugated sheets are used, thereby making it more durable than the single walled corrugated box. Although, more durable there is a disadvantage to this kind of a box, these are less flexible. This kind of box is ideal for shipping and storage. Normally a double walled corrugated box can hold between 40 to 85 ECT.

• Triple Wall Corrugated Box

This is very much like a double wall corrugated box only much stronger. It is made up of three stacked corrugated sheets and four linerboard facings. Triple walled corrugated box can hold up to 300lbs and lies in the ECT range of 70 to 115

Custom Corrugated Boxes:

There are thousands of possible combination corrugated offers to its consumers. It is the only rigid packaging material that can be cut and folded into innumerous shapes and sizes. High resolution color graphics can also be printed in this. Corrugated boxes are specifically custom designed to fit product requirements such as product protection, shelf space and inner packaging that prevents shifting.

Styles of Custom Corrugated Boxes:

• Regular Slotted Containers

This box style is most commonly used as it is ideal for shipping small singular items, for example crockery, books and small electronic items. The identification of this box is its same length flaps from score to edge.

• Half Slotted Containers

These are in many aspects same as regular slotted containers with the exception that they have only a single flap. The box is open from one side this allows the item to slide inside it with ease. Half slotted containers are ideal for heavy or large objects such as television, washing machines, etc.

• Corrugated Trays

This tray is designed to hold other objects. Corrugated trays are specifically used, with visibility and easy handling of the product as of prime importance. This is primarily used in food and beverage industry.

• Full Over Lap

The specialty of this box is that its outer flaps are full width and therefore can overlap. This specific characteristic makes it resistant to rough handling. Full overlap box is ideal for heavy objects where extra support is required.

• Die Cut Custom

Such type of custom corrugated boxes are made to the exact detail given by the consumer. These boxes are made with full color and is available in all shapes and sizes. Such type of boxes is usually used for cosmetic or gift boxes.

• Telescope Boxes

These are another common type of corrugated boxes. Telescope boxes are based on two pieces, a lid and a separate body. The lid normally fits over or telescopes over the body of the box. This types of box packaging can be used in many applications and variety of industries.

• Wraparound Blank

Wraparound Blank as the name suggests is formed into a box by folding it tightly around a rigid product. This process of folding is done by automatic equipment. The finished product is an RSC (Regular Slotted Corrugate) turned on its side so that the bottom and top of the box are unbroken. Until the final closure the joint is not formed.

• Folder Boxes

These consists of one piece corrugated cardboard thus providing an unbroken, flat bottom and scored to fold around a product. Usually the bottom of the box is hinged to form the side walls and cover. Other accessories can be installed as per some desired designs. Specialty about folder boxes is that they are unglued corrugated boxed used for packaging large to oddly shaped items. One example of a folder box is a pizza box.

• Pre-glued Auto Bottom with RSC Top Flaps

This is a regular slotted container from the top. Pre-glued auto bottom boxes would be produced on a die cutter. This can be combined with partitions or dividers that are used to provide a spate cell for each item in a box. For example, the combination of these two can used for glassware and other fragile articles. Shanghai Custom Packaging supply corrugated boxes in Shanghai with low rates.

How to Measure the Strength of Your Corrugate Box:

You can gage the strength of your corrugate box by measuring its board strength. Board strength defines how strong the box should be. There are two methods to calculate the potency of the box, the fluting method and the edge crush test.

Fluting:

The sinusoidal wave shaped arches of the corrugated box that make up its board. These waves are called the board’s corrugation. This helps corrugate box material to strengthen for the purpose of stacking and durability. Flutes provide insulation to the product as it offers protection against sudden temperature change. This can also be potentially used for custom printing and graphics. Fluting comes in numerous types where each type has unique features of its own. There are five types of flutes from A to C and E to F.

Types of Fluting:

• Flute A

This provides greater strength and cushioning and therefore is used for wrapping and stacking.

• Flute B

B is similar to A in means of potency and crushing resistance. It has 42 to 50 flutes per foot and is known to have the second highest arch size. This is mainly used for canned goods and displays.

• Flute C

These are commonly used and have 39 to 43 flutes per foot. Their category lies between flutes A & B. Among the stacking and cushioning features Flute C has printing properties as well. These are ideally used for glass, furniture and dairy products.

• Flute E

This provides the greatest crush resistance with 94 flutes per foot. These properties provide the board profile to be super thin thereby reducing the box size in turn saving storage space. Flute E has a super printing surface which makes it an excellent choice for die cut custom boxes. These are often used for cosmetic and personal items.

• Flute F

Flute F has been newly introduced in the market. It is a very thin flute used for food and other disposable items. This type is known for its light weight.

Edge Crush Test

This is a simple method to determine the stacking and crushing of a piece of corrugated board. In this test the force that will crush a container board standing on an edge, is determined. For example, it is determined that when 23 ECT is applied on a single walled corrugate box means that it can sustain a minimum weight of 20 lbs.