How to Effectively Use Various Types of Packaging Boxes for Your Business

Types of Packaging Boxes

Most cartons mainly come in two formats – folding cartons and rigid box cartons.

Folding cartons are those which are manufactured from a single sheet board. It can be paperboard, corrugated board or fibreboard. A single sheet is die-cut according to a template and is then folded to make a box or a tray. A very common example of a folded carton is a pizza box where the single corrugated sheet is folded to make the top, bottom and the sides.

The opposite of folding cartons is the rigid box cartons. This is where the top and the bottom parts are separate. This type of boxes is also known as telescopic boxes. Shoe boxes generally come in this format. Clothing items and electronics also use such type of two-piece boxes.

Depending on the material used, as well as the construction, packaging boxes are broadly grouped different categories.

1. Corrugated Boxes

Corrugated boxes are light yet sturdy boxes that are made by folding corrugated paperboards. The basic structure of corrugated paperboard involves boards made from sandwiching fluted or arched paper between two layers of linerboards made from heavy paper. This gives corrugated boxes a higher bending rigidity and resistance to crushing than most other packaging boxes. There are different types of corrugated boards depending on the density of the arches or flutes, as well as the thickness of the boards.

Corrugated boxes can be easily recycled unless they are laminated with plastics. These boxes are often laminated with other forms of paper that enable rich, full-colour graphical printing.

2. Boxboard or Paperboard Cartons

Paperboard can be easily printed with rich colours, can be lined with other materials and can be folded intricately. This makes paperboard cartons ideal for retail boxes that look quite appealing on store shelves. Paperboard is also used to make corrugated boards. A special variant, called containerboard is used to do so.

Paperboard is commonly used in electronics packaging, toys and cosmetics packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, stationary packaging, cigarette and liquor packaging and so on. It is easy to print on boxboard packaging. They can also be embossed. Moreover, it is also easy to laminate boxboard packaging for added strength and water-resistant properties.

These packaging can be recycled easily unless they are laminated with plastic or printed with metalized ink.

3. Aseptic Cartons

Aseptic cartons are multi-layered containers generally used to store liquid food. They are commonly used for storing juices, soups, baby food, and even desserts. Aseptic packaging not only increases the shelf life of products but also preserves their nutritional value, colour, and texture. Aseptic packaging can also withstand high temperatures and do not corrode over time when containing acidic products.

The multiple materials used in aseptic cartons makes recycling them very difficult. Aseptic cartons are made from layers of polyethylene, paperboard, aluminium barrier, and more plastic layers. These layers are attached to each other using heat or adhesives.

Choosing the right carton for your packaging needs

What sort of carton you will need depends widely on your business needs. If you are in the packing and moving business, or if you are shipping heavy products, then corrugated boxes are the best. For smaller products, paperboard boxes do better. They can also be customized in numerous ways and look great on store shelves. Paperboard boxes also are the best option for packing cakes and confectionaries. Aseptic as well as gable top cartons are the only options you have when you are packing liquid food products.

You can also combine multiple boxes. For example, you can use a strong corrugated box to pack sensitive electronics, while using a paperboard carton as an overwrap. You can use egg cartons as padding while shipping items in corrugated boxes. You can bundle aseptic cartons using paperboard boxes too. There are endless ways in which you can use packaging boxes.

Packaging boxes have evolved for almost every requirement of the packaging industry. Moreover, they are also available for different budget segments. This makes packaging boxes a good solution for any packaging needs.

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