Advantages of Using Corrugated Cardboard For Packaging

Every choice matters in product shipment, and it is especially important to consider how to package your product. Boxes should be durable and protective, keeping the items from any damage in transit. At the same time, your packaging should be high-quality and positively represent your brand. After all, the packaging is the first thing customers will see when their delivery arrives.

The corrugated board in these boxes cushions products, protecting them from shocks or vibrations. Corrugated boxes are a popular go-to option for shipping bulky, fragile or sensitive items like electronics.

Here’s your complete guide to corrugated cardboard and how it can benefit your business’s packaging operations.

What Is Corrugated Cardboard?

Corrugated cardboard is cardboard that has been reinforced with more cardboard. It contains two parts — linerboard and medium. The linerboard is the flat paper on the side, and the medium is a three-dimensional layer of wavy paper.

Sometimes, as on single-face corrugated cardboard, there is only one side of linerboard with the medium exposed. In single-wall or double-wall corrugated cardboard, the medium sits between two layers of linerboard to create a flat surface on both sides. Corrugated cardboard is a popular material, and the global market is expected to reach over $277 billion by 2033.

The Basics of Corrugated Cardboard

Corrugated cardboard is identified by various characteristics, such as flute profile and material strength. Here are some key factors to note:

Corrugated Flute Sizes

Multiple layers make up corrugated cardboard — their size and shape determine the amount of cushioning and strength the packaging can offer. Here is an overview of our corrugated cardboard thickness guide:

A flute: The largest, tallest flute size provides ample cushioning, impact resistance and strength. It also has good insulation properties, which are beneficial for temperature-sensitive products.
B flute: Slightly smaller than the A flute, the B flute has good structural integrity, structural strength and cushioning while being lightweight. It is often used to ship consumer goods, electronics and retail products.
C flute: Smaller than the B flute, the C flute is versatile and printable with decent crush resistance, making it ideal for retail packaging.
E flute: E flute is thin and compact with excellent printability. It offers good surface protection, making it suitable for displays, lightweight products and point-of-sale packaging.
F flute: The F flute is compact and smooth, offering good protection for cosmetics and electronics.
Single-face: A single-face board has two layers — a liner and a corrugated layer — making it more suitable for interior packaging.
Single-wall: The more common type of corrugated flat board, single wall has a layer of fluting between two liners.
Double-wall: Industrial cartons use the double-wall board, as it is extremely durable with two layers of fluting and three liners.
Triple-wall: Chemical containers and shipping crates use triple-wall board. It has three layers of fluting sandwiched between liners to protect chemicals or special handling items.

Strength Tests

It’s vital to ensure your box can sufficiently safeguard your products against damage during transit. That’s where structural strength testing comes in. There are two tests to determine the corrugated cardboard’s strength and carrying capacity:

The Millen Bursting Test: This test measures the board’s bursting strength. It’s a useful tool when determining support for heavy objects.
The Edge Crush Test: This test measures stacking strength, which is imperative for any lightweight boxes you plan to stack.

What Are the Advantages of Corrugated Cardboard Packaging?

Corrugated cardboard is an effective material offering a wide range of advantages for your business. In fact, 95% of products in the United States are packaged in corrugated cardboard. The key benefits of this material include:

Protection: The wavy, fluted three-dimensionality of corrugated cardboard is compact and lightweight, offering an additional layer of protection. Single-layer chipboard, like the kind used for cereal boxes, isn’t usually used for shipping because it has barely any protection at all, and shipping can be hazardous. A corrugated cardboard packing box provides much stronger protection against the elements with the cushioned paper padding inside. 
Customization: The flat linerboard, also made of paper cardboard, is a cost-effective material for custom printing. Custom print jobs are common on cardboard boxes for products that are shipped, stocked, stacked, sold, reused, repurposed and recycled all over the world. With the dual functionality of a wavy inner layer for protection and a flat outer layer for structure and printing, corrugated cardboard shipping boxes are the ideal bridge between marketing and logistics for getting your product into your customers’ hands.
Cost-effectiveness: Corrugated cardboard is more cost-effective, readily available and versatile than other materials. Its ability to configure to most shapes and sizes reduces material waste to optimize your operations’ packaging efficiency.
Sustainability: Made from renewable or biodegradable materials like wood pulp paper fibers, corrugated cardboard is highly recyclable. It can easily be converted into new paper products, lowering its environmental impact. This material is the largest single recycled paper product.
Lightweight nature: Corrugated cardboard is the strongest cardboard on the market despite being lightweight. It is easy to handle during storage, packaging and transportation, reducing overall packaging weight and shipping costs.

Corrugated Cardboard vs. Standard Box Materials

Corrugated cardboard is widely regarded as the most preferred packaging material. Corrugated cardboard packaging is known for its durability, strength and versatility. Plus, it’s remarkably lightweight and cost-effective to ship.

Corrugated cardboard differs from standard cardboard boxes in a few key ways, including how it’s constructed. Regular cardboard boxes are built using paperboard, which is made from heavy paper pulp and may contain just a single layer. The result is a thinner packaging material that is often used for smaller operations.

Corrugated boxes require a more complex manufacturing process. They are designed using three separate layers of thick paperboard, including flat outer layers and a rippled inner layer. These layers are held together using a thick, strong glue. As a result, they are highly durable and offer superior protection for the products inside. 

Why Choose Custom Boxes Now for Custom Cardboard Solutions?

For more than 60 years, Custom Boxes Now! has designed and manufactured custom-printed corrugated boxes for businesses. With a team of expert designers and a 100% in-house manufacturing process, we provide high-quality corrugated packaging on a fast, reliable timeline. In fact, our on-time percentage is over 99%. When we give you a delivery timeline, you can hold us to it!

Our custom corrugated packaging process begins with your specifications. Just let us know the size and shape of the products you need to ship. If you have any questions along the way, our team is available to guide you toward the right solution. We never outsource any of our processes — everything happens in-house to ensure quality control. If you need custom corrugated cardboard boxes, we’ve got you covered.

Are you thinking about buying cardboard boxes for your business? Let us help. Use our Custom Box Configurator to select the perfect shipping box sizes for your product, or contact us directly at Custom Boxes Now to learn more.