Also called pleated cardboard, corrugated cardboard is a material used to make custom boxes in Canada, among other things. It consists of three layers. The inner and outer two layers are flat, while the inner layer consists of fluting, an arched sheet of paper in a wavy pattern. Corrugated cardboard offers significant advantages as a packaging material.
1. Strength
The pleated fluting of the corrugated isn’t just for looks. Its structure is designed specifically for durability and strength. The middle layer touches the outer and inner layers at alternating points, helping the cardboard hold its shape and making it more difficult to crush or tear. Because corrugated cardboard is durable and holds its shape so well, it provides protection for delicate materials inside, cushioning and protecting them from damage. This is especially important if a product is going to be shipped over long distances and handled multiple times along the way.
Corrugated cardboard doesn’t just protect your products from damage due to force. It is designed to prevent bacterial growth by resisting moisture. This is important if the contents are going to be in storage for a long time or if the contents are particularly susceptible to harm. For example, exposure to bacteria could cause food products to spoil, but corrugated cardboard can help keep it fresh even if shipping times are long.
2. Versatility
Cardboard is a type of paper, which makes it flexible. It can be broken down flat for storage and used to contain a wide range of different materials. The most common uses for corrugated cardboard include pizza delivery boxes, retail displays, and shipping containers.
3. Sustainability
If you are concerned about not polluting the environment, corrugated cardboard is a packaging option you should consider for its sustainability. Because of corrugated cardboard’s durability and versatility, end users can and often do keep reusing them for a number of different tasks. Corrugated cardboard boxes are recyclable and, in fact, most of them have already been made from recycled materials.
If for some reason, a corrugated cardboard box does end up in a landfill, it will not harm the environment. Cardboard is biodegradable, meaning that it will eventually break down in the landfill, leaving no detectable trace of its previous existence. This is in sharp contrast to plastic containers that either sit intact in a landfill indefinitely or keep breaking down into smaller shards without biodegrading.
4. Cost-Effectiveness
If your business involves shipping your goods, packaging them in corrugated cardboard not only helps protect them while they are en route, it also saves you money. Shipping costs are usually determined by weight, with heavier packages being more costly to ship. Because cardboard is lightweight, it doesn’t add much to the overall weight of the package, saving you money on shipping costs. Compared to other packaging options, corrugated cardboard boxes themselves are among the least expensive.
5. Customizability
Because cardboard is made of paper, it can be printed with your logo or the name of your company. However, that is not the only way that it can be customized. Custom boxes in Canada come in all different sizes. They can even be formed into different shapes if you require a box that is nonstandard because of a special packaging need. There are also options to make corrugated cardboard flame-resistant or to add different adhesives and coatings for practical and aesthetic purposes. The thickness of the cardboard can also be customized so that you can choose a heavier, thicker stock if you require even more protection. Just bear in mind that some methods used to customize the appearance of corrugated cardboard, such as dyes or bleaches, might affect their recyclability.
Manufacturing corrugated cardboard boxes do not require costly tools, and the labour costs to produce them are low. Nevertheless, corrugated cardboard is an engineering marvel, brilliant in its simplicity. Find out more about how KinsBrae Packaging can help you choose cost-effective packaging options for your business model.