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The Most Common Corrugated Box Styles and Their Best Uses

Corrugated packaging is one of the most versatile and environmentally friendly solutions when it comes to contemporary logistics and online sales. Corrugated box manufacturers are making regular changes to meet the dynamic demands, be it to protect sensitive products, improve the supply chain globally, or to meet emerging business requirements. Let’s understand the common corrugated box styles to help brands across industries find the right packaging for their product.

The food and electronics industry, among all, is where corrugated boxes become most useful. Their stacked fluted paper between liners provides the best balance of strength, flexibility, and cost efficiency. These common corrugated boxes not only provide secure delivery but also are a point of branding contact in many businesses.

The success of corrugated packaging lies in the fact that it can be used as a lightweight yet tough, reusable yet flexible, and can even cover anything, be it a perishable product or an industrial component.

The boxes are not all made equal. The right corrugated box style may determine the success of a smooth delivery or the failure of delivering a damaged product. The correct design will ensure that there is minimal wastage of space, minimize shipping expenses, and improve customer perceptions on presentation and print.

The right choice will provide efficiency, cost-saving, and brand integrity, which are of paramount importance in the current competitive environment of packaging.

WHAT MAKES CORRUGATED BOXES DIFFERENT?

“Corrugated” and “cardboard” are not similar, while the words are used interchangeably. Corrugated packaging is made up of a fluted inner layer that is between two liners, giving it rigidity and cushioning. On the other hand, cardboard is a single-layered paperboard that is only used in lightweight products like cereal boxes.

Corrugated boxes have better compression strength, shock absorption, and stacking ability as compared to single-layer boxes. They can be customized so easily with specialized coatings, die-cut shapes and digital printing, which provides better protection as well as brand value.

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THE MOST COMMON CORRUGATED BOX STYLES

The widely known common corrugated boxes are:

REGULAR SLOTTED CONTAINER (RSC)

The most affordable and industry-standard box construction, in which all the flaps are of identical length and all converge at the center during closing. Most suitable in e-commerce delivery and storage, and generally transportation, where reliability and cost are the factors to be considered.

FULL OVERLAP CONTAINER (FOL)

It has flaps that can be entirely overlapped to provide twice the strength of the upper and bottom panels. Ideal for heavy, delicate and high-value products that need additional rigidity and cushioning.

HALF-SLOTTED CONTAINER (HSC)

A design similar to the RSC, only without top flaps, making it an open-top design that makes it easy to access and display the product. Usually applied to retail displays, bulk packaging and automatic packing lines.

DIE-CUT BOXES

Boxes can be custom-shaped and cut using a custom die, allowing for complex design and branding cutouts. Ideal when using custom corrugated boxes in retail packaging, subscription packages, or marketing packages where appearance is important.

CORRUGATED TRAYS

The design displays a low-level, flat shape with open top and side flanges. These are ideal for stacking and display. Often used for food and beverage packaging to protect fresh produce and canned items during transit, and also for on-the-shelf displays.

CORRUGATED MAILER BOXES

It has a self-locking feature which folds itself without the need for tape. It is not only convenient for use but also looks presentable. Mostly used for e-commerce and subscription brands to provide an extraordinary “unboxing” experience while keeping the product safe.

ONE-PIECE FOLDER (OPF)

A sheet similar to a single paper roll that can be used to fold around a product to pack it tightly without wasting any material. This is most commonly used to ship books, printed items, framed art, or slim electronics.

FACTORS THAT DETERMINE WHICH CORRUGATED BOX STYLE TO CHOOSE

“What is the purpose?” is the only question brands across industries must try to elaborate on when choosing a corrugated box style. If still confused about where to start, here are four factors to consider:

  • Product Weight and Size
    Describe what type of product you need a corrugated packaging for. What is the weight and size of the product? Is your product heavy, or may it break easily? The product’s unique characteristics determine the number of layers the corrugated box style must have.
  • Shipping Method
    Products are shipped either by land or air. One thing which determines the cost of shipping is the weight of the corrugated box. While these boxes are widely preferred because of their extreme lightweight, custom corrugated boxes go that extra mile to keep the products safe during long-distance shipping. They are cut and shaped according to the size and shape of the products. If needed, additional cushioning is provided to make sure fragile items do not break easily during transit.
  • Branding Requirements
    When selling their products, brands usually need bright, appealing packaging to make their sales strategy effective. Common corrugated box styles offer flexibility of graphic printing and customization, including interactive features, to make them attractive to consumers in as many ways as possible.
  • Budget and Sustainability
    Reflect on your expenses on packaging. Identify what your brand values on sustainability are. Switching to corrugated packaging is a massive change. It proves to eco-conscious consumers that your brand cares about the environment and the future of people on Earth.

INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Cost-effectiveness and product safety are the two most important factors in the e-commerce industry. This is where mailer boxes or RSC corrugated box styles become useful.
  • With the innovation of die-cut boxes and corrugated trays, corrugated box manufacturers for the retail industry have offered great branding and marketing possibilities.
  • Double- or triple-walled corrugated packaging boxes are used to ship heavy and fragile items, ensuring products reach their destination without any damage.
  • Offering the most flexible design possibilities for display, packaging and shipping needs for the food and beverage sectors, the corrugated trays and die-cut types of corrugated packaging are versatile in use.

SUSTAINABILITY IN CORRUGATED PACKAGING

Corrugated packaging is the best in terms of environmental performance. It is among the most recyclable types of packaging in the world as they are composed of recycled fibre and renewable resources.

The right choice of style can reduce waste by reducing unnecessary material, and can reduce carbon emissions by maximizing transportation performance. To adhere to eco-sensitive corporate goals, corrugated box manufacturers are resorting more and more to closed-loop recycling, water-based inks, and starch adhesives.

CONCLUSION

The choice of the correct corrugated box style is not merely about the containment, but a strategic issue that impacts the protection, cost, brand image, and sustainability. Fitting the appropriate design to each product means efficiency all the way to the door of the customer.

To get personalized guidance and custom corrugated packaging, which makes your brand stand out and minimizes corrugated packaging wastage, contact your preferred corrugated box manufacturer.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Which corrugated box type is widely preferred?

All types of corrugated packaging are known for their durability, efficiency, and affordability. But the Regular Slotted Container (RSC) is most commonly used in various applications. It is favoured for shipping and storing goods, and also applicable to e-commerce needs.

Which corrugated box is best to ship heavy goods?

There must be at least two or three layers in the making of corrugated packaging that’ll efficiently serve the storing, stacking and shipping of heavy goods. In this regard, the Full Overlap Container (FOL) meets these requirements.

What distinguishes RSC boxes from FOL boxes?

The flaps of an RSC corrugated box style meet at equal angles in the middle when closed. The FOL flaps, on the other hand, overlap each other. The FOL provides extra protection and strength, which makes it suitable for use to store and ship heavy or fragile goods.

Are corrugated packaging recyclable?

Yes. All possibly known common corrugated boxes are completely recyclable. They are either made of recycled fibre or made to degrade naturally in soil or to be repurposed for better use. The manufacturing of corrugated packaging supports the concept of the circular economy while meeting environmental safety standards.

Is printing possible in corrugated boxes?

For marketing and branding purposes, printing is possible in all types of corrugated packaging. Whether brands need colourful graphics or need exclusive packaging for seasonal offers, digital, flexographic and lithographic printing is possible.

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