Cardboard Vs. Corrugated Boxes: Understanding the Differences and Uses

In the world of shipping and packaging, two players that stand out are cardboard and corrugated boxes. Whether you are planning to move your products from one place to another or store goods, these boxes play an important role during the whole process. While they might look similar, there are some key factors that differentiate them from one another. In this article, we will go through the differences between cardboard and corrugated boxes, so let’s get started without any delay.

Differences between cardboard and corrugated boxes

Cardboard is a thick paper material that looks like regular paper but is hard and strongly built. To understand better, cardboard can be termed as the accumulation of several sheets of paper that are pressed together. Similar to regular paper, cardboards are also prepared from wood pulp, but their manufacturing consists of some extra steps, which make them thicker and suitable for packing several items. In general, these materials are used as book covers, cereal boxes, greeting cards, milk cartons and more. The best part is that cardboard is easy to recycle, which makes it an ideal pick that impacts the environment positively.

The corrugated boxes are rigid and used for shipping items from one location to another. The identification of these boxes is their three-layered design, which provides enough strength to carry heavy items. These boxes are easy to assemble and come with interlocking folds, making them an ideal pick for businesses. Natural materials are used in the preparation of these boxes, which makes them lightweight in nature and highly customizable according to requirements.

Although most of the features of cardboard and corrugated boxes might look similar, one major difference between them is product protection. The cushioning layer of corrugated boxes allows one to carry fragile items like glass materials and electronics without the risk of any breakdown. So, if you are confused regarding cardboard vs. corrugated boxes for shipping fragile items, then corrugated boxes should be your ideal pick.

Advantages of using corrugated boxes over cardboard

Imagine a container box that works as armor for your products and protects them from various external elements. There are many advantages of corrugated boxes over cardboard, and some of them are given below.

1. Highly Customizable

Corrugated boxes come with fold lines, which provide assistance in sealing them with tape or glue without any hassle. Moreover, the flat surface available can be used for labelling and numbering them according to requirements.

2. Protection Against Contaminants

The corrugated boxes can be equipped with special treatments so that it reduces the risk of contamination and similar issues. This will resist the formation of bacteria and moisture and prove useful while shipping food and pharmaceutical products.

3. Efficient Warehousing

These rigid boxes have plain surfaces so they can be kept above one another in a vertical manner. An advantage of this is that you can use the vertical space and the storage capacity to its fullest.

Best uses for cardboard boxes in e-commerce

Cardboard boxes can be used in a variety of ways beyond just shipping products, and some of them are discussed below.

1. Branding

One of the most significant uses of cardboard boxes in e-commerce is in the branding section. The material used in the manufacturing of these boxes assists in effortless printing and coating on the surface of the cardboard. Moreover, it does not limit recycling ability, making it an ideal choice for all companies instead of plastic labelling. Hence, adopt an affordable technique to present your business in a vibrant and attractive manner.

2. Easy to open

The cardboard boxes are designed in such a manner that customers of any age group can easily handle them. Its light weight makes it easy to carry and move from one place to another. Moreover, no matter how big the boxes are, they can be folded easily for disposal or recycling purposes.

3. Flexibility

The cardboard boxes can be prepared in any size to fit the product shapes and other requirements perfectly. For further protection, cushioning can be added so that it resists the vibrations and shocks during the journey. Preparing uniform sizes of boxes promotes easy customization and the opportunity to place them one above another.

Cardboard and corrugated boxes: Which is better for packaging?

Both the cardboard and corrugated boxes are used for packing and shipping products, and their uses completely depend upon the requirements. One advantage of both these boxes is their lightweight nature, which doesn’t impact the overall weight of the products much. As corrugated boxes have multiple layers, they are used to pack fragile items that have the tendency to break easily. Being strongly built, it also has the capacity to carry heavy items without much hassle.

Cardboard, on the other hand, is used to carry light items, basically retail products. The only issue with them is they are comparatively less durable and not ideal for heavy items. So, for most industries, corrugated boxes are an ideal pick as they provide a wide range of uses in various fields.

Conclusion

Thus, in this article, we explored the various aspects of cardboard and corrugated boxes along with their uses. Now, it totally depends upon your requirements on which packaging item you should opt for that would be beneficial for your business. Hence, pick your preferred option and product your product, along with maintaining the brand’s reputation.