Cardboard Shipping Boxes: Everything You Need To Know
Cardboard boxes are the go-to option for shipping items - with good reason. Not only are they affordable and readily available, but they are also sustainable and customisable, all while keeping products safe during transit. Let's run through all the benefits and options available to you when choosing corrugate shipping boxes for your business...
Safe & Secure Shipping
Cardboard boxes are specially designed to be strong and durable. The secret to their strength lies in their construction - they're usually made from corrugated cardboard. Basically, there's a fluted layer in between two flat layers of paper. This design makes the boxes strong but also lightweight, which is great for shipping stuff without breaking the bank. The fluted layer also acts as a cushion, so if your box gets bumped around during transit, the contents won't get damaged. These corrugated boards come in different thicknesses depending on what you're shipping. All sounding a bit complicated? Don't worry. We can help you select the perfect one for your packaging. We even offer drop testing for those extra fragile items.
Cardboard boxes also provide protection from external elements during shipping. They are designed to withstand moisture, humidity, and extreme temperatures, ensuring that the contents of the box remain safe and secure. We can also add a laminated coating that makes them water-resistant.
Cardboard boxes can be customised to fit your specific needs. We create bespoke boxes to ensure that your items fit snugly inside. You can also add additional layers of cardboard or foam inserts to provide extra protection to fragile items. Additionally, we can label the box with appropriate warnings and handling instructions, ensuring that the box is handled correctly during transit.
We've helped our customers ship everything from paint tins to precious jewellery, so you know your products are in safe hands.
Platforms & Fitments
Choosing the right packaging material is important to keep your products safe and secure during transit. One of the best ways to do this is by using platforms or fitments in your shipping boxes.
Platforms and fitments are custom-made inserts placed inside your boxes to hold products in place and prevent them from shifting during transit. This reduces the risk of damage to delicate or fragile items, ensuring that your products arrive at their destination in the same condition as they left your warehouse. It also means your products are perfectly presented to your customers, every time.
Let's dive into the additional benefits of using fitments and platforms in your shipping boxes:
Space optimisation
Using one size of shipping box for all your products is cost-effective and saves you from having multiple sizes piled up in your warehouse. Fitments are the best way to do this effectively. They are especially useful when shipping multiple products in a single box, as it helps you make the most of the available space and minimize shipping costs.
Customisation
Fitments can be die-cut to fit specific products, ensuring a snug and secure fit. This level of customization allows you to have complete protection for each product you ship. We can also print your fitments with any design you'd like to really make your packaging stand out.
Ease of use
Using fitments and platforms in shipping boxes is quick and easy, as they simply need to be inserted into the box - much quicker than filling your box with packing peanuts or wrapping products in bubble wrap. This saves time and makes the packaging process more efficient, freeing up your staff to focus on other tasks.
Sustainable
Fitments and platforms are often made of cardboard, making them easily recyclable, unlike other protective solutions like bubble wrap.
We make our recommendations on a case-by-case basis and in certain situations, we may recommend using foam. We normally recommend this if you're sending particularly fragile products, like glass, or the box will be kept as a keepsake, as cardboard can deteriorate over time. But don't worry, we have sustainable foam options available, so you don't have to choose function over sustainability.
Both our cardboard and sustainable foam options are kerbside recyclable, ensuring there's no confusion with your customers as there can be with biodegradable materials like foam peanuts.
Using fitments and platforms in shipping boxes is a smart choice for any business that ships products regularly. They offer protection, space optimisation, customisation, ease of use, and are sustainable, making them a valuable addition to your shipping boxes.
Easier Returns
Get your customers to put down the parcel tape.
If you have a returns policy you want to make the process as painless for your customer (and your staff that process the returns) as possible.
The best way to do this is to use two peel-and-seal strips with a ripper strip in between.
Why two peel-and-seal strips?
The first one is to ship the parcel to the customer. No need for tape in your warehouse. Just peel the strip, and seal the box. Easy-peasy.
This creates a nice neat closure that is easily opened by tearing along the ripper strip. Your packaging is left looking tidy and it saves your customer searching around for scissors.
The second strip is to securely seal the package back up with minimal effort should they need to make a return.
This not only speeds up the process for the customer but also speeds up the processing of the returns. No need for your staff to hack their way through parcel tape, saving you time and money.
It’s a win-win.
Sustainability
Using cardboard boxes for e-commerce shipping has a ton of sustainable benefits. The main advantage is they're kerbside recyclable! That means that after your customers receive their package, the box can be broken down and tossed into the recycling bin, where it'll be turned into new products.
Not only that, but cardboard is also biodegradable. Unlike plastic, which can take up to 200 years to decompose, cardboard breaks down naturally over time. So even if your box doesn't make it to the recycling bin, it'll eventually break down into harmless materials that can enrich the soil.
Another great thing about cardboard boxes is they can be transported to your warehouse flat-packed. That means they take up less space in transit, which reduces the carbon footprint of the shipping process.
Plus, they can be easily customised with die-cut fitments to fit specific products, so you can find the perfect box for your product and minimise waste. This versatility also means you can reduce the number of boxes you need to use, further reducing your environmental impact.
And let's not forget that cardboard is made from wood pulp, which is a renewable resource. Trees can be replanted to replace those that are harvested for paper production, making cardboard a sustainable choice. Many paper manufacturers use sustainable forestry practices to ensure that forests are managed responsibly. Recycled cardboard is also an option for particularly eco-conscious brands. You can view more about our sustainability practices here.
So there you have it - cardboard boxes are the way to go for sustainable e-commerce shipping. They're recyclable, biodegradable, lightweight, versatile, and made from a renewable resource.
Corrugate - But Not As You Know It
You need cardboard shipping boxes to ship your products. But that doesn't mean they have to look like every other cardboard box.
Colour
Cardboard doesn't have to look like cardboard. You can print it and laminate it in big, bold colours. Trust us - we've got 30 years of print heritage. We know how to make your boxes stand out. Standard brown boxes? We don't think so.
Paper
Looking for that luxury feel? Want something tactile? Did you know you can wrap your boxes in paper stock? We work with partners like G F Smith and Winter & Co to give you a wide variety of luxury papers. Who said corrugate couldn't be luxurious?
This is where you can really flex your creative muscles. You don't just have to print your logo. Why not use a design from your products? Print the whole box in a pattern. The only limit is your imagination.
We specialise in packaging with a twist. Your corrugate boxes don't need to be boring. We can help you stand out on your client's doormat. Be bold. Push the boundaries of corrugate.
We hope reading this has got your creative juices flowing. Ready to level up your shipping boxes? Talk to one of our experts and we'll help you create packaging you can be proud of.