Corrugated Vs Cardboard — What’s the Difference?

According to Statista, online goods purchase stands tall at 2.14 billion worldwide. That makes 27.6% of the world population. The number is expected to only rise in the following years which means more online buyers, packaging materials and online businesses.

Whether the consumer is buying from big brands like Amazon or small businesses, the expectation remains the same for the products—quicker delivery in good condition.

Buying cardboard boxes and corrugated boxes aren’t a new thing for businesses. These are pretty much staple for packaging goods. However, if you are shipping your products regularly, knowing the difference between corrugated and cardboard is essential.

Now more than ever it has become a crucial point to consider the type of packaging you are using for shipping products. With such competition in the market around packaging, the difference can be a one-time customer and a lifelong customer.

Knowing the features and differences of these products will help to increase sales, customer retention, and improve customer experience.

What are the major differences between corrugated cardboard rolls and cardboard boxes?

Most businesses stick to double wall cardboard boxes and corrugated boxes for shipping their products. Although they seem to accomplish similar jobs; they are very different in terms of structure and purpose.

Corrugated paper

Corrugated cardboard rolls are made of at least three layers of cardboard sheet. The stark difference is that corrugated rolls have an inner liner, outer liner and a fluted liner in the middle. The fluted material in the middle makes the containers extremely resilient to shocks, compression and temperature change.

But don’t think that due to so many layers, the boxes are heavier. The lightweight of these boxes makes them perfect for shipping a huge number of products.

Corrugated paper rolls can be cut into different shapes and are usually used for shipping food items, electronics, medicines and other fragile products.

The fluted layer of these boxes helps to provide a higher level of security and acts as an insulator to keep the items in great shape.

Cardboard paper

Double-wall cardboard boxes are made of two layers of heavy paper-pulp sheets. Cardboard boxes are heavily used to pack lighter objects like cereals, chips, notebooks, clothing and other stationery items.

The apparel industry has a high usage of cardboard sheets. As these rolls are less rigid than corrugated paper rolls, they can give structural support as inserts in clothing like shirts. They are also used as book covers, notepad covers, etc.

Cardboard isn’t as resilient as corrugated rolls. While many e-commerce companies use them to ship lightweight items that don’t possess a risk of damage; they are often accompanied by bubble wrap rolls for extra protection.

When to use corrugated paper rolls?

Both corrugated and cardboard can be very useful packaging materials if used properly. A lot of it actually depends on the products you are shipping.

Corrugated rolls are apt for shipping heavier, breakable and fragile items. It can withstand the rigorous process of transportation from warehouse to mail processing unit to delivery vehicle and finally to the destination.

With corrugated rolls, you won’t need much cushioning. In the food industry, corrugated packaging is preferred over cardboard. This is because corrugated boxes keep the perishable items fresher and cleaner. With the rise in online grocery shopping, corrugated containers are often lined with insulating materials to protect fruits, vegetables, dairy products from getting expired.

When to use cardboard packaging?

Cardboard is often used in the apparel industry due to its immense flexibility.

For small businesses that ship clothes, accessories, baking goods locally, cardboard is a very ideal packaging supply. They are strong but cost less than plastic or corrugated boxes.

If you make customised packaging, these boxes will provide more flexibility.  It gives the benefit of size alterations, custom opening folds or flaps, die cuts, etc.

Cardboard is an efficient option when the package is lightweight, hence there are cardboard mailers available now.

Hope with these points you will have a better idea about cardboard and corrugated packaging. If you don’t ship your own package, it is better to discuss it with some packaging specialists at Wellpack Europe. They will help you to create an efficient packaging container that will protect your goods and create a lasting impression.