Types of Packaging Boxes

When packaging their products, brands will use several different types of boxes. The types of packaging boxes that a brand will use will depend on several factors, such as the type of product they sell and the point of purchase (in-store versus online).

In this post, we discuss the different types of boxes that brands use in their packaging, what their advantages and disadvantages are, and also provide some real-world examples.

1. Corrugated board boxes

Many of today’s brands use corrugated board boxes, especially e-commerce brands that ship their products to customers. Brands can use corrugated as shipping boxes, mailer boxes, or even product boxes.

Corrugated board boxes are also known as corrugated board packaging, corrugated fiberboard, or simply cardboard boxes. These types of boxes typically have three layers: a flute or wavy corrugated sheet placed between two flat layers.

Examples of this type of box include:

• Pizza boxes
• Moving boxes
• Boxes that brands use to ship online orders (Amazon boxes)

The advantage of corrugated packaging is its durability. Corrugated boxes help protect products from damage throughout their entire journey in the supply chain, from the time the product leaves your warehouse right down to the time it arrives at your customer’s door.

At PackM, we use a lightweight yet durable corrugated board material for our custom packaging. The material we use consists of a flute corrugated sheet made of kraft material placed between one or two flat liners.

Using corrugated board material, we can create custom mailer boxes, custom shipping boxes, custom product boxes, and custom shoe boxes. We can customize the size and design of the box according to your specifications.

2. Paperboard boxes

Paperboard boxes are also known as paperboard cartons or folding cartons. These types of boxes are common and you can easily find them in every corner of every retail store.

Brands use paperboard boxes when they want stores to display the products on their shelves. At a retail store, you’ll find paperboard boxes used on products such as chocolates, medicines, bars of soap.

Examples of paperboard boxes you’ll see in retail stores include:

• Cereal boxes (Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Froot Loops, etc.)
• Soapboxes (Dial, Ivory, Irish Spring, etc.)
• Packaged food boxes (Kraft Macaroni and Cheese)

From the name itself, paperboard boxes are made of paper-based material. The material used for paperboard boxes is thin and lightweight yet strong enough to hold a wide range of products. Compared to corrugated boxes, paperboard boxes are also more affordable to manufacture. Another advantage of paperboard boxes is that they are recyclable, which makes paperboard boxes ideal for companies that want to be more eco-friendly.

However, unlike corrugated board boxes, they lack the durability to be able to protect products during shipping. This is why brands don’t use paperboard cartons as shipping boxes.

3. Rigid boxes

Rigid boxes are also known as rigid presentation boxes or setup boxes. Brands use rigid packaging when the perceived value of the product is paramount. As such, many high-end or luxury brands use rigid boxes to show off their products.

Examples of high-end brands using rigid boxes include:

• Apple (iPhone Box)
• Rolex (Boxes for all the brand’s watches)
• The Macallan Estate Scotch Whisky

Rigid boxes are called so due to their construction and durability. Rigid packaging is much thicker and more condensed than paperboard packaging or corrugated packaging. Rigid boxes are built this way to add value to a product and to display the product in stores in a way that makes it more appealing to prospective buyers.

However, the high-end nature of rigid packaging means it is costly to produce. Among the three types of packaging boxes on this list, rigid packaging boxes are the most expensive to manufacture. While corrugated boxes and paperboard boxes are machine-made, rigid boxes are often handmade.

Furthermore, unlike corrugated boxes and paperboard boxes, rigid boxes are non-collapsible. This means that rigid boxes have a higher volume during shipping, which naturally results in higher shipping costs.

Conclusion‍

If you need custom packaging boxes for your products, we can help you out. At PackM, we are ready to help with all your custom packaging needs. We can provide you with well-designed, high-quality, and sustainable packaging. Head to our website or call us at (424) 271- 0700. Our experts will be more than happy to help you create the perfect packaging for your small business.