Cardboard Versus Corrugated Cartons, What Is The Difference?

Cardboard and corrugated cartons are both widely used for packaging, but they differ significantly in terms of structure and use.

 Cardboard cartons

• Definition: A general term that refers to heavy-duty paper-based material. It is usually made from thick paper stock or paperboard.

• Structure: Typically a single layer of thick paper or paperboard.

• Common Uses: Packaging for lighter items, such as cereal boxes, shoe boxes, and other consumer goods packaging. It is also used for greeting cards, book covers, and other products where rigidity is required.

• Strength: Less durable and less resistant to crushing compared to corrugated material.

Corrugated Cartons

• Definition: Made from corrugated fibreboard, which consists of a fluted corrugated sheet and one or two flat linerboards.

• Structure:

• Fluted Layer: The wavy, fluted inner layer provides strength and rigidity.

• Linerboards: The flat outer layers sandwich the fluted layer. It can be single-wall (one fluted layer between two linerboards), double-wall (two fluted layers between three linerboards), or even triple-wall.

• Common Uses: Shipping boxes, storage containers, and packaging for heavier or fragile items. Used extensively in the logistics and e-commerce industries for transporting goods.

• Strength: Highly durable, resistant to crushing, and provides excellent protection for contents during shipping and handling.

Summary

• Cardboard: Single-layer, less durable, used for lightweight packaging.

• Corrugated Cartons: Multi-layer (fluted + linerboards), more durable, used for heavy-duty packaging and shipping.

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