"Cardboard: A Biodegradable Bodyguard Of Your Product"
We all know that all the famous people who need protection and security hire a bodyguard for themselves.
Why do they hire bodyguards?
OR
What do they need for them?
A bodyguard protects a person from any harm, unwanted attention, and sudden threats. In the same way, Cardboard acts as a bodyguard for products.
The reason behind hiring a strong bodyguard is that they are trained in such a manner that they know how to shield a person from all those threats and factors that can damage the person's reputation or themselves physically.
The same is the case with cardboard. Cardboard absorbs shocks and any pressure from external and internal factors that can damage the product. It protects against dust, moisture, and rough handling.
"Cardboard is your product's personal bodyguard who is always on duty and protective."
According to the statistics report published in 2020, "the United States hit a record high in its yearly use of cardboard. Over 120 billion pieces were used that year. Around 80 percent of all the products sold in the United States are packaged in cardboard."
Almost every business has shifted its interest from using a simple paperboard to cardboard due to its benefits. Cardboard is a high-quality packaging material for products. Due to its strong and durable nature, it can provide complete protection to your items from the inside and outside. Moreover, it is environmentally friendly in nature and completely recyclable and biodegradable.
In the packaging industry, many businesses face a problem regarding the use of a material. They want to use a material that is eco-friendly and sustainable. Along with these qualities, the material should provide protection and safety to the product under every circumstance.
There are different materials that are used for packaging. For instance, people use plastic, aluminum, glass, and metal casings, etc., for their products.
What is wrong with these materials?
None of these materials is 100% sustainable and reusable. These materials contribute a large part to landfills and pollution. In fact, plastic, when disposed of, releases certain harmful chemicals into the air and soil.
Moreover, glass, plastic, and other materials used for wrapping a product do not provide proper, reliable, and durable safety and protection. Plastic melts if the temperature rises a little bit, which can damage the product inside. And boxes can easily shatter if not handled with care.
So how can they provide safety when they need safety for themselves?
What is an environmentally friendly yet strong and durable option then?
Cardboard products are 100% eco-friendly and durable compared to other materials. In the USA, cardboard boxes have won the trust of many businesses due to their strength and sustainable nature.
In 2018, around 32.1M tons of cardboard were recycled out of 33.9M tons of total paper and paperboard repurposing. The total recycling was 96.5 percent. After recycling, the combustion of corrugated boxes was 230,000 tons, and landfills received 940,000 tons in 2018.
Cardboards are not just used by old and successful businesses, but many new start-ups and struggling businesses are also using them. They are budget-friendly due to their low-cost makeup. They possess a lightweight yet sturdy nature. They can be customized according to the needs and demands of products and customers.
Cardboard is generally used for paper-based heavy material made from paper pulp. It is a formation of multiple layers of paper joined together to give strength and durability. It ranges from a thick & stiff paper layer to multiple layers.
Naturally, cardboards are grey to light brown in color. These paper layers can be customized by dyeing them in different colors. The most special thing about cardboard is that it can be dyed, pigmented, printed, and coated according to demand and requirement.
The name of cardboard reached the ears of people when a famous novelist, Anne Brontë, in 1848, mentioned it in one of her novels. Then came the Kellogg brothers, who used it for their cartons to hold cornflakes cereal.
Then came the era of the 1850s, when people started to acknowledge the cardboard in industry. The cardboard boxes we know today were first made by two top hat salesmen who made a prototype from corrugated cardboard. From this, they shaped their wares, and it provided strength to the hat structure.
The first corrugated cardboard US patent was issued in 1871. Then, in 1879, it came into use for paper makers when a Brooklyn papermaker discovered that it could be used to make printing press cuts and creased cardboards.
Cardboards can be made from recycled cellulose pulp or reused fibers. The wood chips or reprocessed fibers are made from the process known as the pulping process. The pulp is obtained from trees and plants. In this process paper pulp is broken down into bland sheets.
Cardboards are of various types. But there are two main types, which are basic. These two types are differentiated on the basis of their thickness and layering.
1) Paperboard
2) Corrugated cardboard
Paperboard is a little thinner as compared to corrugated fiberboard. This board is a multilayer cardboard. Cardboard-made boxes are strong and durable. Let's discuss in detail below:
Paperboard is a type of cardboard made from paper material. It has a thickness of more than ten mils, that is, 0.010 inches or 0.25 mm. It is mostly used for paper products like set-up boxes, collapsible cartons, carded cartons, etc. The formation of paperboard includes:
1) Binder’s board
2) Containerboard
3) Folding boxboard
This heavy paper-based product material is strong and reliable. It provides protection and safety to the product wrapped inside. It is very versatile and cost-effective in nature. It can be molded and customized in different shapes, styles, and sizes. It has a smooth surface, which is ideal for high-quality printing and marketing. This material is mostly used for production and shipping.
A cherry on top is that this material is regenerative. It can be reprocessed, which attracts more customers and businesses who are concerned about the environment.
Paperboards have different types. These are classified and categorized on the basis of business personal choices and industry demand. A list of terminologies is mentioned below:
Boxboard or carton board: Boxboard or carton board is a board that is used for collapsible cartons and rigid set-up boxes.
Folding Boxboard: Folding carton Boxboard (FBB) is capable of bending or scoring without fracturing.
Chipboard: A chipboard is a recycled material from a board. It is lightweight but has low quality.
White lined chipboard: White lined chipboard (WLC) is a white colored board. It is usually coated with clay.
Kraft cardboard: It is a strong, durable, and raw form of fiberboard. It is often coated with clay to make it more adaptable for painting. It is used for beverage carriers.
Solid unbleached board: Solid unbleached board (SUB) is a form of board that is made from unbleached chemical pulp.
Solid bleached board: Solid bleached board (SBB) is a solid bleached sulfate. It is a clean white in color. It is used for food, etc.
Containerboard: Containerboard is a board that is a main component in the manufacturing of corrugated fiberboard.
Laminated board: Lamination is a coating of boards and other materials for liquid casing boards.
Binder board: Binder boards are used in book binding, and book hard covers are also made from this material.
Corrugated cardboard is made of multiple layers. It is made from combining different flat sheets of cardboard. It is sandwich-shaped with a curvy middle layer and flat layers on top and bottom. The layering of cardboard consists of flutes, which are curvy lines. The addition of these curvy lines determines the strength and protection level of these fiberboards.
These fiberboards are used for storing, transportation, and shipping items. These boards are also used as original material for sculpting.
Cardboards can be customized in different colors, thicknesses, and textures to fit different boxing requirements. It can be printed, dyed, and coated, etc., according to the demand and requirements of the business.
A single-faced board is just one layer of liner paper and flute. It is perfect for wrapping items. This prevents damage and ensures safety.
The single-wall board has two flat liners and one inner fluted curved liner. Their formation consists of one inner fluted corrugated medium sandwiched between two layers of liner from the outside. These two layers are great for lightweight product packaging.
Double-wall boards have three layers consisting of two wavy flutes glued with three alternative single-sheet flat liners. These are durable and strong boards. This is used for shipping heavy items.
Triple-wall boards have three single-faced boards glued with a flat liner. It provides a very high level of protection and strength to the product. It provides a cushioning effect during the shipping and transportation of heavy-duty items.
These containers have four equal flaps. These are used for shipping bulk quantities. They are strong and sturdy, offering more space for storage.
Cardboards are preferred over any other material due to its characteristics. Cardboard is also a common material for packaging due to its versatility. Cardboard can be useful in a broader way.
Cardboards can be decomposed at home as well. They can be used for gardening as compost. This process takes only 2 months.
For this, you need to shred the cardboard, then mix it with fruit or vegetables. After mixing, this compost can be layered with 2 inches of soil. Water this compost and every 5-6 days, turn the compost upside down. After a few weeks, it will be ready to use.
Cardboard is used for boxes and packaging because they are sturdy material containers which is perfect for transporting and shipping goods. Due to their strength, lightweight nature, they can easily be shipped from one place to another. They are cost-effective as well due to their lower weight, and their transportation cost does not go over budget. They provide ultimate protection and care. They are easy to stack and transport.
Cardboard storage boxes are easily storable due to their sturdy nature. These are widely used in homes and businesses for several purposes, including organizing and storing items. Their use is increasing because they come in different sizes and designs to suit different storage needs.
Cardboard packaging is ideal because it is customizable according to your product dimensions, styles, sizes, and designs. It is a preferred material due to its versatility in several aspects. These can easily be cut, folded, and painted. This makes it ideal for various artistic projects.
Cardboards are a budget-friendly option as they are made from 100% organic material. We can reuse them, recycle them whenever we want. For small to large businesses, it is an affordable packaging solution.
Carboards are a recyclable material that has a positive environmental impact. These are best known for saving planets due to their reusable nature. These do not contribute to any kind of pollution because of their biodegradability.
Cardboard is used in different boxing industries. For instance
Product Packaging: Bending cartons for food and beverages, consumer goods, including frozen food boxes, cereal boxes, and medicine boxes.
Rigid Boxes: Premium items, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
Promotional Packaging: Printing posters, brochures, and marketing materials
Stationery Items: Book covers, posters, and file folders, etc.
DIY Craft: DIY projects, scrapbooking, and card making.
Storage: Household items and seasonal or regular decorations like Christmas or easter, etc.
Crafts: School projects and creative endeavors.
Construction and Industrial Applications: Protective sheets, industrial totes, lightweight and insulating components in construction.
Entertainment: Paperboard jigsaw puzzle
Early Digital Storage: Punch card
Fiber Tubes: For a roll of paper
Cardboards are recyclable and biodegradable; around 80-90% of cardboards are recycled every year efficiently and effectively. They have lower carbon footprints than plastics and other packaging materials. They emit less carbon dioxide. They have reduced the reliance on plastics and other petroleum-based packaging.
Some cardboard manufacturers have taken the initiative to harvest forests by themselves for making cardboard. This will decrease the chances of deforestation in the United States of America. Not only will deforestation decrease, but there will also be a carbon sink due to this.
It will provide a habitat to wildlife more moreover, it will create more spaces for entertainment and family reunions.
The manufacturing of these materials consists of several steps. In these steps, we will learn how to convert raw materials into sustainable shipping materials. Let us understand the production in simple steps for better understanding:
The very first step in making cardboard is collecting fibers. In this step, the raw materials are broken down from tree bark into a fibrous mush.
There are two methods for the breakdown of fibers:
Mechanical Process: It is grinding the wood into fibers.
Chemical Process: It is the use of chemicals to separate the fibers.
This is the second step of cardboard production. This is the removal of residual impurities from the raw material. This impurity comes from several things, such as dirt, ink, or bark residues.
In this step, the board, which is prepared, is bleached. This bleaching gives a white color to the board. In this, the obtained fiber is bleached to remove any kind of remaining tints and marks from the sourced material.
In the forming step, the four-drinier machine starts its magic. This machine transforms the obtained fiber into flat sheets. The fiber is poured on a flat surface. It drains the moisture and forms a sheet.
After the sheets are formed, here enters the hero called Roller. Rollers press the sheets when they pass through the large rollers.
Adding strength and durability is very important in these sheets. This corrugator is used. In this step, the corrugator machine adds strength and durability by putting wavy and lined sheets together. This gives a unique pattern and formation.
These prepared cardboards are used for providing safety and cushioning effect to the products during transit and shipping without damage.
After the sheets are made, they are customized according to demand and requirements. In this step, the sheets are cut and shaped into different designs to make the containers according to the products.
Cardboard grades are categorized based on the percentage of how many times they can be used again. The regeneration of the fiber they contain decides it. All grades come from renewable resources. Here are the different types:
Kraft (K): It is created from pure fibers. This fiber comes from wood pulp. It has never been recycled before.
Chip (C): Chip consists of 100% waste-based liners.
Bleached White (BW): Bleached white is a bleached Kraft liner that is made from pristine fibers.
White Top (WT): The white top is made from recycled fibers. It is a white coated liner.
Mottled Kraft (MK): Mottled Kraft is made by a blend of virgin and recycled fibers.
Oyster (OY): Oysters are made by combining pure and reprocessed fibers.
Semi-Chem (SC): Semi-Chem has a neutral sulfite semi-chemical process with virgin fibers. Flutes are made from this material.
Waste-Based (WB): Waste-based is totally 100% reclaimed paper fibers. It is also commonly used for fluting.
Only wax-coated or contaminated cardboard, such as by food or other substances, cannot be compacted or recycled.
In the vast industry of packaging, a reliable and durable packaging partner is very important for the flourishing of business. Cardboards have maintained their status in this ruthless industry for being trustable partners to many businesses. Cardboard is a common packaging material in the United States of America now.
Furthermore, these cardboards can be customized with the help of experts known as "MyBoxPrinting's Team". We have certifications from the nonprofits Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). They have marked our wood fiber and pulp suppliers in favor of responsible forest management principles.
So, without worrying about the environment because we are here to keep this stuff in mind. You can customize your business product according to your needs and demands in different sizes and shapes, designs, and styles. You can avail of great discounts and wholesale rates with free shipping.
We provide free sample kits and a great 24/7 customer care team to help you with any queries.
What is cardboard made out of?
Cardboards are made of wood or paper pulp. This pulp is obtained from recycled paper or new wood fiber.
What are the main types of cardboard?
A cardboard has been mentioned below the main types:
+ Bleached solid
+ Unbleached solid
+ Folding
+ Recycled fibers
+ Corrugated cardboard
Is cardboard a wood?
Yes, Cardboards are wood-made. Their main component is cellulose, which comes from trees.
Which cardboard is the strongest?
The triple-layer corrugated cardboard is the strongest. It is used for shipping heavy material.
Do you provide wholesale prices on bulk orders?
Yes, we provide wholesale rates on ordering bulk quantities with great discounts.
Do you charge any shipping costs?
No, we do not charge anything for shipping. We provide free shipping for orders and sample kits.
