Chipboard or Corrugated Cardboard: Which One Should You Choose?
Figuring out the best way to package and ship your merchandise can be a challenge. Not only does the design of your packaging merit consideration, but so does the type of material that will actually make up the packaging. Being light weight, exceptionally durable, and aesthetically pleasing are just a few of the many attributes you're likely looking for when choosing the best packaging solution.
Corrugated cardboard and chipboard are two potential solutions that offer their own unique advantages and downsides. The following explores these attributes so you can make a well-informed decision that best benefits your products.
Corrugated Cardboard
Corrugated cardboard is perhaps one of the most common materials used in packaging. It's also used in a wide variety of other applications, including retail displays. The fluted space sandwiched in between the two pieces of linerboard is what distinguishes corrugated cardboard from other types of paperboard.
There are plenty of reasons why corrugated cardboard is a popular material for various packaging needs:
- Durability - Due to its unique design, corrugated cardboard boxes offer exceptional strength and durability. This makes them ideal for shipping heavy or fragile items that require additional protection. Corrugated cardboard also holds up well against ordinary wear and tear.
- Sustainability - The vast majority of corrugated cardboard boxes are not only made out of recycled material, but the boxes themselves are also 100-percent recyclable.
- Reusability - Corrugated cardboard boxes are also durable enough to be reused multiple times if the need arises.
Weight is one of several disadvantages to consider when choosing corrugated cardboard. Having multiple corrugated layers not only adds additional weight, but it can also take up precious interior space — an important consideration if you want your packaging to be as efficient as possible. The cut quality of ordinary corrugated cardboard can also appear rough at first glance, only to deteriorate even further as your packaging undergoes ordinary handling and other wear and tear.
Chipboard
When people in the packaging industry talk about chipboard, they're not referring to particle board. Instead, it's a type of paperboard that's layered and pressed to a specific thickness. Chipboard is commonly used in folding carton packaging, although it's also used to cushion and partition fragile products.
Like corrugated cardboard, chipboard is also made primarily from recycled paper. Here are some other advantages to note when considering chipboard as your packaging material of choice:
- Lighter weight - Depending on packaging type and material thickness, chipboard can be significantly lighter than corrugated cardboard.
- Better presentation - Chipboard is easier to form and offers better cut quality than its corrugated counterpart, resulting in cleaner packaging presentation that's more appealing to the average customer.
- Reduced material costs - Since it's usually cheaper than corrugated cardboard, chipboard can be used to lower your material costs, helping you save money in the long run.
Keep in mind that chipboard is not as robust as corrugated cardboard, especially when it comes to long-distance shipping. Additional protection may also be needed for fragile products, which could increase the overall weight of your packaging.
Which Works Best?
Chipboard offers amazing flexibility in terms of product presentation since it can be cut into a wide variety of unique designs to meet specific packaging and presentation needs. Chipboard is also ideal for reducing packaging weight, which could in turn reduce shipping costs.
If you need your packaging to stand up to the rigors of the shipping process without damaging your product, then you're better off using corrugated cardboard. The fluted inner layers also lend themselves better to stacking and rough handling.
Keep in mind that both corrugated cardboard and chipboard can be customized to suit a broad range of unique needs. Visit a site like http://www.apsbox.com to learn more about packaging options you might like.
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