Paperboard Boxes

Paperboard packaging

A little history: The first paperboard carton was created in 1817 in England, and the first paperboard folding carton was introduced around 1860. Then in 1915 the gable top milk carton was patented, and first used for dairy products in 1935. Today, paperboard folding carton boxes are used by industries everywhere. Most retail stores couldn’t get by without them!

paperboard packaging

Although many non-industry people refer to paperboard as cardboard, chipboard, or card stock, these are very broad terms that apply to a wide range of paper products. Paperboard is the industry name for the thicker sheets of paper that is used primarily for product packaging. The paper is generally between 0.008″ – 0.048″ (in printer speak, 8 point – 48 point), and is produced using a variety of virgin and recycled paper materials. Paperboard is used extensively in custom product packaging because it is environmentally friendly, has excellent print qualities, is strong, yet lightweight, and can easily be cut, scored and glued into boxes and other packaging.

When designing custom packaging, one consideration is the lifespan of your packaging. You are going to need a product package that can withstand being filled, stacked, packed, and survive being shipped across the country. In addition, it needs to be able to stand up to repeated handling by vendors filling shelves and inquisitive customers. And if it’s going to be used repeatedly such as a tea or cookie box, it needs to withstand frequent opening and closing. In the end, the packaging needs to look as good on the shelf as when it was first filled at your facility. Your sales depend on it — a scratched or crushed box with good product in it will be returned to you for a credit. So, the paperboard thickness you choose for your packaging is an important consideration.

Although there’s a wide range in paperboard thickness, box manufacturers in general use paper between 0.016″ – 0.024″ for retail packaging. To put the thickness in perspective, 0.024″ thick paperboard is credit card thickness. Box packaging on paper less than 0.016” thickness is getting pretty flimsy, unless the product is very small. The chart below gives you a good idea how to determine the thickness of the paperboard needed for your custom package.