Mary Johnson: Choosing the right Cardboard Box

When companies ship their product, they don’t necessarily put much stock into the humble cardboard box. Details like the quality, size and shape of the cardboard boxes they use do not always come to mind. Things like material specifications, fluting types and ethical credentials are usually an afterthought – but in this product focus guide you’ll learn the importance of a good-fitting, well-specced cardboard box.

Lil Packaging manufactures and supplies cardboard boxes to individuals and businesses the world over. With over 1700 sizes and styles to choose from, we’re pretty much guaranteed to have a box size to fit your needs!

Go back to basics.

Cardboard boxes can be more complex than they may seem!

When selecting boxes for your brand, go back to basics by examining the size of the box, the items you plan to store inside, the transport method and your intended stacking height. Lil Packaging boxes are built to carry all kinds of items and batch orders, retail products, computing equipment, subscription orders and so much more. Our E5-SP range of boxes, for example, is perfectly sized to get the most out of the small parcel tariff, and ideal for mail-order businesses looking to get the most amount of product through the small parcel limit. However, we offer a full range of vari-depth perforations to maximise versatility on our core Lil cardboard box range. This brings us to our next point…

One size does not fit all.

If you are in search of the perfect box and have yet to meet your match – there’s no need to worry. You can find the best-sized box for your shipping needs with a little knowledge on the industry standard for sizing boxes (and all postal packaging for that matter). The process may seem daunting given the sheer volume of sizes available, but navigating box sizes isn’t all that challenging.

Here is how it works: the dimensions of the box include the longest opening dimension first (the length of the box), the shortest opening dimension (the width of the box) and the height (also known as the depth of the box). For example – a size of 200 x 200 x 200mm would indicate a perfect square, while a box with substantial depth might be available in the 200 x 200 x 1500mm size – which would be a long cardboard box with a small end opening (the first 2 dimensions always stipulate the opening end). The best visual representation of this can be seen on our sort by size page.

Calculate the dimensions you need based on the items you plan to ship – it really is that simple! Our dimensions are internal size. Note that measuring the content is essential, as an oversized box could be more expensive than necessary (with the addition of void fill), while a cardboard box that is too small could damage the products inside. Cut costs where you can on size, but do not risk damaging your items by using a poorly fitting box. Do you send out batch orders on a regular basis? Be sure to choose a size that offers maximum versatility.

Finding the right cardboard box shape.

Just as there is a song for every mood, there’s a box for every item. When buying cardboard boxes, you must consider the shape and weight of whatever it is you want to carry, and select the size and material specification that is best suited for that item. For example, if you are shipping rolls of material, you will need a long cardboard box of close enough diameter to secure the product in place (otherwise you’ll need wasteful bubble wrap or void fill) – if that particular item is heavy or is at risk of impact damage, consider using double wall boxes.

At Lil Packaging, we offer additional features to accommodate unique shapes. Our long cardboard boxes for example are available with both small end opening and long-edge opening options, which provide the best corrugated fluting direction for maximum strength and rigidity as well as ensuring the ideal level of support and damage resistance for awkwardly shaped products.

We use quality, environmentally-friendly materials.

cardboard box

If you are deep in your search for a new cardboard box supplier, make quality and social responsibility top priorities. Our cardboard boxes are all made with 100% FSC® certified material, produced from sustainably managed forests.

While ethics are of the utmost importance to us, we also believe in durability. Our core range of ecommerce cardboard boxes, for instance, are BCT-stamped. This means they are certified 20% stronger than the industry standard – which means they’re pretty much guaranteed not to let you down – combine that with our 30 day return policy for total peace of mind.

Our FSC® certified cardboard boxes feature a variety of fluting grades to suit all customer requirements. From Single Wall B/E flute up to Double Wall BC flute, for when failiure really isn’t an option – although there are many more options available, our stock products are made using fluting grades proven to be the best fit for the job.

A Lil Cardboard Box makes quite the impression!

Your packaging is likely your customers’ first physical experience with your brand. As such, making a good first impression can have a lasting impact. At Lil Packaging we’re all about that final unboxing experience, and we can assure you all of our cardboard packaging products will not let you down on that front!