Cardboard is Everywhere These Days

As we all adjust to new rules for social distancing in this new economy, the corrugated box industry has worked tirelessly to move necessary products safely from place to place. Not only do businesses rely on well-made cardboard packaging for the shipment of goods, but hospitals and pharmacies also receive essential products like masks and medicines in carefully packed shipments. Now, too, many individuals have turned to online venues to provide them with cleaning supplies, food, and paper goods, increasing the demand for cardboard shipping boxes.

How are boxes made?

Cardboard manufacturers use recycled or virgin paper to create a flute. That’s the name of the wave-shaped structure you see inside the walls of a cardboard box. Paper feeds through a corrugated roller machine to make the fluted cardboard. The roller machines use a similar technique previously used to add ruffles to hats. Many different kinds of flutes provide different levels of strength and cushioning to finished boxes. Boxes can have one or two layers of fluting.

Are cardboard boxes folded during production?

There’s no reason to fold them into their final shape. Here’s why.

The fluted cardboard mentioned above is sandwiched between an inner and outer liner, usually made of test paper made from birch, oak, or sycamore fibers. For a smoother finish, the liner uses Kraft paper made from softwood trees like fir, spruce, or pine. A steaming process and glue hold the flute and the liners together.

Once this is done, the corrugator machine cuts the board according to predetermined designs. The parts stack flat. The cutouts will go through the bending machine. At this time, box edges are put together as they will be when the unit is 3D. Glue, stitching, or stapling completes the edges, creating finished boxes. These store flat, ready for distribution.

What should I do with old cardboard boxes?

All cardboard is recyclable. If you work with a recycling company at your workplace, talk to them about their guidelines. Typically, it’s okay to leave labels and tape on boxes, but all packing material like bubble wrap and styrofoam should be removed. You may consider whether you want to reuse any of this material for your outbound needs.

If you have too many boxes piling up at home and aren’t able to currently get out to a recycling center due to travel restrictions, see if your municipality will pick these up with your regular recycling. If not, it may be time to get creative.

Maybe take a few minutes before you begin your work-from-home day to create something distracting for your children with your cardboard stash, like a dollhouse or a puppet theatre. Or maybe even something a little “techy,” like a cardboard race car, airplane, or space ship. Keep in mind that current information indicates COVID-19 can remain on cardboard for up to 24 hours, so you may want to wait a day or two before you make anything out of it for your family. If all else fails, there’s always the cat.

If you need help with manufacturing replacement parts, we can help. Talk to our team today. Warning: we will send your part in a cardboard box.