CORRUGATED CARDBOARD TYPES

We are all familiar with corrugated cardboard in our daily lives but not everybody knows that the corrugated cardboards might look similarly but they are very different. --- Yes, you are not reading wrongly. Before lying yourself that they are only corrugated cardboards and what could be the difference, just read our below information: Botta Packaging will introduce you with different types of corrugated board, according to their structures and durability.

1. Weakest Corrugated cardboard: Single Face Board

This type of corrugated cardboard is only made of 1 layer of wavy paper (s-shaped flute) with 1 single smooth-paper surface. This type of cardboard is not very durable, for that reason, it is only used for wrapping the product to provide extra protection, rather than being a single packaging. It couldn’t be made into a fulfilled box. 

2. Most common type of Corrugated cardboard: Single Wall Board

Due to the sufficient strength and manufacturing cost, Single Wall Board is the most common cardboard type used to make fibreboxes. It has 1 layer of s-shaped flute between 2 smooth-faces. Single Wall Board are then classified into different types: A, C, B, D, E, F and G based on their flute thickness. Certain type of flutes are applied for specific type of Single Wall Board. 

C-flute is the most favored type due to its flexibility. It is 4 mm thick which is sufficiently strong to make the cardboard box for some products. Single Wall Board with A-flute might be a bit loose with only 1 layer of s-shaped flute although its thickness is 5mm.  Fun fact: Your pizza box might be E, B, or F-flutes.

3. More sturdy Corrugated Cardboard: Double Wall Board

Double-wall board is the corrugated cardboard with 2 layers of s-shaped flutes staggered with 3 smooth paper layers. Hence, it is stronger and more resistant than Single Wall Board. Of course, it would cost much more than Single Wall Board due to the extra material used. Hence, Double-Wall Board is mostly used to contain heavy objects. Different types of flutes might be used for double-wall board, depending on the requirements about strength or insulation of the product packaging. The common ones are AB, BC or EB flutes. 

4. Extra-resistant Corrugated Cardboard: Triple Wall Board

You can guess its structure from its name. The triple-wall board has 3 layers of flutes with 4 layers of smooth paper. It is strong enough to replace wooden crate in logistics and transportation but much lighter than wooden case. Triple-wall board is quite expensive for common use, hence, it is only used for chemical industry and some dangerous goods which need further protection or handling with care. 

 

Whether you are a logistic manager or just an ordinary reader, we believe that above information might be helpful or interesting to you in some ways. Corrugated Cardboard industry in general has support logistics and manufacturing industry by providing a cheap, light, sturdy and sustainable solution for packaging. If you do not believe it, just read about the History of Corrugated Cardboard here for further interesting information.

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WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PAPER PRODUCTION?

 Have you ever wondered how sustainable the paper production chain is? Today, we will summarize some facts about paper industry in general and paper production in Europe. The information used in this post is dedicated to the work of twosides.info.

Virgin fiber from new trees is needed in paper production industry but sustainable method is applied

It is true that paper, especially our corrugated carboard, can be made from recycled paper. However, old paper in Europe could be recycled for only 3.5 times in average, and the more time it is recycled, the more degraded quality of its fibres become. And also, not 100% used paper is collected for making new paper. For above reasons, virgin fibres from wood chip is necessary to fill in the gap between paper demand and the supply of recycled paper fibres. 

However, paper industry respects the rules for circular economy when using the virgin wood chip. In fact, most of the wood used for paper production is from sustainable forests which are certified by 2 most trust-worthy schemes: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Those forests must meet the strict requirements in managing and controlling the cycle of planting, growing and logging, which makes sure the sustainable renewal of forestry resources. 

Both FSC and PEFC will also consider the conservation of woodlands to maintain the habitants of animals, eco-system and local forestry economy. They watch over the track of wood and supply chain of wood fibres from the jungles to the paper consumers. 

Europe is the leader in recycling for paper production

According to European Paper Recycling Council, 72% of paper is recycled in 2017, which makes up 53% fibres used in new paper production. In several products like some paper packaging, it is possible to use 100% recycled fibres. 

Also according to twosides.info, paper and printing industry only account for 1% of carbon dioxide emission in Europe per year, which is seen as the greenest manufacturing industry. The direct emission from paper production is reducing by one forth during the period 2005-2017.

From above information, we can conclude that, paper production is much eco-friendly than other industries. At least, both wood and used paper are renewable and biodegradable materials, for this reason, more and more brands has replaced their plastic packaging by Botta Packaging’s paper-based solutions.   

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IDEA FOR PACKAGING DESIGN TO CONVEY YOUR SUSTAINABLE MESSAGE

 More and more enterprises chose our eco-packaging for the sustainability. To convey your “sustainable message” to consumers, a proper packaging design is very important so that they could realize your commitment to eco-friendly practice.

So, once you have chosen one of our eco-packing products, then is the time to think about its design. Below are some design recommendations from Botta Packaging for you to consider:

Choose the colors of nature for your packaging design 

Before truly understand the meanings of your design, customers will get the first impression by the color of package. And if you want to tell them that we are environmentally friendly, you should choose the colors of natures. Green is the most popular color for packaging design to convey environmental message, also brown and light blue – the colors of soil or sky, all are related to nature. Besides, you can combine floral vintage style for cosmetics products to bring an “eco-luxury” sense or a crop field for grain and food; but it depends on your product type.

Choose a non-glossy finish with no coatings for your packaging design

Once customers pay attention to your products by its color and pick them up, a “touching” sensation is very important to give them more impression of an eco-packaging. A packaging with a matte or non-glossy finish without plastics or clay coating say better about your eco-friendly spirit than any other sophisticated packaging design.  

Adding the message about environment or recycling into your packaging design 

This is the direct way to tell your customers that you are following an eco-friendly plan for your products. If you use Botta Packaging’s corrugated box, you can also add the corrugated recycle symbol on your packaging design. A message about 3-R to remind consumers about Reduce – Reuse – Recycle is also helpful. Sometimes, you can also add the information on how to maximize life cycle of your packaging.

For more idea of packaging design in general, you can click here. But if you are an enterprise following a sustainable path, it’s very important in packaging design to specifically convey the eco-friendliness of your products. With above tips, Botta Packaging hopes your products will come closer to consumers who loves conserving the environment.

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Q&A ABOUT CORRUGATED CARDBOARD

Here are we to answer all your questions about corrugated cardboard. Bellow are the most common questions that Botta Packaging have received from our customers:

What is difference between paperboard and corrugated cardboard?

Paperboard generally refer the thick board with only 1 layer of paper and normally used as inner packaging. In the meanwhile, corrugated cardboard normally has 2, 3 or more layers which includes 1 layer of wavy paper to strengthen the box and to protect the products inside better. Corrugated cardboard could be used for both inner packaging and overpack.

Paperboard could be made from recycled or virgin pulp, depending on the requirements for each industry while corrugated cardboard is mostly made out of recycled pulp. 

What are benefits of corrugated cardboard? 

Like other paper-based product, corrugated cardboard is recyclable and could be made from recycled material, hence it is an eco-friendly solution.

Corrugated box is a strong, light and also soft material for packaging, replacing other kinds like wooden case or crate in term of cost.

How could I know if my corrugated cardboard is recyclable or not?

The corrugated cardboard which could continue to be recycled has following symbol:

                   
For the details of corrugated recycle symbols, please refer to International Corrugated Case Association (ICCA)

Can I recycle the wet corrugated cardboard?

Wet cardboard is not recyclable of it is kept wet for long. Please do not throw your wet cardboard or corrugated cardboard with grease and food leftover into the recycling bin to avoid the entire bin getting wet. 

If your cardboard is not severely damage by the long-lasting damp, you can keep it air-dried before putting it into the recycling bin.

What else should I need to protect my products insides the corrugated box?

It depends on your products which you know better than us. For fragile items, proper mattress with foam and bubble wrapping is necessary for inner packaging together with corrugated carboard box. You can also use our paper airbag instead of other foam and bubble wrapping.

Can I order the corrugated cardboard online which is customized for my products’ size?

Yes, Botta Packaging has E-commerce website for you to order your packaging at https://instapack.me/. You can choose types of box for your products, enter the dimension of your products, and quantity of order to see the quotation. Placing the order and payment can be made online. You can also download the dielines of the box for package design and upload the graphic for our verification. Then, afterward, just wait for your order to be delivered.

Can I make the order with small quantity?

Yes, we accept the order with small quantity.

My product has abnormal shape or extra weight, can I order the special corrugated box for it?

Please email us your any special requirement for your product’s packaging at: [insert the email]

We hope above information is helpful to you to know more about Corrugated Cardboard and Botta Packaging’s products. Please feel free to reach us for any further questions regarding to this topic, we are happy to hear from you!

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MNCs and the race for Corporate Social Responsibility

As an eco-packaging enterprise, Botta Packaging has accompanied both local firms and Multinational Companies (MNCs) on their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme.   MNCs were the first pioneers who adopted CSR and we always question them why and how? Let us talk about MNCs and their actions for social responsibility in the following post:

Why do MNCs actively take Corporate Social Responsibility?

MNCs spread their network globally and they find their responsibilities for local matters where they are active. It is a way to contribute back to the markets from which they are benefitting.

In addition, their social and environmental actions are the results of both public pressure and media attention. Indeed, a single mistake in one market can create the bad image for all branches of MNCs all around the world. 

Finally, Corporate Social Responsibility is used as a marketing strategy which draws attention of customers who care more and more about social and environmental problems. 

Which actions do MNCs involve in Corporate Social Responsibility plan?

MNCs will take the actions related to the social and environmental sustainability in the local markets which including the responsibility for local economy, stakeholders, rich and poor gap, education, polutions…. Some of their responsibilities could be listed (but not limited) as following:

• Avoid the violations to human right and promote the respect to labour and their health standard which involves MNCs.

• Benefit local communities from MNCs’ operations in developing countries

• Manage the environmental impacts of MNCs’ operation in each countries: use of sustainable resources, cut-off in waste and emission…

• Maintain the transparency in business practice, taxation…

• Follow social and environmental criteria in their procurements

• Outsource from local market for inputs to promote local economy

….

In fact, the responsibilities of MNCs are not limited for them only but also for their stakeholders. They need to make sure that their local partners follow the same criteria of their Corporate Social Responsibility plan. 

Apart from exceptional corporations who violates the basic principles of Corporate Social Responsibility such as causing environmental disasters or involving into labor abuse…., MNCs somehow have benefited local economy and society.

 

Source:

UKEssays. (November 2018). Corporate Social Responsibility Of Multinational Companies. Retrieved from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/management/corporate-social-responsibility-of-multinational-companies-management-essay.php?vref=1

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/corp-social-responsibility.asp

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FUTURES OF PACKAGING

Everybody loves to hear fortune telling. But in Botta Packaging, we do not need a soccier to know about the future of packaging industry. Based on the reports and experience, below are our predictions about 2 foreseen trends of packaging industries:

Paper-based packaging will replace plastic bag in supermarkets and store chains

Retail is the sector which consumes the most plastic bags; and 21st century’s consumers do not like it. Indeed, according to 2020’s report by Mintel – a Global Market Research Company, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled. In the meanwhile, nearly a half of US youngsters (26-43 years old) in their research agreed that companies and brands should show their values by following the eco-friendly practices. 

For those reasons, we believe that a more sustainable packaging like paper-based one will replace plastic packaging in the near future as an unavoidable trend. In late August 2020, Morrisons – one of the largest supermarket chains in UK, has announced their scheme for “paper bag only” in eight of their stores. It is just a trial for their future plan to replace their plastic bags with paper bags in all Morrisons’ system. 

If Morrisons model wins the consumer’s support, the race for paper bag among supermarket chains will come out sooner or later.

Responsible packaging

The term “responsible packaging” might sound new to you but indeed, it is emerging as an important concept in sustainable packaging. Responsible packaging is not just eco-friendly material or recycling plans but also in the logistic concepts. In this aspect, responsible packaging should include saving the energy and resources by refilling program, reducing the packaging layers or optimizing the space for warehousing or transporting the goods.

Waitrose in UK, Carrefour at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai and many other stores have launched their refilling program for detergents, cereals, and other food, grain or liquids. Customer can fill in their own containers with these products.

On the other hands, Botta Packaging also launched our free Pallet Calculator service, available on our website, so that companies can know how optimized their pallet stacking is to save the space, cost and energy in logistics. All of our effort is heading to a world of responsible packaging.

Above are, in fact, the early trends of packaging which are more sustainable than before. And our prediction is that these eco-friendly solutions like Morrisons’ paper bag plan, Waitrose’s or Carefore’s refilling program or Botta Packaging’s Pallet Calculator… will become very popular in packaging world. 

References

Mintel, 2020 Global Packaging Trends, link for download: https://www.mintel.com/global-packaging-trends/thank-you

Paper bags favoured by Morrisons as they consider removing plastic bags from all stores, link

Sustainable Packaging: The Refill Market Opportunity Everyone Is Missing, link 

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MATERIAL IDEAS FOR YOUR SCHOOL RECYCLED FASHION SHOW

Your children or you are going to join a recycled fashion show and you are wondering how you should make your costume. From the fashion city of Milan, Botta Packaging will give you some hints of latest “recycling fashion trend” so that you might shine on stage. Let’s start with the right materials:

1. Used paper for recycled fashion show

Easy to color, easy to cut and shape, paper is the ideal material for “recycled” fashion industry. But the best part is that, after your show, you can choose to display your costumes or recycle them. It is truly a green material for the purpose of the recycled fashion show! 

You can use your imagination to draw some artworks or show off your origami skill to fold flowers, birds or other ornaments for decoration. 

2. Used metal ware for recycled fashion show

Although metal might be a bit heavy for your costume, it might give you the shiny and stary dresses like a party queen. Believe us, according to Harper’s Bazaar, The Disco Collar is one of the new trends for Spring 2020 and you probably don’t want to be behind the latest trend, right?

Metal is a durable material if you wish to exhibit your masterpiece for long. And of course, it is easy to recycle upon disposal. All you need to do is to classify the metal from other material of your clothes as always when disposing your costume. Just be a “green” fashion designer by following the waste classification regulation; then, you can master your recycled fashion show with a shiny metal dress.

3. Used plastics for recycled fashion show

Although plastic is not highly recommended for normal usage, if you use the used plasticware for your recycled fashion show, it is not too bad. As above materials, we just need to separate the plastics part for recycling after the disposal.

Plastic is also light and durable although it is not very easy to reshape or to paint on. The costumes made from used plastic will bring an iconic message about its harm to environment if you know how to design to convey that idea wisely. 

Recycling could be fun, just let your imagination and artistic mood flow in a recycled fashion show. With above materials, we hope you will find the passion in designing and cat-walking. We are also eager to see your show, hence, feel free to share with us your masterpiece on social media!

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