Box buying guides
Straight answers about corrugated board, box styles, printing, pricing and sizing. Written by people who quote boxes every day.
Corrugated vs cardboard: what is the difference?
Cardboard is the everyday word; corrugated is a specific type of board with a fluted middle. Here is how they differ and which box you need.
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Box styles explained: RSC, mailers, tuck ends and more
A plain language guide to the most common box styles: regular slotted cartons, mailers, tuck end and auto bottom cartons, two piece boxes and trays.
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How to measure a box and order the right size
Learn how to measure a box the way manufacturers do: inside dimensions in the order length, width, depth, plus how much clearance to leave.
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Corrugated flute sizes: A, B, C, E and F explained
What corrugated flute sizes mean, how thick each one is and which flute to choose for mailers, shipping boxes and heavy duty cartons.
Read the guideBox strength: ECT vs burst test, in plain words
What 32 ECT and 200 lb test mean on a box certificate, and how to choose a box strength for your weight and stacking height without overpaying.
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Folding carton board grades: SBS, CUK, kraft and recycled
A simple guide to paperboard grades for folding cartons: SBS, CUK and kraft, recycled CRB, and how thick your carton board should be.
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Flexo, digital or litho: how to print custom boxes
Compare flexo, digital and litho laminated printing for custom boxes: costs, plate fees, colour quality and the run sizes where each one wins.
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How much do custom boxes cost? What drives the price
What makes custom box prices go up or down: size, board, printing, quantity, plates and dies, finishes and freight. Plus simple ways to pay less.
Read the guideDielines and artwork: preparing files for packaging
How to prepare packaging artwork on a dieline: bleed, safe area, colours, resolution and the file formats printers need to print boxes right.
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How right sized boxes cut your shipping costs
How dimensional weight works and how right sized custom boxes cut courier costs, void fill and damage for ecommerce brands in Canada.
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Sustainable cardboard packaging: what actually helps
Practical ways to make cardboard packaging more sustainable: right sizing, recyclable designs, recycled content and avoiding plastic laminates.
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Bilingual packaging in Canada: a plain language overview
A plain language overview of English and French on Canadian packaging, the rules to look up for your product and how to plan space on your boxes.
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