Corrugated Boxes
Corrugated boxes are by far the most popular type of outer packaging used today. In fact, more than 95 percent of all products shipped in the U.S. are packaged in corrugated boxes.¹

Some of the major reasons corrugated boxes are so popular include:

Boxes provide superior product protection Relatively low cost Boxes provide “stackability” Relatively light weight

So, odds are you are going to use a corrugated box as your outer packaging. With that in mind, there are few factors to consider. First, all the major carriers suggest you use a NEW box. While people often re-use corrugated boxes, please keep in mind that corrugated boxes are typically designed for a single use. The more often a box is used, the less protection it will offer.

If you feel you still want to re-use a corrugated box, make sure that the box is in excellent condition, meaning the box should not have tears, punctures, corner damage or rips. Please make sure that all the flaps are also intact.

The second factor to consider when using a corrugated box is to determine the strength of the box required. There are a few standard grades of material that corrugated boxes are made from. In general, boxes can be made from single wall, double wall or triple wall corrugated. Further, corrugated can be made in different strengths (based on the strength of the paper used to make the corrugated material). Most boxes have a Certification Stamp printed on a bottom flap that shows you the strength of that box. Below are the guidelines published by UPS for using corrugated boxes ⁱⁱ :

Corrugated Mailers
Corrugated mailers are very similar to corrugated boxes, in that they are both made from corrugated board. The real difference between mailers and boxes is how they are assembled. Corrugated boxes are the type of boxes that, typically, have the flaps that meet in the middle and then need to be taped shut. Mailers on the other hand, are the type of boxes that fold up and lock themselves shut. A picture of a corrugated mailer is shown below:

Corrugated mailers are typically used for smaller items or items that are relatively “flat” such as books or pictures.

One significant advantage of corrugated mailers is the stacking strength (crush proof) they provide. The reason these mailers are so strong is because of the way they are assembled. When you fold up a corrugated mailer, either two or three of the walls (depending on the style) of the mailer will be formed by three layers of corrugated board. These extra layers of corrugated provide excellent protection for your products.

Bubble Mailers and Padded Envelopes
Bubble Mailers and Padded Envelopes are an excellent choice for shipping products that need some degree of cushioning, but are not overly fragile. An example would be CD’s and DVD’s. One important note to remember is that while these mailers provide excellent cushioning properties, they offer NO stacking strength. So if your product is something that can be easily crushed (i.e. chocolate chip cookies), you will want to use a corrugated box or mailer.

Mailing Tubes
Mailing tubes are an excellent outer packaging material when shipping posters, blueprints, artwork, wedding invitations, diplomas, calendars, or any other long, narrow item.

Unless you are purchasing a large quantity of tubes, you will want to purchase “stock” mailing tubes. Most companies that stock tubes carry tubes with diameters of 1-1/2”, 2”, 2-1/2”, 3” and 4”. Standard lengths range from 6” to 48”.

In addition to the standard sizes, tubes are available in three standard styles:

Tubes with End Caps: These are the most popular style of tube. They are typically made from 3-ply, spiral wound paper. Each end of the tube is sealed/closed with an end cap. These end caps not only keep the contents from falling out, but they also provide extra crush resistance. Snap Seal Tubes: These tubes are essentially the same as the tubes with end caps, other than how they are closed. The ends of snap seal tubes are pre-scored in a way that they simply fold in to seal closed. Telescoping Tubes: Telescoping tubes are usually pre-sealed on each end with metal end caps, but come in two telescoping pieces for product insertion. These tubes expand and contract to hold different size products.

Stay Flat Mailers
Another option for shipping items that cannot be folded or bent are Stay Flat Mailers. Just as their name implies, Stay Flat Mailers are designed to do just that – Stay Flat during shipping. These mailers are similar to the UPS or FedEx overnight letter mailers, but are much sturdier. Stay Flat mailers are perfect for shipping items such as photographs, important documents, and even “bare” CD’s.

Courier and Tyvek® Envelopes
If the product you are shipping is not fragile, such as garments or catalogs, these envelopes may work well for you. Both types of mailers are water and tear resistant, but Tyvek® envelopes are the “Cadillac” of reinforced mailers.

Wooden Crates
If you are shipping a product that is extremely fragile (i.e.: an original oil painting) or valuable (i.e. telecommunications equipment), or if you are shipping to an overseas customer, then, you may want to strongly consider using a wooden crate.

Often times, if you only have a few products to ship, you can assemble a crate yourself. However, there are companies that specialize in supplying wooden crates. One option is to hire a company that will crate your product on site. This is very common when the item to be shipped is extremely large such as manufacturing or medical imaging equipment. Another option is to purchase “pre-made” crates that you assemble in your facility.

The following is a quick reference guide to the different outer packaging materials:

Bubble Wrap®
Bubble Wrap® is an extremely versatile protective material that is great as a cushioning material, void fill or even surface protection. Bubble Wrap® is available in three standard thicknesses as shown below:

When using Bubble Wrap®, there are a few “tips” for proper use. First, when you are using Bubble Wrap® as a cushioning material, make sure to use enough wrap so that all sides and corners are protected. Make sure that there is at least two inches of bubble padding between your product and each wall of the box. You also want to make sure to use enough wrap (or other void fill material in conjunction with Bubble Wrap®) to eliminate movement of the packaged item when you shake the box. When you are done packaging your product, shake it. If you feel the product moving, you need to add more packaging material.

Bubble Wrap® is also available in other “options” such as adhesive, cohesive or anti-static wraps. Adhesive Bubble Wrap® has an adhesive backing that sticks to virtually any other surface. Cohesive Bubble Wrap® is similar to adhesive wrap, but it sticks only to itself. And anti-static Bubble Wrap® is made from a special blend of plastic that provides protection for electronic components that may be damaged from static discharge.

Foam Wrap
Foam wrap is similar to Bubble Wrap® in that it is another very versatile protective material that can be used as a cushioning material, void fill or surface protection. The most common type of foam wrap is made from low density polyethylene (LDPE) foam. Foam is lightweight, soft and is non-abrasive. The major difference between Bubble Wrap® and foam, other than the obvious material differences, is that foam wrap is more resilient. What this means is that foam will provide cushioning protection after repeated impacts. Bubble Wrap®, by its very nature, may or may not provide protection after repeated impacts, depending on if the bubbles pop during impact.

When using foam, the same tips outlined above for Bubble Wrap® apply to foam wrap.

Foam wrap is typically available in thicknesses of 1/32”, 1/16”, 3/32”, 1/8” and ¼”. It is also available in other “options” such as adhesive, cohesive or anti-static foam. Adhesive foam has an adhesive backing that will stick to virtually any other surface. Cohesive foam is similar to adhesive foam, but it sticks only to itself. And anti-static foam is made from a special blend of plastic that provides protection for electronic components that may be damaged from static discharge.

Foam Peanuts
Foam Peanuts, also called Loosefill Peanuts, are primarily used as void fill. Foam peanuts ARE NOT recommended as a cushioning material. This is because items packaged in only peanuts will shift and migrate towards the exterior of the box. The closer your product is to the exterior of the box, the more likely it will be damaged during shipment.

However, foam peanuts are a great choice as a void fill. When using foam peanuts, it is suggested that you overfill the box with at least two inches of peanuts to allow for the natural settling of the peanuts during shipment.

Foam In Place
Foam in place is the closest “stock” material you can purchase to engineered foam. This type of foam provides excellent cushioning properties, and is very versatile in that it “molds” around the product to be packaged. Foam in place is actually made from two chemicals. When these chemicals are mixed together, they begin to “foam up” and expand around your product. Foam in place is an ideal material for companies that ship many different configurations of fragile products, such as pump manufacturers.

Engineered Foams
Engineered foams provide the ultimate in cushioning protection. An example of engineered foam would be the foam end caps that computers are typically packaged in. Engineered foam comes in a variety of different types. The most popular of which are polystyrene (Styrofoam), polyethylene, and polyurethane.

Typically, engineered foams are used in high volume situations, such as computer manufacturers. The reason for this is because of the design and manufacturing processes behind engineered foams. First of all, designing engineered foams can be quite complex. The optimal design is based on the weight of the product, the psi loading of the foam, and the cushioning properties (cushion curves) of the type of foam to be used. Once the design is completed, most engineered foams can only be manufactured with a special type of tooling that is custom made to the design (i.e. a mold). This tooling can range anywhere from $500 to $25,000 or more depending on the design and type of foam. And keep in mind, this tooling cost is incurred BEFORE a single piece of foam is manufactured. There is then still a cost for each piece of foam manufactured.

Inflatable Packaging
Inflatable Packaging is a relatively new type of inner packaging material that is typically used as a void fill. Inflatable packaging usually comes in some sort of “deflated” bag shipped on rolls that is inflated when the product is packaged. One major advantage of using inflatable packaging is that because they are shipped deflated the cost of inbound shipping is greatly reduced vs. other void fills such as foam peanuts. Other benefits of inflatable packaging include warehouse space savings, its ease of use (when used in conjunction with specialized machinery), and its clean, professional appearance.

However, there are some considerations when using inflatable packaging. First of all, extreme hot and cold temperatures can affect the performance of inflatable packaging. Hot temperatures can cause the encapsulated air to expand, and thus cause stress on the seals of the bag and the outer box. Cold temperatures, on the other hand, can cause the volume of air inside the bags to decrease, which then will create extra space inside the package, and increase the risk of damage.

Crumpled Paper
Various types of paper can be used as a void fill or for surface protection. When using any type of paper as a void fill, it is recommended that you tightly crumple the paper and use at lease four inches of paper between your product and the sides of the box.

The most common type of paper used in these applications is known as kraft (referring to its brown color) paper. Other papers used in these applications include newsprint paper, tissue paper, bogus paper, and single-wall corrugated.

Each of these types of paper is available in rolls or in sheets, and comes in a variety of “basis weights.” Basis weight basically translates into the thickness of the paper. Kraft paper with a 40 pound basis weight (40# paper) would be thicker than a 30# paper. The thicker the paper, the more protection it will provide.

Corrugated Inserts
Corrugated cardboard is not only used to make outer boxes, it is also a multi-purpose inner packaging material. Layers of corrugated board can be glued together into blocks or thick pads. These can then be used in blocking and bracing applications. Simple corrugated pads can also be used as dividers between items or as stiffeners for items such as garments, if so desired.

Another benefit of corrugated pads is the fact that you can relatively easily create a “custom” type of inner packaging. You can easily make your own custom tray, liner, or even a partition with a straight edge, ruler and a sharp blade.

The following table is a quick reference guide to the various types of inner packaging discussed above: