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The future is looking very corrugated. That’s because the time-tested corrugated box is still the top choice for brands all over the world. The current state of corrugated is convenient, cost-effective, and focused on quality. If you’re in the middle of working out some big packaging decisions, it’s time to review the big, bold benefits of corrugated boxes. Take a look at 10 reasons to stay the course with corrugated boxes!

1. Corrugated Boxes Are Lightweight

Corrugated is the lightweight champion! No option provides such a lightweight way to ship products without requiring serious sacrifices for durability. When you select corrugated boxes for shipping, you have the option to select layered styles that actually increase durability during shipping. This allows shippers of fragile, high-value products to have peace of mind over the fact that items will arrive as expected for customers.

2. Corrugated Boxes Are Strong

While a lot can be said about the lightweight nature of the corrugated box, even more can be said about the strength of this option. Corrugated boxes are both strong and rigid. This matters because it means they can retain their shape. A box that retains its shape protects the integrity of the contents that are inside! It’s important to focus on the structure of the corrugated box when considering its benefits. Corrugated boxes have built-in cushioning that creates resiliency. These boxes handle tumbles nicely without big tears or cracks. What’s more, the strong corners provide beautiful shock absorption in the event of a high, intense fall.

3. Corrugated Boxes Offer Flexibility

The strength and rigidity of corrugated boxes are balanced beautifully by the flexible nature of this option. In fact, no other option for packaging balances rigidity, strength, and flexibility like corrugated boxes do! Here’s a look at the benefits that go along with choosing a flexible option like the corrugated box for your packaging needs:

• New boxes can be molded and shaped very quickly to meet your custom needs.
• New boxes can be customized to match the sizes of your custom products.
• All of the flexibility offered makes it very easy to print logos, brand names and graphics on your boxes!
• You can even apply shiny, high-visibility finishes to your boxes using the latest technology!

The flexibility of corrugated boxes also makes them easy to ship because they can be placed in cargo vessels more easily. Some rigid options become cracked or punctured when packed into tight spaces. Again, choosing corrugated is all about ensuring quality control at the point of receipt for the person buying products!

4. Corrugated Boxes Save Brands Money by Being Cost Effective

The industry secret is that corrugated boxes are priced much more competitively than other options once you sit down to do the apples-to-apples analysis. In fact, purchasing corrugated in bulk is how many brands are able to offer exceptional shipping for their products without charging exceptional shipping fees. There’s also a built-in cost benefit to choosing corrugated that not everyone is aware of when they first start a business that involves shipping out goods. Corrugated boxes are generally much cheaper to assemble than other boxes. This helps to cut down on labor costs needed for a company’s packing and shipping processes.

5. Corrugated Boxes Provide an Eco-Friendly Shipping Solution

Corrugated fits into your brand’s green strategy. Corrugated boxes are generally much more environmentally friendly than other packaging options. In general, cardboard is naturally more environmentally friendly due to the fact that the palm pulp that is used in cardboard production is sourced from a fast-growing tree that can be replenished quickly!

6. Corrugated Boxes Can Be Recycled

The benefit of this is really twofold. First, your company is making an eco-friendly choice by choosing boxes that are made from recyclable materials. Each box has the potential to be part of a reuse cycle that goes on for years instead of ending up in a landfill. The second benefit is that you can pass on eco-friendly values to your customers. When customers receive goods packed in recyclable boxes, they gain insight into that company’s values for prioritizing the environment. According to research, nearly 70 percent of consumers in places like the United States and Canada think it’s important for brands to use sustainable, environmentally practices. What’s more, customers are increasingly voting with their feet against companies that don’t follow sustainable practices.

It goes even deeper. Customers actually resent brands that come across as “wasteful.” Brands should always keep in mind that the consumer is ultimately the person who is responsible for the disposal of packaging waste. That means that you’re giving them a very tangible measure of your attitude on the environment based on how much waste you leave them with after they’ve unboxed a product. Turning your customer into an unwitting accomplice in your wasteful cycle by making them throw away tons of packaging materials that cannot be recycled is a great way to alienate that customer. By contrast, shipping items in a recyclable box with clearly marked instructions for how to properly dispose of the box creates a very positive impression!

6. Corrugated Boxes Have Soft Corners That Reduce Liability

While the structure and flexibility of corrugated boxes have already been touched on, there’s actually more to this angle. The soft edges on corrugated boxes provide a built-in safety measure against sharp corners. This can greatly cut down on workplace injuries while boxes are being handled. It can also cut down on injuries for pets and children after your boxes have been received by customers. Lastly, those softer edges generally help with easier stacking of products without the dangers of sharp, blunt corners.

7. Corrugated Boxes Come in Many Sizes

If you’re looking for uniformity in your product line, choosing corrugated boxes is smart. You can use the same style of box when packaging and shipping multiple items in a variety of sizes. Being able to scale up or down without the need to reinvent your packaging protocols is a time-effective, cost-effective benefit for brands. When brands settle for boxes that aren’t the right size, they put their products in jeopardy during shipping. Custom box sizes offer better product security during shipping! They also ensure that you’re never paying more for bigger boxes that you don’t actually need.

8. Corrugated Boxes Are Easy to Source

Brands sometimes get talked into using “specialty” shipping boxes that are created by lone manufacturers. This can leave these brands in a very tight spot. Here’s a look at the problems that go along with choosing a “rare” packaging option:

• The box provider can charge you whatever they want once they have you hooked into their exclusive pipeline.
• You won’t have an alternative option for sourcing packaging materials if your provider experiences delays or bottlenecks.
• You may not be able to get bulk orders of boxes quickly when you see a sudden spike in your own sales.
• There’s very little flexibility for finding affordable options for products of various shapes and sizes.

Going with a universal option like the corrugated box means that brands aren’t at the mercy of just one provider. What’s more, corrugated boxes tend to be more readily available than specialty boxes made from unique materials that are not widely used. Most brands that adopt a unique material for shipping will end up devoting more and more of the total operating budget to packaging costs as the years go on.

9. Corrugated Boxes Can Be Reused by Customers

Leaving customers with a big corrugated box after they’ve removed your item isn’t a big deal. In fact, most people like to hang on to corrugated boxes for storage, moving, or crafts. While some people may choose to physically recycle the corrugated boxes that you use to ship your products, others will simply hold on to them to repurpose them for everyday use!

10. Corrugated Boxes Contribute to Predictable Shipping Costs

All shippers know exactly how to handle corrugated boxes. That leaves your brand with several benefits. The first is that shippers are less likely to damage corrugated boxes because they handle them every single day. The second shipping benefit of corrugated boxes is that their lightweight nature helps to keep shipping costs low even when you’re shipping larger items.

There’s a Reason Why Most Brands Use Corrugated Boxes

One only has to look at what the big brands are doing to know that corrugated is the smartest option. These brands have done a cost analysis to know that corrugated boxes offer the best performance at the lowest cost. While initial savings are impressive enough, the case for corrugated gets stronger when you factor in the reduction in replacement costs caused by shipping mishaps when you choose a sturdy and proven option like corrugated. Are you ready to explore corrugated? Check out our website to learn more about what corrugated boxes can do for your brand!