If you are thinking about opening an online store or even if you have a company that works with the delivery of local items (a grocery store, mini market or a bakery, for example), it is likely that the packaging of these items was one of the first items you thought about, right? After all, the important thing is to have cardboard boxes available in the right size so that the products reach their recipients intact, right?
Right! But this is not the only thing that must be taken into account. Did you know that there are different types of single wall boxes? And that you can also choose double or even triple wall boxes? Read on to better understand each option.
Flute Types and Their Characteristics
A single wall cardboard sheet is formed by two flat sheets and between them there is a corrugated sheet, called a flute. There are 4 types of flutes used in the market today, A wave, B wave, C wave, and E wave. In practice, these letters represent a reference for the thickness of the wall.
- A wave, for example, although very used in the past, is not the most common one today. It has a thickness of 5mm as standard.
- A corrugated sheet C has a thickness of 3.2 to 3.9 mm.
- In the case of wave B, the thickness drops to 3 mm.
- Wave E defaults to a thickness between 1.2 and 1.5 mm.
When we talk about a double wall corrugated cardboard sheet, two letters will be combined to specify its thickness, for example, the most used nowadays is the BC wave cardboard sheet (combining a single B wave wall plate, coupled with a wave plate C) causing their thicknesses to be added together: Wave C 4mm + Wave B 3 mm = Wave BC 7 mm. This can occur with other wave combinations, for example a BE wave.
Which Type of Cardboard Box Do I Need?
The strength of a cardboard box is determined by the material used in manufacturing the package and the box’s purpose for use. The thicker the paper – and the more waves it has, the stronger the box. In other words, to understand what type of box you need in your business, you need to assess both the weight of the products and the way they are stored (there are companies that keep products stocked in stacked boxes, for example). The heavier your products are, the more you need double or even triple wall boxes.
Racer Boxes Box Manufacturer – We Can Help Answer Your Boxing Questions
To find the ideal box for your products, average them using your last orders as an example – or even make possible combinations of what your customers could buy. Then just talk to your local cardboard boxes supplier, who will probably be able to guide you better as to the ideal packaging. If you are in the Vancouver area, please contact us at Racer Boxes and we can help you with these questions.
Did you know that it is possible to have your company’s custom cardboard boxes in just two weeks? Even with the high demand for corrugated cardboard – and higher prices as well – Racer Boxes has managed to keep its delivery commitment in two weeks, which is a very short period compared to other companies in the same area.
So if you are in the Vancouver area and need custom cardboard boxes – whether for online stores, produce boxes, garment boxes or others, please let us know. Ask for a quote by clicking here and we can help you. In addition, below we tell you better about the entire process until we get to the finished boxes.
How Is a Cardboard Box Made?
When we receive an order for custom cardboard boxes, we follow a pre-established production flow so that the product reaches the buyer within two weeks. To start with, we order raw materials and tools (this includes paper, steeldie and print plates). After that comes to us, we feed the flexo-machine the paperboard for printing, scoring and cutting. Then we feed the printed and cut board to the gluing machine – this same machine also folds the box in its shape. When it’s done, we pack and dispatch the boxes for delivery.
All the printing of the boxes is done in a personalized way, that’s why we had the printing plates made. If you’re curious about how box printing works, we’ve explained a little in this article.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver by Racer Boxes Box Manufacturer
Normally, our prices do not include the shipping cost. But we do offer free shipping to most of the Vancouver area on orders of at least $500. As we’ve explained here, if you have a place to stock your boxes, ordering in larger quantities can be very economical, as paper shortages have made prices soar. If not, we offer 30 days of warehousing from PO date. Talk to us and we can help you with your needs.
We are always talking about the importance of custom cardboard boxes for the marketing of a brand here in the Racer Boxes blog. That’s because using boxes with your logo and colors is a simple action, but it makes a good impression with customers. Furthermore, it is a way to reinforce your brand with your audience. But do you know how custom box printing works? It’s exactly what we’ll talk about in today’s post, where we’ll explain a little about flexographic printing.
Flexographic printing for custom boxes
Flexography is a rotary printing method. For this process, a rubber or photopolymer plate with an embossed image is used. The printing system is direct and made with fast drying liquid inks (water or solvent based). To obtain color, pigment or dye can be used. Inspired by woodcuts, the flexographic system is similar to a stamp, in which only the areas that are in high relief will receive ink.
Flexography is indicated for printing texts, photos and images on paper, corrugated cardboard, plastics, raffia bags, ceramics and much more. In other words, it is a very versatile way of printing that allows different jobs. In addition to the aforementioned advantage over the ability to print various types of materials, flexography has very fast drying. You don’t have to wait hours for the paints to be good. The risk of smudging, staining or spoiling the work is very small.
Custom Boxes in Vancouver
Racer Boxes works with flexographic printing in the Vancouver area. So, if you need custom boxes for your business, please let us know. We have two printers available that print in up to three colors and in a range of sizes. Printing plates are quoted separately, as production costs, based on the size of the artwork to be printed on the boxes. We can help you with your needs – we produce a wide variety of cardboard box types. To contact us, click here.
From 2020, paper is more expensive worldwide. And when we talk about paper, we are talking about both the paper used in the printing and publishing industry and the cardboard used for the production of boxes.
To give you an idea, the production of cardboard in the United States reached 124 billion square meters in 2020, according to the association of manufacturers. The year-over-year increase was 3.4%, equivalent to approximately 768 square kilometers of additional corrugated cardboard. Enough to cover New York City with plenty.
This increase in production is a direct consequence of the increase in demand for the material, which causes its cost to also rise. And that puts the profit margins of those who depend on the cardboard boxes in their business at risk. But what justifies this high? And is it possible to dodge it? That’s what we’ll talk about in this post.
Why are cardboard box prices increasing?
There was a surge in demand for packaging around the world and it was largely driven by the Covid-19 pandemic. This is because a trend that has already been consolidating and strengthening in recent years – online shopping – has intensified with 2020, a period marked by quarantines around the world.
What happens is that there is not always enough wood to meet market demands, causing both prices and delivery times to increase. Throughout 2020, there was also an increase in shipping rates between countries. For example, the cost of transporting a container from China to the United States used to be around US$ 2,500 in 2020. This figure reached US$ 6,500 in 2021, and could reach up to US$20,000 for express shipping. Estimates are from Fortune magazine.
How to dodge the high prices?
Even if the issue of increasing cardboard prices is global, it is possible to circumvent this scenario – or at least reduce its impact on your company’s finances. How?
Well, if cardboard boxes are an essential material for the day-to-day in your company (as it is in the case of online stores, for example) and you have the working capital to do so, negotiate larger quantities of packaging directly with your supplier. This way, you can postpone the transfer of these values to the final consumption for some time. If so, also assess your material storage costs to understand if the choice is worth it.
Another very important thing is to try to find local packaging suppliers. This is because the material that comes from another country, for example, has a higher transport cost (as we saw above). By negotiating with local manufacturers, you can get better values.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver
If you are in the Vancouver area and are looking for a cardboard box supplier, please contact us. As our suppliers are local, we were not impacted by the increase in global packaging prices. We work with all types of boxes, from custom to boxes for produce boxes, and we can help you with your demands in this regard. Please request a free quote by clicking here.
Cardboard boxes are among the most common types of packaging. They are widely used for shipping all kinds of products sold in online stores, are used in movings, are used as file storage, as a food box in produce markets and so on. And among its advantages, there is one that is increasingly important for the world today: they are an ecologically correct type of packaging, since they are practically 100% recyclable.
But do you know how the recycling process for cardboard works? That’s what we want to explain with today’s post.
Cardboard box recycling process
Collection is the first step in cardboard recycling. Recyclers and companies collect waste cardboard at designated collection points – warehouses, points of sale that generate waste cardboard, etc.
After collection, all material is measured and transported to recycling facilities, mainly cardboard mills. At this point, some types of cardboard are accepted, others are not. Raw material acceptance sometimes depends on how it was used or manufactured.
Classification step
Once the corrugated cardboard boxes arrive at the recycling plant, they are sorted according to the materials they are made from. In most cases they are classified into corrugated and plain cardboard.
Simple cardboard boxes are the thinnest ones, used for beverage containers or cereal boxes. Corrugated cardboard boxes are used in the storage and transport of goods. Classification is important as cardboard manufacturers produce different cartons and packages based on the materials being reclaimed.
Crushing and pulping
After classification, the next step is crushing and then pulping. Shredding is done to break the cardboard fibers into tiny pieces. Then, after the material is crushed into pieces, it is mixed with water and chemicals.
In this way, it is possible to break the fibers of the paper that transform it into a pasty substance. This process is called pulping.
Filtering, removal of impurities and de-inking
The pulped material is then taken through a comprehensive filtration process to remove impurities. The pulp still goes to a chamber where contaminants such as plastics and metals are removed through a centrifugal process.
The next process, de-inking, involves placing the pulp in a device with chemicals that remove dyes and inks through a series of filters and sieves.
Finishing for reuse
At this stage, the clean pulp is mixed with new production materials, then placed to dry on a flat mat and on heated cylindrical surfaces. As the pulp dries, it passes through an automated machine that removes excess water and forms long rolls of solid plates.
The cardboard fibers are agglomerated, layer by layer, to make a new cardboard sheet. This entire process saves energy and resources.
For all the advantages, use simple cardboard packaging and personalized boxes in your business. If you are in the Vancouver area, please contact us. Racer Boxes is a manufacturer of display boxes, customized boxes with offset printing, produce boxes and others. Click here to ask for a free quote!
Creating custom cardboard boxes for a business is a great way to stand out in the market and sell more. As we’ve already seen here, there are many advantages to using this type of packaging.
However, a common confusion of many entrepreneurs is how exactly to create such a package. Is it necessary to do it in the company? What colors to use? How to achieve the best visual result for your cardboard box?
If you are interested in creating custom packaging, but don’t know how, the following tips will help you with that task. So read to the end.
- Choose the ideal material and size
If you only sell your products online, you will only need cardboard boxes in appropriate sizes for your products. But if you also sell in a physical store, it is important to think about what kind of packaging you will offer your customer who buys there. You can also opt for paper bags, which like cardboard are recyclable.
In both cases, you can either have something printed on the packages directly with your box supplier or customize them in-house using stamps, for example. This second suggestion may work only for smaller companies, but gives an air of handcrafted product that can help win over the customer.
- Pay attention to the color scheme
When customizing your store’s packaging, pay attention to the color scheme you will use on the boxes and bags. The ideal is to choose colors that are harmonious together, either by the technique of analogous colors or by the complementary tones.
For example, analogous colors are those that lie close together on the chromatic circle. See some combination examples:
* green and blue;
* red and pink;
* yellow and orange.
The complementary tones are those that are in opposite positions of the chromatic circle and create harmony through the contrast between the colors. Some examples:
* yellow and purple;
* green and red;
* blue and orange.
Also, prefer tones that work well with the next tip in our article.
- Use your logo
An essential part of custom packaging is the use of the company logo in the box design. This is important, as it identifies the company to the public and relates the quality of the packaging to the company’s brand.
In addition, as the logo will be used (perhaps even accompanied by a slogan, depending on the company’s branding strategy), it is important to choose the colors of the personalization in order to create harmony with the design that identifies the brand.
Thus, the packaging will be more beautiful and will attract more attention from consumers who buy the products, in a positive way.
- Enter a message
Another cool way to stand out with the help of packaging is to print a message or instruction on the cardboard box itself. If you sell groceries or drinks, for example, you can have a simple recipe printed on the box. If you sell books, you can have a reading suggestion printed. The options are endless.
- Pack together
If you’ve already chosen your custom cardboard boxes, how about combining them with the inner packaging? You can wrap the items in tissue paper with the color of your brand or even have a custom paper made.
How much thinking is required to be able to create personalized packaging, isn’t it? However, by following these tips you will have no difficulties in carrying out the task and will be able to make the most of the advantages that custom cardboard boxes offer for any business. If you are convinced of the need to use custom packaging in your company, please contact us to find out how we can help you in this job!
If the cardboard box is important for consumers to receive their online purchases intact, when it comes to buying bottles, it is essential! It is much more difficult to ship a bottle of wine, for example, than to ship an item of clothing or a cosmetic product, even though the importance of packaging in all cases is the same.
And contrary to popular belief, there is no standardized cardboard packaging model for glass bottles. This is because the beverage market works with a wide variety of bottle shapes, diameters and heights.
So, if you have an online store that sells bottles of wine, beer, champagne or any other drink, you’ve probably already faced this dilemma: “after all, what kind of packaging do I need?”. It was with this in mind that we created this post.
Cardboard box for bottles
First, before placing an order for packaging with your supplier, review your database where you record sales. Do your customers usually buy just one bottle or more than one? Are your deliveries made via postal service/carrier (which requires more robust packaging) or is it more local shipping, to the same city (which can be done by local couriers)? These are the data that will guide your packaging order.
Also, if you sell wine, for example, you can think of promotions to encourage your customers to buy more than one bottle at a time. That’s because boxes for six bottles, for example, are easier to find.
What to take into account
In addition to the box itself, shipping bottles requires honeycomb internal accessories, also made of cardboard. They help to protect the bottles during the transport and storage process. In general, these accessories are also made of cardboard – the important thing is that they are slightly rigid, to prevent the bottles from bumping into each other.
In this case, you can plan your order for boxes and honeycombs according to your customer profile – for two, four or, in general, up to six boxes. And from there, you can make variable combinations filling the boxes with bottles, honeycombs and kraft paper (in case the box doesn’t get full).
Canada box manufacturer
Finally, one last tip: have a professional and reliable cardboard box supplier. There’s nobody better to help you define the best formats and sizes to be used to protect your product. Any questions, please contact our technical team and we can help you in this mission. We are at your disposal.
Custom cardboard boxes have been used by all kinds of companies for decades to send dreams anywhere. These sturdy boxes can take impact to protect their contents from damage – it’s an effective, lightweight way to ship items even overseas.
While technological advances have changed many aspects of our daily lives, cardboard boxes continue to serve the industry very well and fulfill their role. And if you have a company in which this type of packaging is used, such as e-commerce, for example, you may have already wondered if it’s worth choosing packages with custom sizes or the best is to use standard sizes.
With that in mind, we prepared this list of five items that indicate that yes, choosing packaging according to your product can be a great idea.
Personalized cardboard boxes: Reasons to choose
1. Right-sized packaging makes financial sense
Very large boxes for small items require a greater amount of additional material to prevent damage to the contents. Over time, this increase in weight and unnecessary consumption can generate significant costs for companies and can increase the environmental impact of their operations. By choosing custom shipping boxes, companies can more easily manage packaging for a wide range of items, keeping costs at a reasonable level.
2. Dimensional weight prices
Almost all large cargo carriers and package delivery companies now use dimensional weight pricing for their shipments. So the bigger the box and the weight, the bigger the amount you will have to shell out, so choosing a suitable box for the products can reduce the shipping cost.
3. Positive impression
Custom boxes can make a good impression on consumers. Good quality and visually appealing boxes can provide valuable support for your branding, increasing the perceived value of your products among those most likely to buy them again in the future. Boxes that act as display cases also help to reinforce your brand value at retail displays.
4. Extra advertising
Custom boxes can be printed to carry marketing messages. Taking advantage of this little-explored opportunity, companies can be more easily remembered by consumers later. And whoever is most remembered also tends to sell more.
5. Fast logistics
Having a good stock of custom boxes available for your product can help make orders reach consumers faster. After all, the logistics get faster as well. Also, when negotiating with your supplier for a larger quantity of boxes, you will most likely pay less for the lot.
Custom Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver
If you are convinced that your company needs suitable boxes for your product in the Vancouver area, please contact us. We can help you with your needs – to request a free quote, just click here.
Moving in or to Vancouver? This blog post is for you – we’ll talk a little about how to pack furniture, clothes, decorative items and even what to do with the food in the refrigerator. With that in mind, we prepared this complete guide on how to prepare yourself when going to your new house.
Moving in or to Vancouver: where to start
The first step is to define exactly what you are going to bring to the new house. This is an important step and will help you to define which packages and the amount needed for your move. The best way to organize the inventory is to record everything in a spreadsheet. Thus, in addition to having a complete list, this control will also help you when requesting a quote for cardboard boxes or for transportation.
Necessary materials – Moving Supplies
The main materials you will need are:
– bubble wrap: provides resistant protection, reduces impact, protects against scratches, and insulates from odors and liquids. Look for versions with large bubbles and tough plastic that is difficult to break, as they will be used to protect furniture, sofas, beds, appliances, glass and mirrors.
– cardboard boxes: store basically all your small belongings, decorative items, kitchen utensils, clothes, books and a multitude of other things. The ideal is to buy different sizes and that are very resistant.
– duct tape, stylus, pen and label: they are needed to open, close and label boxes.
Quantities
To avoid waste, buy the materials little by little. Start by packing less-used items in your day-to-day life, so you’ll already be aware of the quantities. As for boxes, buy different sizes to facilitate transport and avoid broken objects – put heavier ones in smaller boxes and lighter ones in larger ones.
If you are planning a move in Vancouver, please contact us at Racer Boxes. We have a broad portfolio of cardboard boxes in various sizes and we are ready to help you with your needs. https://racerboxes.com/contact-us/
Packing furniture and appliances
Start by checking what can/should be dismantled, such as wardrobes and shelves – take this into account when asking for quotes from moving companies, as many of them also offer this service. Also remove the mirrors and glasses, pack them first with bubble wrap and then, if possible, place them in the cardboard boxes.
Also remember to secure the corners – this can be done with cardboard and masking tape – as these areas are often damaged in changes.
Kitchen utensils
Dishes, glasses, jars and any other glass items, whether they are kitchen utensils or decorative items, must be packed very well. First, select a good cardboard box that can withstand the weight of the items. Once this is done, line the bottom of the box with bubble wrap. Ideally, cut the bubble wrap twice the size of the bottom of the box, so you can fold it in half and make a kind of pillow. The next step is to wrap each item separately in cardboard, newspaper or bubble wrap. This will prevent direct contact between them, which could lead to a possible breakage.
Personal clothes and bedding
Moving companies have specific clothes racks. This method makes it easy to remove clothes from the wardrobe, transport them and put them back in the closet in the new house. Without a doubt, this is the most recommended method, as it does not wrinkle the clothes and avoids its direct contact with the rest of the things, keeping them clean and free from dust and possible odors.
Food in the fridge
Definitely, the food in the fridge is a question that most people have when moving, as moving companies usually recommend turning off the fridge between 4 and 8 hours before transport.
This is because the freezer and even frozen foods can release water and wet the other items in your move. Considering this possibility, the best thing to do is to remove everything from your refrigerator. Thus, if it is a long residential move to another state, for example, it is recommended to plan so that on the day of transport you do not have any more food in the refrigerator.
If this is not possible, donate the rest to acquaintances or friends. However, if the move is short, you can store these foods in coolers and take them to your new home.
How to dispose of packaging?
If you are moving with a company, ask if they collect the packaging after. If they don’t do this work, do a screening yourself. Separate the types of waste and what can be sent for recycling, such as cardboard, for example, and give it the correct destination.
Moving in Vancouver – Buy Moving Supplies
To finish, contact Racer Boxes now at 604-270-8205 or info@racerboxes.com to find the best packaging supplies for your moving.
If you have a company that uses cardboard boxes on a daily basis – it could be for product storage, e-commerce packaging or a grocery shop that delivers fruits and vegetables, for example – you may have already wondered if these packages have expiration date. After all, this is a very used type of material – if purchased in large quantities, it can save your company’s money. But is it worth it? That’s what we’re going to talk about today.
How long do the cardboard boxes last?
There is no standard that specifies or requires the inclusion of an expiration date on corrugated cardboard boxes. Through studies and observations, however, it was possible to reach a consensus that, under ideal conditions (with controlled temperature and humidity), they last up to two years. Some factors can promote changes in this estimate, such as the relative humidity of the air, the temperature of the environment in which it is stored, the way it is stacked, the quality of the corrugated cardboard used in the manufacture of the boxes, the adequate dimension of the packaging in relation to the product, between others.
How to store cardboard boxes?
In order to give more durability to the boxes in stock, it is necessary, in the first place, to know how this storage will be. This includes the characteristics of the product and its storage location. If there is stacking, for example, it is necessary to know how many boxes it will be, whether it will be columnar or crossed and how long this material will be stored. In this way, understanding the entire process that the package will go through until it reaches the final consumer, it is possible to make an adequate and more durable planning.
Based on this information, your corrugated cardboard box supplier will have knowledge of the entire process that the box will face until it reaches the final consumer and will be able to identify the most suitable type of material for each operation. That is why it is extremely important that your supplier knows the process that the cardboard box will face in order to consider all the problems (and, of course, how to avoid them). It’s much better to do good packaging development than to have problems with your customer, don’t you think?
Canada box manufacturer
Finally, one last tip: have a professional and reliable supplier of cardboard boxes and establish a closer relationship with him. There’s nobody better to help you define the best materials to use and the best way to store your packaging. If you have any questions, please contact our technical team and we can help you in this mission. We are at your disposal. https://racerboxes.com/contact-us/