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/
Cardboard boxes are one of the most essential items used as packaging in the storage and transport of goods. So how did the cardboard boxes we know today get their origin? That’s what we will know in this post from Racer Boxes a Canada Box Manufacturer.
Cardboard boxes were invented in China
The beginnings of the cardboard box date back to China 3.000 to 4.000 years ago. The Chinese of the Han Dynasty used leaves from treated mulberry bark, hemp, cloth, vegetable fiber mixed with water and made a paste to produce cardboard.
All this material was mixed, turning into a homogeneous pulp that was spread in a frame. Then, after getting a very thin thickness, the condensed pulp was pressed with heavy items to make the cardboard sheet. The card, as it was called, was used to wrap and preserve food.
Corrugated cardboard was patented in England
In 1856, corrugated cardboard was patented in England by British inventors Edward Allen and Edward Healey. At the time, cardboard was used only as a lining material for tall hats and its practical use for transport packaging did not appear until 15 years later.
In 1871, businessman Albert Jones, from New York, obtained a patent for corrugated cardboard as a transport material. In this way, the corrugated cardboard boxes served to protect and transport glass bottles safely.
Corrugated boxes as we know them today were invented in 1874 by Oliver Long, who improved the design by adding liner sheets. This, incidentally, gave rise to ‘duplex cardboard’ (two layers) and triplex (three layers of coating).
This new feature gave greater durability and strength to the packages, allowing them to carry heavier loads and to be stacked safely.
It is still one of the most sustainable packaging
The environmental benefits of using cardboard boxes are far-reaching. In fact, consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact their purchases have on the planet. As a result, they look for ecological solutions whenever possible.
The cardboard boxes are made of 100% biodegradable raw materials and are completely safe from disposal. It is worth noting that around 70% of the world’s cardboard is recycled. As a result, most cardboard boxes today are made from reused materials. Cardboard packages can be manufactured without the need to add bleach or dyes in the process. In other words, it keeps our water systems clean and free from pollutants.
Racer Boxes a Canada Box Manufacturer
For all the above advantages, you really should cardboard boxes and custom boxes in your business. If you are in the Vancouver area, please contact us. Racer Boxes is a manufacturer of display boxes, custom boxes with offset printing, produce boxes and others. Get e free quote!
Do you sell fresh products such as vegetables, fruits or even other fresh food and plant seedlings? Currently, this is a segment that has been growing a lot – small producers are increasingly selling their products not only at specific markets but also directly to consumers, especially via social networks.
And if products need specific packaging to reach their buyers intact, that’s even more important in the case of fresh food, right? If this is your case, check below the main advantages of investing in specific packaging for using produce boxes.
1. Fresh products
The main advantage of produce boxes made for fruits, vegetables and plant seedlings is that they were designed specifically for this type of product. In this case, they have holes in specific places to allow air circulation. This guarantees the longevity of the products, which stay fresh for longer. In addition, the design is also thought to facilitate shipping and handling.
2. Reusable and recyclable
Depending on the type of product to be stored in them, this is a type of box that can easily be reused. In addition, because it is made of cardboard, it is also more easily recycled. In other words, it is a more ecologically correct alternative to plastic packaging.
3. Customizable
On top of this, the fruit and vegetable cardboard produce boxes can also be personalized with instructions or company logo. This helps both in marketing – as it helps to strengthen the brand – and in terms of sustainability. This is because if your company sells to the final public, for example, you can take the opportunity to include a specific recipe or instruction in the box itself. It’s a nice way to communicate with your customers without having to print extra material, such as a brochure, that would likely be lost.
And if you are looking for specific boxes for vegetables, fruits or plants in the Vancouver area, please let us know. Racer Boxes is a wholesale box manufacturer that can help you with your needs in this area. Please contact us by phone (604-270-8205) or email for a free quote.
The terms “ecological” and “green” are not new when it comes to sustainable packaging. In fact, over the past 10 years, the entire supply chain has been demanding environmentally friendly packaging with a minimalist design. Why? Because minimalist packaging has proven to have a huge influence on consumers’ purchasing choices.
A survey on sustainable packaging conducted annually by Packaging Digest and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition reveals that 92% of consumers consider minimalist, ecological or biodegradable packaging to be important. The study also indicates that 74% of entrepreneurs emphasize the use of recycled materials in the production of sustainable packaging. So, if you are looking for packaging for your company, take this data into account and check out the tips below.
What is the ideal cardboard box material?
Cardboard is one of the most versatile materials on the packaging market. Compared to plastic, cardboard packaging is not only cheaper, but also more sustainable. In other words, it causes little damage to the environment and can be reused and reused. Unlike plastic, bottles, cans or styrofoam, cardboard and kraft paper can be produced and recycled without the use of many harmful chemicals. Prefer to use plastic (such as bubble wrap) only for very fragile items.
Other cardboard box advantages
Cardboard boxes also offer a number of other advantages that can result in greater profitability for your company. In addition to being cheaper, they also offer a number of customization possibilities. You can purchase packages of the appropriate size for your product and which still include details related to your brand or even printed instructions for use (thus saving on printing other printed materials, such as explanatory brochures).
The boxes are also very light, take up little space (since they come disassembled) and are suitable for an incredible variety of products – from fruits and vegetables to fragile objects. It is exactly this type of product that Racer Boxes offers – if your company needs cardboard boxes suited to your needs in Canada, please talk to us and we can help you in this area.