How is cardboard made?

With so many different kinds of boxes for shipping and receiving, the gold standard for shipping is cardboard boxes. In this short article, we are going to look at the process of how these boxes are made. There is a unique kind of process that is used to make up these essential boxes. These boxes are the most used when it comes to the shipping industry. Almost every company that deals in shipping and receiving products uses cardboard for their boxes as they are not only lightweight but also relatively cheap. This aspect is an excellent thing as it helps companies reduce on their shipping costs. 

To begin with, as many of us know, cardboard is essentially tough paper. The process to make these boxes is a unique yet easy process. Trees are cut down to make paper. Companies who produce cardboard then buy this paper so it can be made into the boxes. A sheet of paper is folded several times like a traditional Japanese paper fan. This fold or ridges is what gives cardboard its superior strength and durability. This process was actually found out on accident one day in the eighteen hundreds by an English man who worked as a paper printer. He used this accident to then make the first ever paper board box that eventually evolved into the cardboard containers we use today for shipping. 

The ridged or folded paper is then sandwiched between two sheets of paper to hold it in place. It is because of this that cardboard is so strong. If it were not for the sheets on either side of the ridges, then it would be flimsy and not have as much strength as it has with them. These two sheets of paper are a special kind of paper that has gone through a cleaning and manufacturing process that coats the paper to make it a bit more tough and able to withstand the elements and some damage. 

Cardboard is a very sturdy material, and it is because of the ridged paper sandwiched between two unique pieces of paper. Once all that has been done, creases are added so the cardboard can be formed into a box. The added creases need to be carefully planned out as if one is wrong, there is a chance that the box will not properly fold and form a box. Along with the creases that are formed, sections of it need to be cut out so it will adequately fold into a box. If just one crease or cut out is wrong or misplaced, then that sheet of cardboard will need to be recycled and made into a new box so it will properly make a box. The good thing is that all of these cardboard containers can be made from recycled goods, thus reducing the carbon footprint. 

Cardboard boxes are a great way to ship and receive goods. They are the gold standard for shipping boxes. Almost every company uses them, but no one knows how they are really made. I hope that this short essay has enlightened you somewhat about the process of making these essential boxes for the shipping industry. With how light this material is, it does not add to the overall shipping cost. This is good for the consumer as it does not make the price for the items someone buys more expensive. 

Moving my friend

Recently my friend I moved down to Florida with before moving back to Indiana told me that he too was going to be moving back here and asked for my help. He was planning on getting an apartment with his fiance nearby. I’m excited for them to be near me as I miss hanging out with my friend. I don’t care too much for his fiance, but what can I do? In order to help him move, I had to get a flight to Florida. I prefer flying to locations instead of driving. Driving takes too long, and I’ve already had to drive to Florida and eventually back from Florida. When I got down there, as much as I wanted to go visit some old friends, I had a specific reason for being there and had to stick to it. 

When I landed in Florida, my friend picked me up from the airport, and we did as we always did and grabbed some Chick Fil A on the way to his home. I got a spicy chicken sandwich deluxe, it was so good. It is my personal favorite. As we were heading to his house, I asked what we will be packing up and what those items will be going into. He told me that all we had to do was pack up his room and fill up some cardboard boxes with his clothes and other small items. As we passed our old apartment complex, we got hit with a wave of memories from that place. We began talking each other’s ears off with all the memories we had. That made the thirty minute drive fly by. 

When we got to his house, his parents greeted us with a smile and gave me a hug. The hug was big because their family is not too much for physical affection, so anytime I get a hug from his mom, it is really special. They also told us that after a long day of packing, they would treat us to our favorite shrimp tacos from a place called Doc Fords. We got so excited and began frivolously packing all of my friend’s items. We started with his clothes. He put some clothes in a duffle bag that he would live out of the next few days. Packing up his clothes as quickly as he does not have a great amount of them. Not saying he does not have clothes, just saying he does not have as much as me, which is a good thing because it took me a few hours to pack up all my clothes. 

He had a custom build computer like me, so to be careful, we took out the graphics card and made sure that part was safe and secure. We then packed up his pc as carefully as possible. We slowly began to load up the moving truck with the cardboard boxes, and after about five hours of work, we were completely done, we were in shock at how fast we were able to do it. After a day of fun, we got in the box truck and began our long drive, again. 

He and I had driven down to Florida together when I moved down to Florida, so it was nice to drive back with him. The drive was long and tedious because the box truck does not allow for you to go over seventy miles per hour. I was glad to have been able to help my friend move as unfun as it is. 

Applications And Uses Of Poly Bags

This article provides information on poly bags and their applications.

Polybags are a part of the everyday life of packaging personnel. These bags have come a long way to become one of the mainstream packaging options for a wide array of products.

What is a polybag?

Polybags are clear or transparent plastic bags to pack and ship various products. A typical polybag consists of polyethylene, which is one of the most common formulations of plastic.

An average polybag comes with a thickness ranging between 1 and 6 millimeters. Bags thinner or thicker than this range fall into the category of specialty polybags.

These bags are popular due to the material they consist of. They are slim with a smooth texture, flexibility, and reflective surface.

Common uses for poly bags

Polybags are can pack several products, including magazines, clothing, blankets, pillows, mail, and a lot of other consumer goods. Polybags have become more popular due to their shipping application, mainly due to the rise of e-commerce. In many cases, these bags replace cardboard boxes.

The reason poly bags can replace corrugated boxes for some products is that they use much less material than corrugated cardboard. These bags are not much cost to ship and have a very little impact on the environment. Due to their reduced size, they have a much lower carbon footprint compared to corrugated boxes and other rigid packaging materials.

That is why many businesses continue to choose poly bags over corrugated boxes. That helps them save a lot of money in product packaging and shipping and contributes to the green movement.

Equipment needed for polybag packaging

If you have to deal with lower volume applications, you can use zip-lock poly bags that can be sealed by hand. You will need to use heat-sealable poly bags for higher volume applications.

For heat sealing, you will need a bag sealer. You can choose from different types of sealers, including L-bar sealers, lap sealers, and side sealers. These sealers seal the product in the bag. The heating element of these sealers seals the open ends of the bag.

In some cases, you may need to remove air from the bag. You can use vacuum sealers in such scenarios. A vacuum sealer sucks out the air from a bag to help protect the products within. This option is mostly used in food packaging applications.

Do poly bags serve your packaging requirements?

You will have to answer a few questions to figure out whether or not poly bags are right for your packaging requirements. Here are the questions.

• Do you want to cut packaging costs? If yes, you can use poly bags in place of cardboard boxes. That will be a significant cost saver.
• Do you need strong, protective packaging? If you want to avoid breakage of your product packaging during transit, using polybags will not be a good choice.
• Do you want to reduce your carbon footprint? If yes, polybags can help you reduce your carbon footprint significantly.
• Do you want to reduce the use of plastics in packaging? If yes, polybags will not serve you well because they are made of plastics.
• Do you need transparent product packaging? If yes, you can use polybags. They will allow your customers to have a look at the original product.

If you want to incorporate polybags into your packaging operations, be sure to speak to your packaging vendor to know the best options.

Eco-Friendly E-Commerce Postal Packaging

If you want to get an edge in the e-commerce arena, you will have to make sure that your product packaging choice is correct.

Perhaps, we have learned from giants in the online retail industry that packaging matters more than any other aspect. With the rise of the concept of eco-friendly packaging, e-commerce businesses look for packaging solutions that are stylish and sustainable.

So, what does that mean for small businesses in the e-commerce industry? Whether you are a veteran or just started your business in the e-commerce arena, you have to make sure the product packaging solutions you use contribute to an enhanced customer experience. At the same, the packaging must be eco-friendly.

Eco-friendly packaging for e-commerce brands

While pandemic has caused the entire business world to come to a standstill, it has proved a lifeline for businesses shipping products to customers. Reports suggest that the world of e-commerce has seen spending of an additional $900 billion during the 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. While this dramatic shift in consumer behavior presents a significant opportunity to businesses, the implementation procedure is not plain sailing.

The rise in sales has also resulted in increased competition, which may be a challenge for smaller brands. That is why they need to ensure precision in product packaging. Ensuring product safety during shipping is the bare minimum. To keep up with the competition, it is crucial to style and design product packaging. On top of that, the packaging must be environmentally friendly.

Eco-friendly e-commerce mailers, shippers, and boxes

Consumers who buy things online pay attention to product packaging. They want it to be eco-friendly. So, what is the eco-friendliest material you can use to protect your goods during transit?

Cardboard packaging, undoubtedly, stands as the best eco-friendly option here. Made from biodegradable, durable, and recycled materials, cardboard helps brands save the environment while providing optimum protection to the packaged goods. It is also cost-effective, meaning that you have a greater chance at customizing your packaging to impress your customers.

Here are the eco-friendly postal packaging options that may help you stay ahead in the competition.

Brown postal boxes

You can use these boxes if you are dealing with a high volume of orders and tighter profit margins. These boxes are versatile, sturdy, and cost-effective. They use a hinged lid, which is capable of ensuring the optimum safety of your orders. You can choose from a wide array of sizes, depending on the size and shape of your products.

White postal boxes

If you do not want to use brown boxes, you can consider using stock white mailers. These boxes are robust and eco-friendly in the same way as brown postal boxes. You can use these boxes if you want a clean and simple packaging solution.

Book wrap mailers

These mailer boxes come with multiple depth options, allowing you to utilize their flexibility to pack a range of products of varying sizes. These mailers also feature a peel-and-seal closure and a tear-open strip. These features reduce the amount of time required for product packaging significantly.

Cardboard shipping boxes

These boxes offer peace of mind to brands that have to ship larger products to distant locations. These boxes are ideal for the packaging of bulky and breakable products.

You can personalize all these boxes to give your brand the necessary exposure during the shipping process. This part may be a bit challenging, so you can speak to a packaging consultant to discuss all options.

Why companies use cardboard

With so many different kinds of shipping containers, it is curious as to why these companies choose to use cardboard boxes as their primary source for shipping containers. In this short article, we are going to talk about the advantages of these boxes and why they are so popular amongst the shipping industry. In my personal opinion, I’m glad that cardboard is the primary shipping container. I state this claim because of the advantages this material has over other forms of shipping containers. Additionally, this material can be made from recycled materials, so it a very eco friendly mode of transportation for items. 

Cardboard is a great material for shipping and storage because it is so light weight. The fact that it is a light weight material means that it helps reduce the cost of shipping some companies may face. It being light also helps with reducing carbon emissions because of the company that ships it will not need to take as many trips dropping off their packages. This material is so lightweight because it is made from paper. This is good as it allows for the boxes to be as light as possible without compromising the structural integrity. Cardboard is a rigid material that can take quite a bit of abuse. This is not only because it is made from a special paper but also because of the way it is made. 

The making of this material is a special yet simple one. A sheet of paper is folded many times. If you have ever tried to make a paper fan much like the traditional Japanese ones, then you’ll understand what I am talking about. Once that paper is folded like that, it is then sandwiched between two pieces of specially coated paper. The special paper allows for it to protect the items inside of the box. The paper is coated with a special wax at times. This was allows for the cardboard to repel any if not all water. This allows for any item that is to be put in the soon to be made box protected. 

The wavy paper we talked about previously is what gives the cardboard its strength and rigidity. Without this wave in between the walls of the cardboard, there is a chance that it will just fall apart. This is how old paperboard boxes were made. Back then, they did not discover this manufacturing process and were only using paper as a box with out any kind of real support. This was bad because the boxes usually fell apart. Additionally, they were not able to repel any water like today’s cardboard can. Without the special paper that has the coating, then any kind of water that would touch the box would possibly cause it to fall apart. 

In my opinion, the best part about these boxes is that they can be made from recycled materials. This is good because the more we use our trash to remake valuable items, we are slowly making sure there is less and less trash pollution in our world. This also helps reduce carbon emissions. Cardboard boxes are the best kind of shipping container because of all the benefits it possesses. I’m not sure what the shipping industry would look like if this material had not been discovered.