5 Tips about Materials of Paper Boxes
Material Composition: Paper boxes typically consist of base layers called cardboard and top layers called surface wrapping.
Common Boxes Materials
Coated paper and grey cardboard, corrugated paper. Other types include kraft paper and specialty papers, such as leather-textured and metal-foiled options. Here is a clear overview of 30 more common materials of paper boxes in a simple table format.
| Material Type | Grammage (g/m²) | Thickness (mm) | Common Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double-Coated Art Paper | 157 | 0.17 | Premium packaging, cosmetic boxes |
| Single-Coated Art Paper | 190 | 0.2 | Book covers, mid-tier product boxes |
| Double-Coated Art Paper | 250 | 0.27 | Luxury packaging, high-end retail boxes |
| White Kraft Paper | 150 | 0.18 | Eco-friendly bags, retail shopping bags |
| White Kraft Paper | 250 | 0.3 | Gift boxes, rigid mailer envelopes |
| White Cardboard | 400 | 0.45 | Cosmetic boxes, electronics packaging |
| Gray Cardoard | 800 | 0.9 | Shoe boxes, inner structural supports |
| Gray Cardoard | 1000 | 1.1 | Small appliance packaging |
| Gray Cardoard | 1200 | 1.35 | Protective inserts for fragile items |
| Gray Cardoard | 1500 | 1.7 | Heavy-duty shipping boxes |
| Gray Cardoard | 2000 | 2.8 | Industrial crates, weight-bearing packaging |
| Brown Kraft Paper | 150 | 0.18 | Wrapping paper, filler material |
| Brown Kraft Paper | 250 | 0.3 | Wrapping paper, Paper Bags |
| Wood Free Paper | 250 | 0.25 | Hardcover book liners, stationery |
| Wood Free Paper | 400 | 0.42 | Journals, premium catalog inserts |
| Black Card | 150 | 0.16 | Luxury tags, accent panels |
| Black Card | 250 | 0.28 | High-contrast packaging, premium displays |
| Corrugated Fiberboard (E-flute) | 400 | 0.5 | Lightweight shipping boxes, retail displays |
| Corrugated Fiberboard (B-flute) | 600 | 0.75 | E-commerce boxes, standard shipping |
| Corrugated Fiberboard (BC-flute) | 900 | 1.1 | Furniture packaging, heavy-item shipping |
| Folding Box Board (FBB) | 230 | 0.25 | Cosmetic boxes, pharmaceutical packaging |
| Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) | 300 | 0.32 | Food packaging, beverage carriers |
| Recycled Board | 350 | 0.4 | Eco-friendly product boxes |
| Metalized Cardboard | 280 | 0.3 | Decorative gift boxes, promotional packaging |
| Textured Linen Paper | 180 | 0.2 | Wedding invitations, premium business cards |
| Synthetic Leather Paper | 320 | 0.35 | Luxury book covers, high-end gift boxes |
| Pearlescent Coated Paper | 220 | 0.24 | Cosmetic packaging, specialty labels |
| Magnetic Closure Board | 500 | 0.55 | Reusable boxes (e.g., electronics, stationery) |
| Honeycomb Board | 1200 | 1.5 | Protective pallet inserts, heavy-load bases |
| PET Plastic Sheet | 350 | 0.38 | Transparent window patches for boxes |
| Acetate Sheet | 250 | 0.28 | Clear packaging overlays, protective sleeves |
When to use thicker materials
Thicker materials, like rigid board (≥9000gsm) and corrugated B-flute, are important for heavy or fragile items. These items include electronics and glassware.
Thicker materials of boxes for shipping protect goods during shipping. They also work well for luxury gift boxes.
These custom boxes need to be durable and feel premium. This is important for packaging jewelry or high-end cosmetics. Thicker options like grey cardboard (≥1200gsm) further resist crushing in stacked storage or long-distance transit .
When to use thinner materials
Thinner materials, like 200–300gsm paperboard, are great for lightweight products. These include cards and small cosmetics.
Thin materials cut custom shipping boxes costs and shipping costs and fold flat to save storage space, perfect for eco-friendly packs like kraft boxes that use less stuff. People pick thin art paper for wrapping when the inside is already stiff.
1. Material Selection: Kraft Paper + Varnish vs. Coated Paper + Lamination vs. Special Art Paper
Kraft + Varnish: Eco-friendly natural look (good for organic products); thin protective layer and Easy to recycle.
Art Paper + Lamination:Super glossy & scratch-proof for luxury; costs 20% more than varnish. Better for printing and More stable performance.
Special Art Paper: Unique textures (linen/metallic) for luxury feels. Costs 2-5x normal paper and needs special printing or hot stamping, embossing.
2. Structural Composition: Thick wrap Paper + Thin Gray Board vs. Thin Wrap Paper + Thick Gray Board vs. Double-Layer Wrap Paper + Gray Board
Thick Surface + Thin Back: Makes printing look better & keeps it light; ideal for small items like makeup.
Thin Surface + Thick Back: Strong to protect fragile things; but 10% heavier boxes for shipping and shipping cost. Suitable for deep debossing / embossing.
Double-Layer Face + Board: Looks fancy and workable for printing inside and outside.
3 Substrate Choices: Black Printing or Black Card
Black Card: Pre-colored substrate avoids printing costs but limits design to solid colors only. 25% higher cost than powder gray but enhances luxury perception.
Gray board: Balanced stiffness and costs; requires surface printing on wrapping paper for branding as bare finish appears industrial.
Double-Coated Art Paper: Achieved by layering multiple ink colors (CMYK) and Heavy ink use.
White Kraft + Black Ink: Eco-friendly matte black effect; easy to recycle.
How to Measure:
Use a caliper, thickness gauge, or cardboard thickness tester to measure the thickness of paper boxes materials. Clamp the sample between parallel plates or sensors. Then, read the display in millimeters (mm) or micrometers (µm).
5-Step Measurement Process:
- Measure thickness of raw material: Ensure the paper sample is flat, wrinkle-free, and debris-free for accurate measurement.
- Cut a 10x10cm sheet: Trim the paper into a standardized 10cm × 10cm square to simplify weight and thickness calculations.
- Measure paper weight: Weigh the cut sheet to determine its grammage (e.g., GSM—grams per square meter).
- Measure paper thickness: Use a calibrated micrometer or thickness gauge under 50–100 kPa pressure to get precise thickness (in mm or microns).
- Check standard weight-thickness tables: Compare your GSM and thickness results against industry standards to validate consistency.
5 Critical Precautions:
- Avoid folds/creases in samples to prevent false readings .
- Measure consistently thick areas—exclude edges or uneven sections .
- Stabilize the instrument on a vibration-free surface to avoid drift .
- Avoid pressing down during measuring to keep items their natural shape.
- Use material-specific sensors (e.g., for coated vs. corrugated paper) and validate with standards .
1. Most Cost-Effective Material
- Corrugated paper is the cheapest material for custom shipping boxes. It uses low-cost materials like linerboard and medium.
- Lightweight packaging cuts production and shipping costs by 30%. But stays strong and saves 15-20% more with recycled materials—boosting savings and eco-friendliness.
2. Use smaller custom boxes to save Without Compromising Quality
- Optimize designs for flat-pack assembly and smaller packaging. This will lower storage and transport costs.
- Use automated box-making machines for precise cuts. This reduces waste to 10% or less.
- Buy recycled cardboard in bulk for discounts, and Select a more intelligent way of combining materials.
3. Additional Material-Centric Cost-Saving Strategies
- Use honeycomb paper inserts instead of foam: 40% cheaper and equally protective for fragile items.
- Switch to recycle white kraft paper: Saves 15% surface finishing costs while retaining tear resistance.
- Prioritize single-wall corrugation: Ideal for lightweight products, cutting material use by 25% vs. double-wall.
- Source paper with ≥70% recycled content: Reduces costs about raw materials of paper boxes by 20% and qualifies for green tax incentives.
Material Cost-Performance Comparison
Material Cost per m² Best Use Case Key Savings Attribute
Cardboard custom shipping boxes (0.5-1.2mm thick) scale recycled content use.
Grey Cardboard 0.40–0.90 Retail displays UV coating instead of lamination.
Recycle White Kraft 0.30–0.70 Eco-friendly mailers Lower bleaching cost for shipping costs.
Recycled Paperboard 0.35–0.80 Folding cartons Tax incentives & bulk discounts.
Moulded Pulp 0.25–0.60 Protective inserts Low tooling fees at scale.
Eco-Material Verification
Q1: How to verify “eco-friendly” paper claims when suppliers produce my boxes?
A: Demand third-party certifications: FSC Mix ≥70%, recycled content PCR% validation via SGS testing. Generic “green” claims ≠ compliance.
Structural Engineering
Q2: Does using maximum thickness for my custom shipping boxes guarantee damage protection?
A: Not 100%. But thicker is safer and higher costs. Let’s find the balance.
Q3: Can I mix kraft + recycled materials without compromising strength?
A: mix of 40% new + 60% recycled material keeps box strength at 14+ psi for heavy items. But over 70% recycled weakens stacking by 22%.
Moisture & Mold Defense
Q4: How to prevent water damage without plastic coatings?
A: Use waterproof paper or add lamiantion to protect.
Q5: Mold grew on paper boxes stored >30 days – can I hold suppliers liable?
A: Contact us freely for any questions and take care of your custom boxes. We will offer some solutions to solve.
Cost-Driven Material Downgrades
Q6: Switching to cheaper materials of paper boxes saved 20% but caused product damage – Is it worth?
A: Of course not. We’ll find the right materials to cut costs while keeping your products safe.
Q7: Reducing paper weight of printed paper boxes– what’s the performance penalty?
A: Expect 32% lower edge crush strength (ECT). Mitigate with internal corrugation supports at $0.07/unit.
Sampling vs Production Discrepancies
Q8: Production material differs from box samples – how to prove substitution?
A: Run paper weight and thickness checks—if results vary over 8%, it breaks contract.
Q9: Can suppliers secretly change paper source between batches?
A: Have a paper origin test to catch different paper—like spotting pine tree traces.
Material Measurement & Standards
Q10: How to measure paper thickness of box without industrial tools?
A: Use micrometer calipers (accuracy ±0.001mm) at 3+ points/box. Acceptable variance: ≤±7% of spec.
Q11: What’s the correlation between paper GSM and thickness?
A: GSM = Thickness (mm) × Density (g/cm³) × 1,000
Example: 300 GSM paper at 0.8g/cm³ density = 0.375mm thickness.
Coating & Ink Interactions
Q12: Why did coated paper absorb ink differently vs uncoated samples?
A: Keep ink soak between 25-35 ml per square meter per ISO test standards.
Q13: Spot UV coatings cracked after box folding – preventable?
A: UV coatings must bend easily at 180° and handle heat over 40°C.
Legal & Compliance
Q14: Ease of recycling claims challenged by local facilities – how to validate?
A: Follow recycling guides and check recyclability—tough-to-recycle claims could be fake eco-friendly.
Performance Failures
Q15: Product shifted/damaged despite “custom fit” – material or design flaw?
A: Boxes must withstand 6+ drops without >3mm product movement. Failure = redesign and remake samples.
Q16: Corners split during winter shipments – material weakness?
A: Cold test: Paper must bend at -20°C per TAPPI T402 with no breaks.
Tooling Cost Reduction
Q17: How to justify $100 die-cutting tooling for small runs of boxes?
A: Digital creasing eliminates 100% of tooling costs. Alternative: choose standard size to save mold costs.
Q18: Can I reuse die tooling after changing paper thickness of paper boxes?
A: Keep paper thickness changes under ±0.15mm—larger shifts cause uneven cutting and rough edges.
ALLEN LEE
Hi, I’m Allen Lee, the owner of Allenboxes.com, I’ve been in the packaging industry for over 20 years and running a factory in China that produce for 10+ years, and the purpose of this article is to share with you the knowledge related to packaging from a Chinese supplier’s perspective.
30 Common Sizes of Custom Boxes
4-step workflow to confirm Custom Box Sizes
Phase 1: Product & Dimension Fundamentals.
Phase 2: Box Type & Structural Design.
Phase 3: Budget-Driven Size Adjustments.
Phase 4: Prototyping & Refinement.
Top 8 Box Finishings
1. Foil Stamping2. Embossing/Debossing
3. Emboss + Foil (Combo Stamping)4. Spot UV
5. Glitter/Glitter Dust6. Flocking
7. Spot Embossing8. Die-Cut /Window Patching
12 Common Box Inserts Introduction
1.Sponge (with velvet or paper)2.EVA Foam 3.Pearl cotton (EPE)
4.Paper Cardboard 5.Corrugated Paper 6.Plastic Blister
7.Tissue Paper 8.Raffia Filler9.Bubble Beads
10.Satin Fabric,11.Small Pouches 12.Mini Pillows
5 tips about Materials of Paper Boxes
1.Measure thickness of raw material
2.Cut a 10x10cm sheet
3.Measure paper weight
4.Measure paper thickness
5.Check standard weight-thickness tables
How to control color discrepancy of paper boxes
1.Same materials /ink batch
2.Same printing machines & crew
3.Same finishing (lamination/coating)
4.Identical inspection tools + standards
5. Smart color choices (e.g., black + embossed logo)
6 steps to customize paper boxes
1. Design Box style, Colors, Logos.
2. Meet the budget.
3. Revisions & Prototyping
4. Final Approval & Refinement
5. Small-Batch Testing
6. Mass Production