Cardboard packaging – the sustainable alternative

What are cardboard boxes?

This refers to packaging made from cardboard. Various types of paper and cardboard are combined to create a sturdy solution for transport or storage. Cardboard packaging can also be used for product display, sales promotion or to protect foodstuffs.

What is the difference between cardboard boxes and cardboard packaging?

Cardboard is produced in large sheets or rolls and usually consists of just a single flat layer of cardboard. The situation is different with cardboard boxes, which have several layers of cardboard and can be folded into a box. If you like, cardboard is the material from which this packaging is made.

What are the advantages of cardboard shipping boxes?

The greatest advantage is undoubtedly the environmental friendliness of cardboard shipping packaging. It is made from a biodegradable, natural raw material that can be easily reused. Such packaging is significantly easier to recycle than its plastic counterparts. But that’s not all: thanks to its properties, cardboard packaging is food-safe, protects against all manner of external influences and preserves the flavour, flavors and appearance of the food it contains.

Let’s take delicate baked goods such as cakes, tarts, doughnuts or muffins as an example. Ideally, these should not be transported without a suitable tin. As it is very rarely possible for bakeries – or even supermarkets – to provide a cake stand, they resort instead to using cardboard boxes to transport the baked goods. The result: the cake for the 80th birthday isn’t squashed, and the filled doughnuts for the colleagues stay in one piece.

But what actually happens to the cardboard packaging that hasn’t been used (yet)? Don’t they take up an awful lot of space? No, quite the opposite. They can be stowed away and stored in a space-saving manner. Folded flat, they fit both on shelves and under cupboards. And even when in use, they can be stacked on top of one another, depending on the weight of the contents.

Cardboard boxes are also available in a range of sizes and thicknesses. Whether you want to transport and dispatch individual products or entire batches, these boxes make it possible. And they’re also easy to use: simply unfold them and fill them up.

How should cardboard boxes be disposed of after use?

There are many different options. In any case, any food residues and anything that is not paper – such as plastic film or parcel tape – must be removed and disposed of separately. Cardboard packaging can then be disposed of in the following ways:

• Drop-off at the waste paper collection point

• Disposal at recycling centres or in recycling bins

• Composting, provided they are biodegradable

Can cardboard boxes be reused?

Yes. However, particularly in the food production sector, it is essential that cardboard packaging is free from any residues. Otherwise, you can also use the shipping boxes for your promotional material, such as leaflets or brochures. Whether for storage or dispatch – there are many reasons to use cardboard boxes.

By the way: because cardboard boxes are so sturdy, they are often used as specially cut-to-size corner protectors. As well as providing protection, the cardboard strips also reinforce the transport and dispatch boxes stacked on pallets. These can then be secured with strapping tape, which does not cut into the cardboard packaging or, in some cases, dent the goods inside.

What accessories are available?

Just pop the food into the cardboard box and it’s all packed? No, it’s not quite that simple. Perishable foods or ingredients such as fish or meat must always be kept chilled. To ensure that the cooling cycle – and, in particular, the cold chain – isn’t interrupted, you should send such food in cardboard boxes lined with insets. These insulate the food inside and protect it from moisture – even for several hours.

Speaking of inserts: bottles and jars, of course, cannot be dispatched without the appropriate lining in the cardboard packaging either. Cardboard dividers prevent bottles and jars from bumping into one another uncontrollably during transport and, in the worst-case scenario, from breaking.

Bubble wrap is the classic choice for posting fragile items. It provides extra cushioning and protection against knocks. Whilst liquids roll off the film / foil, plastic is not particularly environmentally friendly. Furthermore, disposing of the various materials is more complicated than if you were to use only cardboard and cartons.

Cardboard boxes are the packaging of the future …

… particularly with regard to the environment and the climate. There is no planet B! Whilst plastic takes between 100 and 500 years to degrade, discarded cardboard packaging is gone after just 6 to 12 months. The Federal Environment Agency even assumes that plastic bags or bottles will never fully degrade and that a small residue will always remain.

If cardboard packaging is coated with PLA (polylactic acid) or PBS (polybutylene succinate) derived from maize starch or sugar cane to enable the clean transport of greasy food, it can even be composted industrially.

If you or your customers wish to produce and dispatch goods in a more sustainable way, switching to paper and cardboard packaging materials is a good option. Space-saving, food-safe, environmentally friendly, sturdy and easy to handle – this packaging solution is simple to customise. A logo, sticker or print can personalise the packaging and turn it into a sustainable showcase for your business.