What Is Corrugated Packaging and Is It Necessary for My Product?
What Is Corrugated Packaging and Is It Necessary for My Product?
When it comes to corrugated boxes, one of the first things to understand is that not all boxes are made the same. Corrugated boxes are built using fluted (wavy) paper sandwiched between two linerboards, which gives them their strength and cushioning. The most common types are single-wall, double-wall, and triple-wall.
What are Single Wall Corrugated Boxes?
Single-wall is the standard corrugated box you see most often. Single-wall corrugated boxes are lightweight, cost-effective, and great for everyday packaging and shipping of lighter products. When it comes to products like clothing, small electronics, or retail goods, single-wall corrugate boxes are often enough to properly package your products.
What are Double-Wall Corrugated Boxes?
For heavier or bulkier items, you’ll want to consider double-wall corrugated boxes. These are made with two layers of fluted material, making them stronger and more durable than single-wall. They can handle heavier weights, resist punctures better, and protect fragile items during transport. Many e-commerce businesses use double-wall corrugate when shipping products that need extra protection or when packages may be stacked during shipping and storage. If your products are moderately heavy or high-value, this option adds peace of mind without too much extra cost. Double-wall corrugated boxes provide ease of mind for many e-commerce customers.
What are Triple-Wall Corrugated Boxes?
At the top end, there are triple-wall corrugated boxes, often referred to as corrugated crates. These are the strongest of the three, capable of handling industrial-level shipments, machinery, or items that weigh hundreds of pounds. They can replace wooden crates in some cases, providing both strength and easier recyclability. While triple-wall corrugated boxes might be overkill for lighter consumer goods; they’re invaluable if you’re moving extremely heavy or delicate equipment.
Choosing between single, double, or triple-wall corrugate really depends on the weight, fragility, and shipping conditions of your products. Once you understand your product needs, you can match the right box type to balance cost, protection, and durability.
What are Flute Sizes for Corrugated Boxes?
Another important part of corrugated boxes to understand is flute size. A flute is the wavy, zig-zag layer you see inside a corrugated box when you look at the edge. These flutes are what give the box its strength, cushioning, and stacking ability.
Flute sizes are usually labeled with letters like A, B, C, E, and F. Each flute size has a different thickness and number of flutes per foot. Think of it this way: larger flutes mean more cushioning and durability, while smaller, thinner flutes mean a smoother surface for printing and a more compact design.
Examples of different flute size
For example, A-flute is one of the thickest types of sizes and provides excellent cushioning, making it great for fragile items that need more shock absorption during shipping.
B-flute is thinner and stronger against crushing, so it’s often used for smaller boxes that need to be stacked tightly on pallets.
The most common option is C-flute, which offers a balance of cushioning and durability. The C-flute is perfect for general shipping boxes.
On the other hand, E-flute and F-flute are much thinner, with a smoother surface that’s ideal for retail packaging, custom branding, and printing logos or product details directly on the box.
Choosing the right flute size as a business owner
As a business owner, choosing the right flute size depends on both your product protection needs and your presentation goals. If your focus is shipping heavier items safely, larger flutes like A or C will serve you well. But if you’re selling products that sit on store shelves and need attractive, high-quality printing, smaller flutes like E or F will give your packaging a professional look.
Many businesses even combine these using heavier flute boxes for shipping and thinner flute packaging for retail display, so you get the best of both worlds in production and distribution.
How MDM Packaging Helps You Choose the Right Corrugated Packaging and Flute Sizes for Your Products
When it comes to packaging, choosing the right type of corrugated box and flute size can make a big difference in how well your products are protected, presented, and shipped. At MDM Packaging, we guide business owners through every step of that decision-making process. Whether you’re unsure if you need single, double, or triple-wall corrugate, or you’re trying to decide between thicker flutes for strength or thinner flutes for printing and presentation, our team takes the guesswork out of it. We don’t just provide boxes; we provide packaging solutions tailored to your product’s weight, fragility, and distribution needs.
What sets MDM apart is our family-first approach. From starting in a spare bedroom in Southern California to now serving businesses across dozens of states, we’ve never lost sight of what matters most; we treat our clients like family. We combine years of experience with strong industry partnerships to offer you not only expert advice but also competitive pricing that keeps your business costs down without sacrificing quality.
Whether you’re a small local brand or a growing company with nationwide distribution, MDM Packaging ensures you get the right packaging at the right price, backed by unmatched service. When you partner with us, you don’t just get a supplier and/or distribution center you gain a trusted team that truly cares about your products and your success. Contact us today and let us help you.
