Why Is Cardboard The Best Packaging Material?

Is cardboard the best packaging material? Its popularity is evident but why?

For businesses of any size, you need to be sure that your products are well-protected. Not only do you need to make sure that items have great packaging to prevent damage, but there are also a wealth of other considerations to think about. Aspects of packaging that you may consider could include its environmentally-friendly credentials, aesthetic qualities, practicality and ease of transportation.

Here we look at some of the many reasons that cardboard consistently comes through as an excellent material for packaging

Five reasons why cardboard is the best packaging material

1.     Versatility

Cardboard can be creatively adapted to suit a range of products in varying shapes and sizes. Utilising advanced designs, cardboard packaging can have multi-uses or create forms never thought possible.

In some cases, brands have created their cardboard packaging to offer a further use after packaging. This extends the life of the product and shows the brand’s commitment to less waste. For example, clothes brands can use cardboard packaging which can be transformed into clothes hangers, giving consumers a further use out of their packaging.

With its versatility, you have to option to package many products using the same material. For example, Ribble offer on-demand box making technology, Right Size, so you can have the right box for your product and save on wastage.

2.     Ideal branding

While plain cardboard can be an effective packaging design in itself, cardboard can easily be transformed through colour, shape and branding. Cardboard is easy to print on or embossed to create genuinely personal packaging.

Using colours and logos, cardboard can quickly be transformed from dull packaging into vibrant and exciting protection that makes your brand easy to identify. Consider cardboard as a blank canvas, upon which you can convert with your wording and imagery to make your products fly off the shelves.

3.     Recyclable

Another considerable advantage of cardboard packaging is the fact that it is recyclable. For consumers, this brings many benefits as it is easy to dispose of and does not need special treatment to get rid of it. Most councils will pick up cardboard through their recycling collection programme, while there are many places to recycle cardboard across the UK.

What’s more, cardboard can be made of recycled material too. At Ribble, all of our boxes are made from 100% fully recycled material as well as being recyclable at the end of life also.

4.     Cut transportation costs (and the carbon footprint)

As cardboard is lightweight, it makes means the packaging does not add too much to the weight of the product overall. With lighter packaging, it makes products easier to transport and more cost-effective as you save on fuel when you save on weight. By saving on fuel, your transportation costs can be significantly reduced. Not only do you see cost-savings, but you can also reduce your carbon footprint by using less fuel.

In terms of transportation, cardboard is also very durable making it the best packaging material for business. It helps to prevent moisture from infiltrating the product; this is an essential factor for products that need to withstand long transportation times, as well as protecting food products.

5.     Cost-effective

Compared to many other packaging products, cardboard is an extremely viable option for businesses of any size. Cardboard is considered particularly cheap compared to more expensive packaging solutions such as plastic. If assessing solutions such as corrugated cardboard, then these are highly affordable as they require less material than normal cardboard, yet still give robust protection and are lightweight too.

By ordering cardboard in bulk, you can often save considerably on your packaging costs. Also, as cardboard packaging is usually delivered flatpack, you can order in bulk but still have the room to store it, so it is there when you need it, but does not take up an excessive amount of space.

Choosing cardboard for your packaging solution

If you are trying to find the perfect material for your packaging needs, then speak to the experts at Ribble. Ribble offers a wealth of cardboard packaging solutions that are recyclable and versatile. From standard boxes to bespoke packing systems, Ribble can help to ensure you have an innovative packaging solution that meets all your needs. What’s more, Ribble work with all manner of businesses, offering competitive solutions for small and large companies.

Find out more by getting in touch.