Where does Corrugated Cardboard come from?

Where does Corrugated Cardboard come from?

The Chinese are credited with the creation of paper in 105 A.D. The careful handmade process made use of textile fibres and tree bark. Initially, this new material was reserved for the imperial courts, but it soon spread along the silk route to countries far and wide.

Paper is now a material that we use every day. Modern manufacturing processes have seen the cost of production cut and the versatility of paper has been fully explored. With various thicknesses, finishes and engineering, it is used in every industry. Attempts to become a paperless society have failed because even in a digital world, we are reliant on paper products.

One paper-based product is corrugated cardboard.

Back in 1856, a pleated sheet of paper was glued to a flat sheet. This forerunner to corrugated cardboard was used as a liner which helped hats to fit comfortably on the head. Building on this idea, a second flat sheet was glued on the other side of the pleated sheet in 1874. This extra sheet added strength to the material and this is how corrugated cardboard is made today.

By the early 1900s, wooden crates were being replaced by boxes made from this cheap, robust and insulating material. Despite many advances, corrugated cardboard boxes remain the most popular packaging material a century and a half later. Whether shipping goods from China, or supplying your local shop, corrugated cardboard boxes are the packing of choice.

Corrugated Cardboard Visitor Attraction

A company in Taiwan is certainly showcasing the many qualities of corrugated cardboard. Carton King has created a visitor attraction in Taichung City, where everything possible is made from corrugated cardboard or paper.

Eat in the restaurant and you will sit on corrugated cardboard chairs, at a cardboard table. Your food will be presented in specially designed paper bowls, even some of the cooking pots are made from paper! Fortunately, the food is not paper-based and is edible. Looking around the restaurant, you’ll see that the wall displays are formed from corrugated cardboard.

When you have finished eating, you can also head out into the garden to see replica models of buildings, including the Eifel Tower and Big Ben. There are also animals, trees and other features – I bet you can guess what material they are made of!

In a world where we need to encourage alternatives to plastic packaging, Carton King is demonstrating the potential of this age-old, yet trusted material. Restaurants on mainland China and in other parts of the world are now following their example.

Printed Cardboard

The cardboard featured in the Carton King restaurant is plain, however other designers of corrugated cardboard furniture have added colour and patterns. Paper-based materials are straight forward to print using a variety of methods. Printed cardboard gives added appeal to product packaging, point of sale displays, delivery boxes, food cartons or furniture.

If you are interested in creating stylish cardboard furniture for your café, library or break out room, or you are interested in printed cardboard packaging boxes, Aylesbury Box Company can assist. From design to delivery, we can manufacture the corrugated cardboard items that fit your brief. Call us on 01296 436888 or email enquiries@abcbox.co.uk.