The Future is Cardboard

The Future is Cardboard

In light of changing shopping habits, environmental concerns and innovative ideas, corrugated cardboard is back in vogue. The humble cardboard box may have been a packaging staple for decades, but demand is growing and it is now gaining a spot in the packaging limelight.

Cardboard Boxes for E-commerce Deliveries

The rise of online shopping has certainly contributed to growth in the demand for cardboard boxes. The fact that cardboard can be cut and shaped into any dimension means that it is possible to design a perfect packaging for e-commerce deliveries.

A corrugated cardboard box offers considerable protection for products and another winning characteristic is the fact that this is a very lightweight material. With shipping costs being calculated on weight and size, lightweight packaging has a positive impact on outgoings. In addition, lightweight packaging makes handling easier.

E-commerce deliveries have influenced a shift away from plain cardboard boxes towards printed packaging. Company branding, enticing designs and useful communication can be applied as part of the standard manufacturing process. This allows retailers to add personality to their cardboard packaging without breaking the bank.

Cardboard: An Alternative to Plastic Packaging

The second reason for the growing popularity of cardboard is the backlash against plastic packaging. Unlike plastic, corrugated cardboard is biodegradable. When fibres come from recycled boxes and sustainable forests, the product is an ideal fit for the circular economy.

With growing awareness of the impact of plastic, manufacturers and retailers are looking for viable alternatives. Sustainable corrugated cardboard packaging has many favourable properties. These are encouraging greater uptake of cardboard for the packaging of foods, pharmaceuticals, flowers and electronic components, which were previously sold in plastic containers.

Corrugated Cardboard: Not just for Shipping

Innovation has also had a positive impact on the take up of corrugated cardboard. Designers are embracing the material and applying cardboard engineering skills to craft all manner of products. Look online and you can find examples of cardboard furniture, arcade games, musical instruments and exhibition displays. Cardboard tents are reducing waste on festival sites and you can even erect cardboard houses.

Taking it to another level, a Japanese architect has designed a cardboard cathedral for a community in New Zealand. This construction would seat 700 people, and it has been presented as a replacement to a Gothic cathedral that was destroyed in a natural disaster.

Growth in the Cardboard Box Industry

As a specialist cardboard box manufacturer, Aylesbury Box Company is delighted to have experienced sustained growth in demand. We enjoy discussing innovative ideas that put our cardboard engineering and design skills to the test. We are also happy to supply standard sized cardboard boxes if that is all you need.

If you are setting up an e-commerce business, are looking to reduce your environmental impact or have an innovative idea to explore, get in touch. Our team are happy to help you find the ideal cardboard solution.