Most cartons mainly come in two formats – folding cartons and rigid box cartons.
Folding cartons are those which are manufactured from a single sheet board. It can be paperboard, corrugated board or fiberboard. A single sheet is die-cut according to a template and is then folded to make a box or a tray. A very common example of a folded carton is a pizza box where the single corrugated sheet is folded to make the top, bottom and the sides.
The opposite of folding cartons is the rigid box cartons. This is where the top and the bottom parts are separate. This type of boxes is also known as telescopic boxes. Shoe boxes generally come in this format. Clothing items and electronics also use such type of two-piece boxes.
Depending on the material used, as well as the construction, packaging boxes are broadly grouped into five different categories.
Corrugated boxes are light yet sturdy boxes that are made by folding corrugated paperboards. The basic structure of corrugated paperboard involves boards made from sandwiching fluted or arched paper between two layers of linerboards made from heavy paper. This gives corrugated boxes a higher bending rigidity and resistance to crushing than most other packaging boxes. There are different types of corrugated boards depending on the density of the arches or flutes, as well as the thickness of the boards.
Boxboard Paperboard is made from a thick paper-based material with grammage above 250 GSM. Paperboard can be easily printed with rich colours, can be lined with other materials and can be folded intricately. This makes paperboard cartons ideal for retail boxes that look quite appealing on store shelves. Paperboard is also used to make corrugated boards. A special variant, called containerboard is used to do so.
Aseptic cartons are multi-layered containers generally used to store liquid food. They are commonly used for storing juices, soups, baby food, and even desserts. Aseptic packaging not only increases the shelf life of products but also preserves their nutritional value, color, and texture. Aseptic packaging can also withstand high temperatures and do not corrode over time when containing acidic products. TetraPak is a renowned manufacturer of such aseptic cartons.
Gable top cartons are multi-layered cartons used to store refrigerated food products. These cartons are used to store products like milk and juices. Gable tops are a variant of aseptic cartons where a separate plastic cap is provided on the top of the carton. This makes the carton reusable. The milk or the juice can be stored in the carton and kept in a refrigerator and can be poured out when needed.
Egg cartons or egg boxes or egg trays are cartons used for transporting whole eggs securely. These cartons are commonly made from recycled paper or molded pulp and have dimples in which the eggs are securely stored. In some cases, egg cartons are also made from clear plastic or polystyrene foam.
