An In-Depth Look at Key Packaging Materials: Rigid, Cardstock, Kraft, and Corrugated

Custom Packaging is a key role player in every industry as it is solely responsible for storage, transportation and the protection of the products. Moreover, in the current market it is also an effective marketing tool and greatly enhances the presentation of the product. Custom Packaging is also known for improving the overall experience of the consumer. The packaging industry has been growing rapidly and offers a very wide range of variety for brands. The top choices for materials in the industry include rigid, cardstock, kraft and corrugated and each of them has distinct applications and properties.

Rigid Packaging

Rigid Material is special for its sturdiness and strength. The construction of rigid material is typically from chipboard and thick paperboard. Due to the quality of the material and the luxury feel in rigid packaging, it is a suitable choice for high-end and delicate products.

Benefits

The most significant benefit of using rigid packaging is the ability of these boxes to withhold stress during storage and transportation. The sturdiness of these boxes ensures the safety of the product and keeps the products intact even under tough conditions. It further allows complete customization and offers an extremely luxury feel to the product. Moreover, the unboxing experience of rigid boxes is very unique and leaves an everlasting impact on the consumer.

Applications

The primary use of Rigid Packaging is for high-end products which are expensive as it ensures safety. The same reason also makes it very popular for delicate products such as jewelry, electronics and other items. Another application of rigid packaging is due to its impressive unboxing experience. The boxes are amazing as gift boxes and are also famous as PR packages. Overall, if the purpose is to make a product look elegant and luxurious and the plan is to leave a mark, rigid boxes are your go to choice.

Cardboard Packaging

Cardboard Packaging is the most versatile and well-known material for custom packaging. The material offers a variety of choices in terms of thickness and strength. The reason for the fame of this material is the cost-effectiveness and customizability of cardstock boxes. The easy machinability of the boxes make them ideal for every industry and they are a safe choice for retail purposes and bulk sales.

Benefits

The prime benefit of cardstock boxes is the security it provides with minimum costs. This makes them very beneficial for small scale or new businesses. Another advantage of Cardstock boxes is the easy customization. Cardstock allows the highest amount of customizability with high quality printing, die-cuts and several other add-ons. 

Applications

The versatility of cardstock materials makes it suitable for a vast range of industries. The primary user of cardstock material are daily use products which require attractive packaging and protection against dust. It is also a feasible choice for lighter products which do not have any danger of damage. Business Cards and office stationery is also safe from any damage and hence uses cardstock packaging. The high-quality printing on the material also makes it a good choice for marketing and PR purposes.

Kraft Packaging

Unbleached paper in its rawest form, made from the kraft process is known as Kraft Material. The material possesses a unique brown color and is well-known for its eco-friendly nature.

Benefits

Kraft paper is biodegradable as well as recyclable which allows it to cater the growing sustainable packaging preference of the consumer. So it will be justified to consider the eco-friendliness of kraft packaging as its prime benefit. Although the paper is processing free, it allows an optimum amount of customization and a variety of box styles making it a useful replacement for plastic.

Applications

The brands who are looking to fulfill their social responsibility of option sustainable practices always choose kraft material. It is also a top preference for purposes which require more paper including shopping bags. The material is also very popular in the pharma industry and organic products.

Corrugated Packaging

Corrugated material is a thick material consisting of multiple layers of paper. The composition of corrugated material includes a layer of flutes in the middle and two liners on the top and bottom making it very strong and thick. Furthermore, the air pockets in the flutes act as a cushion making it very effective and safe against jerks. Therefore, making it very ideal for large scale storage and transit.

Benefits

The shock absorbing ability of the corrugated material is its primary benefit and reason for its popularity. This ensures that the products reach the consumer safely, giving brands a satisfaction and a smooth experience to the consumer. Also, corrugated packaging is relatively lighter in weight in comparison to other alternatives reducing the shipping costs. 

Applications

The major use, as the construction of the box suggests, is for shipping purposes. Another primary use of these boxes is for storage purposes, large corrugated containers are very useful for storage. These boxes are also in use as cartons for smaller boxes to ensure safe shipping and easy unloading.