In 1895 the first corrugated cardboard box was manufactured in the U.S. More than a century later, our nation’s container and cardboard box manufacturing industry is valued at $66 billion.
There’s good reason cardboard boxes have earned a place in the “old ways are the best ways” category for shipping products. Newer shipment packaging like poly mailers are great options, but corrugated cardboard boxes continue to be the choice option. Among the reasons, cardboard boxes are:
- Durable enough to withstand shipping processes
- Easily cut to size to meet packaging and design needs
- Customizable using affordable printing technology
- Recyclable
That last benefit – recyclability – is especially important today. E-commerce sales continue to soar and the cardboard box remains steadfast as the packaging of choice. In fact, of all the corrugated cardboard boxes manufactured each year, only 1.1% of those are used for purposes other than packaging (Statista).
The question is, where do all of these discarded e-commerce cardboard boxes go?
The answer is good news for those trying to reduce their carbon footprint. Recycling centers are experiencing an increase in cardboard in residential streams. Cardboard is easy to capture and there are markets willing to accept it. For a closer look at where these discard cardboard boxes go, this Wall Street Journal video story takes you through it – worth the 4.5-minute watch.
Considering new packaging options that are as good for your e-commerce business as they are for the planet? Need to rebrand your existing shipment boxes with a splash of color or your new logo? Visit MRBOXonline, call (800) 231-8806 or (954) 572-2500, or email [email protected].
