Shipping Boxes | Eco-Friendly & Custom Sizing

Key features

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What is a shipping box?

A shipping box is a box made from corrugated cardboard, commonly used to ship large, heavy or fragile items. The standard design for a shipping box includes four flaps on the top and bottom that meet in the middle when closed. You can then use tape, such as gummed tape, to seal the shipping box. As shipping boxes are made from corrugated cardboard, it’s also possible to choose the fluting of your cardboard to maximise protection.

Are cardboard shipping boxes recyclable?

Yes: cardboard shipping boxes are recyclable. In fact, they can be recycled up to seven times, and the UK recycles 80% of its paper and cardboard into new products. This makes them one of the most sustainable types of packaging.

To help your customers recycle your shipping boxes, include a recycling symbol, clear information on which materials are in your box and instructions on what to do with them. If you’re doing the recycling, here’s how to recycle the right way:

1. Empty your shipping box.

2. Flatten it — this will save space. If you’re using a private recycling company that charges by volume, this will also help you reduce costs.

3. Put it in the recycling bin.

How to choose the right shipping box

Choosing the right shipping box is crucial to delivering your product safely. Your first step is finding the correct size, which means big enough to accommodate your product and any interior packaging like box dividers. That said, it shouldn’t be any larger. If your shipping box is too big, it can lead to wasted space, increased material and shipping costs, and less protection. Once you’ve found the right size, you can simply enter your dimensions when customising your shipping box online.

Your next decision is materials. At Sourceful, we have two materials (brown and white kraft liner) for the outside of your shipping box and one for the inside (brown testliner). Brown materials are generally more sustainable and cost-effective as they are unbleached and uncoated. White kraft liner, however, is better for printing and colours. All our materials are FSC-certified and 100% kerbside recyclable.

A final important decision is fluting. Fluting is the wavy layer between the two sheets of liner that together make up corrugated cardboard. Each type of fluting has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, B-flute (2.5-3.5mm) is the most common fluting for shipping boxes. It has good crush resistance but it isn’t the best surface for printing. So if you have detailed artwork, it may not be the best option. You can choose between three different flute profiles depending on your needs.

Carbon footprint

See how the carbon footprint of Sourceful’s shipping box compares to a benchmark product.

How is this calculated?

Carbon footprint comparison between the average Sourceful shipping box and a benchmark product.

Reduce your carbon footprint by up to 9%

-9% CO2e

Custom sizing

Create custom-sized packaging online with Sourceful. Eliminate waste and reduce your carbon footprint. By reducing void space to half the industry average, you can reduce your total order carbon footprint by up to 9%.

Specification

Understand your entire supply chain

Node map of a shipping box's carbon footprint.

Carbon footprint breakdown of a shipping box.

Materials

F0
FEFCO 0201
Made from one piece of corrugated board, FEFCO 0201 is the most common style of shipping box. Its simple, material-efficient design makes it a cost-effective solution for shipping bulky items. FEFCO 0201 is ideal for domestic and international transit and arrives pre-glued, making assembly easy. These boxes require tape to close.
Bk
Brown kraft liner
FSC certified, unbleached and uncoated liner paper made from virgin pulp. Brown kraft liner is the most sustainable material to print on for these shipping boxes. Colours may appear slightly muted because of its brown colour.
Wk
White kraft liner
FSC certified, bleached liner paper made from virgin pulp. White kraft liner is a good option for printing bold colours without choosing a coated paper.
Bt
Brown testliner
FSC certified paper made from 100% recycled fibres, brown testliner is a cost-effective paper used on the inside of Sourceful shipping boxes. This reduces its carbon footprint and cost.
B
B-flute
B-flute (2.5-3.5mm) is the most common fluting for shipping boxes. It has good crush resistance and its thickness offers extra cushioning. A high number of flutes per foot also creates a smooth surface for printing on. B Flute is the most sustainable and cost-effective fluting option. B-flute is not available at larger sizes where double-walled boxes are recommended instead.
E
EB-flute
EB-flute (4.5-5.5mm) combines E-flute and B-flute into a double-walled material. This provides more crush and puncture resistance than B-flute, making it approximately 35% stronger than B-flute. E-flute’s high number of flutes per foot creates an ideal surface for printing on and is best for intricate artwork or designs with a lot of ink.
B
BC-flute
BC-flute (7.0-8.0mm) combines B-flute and C-flute into a thick, double-walled material, creating optimal cushioning and stacking strength. BC-flute is the most durable fluting option available, ideal for shipping heavy objects or stacking cartons for long transits.
Wi
Water-based inks
Made with water as their primary base, these inks are designed for flexographic printing. More sustainable than solvent-based inks.
H
Handles
Handles are pre-cut slots in the sides of a shipping box which make lifting and carrying both safe and easy. As handles only alter the manufacturing process slightly, adding them has minimal impact on the cost and carbon footprint of your shipping box.

Production

Secondary Packaging

Transport

End of life

Supply chain

Resilient and responsible

Certifications

We validate all supplier claims and third-party certifications such as ISO, BRC and FSC. And we ensure suppliers adhere to UK and EU laws on chemicals and product components, like UK REACH. This allows businesses to confidently buy high-quality products that align with a net-zero trajectory.

All Sourceful shipping boxes are certified FSC Mix.

Vetted suppliers

We visit and vet every supplier we work with. We use our code of conduct to do this, which defines what we consider to be ethical working conditions. To work with Sourceful, suppliers and their manufacturing sites must meet this code. We then review their practices every year.

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Quality control

Every order from our suppliers undergoes a quality inspection process before it’s shipped. Any order that fails quality inspection is returned to the manufacturer or reproduced.

For orders manufactured internationally (outside the UK), we follow the Acceptable Quality Limit (AQL) method defined by ISO 2859 - 1.

For orders manufactured domestically (inside the UK), our suppliers perform the quality inspection process which we then verify through spot checks throughout the year.

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Independent testing

We send our shipping boxes for independent testing throughout the year. Shipping boxes are then subject to an Edge Crush Test and Box Compression Test.