In terms of packaging, we often hear the terms rigid box and folding carton. What is the difference between them? Is it better to use a folding carton or a rigid box for packaging my product? If you are a beginner, you may have difficulty answering these questions. The purpose of this discussion is to explain the differences between them in terms of material, cost, suitable situation, type, etc. so that you can make an informed decision.
Material & Process
The majority of folding cartons are made of card paper, printed directly on it. They do not require glue and can be assembled after die-cutting. There is relatively little labor involved in the overall process. Most processes are performed mechanically. The factory can produce hundreds of thousands of folding cartons per day based on the size of the facility.
For rigid boxes, grey board is usually used as the skeleton material and printing paper is laminated on the surface of the grey board. In comparison with folding cartons, they require two additional processing steps, lamination and gluing. Generally, rigid box production lines are less automated and require a certain degree of labor participation, resulting in a slightly lower production efficiency, which is generally limited to tens of thousands of units per day.
Cost
From the materials and processes described above, I believe you should have guessed that rigid boxes will have a higher production cost than folding cartons. You may be able to purchase a folding carton for just a few cents if your order is large enough. However, if you require a luxury rigid box, you may need to spend tens of dollars. There are some cheap rigid boxes available, but overall, rigid boxes are more expensive than folding cartons. This is the difference in purchase cost between the two, but you also need to take into account the cost of shipping them, as well as the cost of labor once they have been received.
Due to the fact that most folding cartons do not require gluing, you can either have the manufacturer assemble them and pack them for shipping, or you can pack them flat and then assemble them when you receive the goods. As opposed to rigid boxes, rigid boxes are often assembled and molded after gluing and then directly packed, which takes up much more space than a flat pack. As a result of the different choices, shipping and labor costs differ. Flat-packed folding cartons ship more cheaply than rigid boxes, but you must pay for the labor involved in assembling them. To choose the right packing method, you must combine the shipping cost with the local labor cost.
Suitable situations
How do I choose between a rigid box and a folding carton? Consider both the products and your sales channel.
Most folding cartons are used today to package food, medicine, and skincare products because they are generally light in weight and relatively inexpensive, as well as less prone to damage. Jewelry, watches, electronic products, wine, and other products with higher value typically come packaged in rigid boxes, which are relatively more easily damaged, and their loss is also relatively large after being damaged. What is the reason for this difference? According to the materials analysis, card paper used in folding cartons is less resistant to pressure and breakage than grey board used in rigid boxes, so to avoid high-value goods losses, people usually select rigid boxes for packaging their products.
It is my belief that if you run your own store, you will be very diligent in protecting your products and will carefully place them on the shelves. There is no guarantee that the staff handling your products will be as patient as you if you have many different distributors or sell online. At this point, you may choose a larger grammage card paper production folding carton and request that the manufacturer add cushioning, or you may choose a rigid box that will provide a greater level of safety.
Brand impact
When you purchase a skin care product or medicine packaged in a folding carton, it is likely that you will dispose of the packaging after you unpack it. But if you purchase an iPhone or a watch, the likelihood is that the box will be in your drawer or on your cabinet, and you may even record it when you open it, which is quite common on social media. What is the reason for this difference? Due to the fact that rigid boxes are often associated with a luxurious feel, their weight, texture, and design will make people feel like they would like to collect them, not to mention the consumers who have already purchased the product. This serves two purposes for your brand: on one hand, it demonstrates to your consumers that you are a premium brand, and on the other, if they share the unboxing process on social media, it achieves brand remarketing.
Box Styles
There is a wide variety of box types available from both companies to meet your various packaging requirements. In this article, I will not go into too much detail. If you wish to know more in-depth, please read my other two articles. ( Folding carton | Rigid box )
According to my understanding, rigid boxes and folding cartons each have their own advantages and should be evaluated comprehensively based on your product and budget, the right one will be the best. You are also welcome to leave a comment in the comment section to discuss a different viewpoint. Thanks for taking the time to read this article.
