Kartons

Kartons are a category of packaging containers made from cardboard or paperboard. They are used to protect, store, and ship a wide range of goods. The term generally covers corrugated cartons, which use a fluted corrugated medium between flat linerboards, as well as solid paperboard folding cartons used for retail packaging. Corrugated cartons can be single-wall, double-wall, or triple-wall, providing varying levels of strength and cushioning. Folding cartons are printed and folded to form shapes and are common for consumer products such as cosmetics, foods, and electronics.

Materials are typically paperboard made from recycled fibers and freshly sourced pulp. Corrugated boards employ a combination of linerboard and fluted medium; adhesives join layers. Recycled content is common, and the boards are designed to be recyclable and, in many cases, compostable if coatings are minimal.

Manufacturing involves pulping wood or other fiber sources, forming the paperboard, adding coatings or finishes, printing labels, scoring and folding lines, and assembling into final cartons through gluing, folding, and sometimes adding inserts or tamper-evident features.

Standard designs such as Regular Slotted Container (RSC) and Half Slotted Container (HSC) are common, optimized for stacking strength and efficient use of material. Packaging designers select packaging based on product protection, weight, manufacturing cost, and shipping efficiency.

Cardboard is widely recycled; recycling loops recover fiber, reduce virgin material use. Coatings, inks, and plastic windows can affect recyclability. Recyclability varies by region; renewable energy and waste-to-energy options also exist in systems.

Corrugated and cardboard packaging originated in the 19th century; adoption expanded in the 20th century with advances in corrugation, printing, and automated box-making. Today, kartons are a ubiquitous packaging format in consumer and industrial sectors.