Choosing packaging board: SBS, kraft, rigid and corrugated

White SBS (solid bleached sulphate)

A bright white folding boxboard with a smooth print surface. 18 pt is about 0.46 mm thick and 24 pt about 0.61 mm. It suits cosmetics, supplements and anything where colour accuracy matters.

SBS is the default board in PW Studio because it suits the widest range of retail cartons and shows artwork most faithfully.

Natural kraft

Brown, unbleached board with a natural texture. It prints well in dark inks and suits eco-focused brands, soaps and food. Bright colours print less vividly than on SBS; white ink or a white underprint can help.

Rigid board (greyboard)

Thick greyboard, typically 1.5 to 3 mm, wrapped in printed paper. It does not fold flat once made, so it costs more to ship and store, but it feels premium. Used for gift, jewellery and launch boxes.

Wraps turn in about 15 mm over each edge, so artwork for rigid boxes needs a wider margin than folding cartons.

Corrugated

Fluted board for strength. E-flute is about 1.5 mm and is common for mailers; B-flute is about 3 mm for heavier shippers. Corrugated uses a wider glue joint, around 35 mm, compared with 15 mm on folding cartons.

Double-wall board (for example BC-flute, around 6 to 7 mm) is used for heavy or stacked loads such as homewares and machine parts.

Matching board to style

A quick map from box family to the usual board:

• Tuck-end, lock-bottom and seal-end cartons: 18 to 24 pt SBS or kraft.
• Mailers and postal boxes: E-flute corrugated, or B-flute for heavy items.
• Shipping cartons: B-flute single wall up to about 15 kg; double wall above that.
• Gift, book, drawer and shoulder boxes: rigid greyboard with a printed wrap.
• Food packs: food-contact board with a grease or moisture barrier where needed.

Finishes and sustainability

Coatings such as aqueous varnish keep boards recyclable. Plastic lamination, metallic foil over large areas and plastic windows can make recycling harder; ask your printer about water-based coatings, paper windows and recycled-content boards.

Common questions