The lifecycle of sustainable corrugated cardboard packaging

Corrugated cardboard packaging is everywhere – from online shopping boxes to supermarket shelves – and is an eco alternative to other packaging materials such as plastic. But what is it about corrugated cardboard that makes it so much more environmentally friendly?

Here, we share how our packaging is made, used and recycled or disposed of responsibly.

Making corrugated cardboard packaging

Corrugated cardboard has a layered structure, where a wavy central layer (the fluting) is enclosed between two flat sheets of paper. The central layer is glued to the outer paper liners – usually with a starch-based adhesive – resulting in a durable and rigid material ideal for packaging.

88% of corrugated packaging comes from recycled paper. The paper fibres used within the cardboard, along with woodchip and sawmill residues, are processed into the corrugated material, which in turn can be shaped for different boxes or packaging products.

By recovering the fibres from the paper, the production process reduces waste, conserves natural resources and – as a consequence – lowers the overall carbon footprint of the packaging. FEFCO’s Climate Neutrality Roadmap estimated that the corrugated cardboard packaging industry could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 19% by 2050.

By contrast, the carbon emissions involved with plastic packaging production (and incineration) could account to 56 billion tons of carbon between now and 2050.

What’s it used for, and why?

Corrugated cardboard is a great choice for a variety of retailers. Our clients span a number of manufacturing and food service businesses, with products ranging from point-of-sale packaging, to transit, postal and shelf-ready packaging.

But what makes corrugated cardboard packaging such a good choice?

• Eco-friendly: Between 2018–2021, Europe’s corrugated cardboard industry reduced wood usage by 18%, paper consumption by 4%, and fossil fuel use by 5%
• Strong and versatile – corrugated cardboard packaging has a high strength-to-weight ratio: making it lightweight but strong enough to protect contents from damage
• Cost-effective – thanks to the predominantly recycled materials that make up this packaging, it’s inexpensive to produce
• Customisable – the versatile nature of corrugated cardboard means that we can create bespoke packaging shapes and sizes for customers
• Good insulation – the air pockets in the fluted layer provide some thermal and acoustic insulation, which can be beneficial for sensitive goods.

Recycling your boxes

Corrugated cardboard is 100% recyclable, and naturally biodegradable: meaning it has a circular lifecycle – unlike plastic, much of which cannot be recycled and isn’t biodegradable. Depending on the business, the boxes and packaging will either be disposed of – and biodegrade naturally – or the paper from the packaging is sent to recycling.

In this instance, used corrugated packaging is compacted into bales and soaked in heated water, breaking the material down into pulp. During this stage, the adhesive used to bind the layers, plus any other impurities, are filtered out.

The paper fibres are then ready for reuse, so when combined with woodchip and sawmill residues, they create the corrugated cardboard material once more, which is then made into boxes and other packaging materials. This process can then be repeated, meaning no additional materials, waste or energy are being put into companies’ packaging requirements. In fact, corrugated fibres can be recycled up to 25 times without any major degradation in quality.

For those boxes that are sent to landfill, they will biodegrade in natural environments within two months.

Interested in switching to corrugated cardboard for your business?

At Colton Packaging, sustainability is built into every box we produce – if you’re looking for an eco-friendly packaging partner for your business, get in touch with our team today.