Packaging 101: Basic Box Packaging Definitions and Terminologies
Packaging has its own vocabulary, and understanding these terms makes it easier to choose the right products, compare materials, and communicate clearly with your suppliers. This guide breaks down the most common words and concepts you’ll encounter when creating custom packaging.
Packaging Levels
Primary Packaging
Primary packaging is the layer that directly contains and touches the product. It keeps the product safe, sealed, and ready for use.
Example
For a canned beverage, the aluminum can itself is the primary packaging. It holds the liquid and includes the product label and required information.
Secondary Packaging
Secondary packaging surrounds one or more primary packaged items. It groups products together, adds branding, and can provide additional protection for storage or display.
Secondary packaging may:
- Bundle products into multi-packs
- Provide shelf presence and branding
- Add protection for transport to retailers
Example
A cardboard carton holding six soda cans is secondary packaging. It keeps the cans together, displays branding, and makes the product easier to stock and purchase.
Tertiary Packaging
Tertiary packaging is used for bulk handling, storage, and transportation. It helps move large quantities of products safely through warehouses and distribution networks.
Example
Multiple cartons of soda cans stacked on a pallet and wrapped in stretch film form the tertiary packaging. This allows the products to be transported efficiently by truck and stored in bulk.
How the Levels Work Together
Using the canned beverage example:
- The can is the primary packaging
- The carton holding multiple cans is the secondary packaging
- The pallet of cartons wrapped for shipping is the tertiary packaging
Each level supports a different stage of the product’s journey, from production to store shelf to customer.
Box Types and Structures
Regular Slotted Container (RSC)
Standard shipping and moving box with flaps that meet at the center.
Example: Packola Shipping Boxes
Roll End Tuck Front (RETF)
Sturdy mailer-style box with front flaps that tuck into the sides. Popular for e-commerce.
Example: Packola Mailer Boxes
One Piece Folder (OPF)
A single sheet of corrugated board wraps around the contents. Often used for books and documents.
Tuck Top
A box with a top panel that tucks into either the front or the back of the box. Common for retail packaging.
- Straight Tuck End (STE)
Top and bottom flaps tuck in the same direction.
Example: Packola Product Boxes - Reverse Tuck End (RTE)
Top and bottom flaps tuck in opposite directions. - Snap-Lock Bottom (SLB)
Bottom flaps interlock for moderately increased strength. - Auto-Lock Bottom (ALB)
Bottom automatically locks open when expanded. Ideal for faster packing and slightly heavier products.
Box Types by Use
Folding Carton
Pre-cut or pre-glued paperboard box used primarily for retail products.
Product Box
Designed to hold and brand individual products. Usually a tuck top structure.
Mailer Box
A durable corrugated box used for branded e-commerce shipments. Based on the RETF style.
Shipping Box
A corrugated RSC box designed to protect products in transit.
Insert
A custom internal structure that protects, secures, or presents products inside a box.
Case Pack
An outer carton holding several retail-ready units. Common for wholesale distribution.
Retail-Ready Packaging (RRP)
Packaging that transitions from shipping case to in-store display.
E-commerce Packaging
Packaging tailored for direct-to-consumer shipping. May include branding, return features, or reinforced structures.
Ships in Own Container (SIOC)
Packaging engineered to serve as retail packaging and a protective shipping container.
Materials
Paperboard
Thick paper-based material used for folding cartons.
Cardstock
A smooth paperboard thicker than paper but thinner than corrugated.
SBS (Solid Bleached Sulfate)
Premium white cardstock used for Packola’s retail boxes. Smooth and bright.
Corrugated Material
A multi-layer board made with fluting between liners. Used for protective retail and shipping boxes.
Kraft
Uncoated brown corrugated material with a natural matte look. Often high in recycled content.
Mottled White (Standard White)
A corrugated liner with a light off-white appearance. Smoother than kraft.
Coated White (Premium White)
A white clay-coated corrugated liner offering a smooth, bright surface ideal for printing.
E Flute
Fluted corrugated material about 1/16 inch thick (0.0625”). Commonly used for mailers and corrugated product boxes.
B Flute
Approximately 1/8 inch thick (0.125”). Mostly used for shipping boxes and larger corrugated applications.
Additional Common Packaging Materials in Packola’s product catalog:
Poly Mailers
Lightweight plastic mailers used for apparel and soft goods.
Paper Mailers
Fully recyclable paper-based mailing envelopes.
Padded Mailers
Mailers with internal bubble or paper padding for small, delicate items.
Tissue Paper
Thin decorative paper for wrapping and filling.
Packaging Tape
Paper or plastic adhesive tape used for sealing boxes. Available with custom branding.
Construction of Corrugated Material
Top Liner
Smooth outer sheet of heavy-duty paper.
Corrugation (Fluting)
The wavy middle layer that provides cushioning and strength.
Bottom Liner
Lower sheet of heavy-duty paper that completes the board.
Single Face
One liner attached to one fluted sheet.
Single Wall
One fluted layer between two liners. Used for Packola’s corrugated boxes.
Double Wall
Two fluted layers between three liners. Adds significant durability.
Triple Wall
Three fluted layers between four liners. Used for industrial applications.
Flute
The curved medium forming the wavy middle layer.
ECT (Edge Crush Test) Rating
A measure of a box’s stacking strength. It indicates how much pressure the sides of a corrugated box can handle before collapsing when weight is placed on top. A higher ECT rating means the box can support more weight during storage and shipping.
Packola’s E Flute and B Flute boards carry an ECT rating of 32 pounds.
Printing and Finishing
CMYK
Print colorspace that uses Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black inks.
RGB
Colorspace used on screens. Displays more colors than CMYK can produce.
Flexography (Flexo)
High-speed print method using print plates. Cost-efficient for large corrugated runs.
Litho Lamination
Printed liner is laminated to corrugated board for high-quality graphics. Good for high-volume packaging.
Offset Lithography
High-detail printing directly onto cardstock. Best for large runs of folding cartons.
Digital Print
Direct-to-board printing with no plates required. Ideal for short runs and fast turnaround.
Plate Charges
Fees for creating print plates required for flexo or offset printing.
Multipass Digital
Ink is applied over multiple printhead passes for enhanced detail.
Single Pass Digital
Ink is applied in one pass for fast, efficient printing.
Aqueous Coating
Water-based matte or gloss coating applied after printing.
UV Coating
High-gloss clear coating added post-print.
Lamination
A plastic film applied to add protection or tactile effects, such as soft touch.
Cutting Die
A steel-ruled tool used to cut and crease box shapes at high speed.
Cutting Table
A digital cutting machine used for short runs or prototypes.
Scoring (Creasing)
Compressed fold lines that allow for clean bends without cracking.
Emboss
A raised pattern or design pressed into the surface of the material.
Deboss
A recessed pattern pressed into the material.
Foil Stamping
Metallic or holographic foil applied with heat and pressure.
Spot Varnish (Spot UV)
A high-gloss clear coating applied selectively to highlight areas like logos.
Packaging Measurements and Fit
Interior Dimensions
Measurements of the inside of a box that determine product fit. Also used when designing custom inserts.
Exterior Dimensions
Measurements of the outside of a box. Important for shipping cost calculations and storage planning.
Right-Sized Packaging
Packaging designed to closely match product dimensions to reduce void fill, protect contents, and lower material and shipping costs.
Unboxing Experience
The visual and tactile moment when a customer opens their order. Important for branding and customer loyalty, particularly in e-commerce.
Food Packaging
Direct Food Contact
Packaging that touches food directly.
Examples: Chip bags, foil wrappers
Indirect Food Contact
Packaging that does not touch the food but is part of the product’s outer layers.
Example: A folding carton around a snack pouch.
Shipping and Logistics
Parcel Shipment
Individual package(s) under roughly 40 pounds. Typically shipped by carriers such as DHL, UPS, FedEx, or USPS.
Freight Shipment
A large or heavy shipment that moves on pallets via truck or LTL freight.
Dimensional Weight (DIM Weight)
A price calculation used by carriers based on the volume of a package rather than its physical weight.
Flat Rate Shipping Box
Carrier-provided boxes with a fixed shipping cost regardless of weight.
